Updated 2x at 7:04 PM: The NHL’s 2025 Draft ended just an hour-and-a-half ago, but the NHL’s draft gurus are already weighing in on the Red Wings’ draft haul. Here are the first three sets of draft grades that I have found:
First, The Score’s Kyle Cushman gives the Red Wings a B- grade, with a small summary of the Wings’ eight picks…
[Carter] Bear’s tenacity and competitiveness are standout traits. He has top-six upside as a fun complementary winger. He sustained a partially lacerated Achilles in March but is expected to be ready for training camp. [Michal] Pradel is a 6-foot-5 goalie who moved to the USHL midseason from Slovakia and showed promise as a potential future starter.
Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis is a little more enthusiastic, giving the Wings an A- grade…
Detroit Red Wings: A-
Top Picks: Carter Bear, Eddie Genborg, Michal Pradel
The Red Wings weren’t that busy on the draft floor, but I loved the selections. Carter Bear always felt like a Detroit pick – he’s a feisty forward who can generate offense. He’s a top-six scoring threat, for sure. [Eddie] Genborg hits everyone in sight, and I think he’ll be a good middle-six threat who can work alongside more skilled forwards. Pradel gives the Red Wings YET ANOTHER high-end goaltending prospect – I love him. He’s 6-foot-5 and quite athletic.
And The Athletic offered a double-barrel’s worth of analysis, with Corey Pronman discussing each Red Wings pick, and Max Bultman weighing in on the class as a whole, after Pronman issues a B for drafting Carter Bear:
In first-rounder Carter Bear, the Red Wings added the kind of high-skill, hard-edged player that shows up come playoff time. He was one of the top-scoring draft eligibles in the WHL and arrived at that production by being able to produce both with creativity and fearlessness around the net. That blend makes him look like a future top-six wing and the clear headliner of the class.
On Day 2, Detroit added another hard-to-play against winger in Swede Eddie Genborg (second round, Pick 44), who is more of a bottom-six banger, but also took some upside swings — most notably on a pair of Slovaks: goaltender Michal Pradel (third round, Pick 75) and forward Michal Svercek (fourth round, Pick 119).
Both were notable players at the Under-18 World Championship this spring, and Svercek was a point-per-game player in Sweden’s J20 league this past season as well.
The Red Wings system was already deep coming in, but Detroit helped itself with a balance of skill and edge entering the system.
Update: Let’s make it 4 sets of grades, via Bleacher Report’s Nicholas Nathanson:
Detroit Red Wings
Pick Grade: A+
Notable Pick: Carter Bear, LW (Round 1, Pick 13)
The Detroit Red Wings secured a steal with the 13th pick. B/R’s Final Board had Carter Bear as the No. 7 prospect in this year’s draft. The 18-year-old tallied 82 points this past season with the Everett Silvertips of the WHL. He’s a standout playmaker who has both grit and relentless drive to capitalize on every on-ice opportunity. The teenager is exactly the type of player the Red Wings needed, and he’ll fit right in with Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrinicat.
Update #2: Here’s Corey Pronman’s Wings grade:
Detroit Red Wings: B
I liked what Detroit did with its first few picks. Carter Bear projects as a top-six forward who brings legit skill and a high motor. Eddie Genborg won’t point at a high level, but he can be a playoff-style bottom-six forward who wears down opponents. Michal Pradel was also a goalie I rated reasonably high, and I see a path for him to the league.
