Red Wings select Carter Bear 13th overall

The Detroit Red Wings drafted forward Carter Bear with the 13th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Here’s Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen:

The Detroit Red Wings used the No. 13 pick to take left wing Carter Bear who scored 40 goals for the Everett Silvertips this past season.

Red Line Report’s scouting report on Bear: “He’s the type of Swiss army knife forward every team needs, and he’ll be a key player on both
special team’s units. A perfect support piece to add to a team’s top six, and won’t look out of place playing tough minutes on a contender.”

He is Steve Yzerman’s ninth first-round pick since taking his first pick as a Detroit general manager in 2019.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff posted a video profile of Bear:

Here’s the Free Press’s Helene St. James:

The Detroit Red Wings used their first pick in the 2025 NHL draft on forward Carter Bear.

Bear is a left-shooting winger who posted 82 points in 56 games with Everett in the WHL. He’s been rehabbing a partially torn Achilles tendon since March, which might make teams wary, but he’s smart and skilled and a hard worker.

MLive’s Ansar Khan:

The Detroit Red Wings selected center/left wing Carter Bear Friday with the 13th pick in the NHL entry draft.

Bear, a 6-foot, 179-pound left shooter from Everett (WHL) tied for seventh in goals in the WHL (40) despite missing the final 12 games due to an Achilles injury.

He is said to have a strong work ethic and compete level.

The Athletic’s Corey Pronman:

Player comparable: Troy Terry

Analysis: Bear was a leading player on a top team in the WHL this season before a recent injury knocked him out for the remainder of the year. He’s a very skilled forward with the quick twitch hands and high-end creativity to create offense at the NHL level. He makes a lot of plays through defenders and to his teammates. Bear’s skill stands out, but the way he creates offense should likely translate to higher levels. He gets to the net to generate chances, plays fast and is a good enough skater. He’s also a highly physical winger who creates a lot of chances in traffic. He projects as a top-six winger who coaches will feel comfortable using in any situation.

Pick grade: B

Thoughts on the pick: The Red Wings have a type of player they like, and they continue to take that profile in Bear. He’s very skilled and skates well, but has a high motor and can play at both ends of the ice. He projects as a top-six winger in the NHL.

Per Daily Faceoff’s Tyler Kuehl:

Bear entered this year’s draft as one of the intriguing two-way forwards with the ability to play down the middle and on the wing. NHL Central Scouting had the Winnipeg native listed as the 10th-best North American skater, seventh among forwards behind the likes of Michael Misa, James Hagens and Porter Martone. Daily Faceoff draft expert Steven Ellis has Bear as the 14th overall prospect heading into the draft, 10th among forwards.

From his brief stint with the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League at the end of the 2022-23 season to now, Bear has become a sought-after prospect thanks to his incredible work ethic and his ability to play with desperation. He garnered a lot of attention during his rookie campaign in 2023-24, putting up 57 points in 67 games.

This past year saw his best performance so far, setting career highs in goals (40), assists (42) and points (82) in just 56 games. Unfortunately, an Achilles injury late in the season made him unavailable for the playoffs. derailing him from bolstering his draft stock even further.

The former Winnipeg Thrasher was named to the WHL West Division’s Second All-Star Team.

Despite being a solid prospect, Bear is one of the few players this high up on people’s draft boards who have no significant international experience. He did play one game for Team CHL in the CHL USA Prospects Challenge this past season.

Bear isn’t the biggest guy in the draft class, standing at 6 feet and weighing 176 pounds, but his ability to make players helps him stand out. Ellis believes he’s one of the top prospects coming out of the Western League.

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan:

“We think he’s an extremely intelligent hockey player, very competitive, and highly skilled, scoring 40 goals this year,” general manager Steve Yzerman said on the ESPN broadcast of the draft. “We think he’s an excellent all-around player. We think we found a special young prospect here.”

Bear, 18, is capable of playing center but has mainly played wing in Everett. He is able to play up and down the lineup, who enjoys finishing his checks and playing with energy.

“I just came into the meeting trying to be myself and prove something,” said Bear on ESPN of his combine interview with the Wings. “I feel grateful for the opportunity.”

FloHockey’s Chris Peters:

No. 13 Detroit Red Wings Select: Carter Bear, LW, Everett Silvertips

Scouting Report

If not for an Achilles injury late in the season, Bear was starting to push into the discussion of this draft’s top 12. He is one of the better goal scorers in this draft, having posted 40 in 56 games with Everett. Bear has the quickness and the skill to challenge defenders and competes, too. He’s an average-sized winger that can get after opposing players and engage physically, even if that is not going to be a primary selling point of his game. As long as teams are satisfied with the injury recovery, Bear has a chance to go a bit higher as he has one of the best offensive toolkits among players in this range.

Instant Analysis

The Red Wings definitely have a type. They want guys that have skill, but who also play hard. After drafting a number of players that match skill with some grit, they do it again with Bear. I do think Bear might have more natural skill than some of the recent selections like Marco Kasper and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, which adds a nice element to a potential top-six weapon. We’ll see how his injury heals itself. It does not sound like there will be lingering issues. Bear says he wants to play like Travis Konecny, which is a great player archetype to aspire to.

The Hockey Writers’ Jordan Ornth:

THW Prospect Profile Excerpt

“Getting to his game, Bear is more than comfortable engaging physically. He creates a decent chunk of his offense through initiating contact, which keeps offensive zone possessions alive. Though he played more on the wing for the Silvertips, he showed center-like qualities in this way. Even when outnumbered, Bear can win puck battles. He does this through skill and anticipation rather than sheer size (which he somewhat lacks).”

“Shifting gears, Bear likes to be involved defensively. This is an area where his instincts shine, too. He closes scoring lanes before they open and leans on his teammates when necessary. If he sees a path to getting the puck out of the zone, he’s not afraid to get aggressive and pressure the puck carrier. Bear got some good experience on Everett’s penalty kill, and he had some success there.”

From 97.1 the Ticket:

Bear is a 6’0 winger who scored 40 goals for the Everett Silvertips of the WHL last season. His campaign ended early due to a slightly lacerated Achilles tendon, but the Red Wings clearly feel comfortable with the medical reports.

“We think he’s an extremely intelligent hockey player, very competitive, and highly skilled,” Yzerman said on ESPN shortly after the pick was announced. “And obviously, scoring 40 goals this year, a great goal-scorer. We just think he’s an excellent all-around player.

“From everyone we’ve spoken to, his former teammates, coaches, everyone thinks extremely highly of him. We think we found ourselves a special young prospect.”

That’s the rub, of course. Bear is 18, turning 19 in November, and still a few years away from potentially making an impact in the NHL. The Red Wings are mired in a franchise-worst nine-year playoff drought and desperate for more proven talent, hence the rumors surrounding their top pick.

There’s still a chance that Yzerman could swing a deal in the coming days or weeks, as he did after the 2023 draft when he traded a future first-round pick for Alex DeBrincat.

But for now, the Red Wings feel good about drafting Bear, who, if he reaches his ceiling, has the edge along with the talent to make them a harder team to play against down the line. Per his Elite Prospects profile, Bear is a willing combatant who “leaves nothing to chance” and brings a “playoffs-every-night mentality” to each game.

No matter the size of the opponent, he enters every battle with speed and never concedes an inch. … He powers through contact to get to the net, relentlessly battles in the slot for tips and rebounds, and dominates play from the hashmarks and in.

Per the Free Press’s Christian Romo…

Immediately after the pick, ESPN’s Meghan Chayka praised Bear’s well-roundedness.

“Consistency all around the puck. Well-rounded player, impacts all areas of the game,” she said. “He actually had nine game-winning goals this season, and he was the sixth different player in Silvertips history to score over 40 goals.”

ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes compared him to a prolific American winger.

“He has some T.J. Oshie in him,” he said. “I think there’s some unrealized offense.”

From EliteProspects, his rankings:

Ranked #13 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
Ranked #8 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #14 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
Ranked #17 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
Ranked #9 by THN/FERRARI
Ranked #15 by THN/KENNEDY
Ranked #21 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
Ranked #17 by FLOHOCKEY/CHRIS PETERS
Ranked #23 by FCHOCKEY
Ranked #15 by DAILY FACEOFF
Ranked #10 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
Ranked #12 by HPR/MALLOY
Ranked #11 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
Ranked #9 by SPORTSNET/COSENTINO
Ranked #11 by SPORTSNET/BUKALA
Ranked #23 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
Ranked #10 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
Ranked #9 by SMAHT SCOUTING

ESPN’s Rachel Doerrie:

13. Detroit Red Wings: Carter Bear, LW

Team: Everett (WHL)
DOB: 11/04/2006 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 179 | Shot: L
2024-25 stats: GP: 56 | G: 40 | A: 42 | P: 82

Scouting notes: Bear is the type of player that a team looking for high-end instincts and playmaking covet. Before a season-ending injury in March, Bear was one of the CHL’s most dangerous offensive players and a reliable defensive forward. He’s versatile, in that he plays center and the wing, and projects as a 65- to 75-point, second-line player, most likely on the wing.

He’s a quality playmaker using different passes to create advantages in dangerous areas. His ability to manipulate defenders and create space for teammates while pulling coverage towards him should translate well in the NHL. He’s got good hands in tight spaces, which make him a threat around the net, and is one of the best offensive facilitators in the draft class.

On top of his offensive gifts, Bear’s defensive play makes him a quality two-way player. His stick positioning allows him to disrupt passes, and he’s a tenacious forechecker who tracks well on the backcheck and finishes hits. His skating posture needs to be more upright to allow him to develop a more explosive stride to take advantage of his offensive skills in transition, but the instincts and execution of plays already exist.

Bear is a good mix of soft and hard skill with projectable traits on both sides of the puck, and he is the type of player who should thrive in a matchup role while contributing offensively.

How he fits: There’s a lot to like about how Bear plays the game, and I’m a believer that there is more offense to give. He has elite hockey sense which he relies on to impact the game on both sides of the puck. A projection as a second-line, two-way player that scores close to 75 points per season should be very exciting for Red Wings fans.

His playmaking ability makes up for a lack of speed, and should fit nicely into what the Red Wings have up front. He’s a unique blend of soft and hard skill that will be reliable in all situations. He can win puck battles, get under the skin of opponents and make a difference in all areas of the ice. He’ll need two or three years to improve his skating and fill out physically, but when he’s ready, he’ll slide right into the Wings’ middle six as an impactful player.

Update: From The Flying Octopus:

Love this:

One more, from NHL.com‘s Adam Kimelman:

13. Detroit Red Wings — Carter Bear, LW, Everett (WHL)

NHL Central Scouting: No. 10 (North American skaters)

Bear (6-foot, 179) tied for seventh in the Western Hockey League with 40 goals in 56 games, and he also led Everett with 82 points and 14 power-play goals despite sustaining a partially torn Achilles tendon on March 9. The 18-year-old, who is on track to be fully cleared by September, is well-regarded for his skill, work ethic and maturity, and he can also play center or on the wing.

NHL.com analysis: Bear said he’s ahead of pace in his recovery from surgery for his Achilles injury and should be ready for training camp, but with how the Red Wings like to bring their prospect along slowly, that shouldn’t be an issue. Bear has dynamic offensive skills and the versatility to play center or the wing. Away from the game, his maturity and coachability are standout characteristics. He should be able to join Lucas Raymond, Marco Kasper and fellow top prospects Nate Danielson (2023, No. 9) and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (2024, No. 15) as big pieces of the Red Wings scoring attack in the not-too-distant future.

Published by

George Malik

My name is George Malik, and I'm the Malik Report's editor/blogger/poster. I have been blogging about the Red Wings since 2006, and have worked with MLive and Kukla's Korner. Thank you for reading!