2012 Detroit Red Wings draft picks

The Detroit Red Wings did not have a first round pick in this year’s draft but that is pretty much SOP of times n the Ken Holland era of this team, and the new salary cap era of the NHL. We can argue that the salary cap has hurt the way thatHollandoperated the Wings, but he has done a great job finding gems in the draft no matter the round. He gets them sends them off to the Wings developmental system and calls them up toDetroitwhen they are ready and/or the team needs them.

This year of prospects are exactly that prospects, and not even the staff of DJC can accurately predict if any of them will amount to anything. GivenHolland’s track record in the draft we expect that some of them may in fact be very special players indeed.

With the 49th pick in the second round the Wings selected Martin Frk. He is a 6 foot 193 pound right wing with a big shot. He is a Czech, continuing a long line of European born players to come to the Wings, but he did moss the first three months of his last season with concussion problems. That makes us at DJC a little nervous, but he may be worth the risk. NHL draft nicks call him a bigger version of Teemu Pulkkinen.

With the 80th pick in the third round the Wings took Goalie Jake Paterson from the Saginaw OHL squad. He performed well last year, and got better in the OHL playoffs. At 6 foot 2 and 183 pounds he has got good size, and gives the Wings another good goalie prospect to develop.

With the 110th pick in the fourth round the Wings selected C/LW Andreas Athahasiou. He is a very fast skater and among the top 40 prospects rated by Central Scouting. He went all the way to the Finals with the London Knights last season, and is a very interesting prospect.

With the 140the pick in the fifth round the Wings got a little nasty and took Mike McKee. Here is what you need to know about this kid, 6 foot 4, 232 pounds, and 237 penalty minutes. He is exactly the kind of player the team needs, and he will be attendingWestern Michigannext year so the Wings can keep a close eye on him.

With teh 170th pick in the sixth round the Wings took another defenseman in James De Hass, out of the OJHL. He led his Junior team in defensive scouring and will play at the NCAA level next year.

Finally with the 200th pick in the 7th round the Wings took forward Rasmus Bodin. Yet another Swede player for this team hopefully he can live up to the reputation of Swedish born players to wear the winged wheel. He has a little nasty in him as well, and again is the gritty kind of player the big team has been missing the last few years.