Detroit Red Wings: Could Steve Yzerman draft another German prospect?

In 2019, Detroit Red Wings General Manager Steve Yzerman shocked fans after selecting German defenseman Moritz Seider, could he target Tim Stützle in 2020?

After last year’s shocking draft pick, Detroit Red Wings General Manager (GM) Steve Yzerman might target another German prospect. If the Red Wings do not get the first overall draft choice, and Ottawa sneaks in to grab Alexis Lafrenière with the first selection, Tim Stützle might be the player to select.

There is a lot of talent at the top of this 2020 NHL Entry Draft even with the top prize being Lafrenière; the Red Wings may not have that luxury to select him if they do not win the draft lottery.

Looking at this scenario, if the Red Wings fall to the second or third pick in the draft, German forward Stützle is the player to pursue. He is ranked as the second or third top prospect by several different outlets who rank the draft prospects.

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Similar to Moritz Seider, Stützle comes from Adler Mannheim of the DEL, which is the top German league. Stützle has spent the last season there, making the jump from Jungadler Mannheim where he had played the prior two seasons.

He has a similar track to Seider in terms of his path leading up to being a top prospect.

In 2019-20, Stützle played in forty-one games, scoring seven goals and logging 27 helpers for 34 total points on the season.

He also picked up five assists in five games at the IIHF 2020 World Junior Championships, where he played alongside Seider, who was the captain of the German team.

Stützle is a center who has also played wing, would gel well alongside Seider coming through the Red Wings system from the AHL into the NHL roster. A quick forward who does an excellent job of making the most of scoring chances should fare well for the Red Wings if he is selected.

The 6-foot centerman excels in one-on-one battles due to his quickness and abilities as a puck handler. The shifty-ness of Stützle makes his ability to get around defenders and create scoring changes excel.

Looking at Stützle’s career numbers, he seems to be more of a pass-first forward who makes things happen in the offensive zone, which may not be the worst with the chemistry he would bring to the organization alongside Seider.

That being said, if the Detroit Red Wings fall out of that first overall slot and miss out on Lafrenière, they will be just fine, and selection Stützle might be the best thing for them.