McKeen’s Hockey’s Ryan Wagman published an Atlantic Division 2021 draft review this morning, and while I can’t share every part of the behind-the-paywall article, here’s the gist of his take on the Red Wings’ draft crop:
Detroit Red Wings
1 (6) Simon Edvinsson, D, Vasteras IK (HockeyAllsvenskan)
1 (15) Sebastian Cossa, G, Edmonton (WHL)
2 (36) Shai Buium, D, Sioux City (USHL)
3 (70) Carter Mazur, LW, Tri-City (USHL)
4 (114) Redmond Savage, C, USNTDP (USHL)
5 (134) Liam Dower Nilsson, C, Frolunda J20 (SuperElit)
5 (155) Oscar Plandowski, D, Charlottetown (QMJHL)
6 (166) Pasquale Zito, C, Windsor (OHL)
As General Manager of the Red Wings, Steve Yzerman knows who he wants at the top, and grabs them, no matter how iconoclastic the selection is at that point. See Seider, Moritz from two years ago. Seen as a surprising overdraft at the time, he is now one of the top prospects in the sport and seemingly ready to break into the NHL now. The Wings took an elite-skilled forward up top last year in Lucas Raymond, but returned to building from the back out this year. At sixth overall, they selected a defender who holds some similarities to Seider in Simon Edvinsson, as big, smooth skaters with men’s league experience and untapped athleticism. Edvinsson may not be as advanced now as Seider was when he was drafted, but his tools give him a slightly higher upside if he can put it all together. Not long after selecting the big Swedish defender, Detroit traded a late 1st rounder (part of the return from the Anthony Mantha trade) to Dallas to pick up the #15 pick, which they used to select the first goalie in the draft, the towering Sebastian Cossa. Many had Cossa ranked behind Sweden’s Jesper Wallstedt, but Yzerman likes who he likes and Cossa is a Wing.
Pick shuffling was a bit of theme for Detroit in this draft, as they did it again in the second round to grab USHL defender Shai Buium, and then traded down in the fourth round in order to acquire an extra pick in the fifth round. In the end, the eight players selected by the Red Wings were nicely divided between the positions, with two other defenders taken after Edvinsson, four forwards, and the one goalie in Cossa. They drafted two out of Sweden, three college-bound players from the USHL, and one player from each of the three CHL leagues. When the final chapter of this draft class is written, it will be judged on the top three picks’ (Edvinsson, Cossa, Buium) abilities to prevent goals far more than the production numbers any of the forwards may eventually put up.
Continued (paywall); Mr. Wagman likes the Wings’ picks of Edvinsson, Cossa and Liam Dower Nilsson, but he’s not a fan of the Wings’ decision to pick Carter Mazur as highly as they did.
