DFO’s Ellis gives the Red Wings a solid B+ draft grade

Daily Faceoff’s prospect guru, Steven Ellis, graded the 2026 NHL Draft performances of each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams, and he gave the Red Wings a very solid mark:

Detroit Red Wings: B+

Notable picks: J.P. Hurlbert, Victor Plante, Michal Orsulak

The Red Wings snagged a skilled winger in J.P. Hurlbert in the first, a smart playmaker in Victor Plante in the second and one of the CHL’s top goalies in Michal Orsulak in the third. I feel like Orsulak was taken a bit earlier than I would have liked, but I appreciate that Detroit has made it their mission to draft a goalie every year. That’s the type of move that pays off, either in the long-run or in the trade market (like with Cossa). I’m not convinced any of the three are impact NHLers, which is why I am leaving this at a B+, but that’s still solid.

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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!

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