The Malik Report

Several NHL bloodlines made NHL connections today, including two in the Red Wings’ cases (see: Kris and Kienan Draper and Adrian and Kyle Aucoin), and ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski took note of the fact that the players drafted by teams their fathers played for and competed against…earned their picks:

Kris Draper was a 20-year veteran in the NHL, while Jamie Langenbrunner played for 18 seasons. On Wednesday, they shared a remarkable moment for any hockey parent: The chance to select their own sons in the NHL draft.

The Detroit Red Wings and Draper, their director of amateur scouting, selected his 18-year-old son Kienan Draper, a right wing with the BCHL Chilliwack Chiefs, in the seventh round (187th overall).

The Boston Bruins and Langenbruuner, their director of player development, selected his 18-year-old son Mason Langenbruuner, a defenseman for Sioux City in the USHL, in the fifth round (151st overall).

“He didn’t get my approval or ask for my approval. A couple of our scouts that followed Kienan were pushing pretty hard,” said Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman. “Kris and I had a conversation about it recently, and initially I asked if he was sure he wanted to put his son in that position.”

Continued

Sportsnet’s Ryan Dixon was tasked with picking out 2020 NHL Draft “winners” and “losers,” and he placed the Red Wings into the latter category–for a reason that still stings:

Detroit Red Wings: This is no reflection of the Red Wings’ decisions. Count me as one of the people who believe we have to find a way to get teams that find themselves in awful situations a path to the top of the draft board. Conspicuous tanking — the kind that makes leagues worry about optics and the integrity of games — is never going to be a thing like it was when the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins were being as putrid as possible in pursuit of Mario Lemieux. And even if it was, I agree with the adage you’re either selling wins or hope. Detroit had the worst points percentage if you combine the past two regular seasons, yet, between 2019 and 2020, there were eight players they never had a chance to draft. Let’s at least amend this thing to prevent teams — like the Rangers — from making big jumps into the top three in consecutive years.

Damned draft lotteries!

The Red Wings made three Swedish selections in the 2020 NHL draft, and the Hockey News’s Ryan Kennedy noted that the Wings’ decision to go back to their drafting roots feels…right:

“At the top of the draft you like to think you have more certainty,” [Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman] said. “With each round, the difference between prospects gets smaller and smaller. We have skills or characteristics that we value. I always joke we’re looking for good players and they come in all different forms.”

From there, the Red Wings grabbed prospects from other countries – including a third second-rounder in Cross Hanas, promising Czech netminder Jan Bednar and solid Canadian blueliner Donovan Sebrango – but for a franchise that won championships with the help of names such as Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen and Niklas Kronwall, the influx of Swedes is a pretty fun narrative.

And while the new picks are young, they still remember their forebearer’s history.

“I know about them,” Wallinder said. “Kronwall, I loved his hits and everyone knows who Lidstrom is – he’s the best Swedish defenseman that ever played. It feels amazing, I’m proud to be part of this amazing organization and I know they’ve had really good Swedish players.”

Wallinder had first-round potential and really only missed the cut-off by one pick, going 32nd overall. But the kid has size, mobility, puckmoving ability and smarts.

Niederbach, another second-round pick, offers a wealth of intrigue, as he had previously missed all of 2018-19 with a knee injury. That was also supposed to be his first season with Frolunda’s junior team after moving over from KB65.

“Yeah, it was real tough to know you’re going to miss a whole season of hockey, especially when you have moved to a new club and a new town,” Niederbach said. “But after six or seven months, when I went on the ice again, you could say I saw the light out of the darkness.”

Continued

Per a question to Steve Yzerman from the Free Press’s Helene St. James:

Red Wings did not qualify Bowey, Ehn, Perlini— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) October 7, 2020

#RedWings Yzerman said they also didn’t qualify Brendan Perlini and Christoffer Ehn, among with Madison Bowey. All UFAs now.— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) October 7, 2020

I’m sad to hear that Ehn is going over Erne, but I expect Ehn to head back to Frolunda.

The Red Wings will live stream Steve Yzerman and Kris Draper’s Zoom call:

So the Wings made one more trade…

TRADE:

To Detroit #RedWings:
2020 7th RD pick (CHI) #203

To St. Louis #Blues:
2021 7th RD pick (DET)https://t.co/pOmLyOX15A— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) October 7, 2020

The #RedWings have acquired the 203rd pick in the #NHLDraft from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a 7th round pick in 2021. #DRWDraft— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 7, 2020

And they drafted Chase Bradley with the 203rd overall pick.

The #RedWings select LW Chase Bradley with the 203rd pick (seventh round) of the #NHLDraft.— The Athletic Detroit (@TheAthleticDET) October 7, 2020

With the 203rd pick in the 2020 #NHLDraft, the #RedWings select F Chase Bradley.#DRWDraft x #LGRW— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 7, 2020

Red Wings use 203rd pick on F Chase Bradley (5-11, 180). Their 12th pick.— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) October 7, 2020

At 203 the Red Wings take Chase Bradley from the USHL.— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) October 7, 2020

Continue reading Red Wings trade for 11th pick of their 2020 draft run, pick Chase Bradley 203rd

The Red Wings wrapped up their ten-player haul in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft by picking Kienan Draper 187th overall.

At 187th, with their 11th pick in the #nhldraft, the Red Wings select Kienan Draper, Kris Draper’s son.— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) October 7, 2020

https://t.co/MvNzQEbWfL— Sarah Lindenau (@Lindy72) October 7, 2020

At #187, Red Wings select Kienan Draper. #LGRW— Red Wings Prospects (@DRWProspects) October 7, 2020

Continue reading Red Wings draft Kienan Draper 187th

The Red Wings used their 156th overall pick to draft defenseman Kyle Aucoin:

At #156, Red Wings select Kyle Aucoin (D). #LGRW— Red Wings Prospects (@DRWProspects) October 7, 2020

With the 156th pick in the 2020 #NHLDraft, the #RedWings select D Kyle Aucoin. #DRWDraft x #LGRW— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 7, 2020

Wings go with Kyle Aucoin at 156. Son of Adrian Aucoin but not even on the bloodlines graphic that keeps being shown.— DetroitHockey.Net (@detroithockey96) October 7, 2020

Continue reading Red Wings draft Kyle Aucoin 156th

This looks like it will be fun:

POV: @bkaser1 trying to have a 2013 championship team reunion via Zoom ? pic.twitter.com/ZTEWzOnf7p— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) October 7, 2020

I’m not surprised here. Bowey was solid for the Wings from time to time, but he never found a home in Detroit.

DET does not qualify Madison Bowey.— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 7, 2020

Update: The Free Press’s Helene St. James believes that the Wings moving on from Bowey = a roster spot for Moritz Seider:

The novel coronavirus pandemic makes it hard to make much in the way of plans, but Moritz Seider fits the bill of a right-shot defenseman. He is on loan to his old German club, Mannheim, but can be recalled whenever the NHL gives the green light to start training camps. 

The target date for the 2020-21 season is Jan. 1.

Yzerman signaled as far back as last December that Bowey didn’t really fit into the rebuild. Bowey was placed on waivers, cleared, and assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins, but the stint in the minors didn’t last long because of injuries in Detroit. 

Yzerman has rid the Wings of multiple players he inherited, including veterans Jimmy Howard, Trevor Daley, Jonathan Ericsson and Justin Abdelkader.