Detroit Red Wings: What Fans Need To Know For the 2019 NHL Draft

The Detroit Red Wings did not land the top two picks, so Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko are out of the question sadly, but who is in the spotlight to get picked in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. With Steve Yzerman at the helm and drafting being his specialty, the Red Wings hope they’re in good hands.

First things first, Jack Hughes, Kaapo Kakko and Alex Turcotte have solidified their positions as picks one through three. The original thought was that Turcotte would slip to sixth and the Detroit Red Wings would have another franchise player for the future, but his more recent performances have shot down that idea. Picking sixth puts the Detroit Red Wings in the mix of a grouping of players who could all potentially go in selections four through eighth.

Initially, there was a lot of hype about Vasili Podkolzin who was projected to be the undisputed number three pick in the draft, but as more scouting reports became available, some issues arose. Besides Podkolzin’s two-year tenure to the KHL, his abilities are lacking for a third overall selection which will most likely drop him into the tenth to fifteenth overall range.

The Red Wings and their fan base should have a lot of optimism heading into the 2019 NHL Entry Draft this year as the new General Manager Steve Yzerman gets his first crack at it with Detroit. In case this does not make sense, be aware that Yzerman has selected players such as Brayden Point, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Ondrej Palat, and Nikita Kucherov who lead the NHL with 128 points in 2018. Drafting is generally something Yzerman excels at, which organization and fans alike are hoping he continues with the Red Wings.

Going into the draft, the Red Wings have an excess amount of picks, especially in the early rounds which should prove to be better for the Red Wings. Having three second-round picks, and two fifth-round picks allow the Red Wings to make any moves if need be or select a surplus of talent early on in the draft. The excess of picks comes from the trades made at the deadline where the Red Wings acquired a second-round pick in this draft and more from the San Jose Sharks for Gustav Nyquist. Another second-round pick comes from the Washington Capitals after swapping Madison Bowey for Nick Jensen in which the trade threw some picks between teams and led to the Red Wings ending up with another second-rounder.

The following slides are a breakdown of the most likely draft choices the Red Wings will make with the sixth overall selection. They are listed in alphabetical order and not in any specific order.