Red Wings draft Michal Pradel 75th overall, trade 76th pick to Columbus

The Detroit Red Wings selected X with the 75th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft…

And then…

From EliteProspects:

Ranked #67 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
Ranked #71 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
Ranked #44 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
Ranked #84 by THN/KENNEDY
Ranked #68 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
Ranked #55 by FLOHOCKEY/CHRIS PETERS
Ranked #94 by FCHOCKEY
Ranked #52 by DAILY FACEOFF
Ranked #3 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (EU Goalies)
Ranked #42 by HPR/MALLOY
Ranked #64 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
Ranked #51 by SPORTSNET/BUKALA
Ranked #98 by RECRUIT SCOUTING

The 6-foot-4.25 goalie is really smooth in his movement and tracks pucks extremely well, he looks both above and around screens, and does a really nice job tracking plays even when he has to go into scramble mode. His rebound control could use some work, but it doesn’t seem to bother him or shake his confidence, especially in big games and high-pressure moments. -EliteProspects 2025 NHL Draft Guide

From FlashScore’s Matej Kubove…

Michal Pradel

It’s practically open to say that Pradel will become the 17th goalie from Slovakia drafted into the NHL. He figures at the top of the masked men in all rankings. The native of Dolný Kubín grew up first in his hometown and later moved to Liptovsky Mikulas.

For a short time he was part of Banska Bystrica. He also tried Tipos SHL in the U18 project. In February, he joined the Tri-City Storm in the USHL overseas. In 14 games, he averaged 2.41 goals conceded per game and had an 89.9% save percentage. He also performed well at the recent U18 World Championships, where he helped the team to a fourth place finish.

He covered 91.4% of opponents’ finishes, averaging 2.46 goals per game. Pradel was part of the recent U20 World Championship, but did not play. His strengths include calmness in the crease, excellent movement, he picks his position intelligently and doesn’t get distracted.

And NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman:

Michal Pradel, Tri-City (USHL)

NHL Central Scouting: No. 3 (North American goalies)

Pradel (6-4, 195) made his United States Hockey League debut Feb. 14, and was 9-4-0 with a 2.41 GAA, an .899 save percentage and one shutout in 14 games, after beginning the season playing in the junior league in his native Slovakia.

The 18-year-old finished his season going 3-3-0 with a 2.46 GAA, a .914 save percentage and two shutouts in seven games for Slovakia at the World U-18s, including 29 saves in a 4-3 overtime loss to the United States in the bronze-medal game.

“He’s got such a presence in the net,” Jensen said. “He started to wow me as I kept watching him. He looks like a potential starter in the NHL someday. He’s got the NHL presence. He moves extremely well already throughout the crease, he’s well-balanced, smart in challenging. He’s got that calmness and poise in the net. He doesn’t let any bad goals or bad games get him down; he just continues to play. I really see a huge upside.”

And Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis:

Michal Pradel, G (Tri-City Storm, USHL)

Pradel went from playing against men in the second Slovak league this year to getting named to the USHL’s second all-rookie team. From there, Pradel was one of the top goaltenders at the U-18s, which included some fantastic performances against teams like the United States, Canada and Finland. The 6-foot-5 goaltender takes up a ton of the net, and he’s also so quick and agile, too. He was applauded for his ability to steal games in the USHL and he carried that over to this tournament, too. Pradel battles hard, sees cross-crease passes well and doesn’t let a bad goal bother him. Pradel will be one of the first goaltenders taken this summer because his mix of size and mobility makes him a great player to have in the system. Don’t be surprised if he’s a second-round pick.

Here’s more from Daily Faceoff’s Corey Wilkins:

While limited to 14 appearances with the Storm this season, Pradel impressed in coming up with a 9-4-0 record coupled with an .899 save percentage, 2.41 goals-against average, and one shutout.

Pradel closed out his first season in North America by earning a spot on the USHL’s Second All-Rookie Team.

Beyond his success in North America, Pradel’s year was also highlighted by a strong showing with Slovakia at the 2025 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, where, through seven outings, he came up with a winning record while posting a .914 save percentage with a 2.46 goals-against average. For his efforts, Pradel was recognized as one of the top three players among the Slovaks. Of note, Pradel’s international experience also includes a three-game showing with the Slovaks at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup in which he came up with an .897 save percentage and 3.77 goals-against average.

Prior to joining the Storm midseason, Pradel saw 25 appearances with the Slovakian U18 squad in which he combined for a 9-16-0 record while posting a .907 save percentage and 3.88 goals-against average. Pradel also saw four appearances with Slovakia’s Barani Banska Bystrica squad in which he went 2-2-0 with a .909 save percentage and 1.99 goals-against average.

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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!