Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman and Kris Draper spoke with the media at length after the conclusion of the 2021 NHL Draft, discussing Detroit’s eight draft picks at length, with an emphasis on the Wings’ Day 2 haul…

During tonight’s Tigers game, Bally Sports Detroit’s John Keating gave the 2-minute version of Yzerman and Draper’s remarks…

The Athletic’s draft gurus, Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler, weighed in as to the draft hauls made by each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams over the course of the past two days, and Red Wings beat writer Max Bultman joined the chorus over the course of Saturday evening.

Sharing what I can from a subscription-based website is tricky, but I think it’s okay to offer this from Pronman regarding the Red Wings’ picks, who he breaks down on an individual basis…

Detroit Red Wings: B

As readers may know by now, I’m not the biggest Simon Edvinsson fan, even though I think he will be a great NHL player. As readers also know, I love Sebastian Cossa. Between them, I think the Red Wings will get two important long-term players. Shai Buium also has a solid chance to be a regular NHL defenseman, while some of their later picks have chances, too. I think Detroit gets two very good players from this draft with a chance for three regulars.

Again, Pronman breaks down the Wings’ 2021 draft class in detail (subscriber-only);

The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler deems the Red Wings an “overtime loser” for their second-day draft haul, suggesting that the Wings made too many reaches for players who may have been available to them without having to sacrifice extra draft picks…

The Free Press’s Helene St. James profiles Red Wings 33rd overall 2021 draft pick Shai Buium, a big defenseman whose family has taken a circuitous route from Israel to Californian hockey rinks:

Buium, 18, is the son of Israeli immigrants. His mother   was a professional basketball player in Israel; she and her husband, Iulian, moved to southern California, where he ran his own heating and cooling company. Sports wasn’t a priority in the family until Shai made it one. He played Triple-A hockey in Los Angeles, using that as a  springboard to Shattuck-St. Mary’s prep school, a hockey hotbed in Minnesota. He split the 2020-21 season between that school and the USHL, recording 26 points in 50 games with the Sioux City Musketeers.

“I went from San Diego to playing in L.A. to playing at Shattuck-St. Mary’s in Minnesota to Sioux City and now I’m going to go play in Denver,” Buium said. “It’s definitely been a good journey.”

Buium is committed to playing next season at the University of Denver, which is home to the Wings’ 2019 second-round pick, Antti Tuomisto. Carter Mazur, a Wings’ 2021 third-rounder at No. 70, is headed to Denver, too.

“I probably watched Shai early in November at Shattuck,” [Kris] Draper said. “I wasn’t even sure (who) he was, I was watching a couple other prospects. I was asking who is this defenseman. The size and the hockey sense really stood out for me.

“Shattuck ended up shutting down, and he went to Sioux City. He was playing in third pair, and as soon as he decided to spend the rest of the year in the USHL, he started taking on more responsibility and played in all situations. He just kept getting better. Whenever we saw him, he got better. That was intriguing.”

Continued;

Update: But wait, there’s more, from the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan:

The Red Wings used their final pick of the 2021 NHL Draft on Windsor Spitfires center Pasquale Zito, who didn’t even play this past season as the Ontario Hockey League chose not to play due to the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, he was drafted 166th overall, but Zito told the Windsor Star’s Jim Parker that he’s got a bit of a beef with landing in the sixth round:

“Proud to be part of the Detroit Red Wings and they get all my love, but I’ve got a big chip on my shoulder,” Zito said after the draft. “I’m going in next year to show a lot of people I should have been a lot higher and I’m pretty sure I’m going to be the biggest steal of the 2021 draft.”

Zito was one of three members of the Spitfires taken in the draft. Forward Wyatt Johnston went to the Dallas Stars in the first round with the 23^rd pick overall, which had been acquired in a trade with Detroit. Russian defenceman Daniil Sobolev, who has yet to suit up for the Spitfires after being taken in the 2020 CHL Import Draft, went to the Montreal Canadiens in the fifth round with the 142^nd pick overall.

Zito points to a 2020-21 OHL season wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic. While nearly every other player outside the OHL had stats to build their draft resume, many players like Zito only had their reputation as a 16-year-old rookie in 2019-20 to lean on.

“It was a lot of emotions for sure,” said the 6-foot, 175-pound Zito, who was Windsor’s second-round pick in 2019. “I’m still upset I didn’t get a year under my belt to show scouts what I’m made out of, but again I’m thankful to be part of the Detroit Red Wings’ organization.”

Continued

The Red Wings posted a press release detailing their 2nd through 7th round selections from the 2021 NHL Draft:

RED WINGS DRAFT SIX PLAYERS ON SECOND DAY OF 2021 NHL ENTRY DRAFT  … Four Forwards and Two Defensemen Added to Detroit’s Prospect Pool on Saturday …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today selected six players during the second day of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The Red Wings began the day by trading up in the second round to draft defenseman Shai Buium (36th overall), then selected left wing Carter Mazur in the third round (70th overall), center Red Savage (114th overall), center Liam Dower Nilsson (134th overall), defenseman Oscar Plandowski (155th overall) and center Pasquale Zito (166th overall).

For easy viewing, the Red Wings have posted separate clips of GM Steve Yzerman and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper’s respective post-draft press conferences:

Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper are speaking with the media:

Steve Yzerman said right shot forwards are a concern for the @DetroitRedWings during free agency. Their own free agents will be considered. #LGRW— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) July 24, 2021

#RedWings #NHLDraft

“i do like these big d-men. but, they have to skate and they have to have skill.”
– steve yzerman— gregg krupa (@greggkrupa) July 24, 2021

Steve Yzerman expects both Lucas Raymond & Jonathan Berggren to be at Red Wings training camp. Adds that the plan is to keep Berggren in North America next season. #LGRW @DetroitRedWings— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) July 24, 2021

Yzerman confirms no dev camp for the Red Wings, but TC Prospect tournament is in the plans— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) July 24, 2021

Yzerman notes that he hates giving up picks, loves accumulating. Any one of them could turn into a Lidstrom, Fedorov, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, etc.

Still felt that they had options this year to help their young players (Leddy) and trade up to get players they like (Cossa). #LGRW— Ryan Hana (@RyanHanaWWP) July 24, 2021

The Red Wings closed out their 2021 Draft haul by drafting Windsor Spitfires forward Pasquale Zito, and he spoke with the Wings’ media corps via Zoom:

The Red Wings held a Zoom media call with 155th overall draft pick Oscar Plandowski:

The Red Wings drafted Frolunda forward Liam Dower Nilsson with the 134th overall pick in the 2021 Draft, and he spoke with the media via Zoom: