Detroit Red Wings steal Filip Zadina in the 2018 NHL Draft

The Detroit Red Wings may have found the steal of the draft. Filip Zadina puts pucks in the net, and he is as pro-ready as any prospect in this draft.

The Detroit Red Wings had an issue up front. Their forward prospects, as listed on hockeysfuture.com were ten on the left and six on the right. The organizational balance slanted toward the deepest part of their team. Many wanted the Red Wings to go after a defenseman with the number six pick of the NHL draft. The team definitely had a need on the back end, but they chose to select an elite talent instead. The Red Wings selected Filip Zadina.

Unlike many European draft picks, Zadina is not going to need to transition from the larger European ice surface. That speeds his transition to the NHL by a year. Zadina spent last year playing for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. in 57 games he scored 44 goals and added 38 assists for 82 points. He won the Mike Bossy award for the best pro prospect in that league. The QMJHL is one of the top amateur leagues in North America.

Zadina has also shone in international action for the Czech Republic. He was on the 2018 Ivan Hlinka tournament championship team and was an all-star at the 2018 World Junior Championship. At the Hlinka tournament, he scored seven goals in seven games.

Zadina is certainly not afraid to shoot the puck. His most elite trait is his success putting the puck on the net from all angles. He also chases his own rebounds and lurks in front of the net seeking rebounds from others. Zadina is no shrinking violet, however, he is fearless in his chase for goals. He finds open areas of the ice to shoot from and finds his teammates when the opposition closes in around him.

He is no cherry picking man-child though. The reason I can see Zadina making the jump more quickly than Wings fans are accustomed to is his commitment to the 200-foot game. The Red Wings have a plethora of right wingers on the NHL roster. The fact that Zadina is closer to being trustable with NHL minutes, and is a skilled penalty killer for his level of hockey makes him much closer to NHL readiness than most prospects.

Next: Ronny Rodriquez gets the batting stance guy treatment

Expect to see Zadina jerseys in the metro Detroit area sooner rather than later. Zadina will be a top six forward in the NHL within three years.