Red Wings: Falling to fourth hurts but it is time to realize the talent is there
By Tyler Kotila
The Detroit Red Wings fanbase may still be quite upset over the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery, but it’s time to start looking at what talents could be there at fourth.
When the initial results of the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery left the Detroit Red Wings sitting with the fourth overall pick and a qualifier team getting the first overall pick, the fanbase was set ablaze. Even now, after the New York Rangers have won the lottery, the Draft Lottery seems quite rigged.
However, the fanbase can only be angry for so long, before it has to realize that the Red Wings will ultimately get one of the top talents with the fourth overall selection. While they will not walk away with Alexis Lafrenière, giving some unforeseen craziness, they will still get quite the talent.
The Red Wings organization is being left in the hands of General Manager (GM) Steve Yzerman, who is running the plays of his Yzer-plan. Given the fanbase’s love for Yzerman, he has some more flexibility to make questionable moves where fans justify it as “Yzerman just doing his thing.”
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Looking back on Yzerman’s time with the Tampa Bay Lightning organization as the GM, his draft classes were pretty strong and produced some of the talent that has helped Tampa Bay succeed.
The Red Wings fanbase has been scarred by the Lightning in terms of playoff series’ where Yzerman’s former team would consistently emerge victoriously.
The 2019 NHL Entry Draft saw Yzerman come away with one of the more exciting draft classes in recent years.
A draft that saw the organization select Moritz Seider as a surprise, but he has turned out as a stellar pick and a player who will carry the future of this organization.
The 2020 NHL Entry Draft is just going to be another chance for Yzerman to strike gold; though they fell to fourth, he will be able to scoop up some great talent. If Jamie Drysdale, Cole Perfetti, Lucas Raymond, Marco Rossi, or Tim Stützle end up in a Red Wings organization, it is a success.
These are just a few names, and who knows, Yzerman could go rogue and pull an unexpected name out of thin air that turns out to be quite impressive. Most would not have expected Seider at sixth, but that has turned out as a pick that looks to continue to be positive.
Given the preference, if Tim Stützle is available at fourth, he should be the player for the Red Wings to select. Stützle is another German, one who has played alongside Moritz Seider, for the same hockey club over in Germany, Adler Mannheim of the DEL.
The German forward is a force on the ice and incredible at creating scoring chances. If the Red Wings walk away with Stützle, it is considered a win, even though they fell to fourth overall. The sour taste in fans’ mouths is still there, but it can be fixed at least a little bit.
Related Story. Detroit Red Wings: Could Steve Yzerman draft another German prospect?. light
It is time for Detroit Red Wings fans to start looking forward to the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and be excited for the top-tier talent they will be able to choose at fourth.