Red Wings select Beckham Edwards 143rd overall

Updated 2x at 3:34 PM: With the 143rd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the Red Wings selected incoming Notre Dame freshman center Beckham Edwards.

Per EliteProspects…

Prospect profile

Coming into the season, Beckham Edwards received a B-grade from our staff. We anticipated that his shot and motor would make him one of the better two-way forwards in the OHL. But he never fully took off, instead continuing to profile mostly as a supportive, two-way piece for Sarnia, as he did in his draft-minus-one.

However, Edwards’ style of game still has NHL value, and there are some abilities in his game that could lead to a breakout down the line.

Disruptive and relentless, Edwards pressures the opposition into mistakes, backtracking ahead of the play, closing passing lanes, and sticking to the heels of opponents, giving his defencemen time to close on them. He applies the same level of energy on the forecheck and always looks to drive inside to support plays, pushing back defenders and going to the net. He attacks loose pucks, digs them from the wall, and takes advantage of the chaos he generates, firing heavy wristers off interceptions.

A lack of playmaking touch, especially in transition, tanked Edwards’ play-driving results this season. While he did have some performances where he found teammates in the middle, giving them runways to attack, he struggled to create scoring chances, instead relying on his checking game to generate them. He has a strong off-the-catch shot and a knack for getting open, but without the ability to get the play moving, he seldom got the back in prime locations.

To improve his status as an NHL prospect, Edwards will have to develop his playmaking side a lot more, on top of adding more dynamic qualities. If he can’t make those transformations to his game, he risks getting lost in the typical organizational shuffle of prospects.

From the Hockey News’s Jake Tye:

The six-foot-one, 187 pound center is known primarily for his top end speed and brings enough physicality to complement it, and it showed this past season with the Sarnia Sting where he finished with his second straight 45-point OHL season before preparing to make the jump to Notre Dame next year.

When speaking on his Combine experience with The Hockey News, Edwards made clear that his chat with Detroit carried a little extra weight compared to some of the others.

“Really good experience, obviously here we get to talk to the scouts, talk with Steve Yzerman,” Edwards said. “You want to get yourself out there a little bit, you want to crack a couple jokes, you want to get your name out there, but yeah, good experiences overall.”

His laid back and personable approach in the meeting room could work in his favor, as Edwards is projected to come off the board somewhere in the late 40 to early 50 pick range, a window that lines up directly with Detroit’s 47th overall selection. When asked specifically about the possibility of returning to Detroit, Edwards didn’t hide what it would mean to him.

“A lot of hockey history there, I was in Detroit for my OHL draft year so going back to Detroit would be kind of a full circle moment,” Edwards said.

Although Edwards will be heading to Notre Dame next season to continue developing his game against older competition in the NCAA, the path back to Michigan may not take long.

A strong college season could accelerate his timeline toward a professional contract, and with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins serving as Detroit’s primary development affiliate, Edwards could find himself back in the state of Michigan sooner than expected.

For a Red Wings organization looking to add talent at center, bringing back a player who got his start in their own backyard would be a story worth watching on draft night.

Update #2: The Free Press’s Helene St. James weighs in:

Beckham Edwards (No. 143) was at the event on Saturday, June 27, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. The 6 foot 1, 190-pound Edwards is another center out of the Ontario Hockey League, but his experience lies a bit closer to Detroit: He also played in the Little Caesars program at Little Caesars Arena.

“It’s a dream come true,” Edwards said. “We dreamed about this moment as a kid. Playing a year of hockey in Michigan in Little Caesars Arena kind of brings it full circle for me.

“I talked with them at the combine and throughout the year, and now that it’s official, it’s awesome.”

Edwards had 19 goals and 26 assists in 64 games for the Sarnia Sting in 2025-26. He also had 45 points, in 62 games, the previous season.

“I think my skating is something that is a really big strength of mine,” Edwards said Saturday. “My hockey IQ, how I think the game, I like to play a full, complete game, whether it’s in the defensive zone or the offensive zone. I think I’m very versatile as well. I can play anywhere.”

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!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *