Detroit Red Wings 2018 draft pick: Goalie Victor Brattstrom
By Ash Thompson
The Detroit Red Wings took a small risk on a very large man in the sixth-round of the NHL draft. 6’5″ goalie Victor Brattstrom joined the organization.
Detroit Red Wings goalie prospect Victor Brattstrom is a giant. He stands 6’5″ and weighs 200 lbs. You do not see a lot of 21-year-olds getting drafted in the NHL. Brattstrom’s play with the Timra Red Eagles of the Swedish Allsvenskan appears to have piqued Jim Holland’s curiosity. The Red Wings made the move with the 160th overall pick in the 2018 NHL draft
During the 2016-17 season, Brattstrom improved his consistent .914 save percentage at the Super Elit level to a .935 and began drawing scouts interest. His performance dropped slightly with a move up in leagues for the 2017-18 season, but not enough to scare off the Red Wings.
Goalies peak at a much later age than regular skaters. It is not uncommon for an older Goaltender to suddenly garner interest from an NHL team. Usually, though, it is the SHL and KHL standouts that draw such interest. The Red Wings have struck before the iron is hot. Brattstrom will join the Timra SHL team this season.
The massive netminder is at least two seasons away from coming to North America. What the Red Wings have done here is ensure that if this late bloomer does develop into something teams covet, they will have the first crack at him. For a team desperate for organizational goaltending help, that’s a good move.
Most goaltenders drafted are 5-6 years away from getting anywhere near the NHL. By drafting an older player who has slipped through the cracks the Red Wings may have advanced that timeline by a two or three years. That’s not a bad play with such a late pick in the draft.
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It is impossible to answer whether any NHL prospect has a future in the league. The expected timeline for even first round picks is usually three years before they’re solid players. For a sixth rounder like Brattstrom, we can’t know, but his performance in the SHL will be a very good indicator. He will be in one of the world’s five best leagues going forward.