McKeen’s Hockey’s Ryan Wagman conducted a mock draft for NBC Sports today, and he suggests that the Red Wings may take a longer developmental route in order to draft Saginaw Spirit center Cole Perfetti:
4. Detroit Red Wings – Cole Perfetti, C, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Here is where things get interesting. The first pick was a no-brainer. Chalk. There are arguments to be had about 2/3 or 3/2, but the choice there is limited to only those two players. The Red Wings could literally go in seven different directions with the fourth pick, and none would be as surprising as their selection of Moritz Seider sixth overall last year. And may I remind you that that pick is doing quite well. One thing I know about Yzerman, is that he will not be afraid to be patient with the pick. The fact that a player has only a 10% chance to play in the NHL next season, and only a 50% shot in 2021-22, while a different player has a 35% chance to play right away and an 80% chance to play in 21-22 will take much less precedent than what each player will be able to produce from 2022-23 through 2028-29, and beyond.
I believe Yzerman values hockey IQ, and of those available, the most refined are Perfetti, Lucas Raymond, and Marco Rossi. Rossi falls short of the other two in terms of skill (although he is still awesome), while Perfetti has the edge in grit. Raymond’s offensive game is more well-rounded. In the end, I take Perfetti, as he seems to have fewer scenarios whereby he fails to live up to his potential and just as many where he ends up a 70-plus point first liner for the long haul.
Continued; again, at this point, I just want the Wings to pick the player they believe has the highest developmental ceiling.
