5 of the Best NHL Draft Steals by the Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings’ Dallas Drake hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in Game 6 of the NHL Stanley Cup hockey finals, Wednesday, June 4, 2008 in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn)

Dallas Drake 116th overall in 1989 draft

Dallas Drake didn’t spend much time with the Detroit Red Wings. He was only with the team two seasons after he was drafted.

Detroit Red Wings

He was taken 116th overall in the 1989 NHL draft. Before he was drafted he played four seasons at Northern Michigan University.

He spent two seasons with the Red Wings netting 76 points in first stint with the team. He scored 28 goals and assisted 48 times in the two seasons before he was traded midway through the season in 1993. The trade wasn’t that spectacular for the Red Wings, Drake went on to have a good career and returned to the Red Wings in 2008.

He helped the team win the Stanley Cup in 2008. That season Drake played 65 games and scored 3 goals with 3 assists. In the Playoffs he scored a goal along with 3 assists. Head coach Mike Babcock said “He was a true professional, and the guys wanted to win for him. You can never replace the will of a quality, quality man and quality veteran.”

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