The Edmonton Journal’s David Staples offers a set of “takes” regarding the news that Red Wings director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright, chief amateur scout Jeff Finley and amateur scout Andrew Dickson have been allowed to leave the Detroit organization, with Wright heading to Edmonton to join former Wings GM Ken Holland.
According to Staples, Wright did a fairly good job of drafting prospects while with the Wings:
As head of amateur scouting in Detroit, Wright somewhat reversed a run of mediocre scouting in that organization. In 2014, the Red Wings drafted Dylan Larkin 15 overall, and he’s become the team’s top young player. Detroit appears to have missed with top 2015 pick Evgeni Svechnikov, but two d-men from the 2016 draft, Dennis Cholowski and Filip Hronek, are trending well. So in those three drafts, he appears to have added three good players, which is what is needed from a scouting department, at least one good player per year. It’s not known if Wright did the same in his last three drafts. It’s too early to tell. We don’t even know if top picks like Michael Rasmussen, Filip Zadina, Joe Veleno and Moritz Seider will be busts or great buys, though not one of them is obviously a great buy at this point in time. That could change fast, however.
Continued and I’m curious as to whether you feel that “one good player per year” is enough…
Umm no. One good player per year is not enough. That’s an old Ken Holland sound bite when we were picking #25th or #30th or whatever. This arbitrary criteria totally ignores what picks you have. When you have a top 10 or top 15 pick, then that should automatically be a difference maker. You are going to miss once in awhile, but when you pick in that range it’s a near certainty.
Then you have to look at what picks you have. In a year like 2015 we picked 19th, traded away our 2nd, and only had 5 more picks in round 3-7. If you find one player that’s a success. But then take 2017. After picking Rasmussen at #9, we had 5 picks in rounds 2 and 3. In a year like that, you absolutely have to hit on 1 or 2 of those guys. Instead, it appears as if we whiffed on all 5 of them. Two of them have already been cut loose by the team. Same with 2018…#6 has to be a certainty, then we had a late 1st, two 2nds, three 3rds. Getting one player is a total failure. The #6 is a must and you have to hit on at least 2 other guys. And not 4th line fodder like Ehn, but impact guys. Something the Wings have failed at for awhile now.
I hope I eat my words…but, not enough prospects look gem quality.
Yes, that is a lot of picks wingnut. One hit per year is average AT BEST. So goodbye Mr.Wright and company! You just don’t compete hard. Your soft and conservative an you fall back as your go to strategy.
Which may be exactly what they need in Edmonton…
I hope I eat my words…but, not enough prospects look gem quality.
Yes, that is a lot of picks wingnut. One hit per year is average AT BEST. So goodbye Mr.Wright and company! You just don’t compete hard. Your soft and conservative an you fall back as your go to strategy.
Which may be exactly what they need in Edmonton…
I just about threw up in my mouth (Cole and Legwand). That might have been a good time to give KH the boot.
The D is shaping up to be (maybe) some good drafting lately but Hronik is the only one bright spot right now. Some good picks in GR? Will see?
Ras is a bit like Phaneuf, killed pint sized juniors…Men in the NHL Ras is staying away from physical stuff . I watched the Russian Junior series and I remember 2 Ruskies going after Ras yapping and making him skate around them. ZERO emotion, that was it for me. Hoping for miracles now.
Zadina, Veleno, have shown some talent. Still a bit befuddled with our #6 pick this year. Hopefully will grow into NHLers. Mantha was known to everyone shoot, only. KH did trade away a lot of picks.
In short, the only high end pick seems to have been Larkin. Not even 1 hit in a few years. Terrible, terrible drafting. I think the rest of the GMs lit a fire under their European Scouts(if they had one). I think Andersson is still one of the best, but others are doing the same thing. Maybe time for new ideas in the European Scout.
I don’t think the Wings are anywhere near 1 big pick a year and I always thought TWO minimumhas been the Mark of a Good team. Larkin is far above any pick I can think of, he was going to be sent down at 1st, Hockey IQs of under 10. More house cleaning to do.
To be fair, the past is all KH but the future drafts will tell all about Stevie Y. I feel positive but it is going to take around 4 or 5 years. Changes in GR, Stevie Y??
I hope I live long enough to see a real Wings team. Cut back on the loyalty anchor (KH)…NEXT YEAR over paid useless Pylons must leave.
In short 1 pick good pick is not enough, should be 2 and get lucky with more.