The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler analyzed the 2024 NHL Draft performances of each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams, and he deemed the Red Wings an “overtime winner” as the authors of a “decent” draft performance:
I think the Red Wings had a decent draft. It’s not going to change their ceiling as a team, but Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Max Plante and Ondrej Becher all made sense where they took them. Plante is going to need to play with a little more pace to become an NHLer, but he’s a cerebral and hard-working player who makes his linemates better. Becher is an interesting one as an overager who impressed domestically and internationally this year, becoming an important part (and playmaker and driver) on one of the best lines in the WHL.
Landon Miller seemed to have some tough nights in net whenever I watched the Soo this year, but he’s huge and goalies are tricky, so who knows.
John Whipple, once one of the top American players in this age group, never became at the program what people thought he would, and he can struggle with his decision-making but he has some tools and I expect him to be a better college player than a junior player. He was No. 87 on my list and I don’t think they’re risking much by taking him at No. 144, even if he has some work to do.
I liked the Austin Baker selection at No. 203. I’m not sure he’s got the skill but he was a very good fourth-liner for the NTDP this year and he works and plays to his strengths.
Continued (paywall);
And the Hockey News’s Sam Stockton took note of some of the comments made by Red Wings assistant GM and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper, regarding the Wings’ draft haul. We’ll discuss the “Hakan Pick”:
Sixth round, 176th overall, Charlie Forslund, LW, Falu IF (Sweden-3)
Forslund is a classic Hakan Andersson late-round draft pick. Forslund scoring 19 points in 19 games this year for Falu in the Swedish third division. At six-foot-three, he plays like a power forward, with legitimate dual threat ability.
Forslund is set to join Mora IK (where Michael Brandsegg-Nygard spent the past two seasons) for the upcoming campaign. Draper noted that Mora has developed prospects well in recent history, something the Red Wings noticed in the draft process.
“(That’s) important development-wise, picking somebody like Charlie that has kind of been off the radar,” Draper said. “And then all of a sudden he’s starting to play and now going into a good organization (he) can continue to develop. Looking forward to getting him into Detroit for dev camp for sure.”
Continued; Draper sounds a lot like Hockeysverige.se’s Uffe Bodin regarding the concept that Lindgren is going to benefit from being with a professional organization this upcoming season.
