Updated 3x at 2:12 PM: Of Red Wings-related note this afternoon:
1. TSN’s Craig Button posted his mock draft, and he believes that the Red Wings will select Quinn Hughes at #6…
6. Quinn Hughes
Defence | Michigan (NCAA) | 5’10 | 173 lbs. | Oct. 14, 1999
2017-18 Statistics
TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button says:
“He plays a go-go-go offensive game, at times more like a rover than a defenceman. He’s fearless, not afraid to make high risk, high reward but also high danger plays.” MORE…
And Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek believes that Filip Zadina will slide down to the Wings:
6. DETROIT RED WINGS
Filip Zadina, LW, Halifax (QMJHL): A shoot first, ask questions later type player.
2. Also regarding the draft, Sportsnet posted a “Big Read” about Andrei Svechnikov, and Daniel Nugent-Bowman’s story also reveals the developmental path taken by older brother Evgeni…
3. “Just in case,” MLive’s Ansar Khan posted a draft profile of Oliver Wahlstrom, who will probably be available when the Wings pick at #6…
4. And DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji penned a survey of defenseman Alfons Malmstrom’s 2017-18 season, and the most intriguing part of the “By the Numbers” look back involves Wings director of player development Shawn Horcoff’s assessment of the stay-at-home defenseman’s season:
Quotable: “Alfons is working extremely hard both in the gym and on the ice to bring his conditioning level to an all-time high. He was personally disappointed last year with his season and is looking forward to rebounding this upcoming one. I’ve been in constant contact with his summer trainer and am looking forward to seeing the results of Alfons’ hard work in next week’s development camp.” – Shawn Horcoff, director of player development
Update: The Athletic’s Craig Custance spoke with Wings amateur scouting director Tyler Wright regarding the possible goaltending options available to the Wings at this year’s draft:
In general, this year’s goalie draft class isn’t viewed as particularly great. There doesn’t appear to be a guy in Oettinger’s class. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be starting goalies to be had at some point.
There are some talented goalies — starting with Amir Miftakhov, Lukas Dostal and Jakub Skarek. And you won’t find a better breakdown of the top options than the one Cat Silverman did. But it’s still a crapshoot.
That’s why it helps to have a slew of draft picks like Detroit has. Wright didn’t sound especially eager to use any of the Red Wings second-round picks on a goalie but did mention the extra picks the Red Wings have after that.
“We have three thirds,” Wright said. “Depending on what happens, if you can walk out of there and say you have the best goaltender in the draft in your mind, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have the best goalie in five years.”
Update #2: Hockeybuzz’s Bob Duff has the Wings picking Noah Dobson in his Featurd.io mock draft.
Update #3: The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan has the Wings picking Evan Bouchard at #6:
6. Detroit Red Wings: Evan Bouchard, D, London (OHL). The Wings need someone like this – a defenseman with size, ability at both ends of the ice, and character. But if Hughes is still here, it’s going to be a difficult choice.
Duff has Zadina falling all the way to #9? I’m not sure why AZ would take a center when they just traded for a pretty good one.
Nobody knows what Bergevin will do….really, after the first two picks everything is in the air.
It’s draft time and it’s crazy time.
After reading that article on the Svechnikov brothers, I’m even more convinced all of these mock drafts having the Red Wings keeping their 6th pick and selecting a Dman are completely useless and a waste of time.
Mock drafts, to me, are a way to measure the writers credibility and creativity. Anyone thinking the Red Wings will be happy sticking with the 6th pick with this crop of kids is off my list.
Knowing way ahead of time Andrei would be available in the 2018 draft, I could feel the Red Wings making plans to move up in the draft to select him. If they didn’t, it would be irresponsible on their part, just from a talent perspective alone. But to read how close the brothers are, almost Sedin-esque, without being twins, you hope the Red Wings would do everything humanly possible to get them together on the same NHL team.
The names this kid is being compared to are legendary.
I think its not ‘if’ but, what is it going to take for the Red Wings to trade up to #2..
I’d offer up this years #6 and #33 in round 2 that we got from Ottawa, and a player they can insert into their lineup immediately …. like maybe Athanasiou… to start.
If Holland and Co. are serious about the rebuild, they’ll make the jump. Having someone aggressive on staff like Jimmy D, who is smart enough to recognize how talented the kid is (and get Stevie Y. flashbacks when he watches YouTube clips), it would be an epic failure on the entire staffs part if they don’t make the move to get Andrei.
Anyone who posts a mock draft and has the Red Wings sticking with their #6 pick …
a) doesn’t understand the Red Wing franchise as a whole
b) has no credibility and I will never pay any attention to any of their opinions or ‘insights’ again.
It all comes down to what happens Friday night …
Maybe I’m the one thats blowing hot air.
This is a great, smart, fantastic……wet dream of a plan..
No one dares to mention it so Carolina doesnt get cold feet .
I believe the Wings will stick with #6. But what I really hope they do is trade up from their Vegas #1 to nab Dominic Bokk. I can dream, can’t I?