The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan looks back at Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman’s pre-draft press conference with the media this evening, and Kulfan took note of Yzerman’s take as to whether European-playing prospects might surge ahead of the North American draft-eligible players who aren’t skating this fall:
The Wings’ scouting staff has had considerable time to interview and analyze this year’s class. But what has added another wrinkle this year is the fact leagues in Europe have begun this season and scouts are getting a bonus look, of sorts, at those players while North American prospects are sidelined because of the pandemic.
Yzerman acknowledged that has added another intriguing aspect to this draft.
“It’s tricky because most of the North American kids haven’t been playing,” Yzerman said. “These kids in Europe, their good play, or poor play for that matter, does it move them above or below the guy that hasn’t played? I don’t think it’s changing our opinion that much watching these kids right now.
“Going into last month, over the course of the summer, we formulated our opinion, did our research the best we could on the guys’ background checks to the best of our ability. And with the European kids, it’s given us a chance to watch them a little bit more, but ultimately, it’s not really swaying our list that much.”
Continued; if you haven’t seen the 41-minute-long presser yet…
