The Red Wings draft Marco Kasper 8th overall

The Detroit Red Wings have drafted Marco Kasper with the 8th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.

At 8th overall, Red Wings once again go to the SHL: they pick Austrian C Marco Kasper. Speedy, competitive center man playing with Rögle. Was excellent in the playoffs— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) July 8, 2022

With the 8th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, the @DetroitRedWings select center Marco Kasper. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/9lmnbZZABK— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) July 8, 2022

With the eighth overall pick in the 2022 #NHLDraft, the @DetroitRedWings select Marco Kasper!#LGRW pic.twitter.com/CzRdmHJw94— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 8, 2022

With the 8th pick in the 2022 #NHLDraft, the #RedWings select…

Center Marco Kasper! ?#DRWDraft x #LGRW pic.twitter.com/DmkFfXmr0E— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 8, 2022

#NHLDraft2022 @DetroitRedWings select Marco Kasper 8th Overall pic.twitter.com/uCMrlUXduZ— SiriusXM NHL Network Radio (@SiriusXMNHL) July 8, 2022

Continue reading The Red Wings draft Marco Kasper 8th overall

HSJ’s draft-day scoop: Wings eying Bob Boughner as an assistant coach

This makes tons of sense given that Derek Lalonde is not an NHL head coach, and might need some experience behind the bench in managing the defense. Per the Free Press’s Helene St. James:

The Detroit Red Wings are looking at adding former Wings defenseman Bob Boughner to their new coaching staff. 

In an interview with the Free Press on Thursday, Lalonde laid out what he’s looking for as he adds a defense assistant to his coaching staff.

“With that D position, I really would love some big-time experience there,” Lalonde said. “Both playing experience and coaching experience. I did not play in this league; I think there’s huge value in that. I would hope to get a guy of that experience to lean on.”

Tweet of note: Under-18 Five Nations Cup to take place at USA Hockey Arena from November 8-12

This is a great tournament which includes some of the best 2023 NHL draft prospects, and it’s going to be held at USA Hockey Arena this November!

Kulfan’s afternoon notebook: Yzerman on draft-day trades

As the NHL percolates with trade rumors this afternoon, the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan has filed his afternoon notebook, discussing Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman’s take as to whether the return to an in-person draft will yield more draft-day trades:

“Most (teams) aren’t making trades just to make trades,” Yzerman said. “You can do that anywhere. You pick up a phone, texting, you walk across the room — half the time (at the draft) you’re texting the guy sitting at the table next to you.

“It’s not like we just wander around the room kind of looking for somebody, open up the raincoat and sell them a watch or something like that. There is a bit of a plan to it.”

The Wings are expected to be one of the teams that could be active, at the draft or afterward, given their salary cap space ($35.7 million with 15 of 23 players signed to contract) and Yzerman’s desire to see the Wings further improve.

“We watched the positive impact some of our younger guys had this year,” Yzerman said. “We’d like to add to that and continue to move forward.”

But Yzerman would be hesitant about subtracting from that ample cap space, simply by adding a player from another team looking to shed salary for a draft pick.

“We have cap space, but I try to use it wisely because it can disappear in a hurry,” Yzerman said. “We’re looking at teams that have to move players just to be cap compliant to start the season. In those situations, you look at the player and what impact they’re going to have on your team and what they cost. Or you look at other deals potentially where you’re maybe helping someone out, alleviate their cap issues, for various reasons. Maybe you’re getting an asset. Ultimately, I look at both situations, if it’s going to make our team better this season or in the future.”

Continued (paywall)

Tweet of note: Los Angeles Kings hire Manon Rheaume as ‘Hockey Operations and Prospect Advisor’

No news as to how this might affect her Bally Sports Detroit duties…

Bienvenue Manon!

We’ve hired @ManonRheaume as a Hockey Operations and Prospect Advisor.— LA Kings (@LAKings) July 7, 2022

Here’s more from LA Kings Insider’s Zack Dooley:

Continue reading Tweet of note: Los Angeles Kings hire Manon Rheaume as ‘Hockey Operations and Prospect Advisor’

Allen: On possible wheeling and dealing

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen broaches the possibility that the Red Wings might make a trade–or not draft a center–in the first round of the 2022 Draft:

Hockey Now draft expert Marco D’Amico has projected the Red Wings grabbing [Marco] Kasper at No. 8 in his 2022 NHL mock draft. 

But he also says he wouldn’t be surprised if the Columbus Blue Jackets take Kasper at No. 7. Kasper is an Austrian center who plays in Sweden

“This whole thing could go a lot of different ways. You look at all the public lists
and they can vary,” Yzerman said.

Historically, draft list differ significantly from team to team. That’s because teams are trying to project what 17- and 18-year players will be like as adults. Last year, Yzerman was able to move up in the first round on his second pick (from Washington). He went to No. 15 and drafted Cossa. But moving up is never easily accomplished at the NHL.

“The only difficulty is finding a partner that wants to,” Yzerman said. “There’s been
times we’ve looked to move, whether it be up or bac, but simply couldn’t find anybody that wanted to do it.”

Continued; I like Savoie or Geekie. Who’s your pick?

Your promotional Tweet of the morning: There’s a draft party at LCA tonight

If you’re interested…

Don’t forget to join us tonight at Little Caesars Arena for another fun-filled NHL Draft Party! Limited (free) tickets still remain!

?: https://t.co/YZ3PHeq339
?: https://t.co/0Twb1jlR8s pic.twitter.com/Qpblhjvqi6— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 7, 2022