Red Wings: Steve Yzerman has plenty of options in 2020 NHL Entry Draft
By Tyler Kotila
Besides the surprise choice and the obvious one, the Detroit Red Wings could go out and target centerman Cole Perfetti or winger Lucas Raymond if the opportunity presents itself at fourth.
Cole Perfetti- Forward
Yzerman should also be drawn to the idea of the selection of centerman Cole Perfetti to join the Red Wings organization. Perfetti is a crafty centerman who plays both sides of the ice well, excelling offensively, creating scoring chances, and getting to the open ice to make things happen.
On the flip side, he can play strong defense that benefits his style of play. Perfetti would score 37 goals and tally 74 assists, for 111 total points with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL during the 2019-20 season, showing that he will find his way onto the scoresheet.
Perfetti could slot in as a center, joining a healthy crop of centerman the organization has already with Michael Rasmussen and Joe Veleno still finding their roles with the organization. The Red Wings should consider Perfetti when they make their selection.
He’s one of the top available forwards who has been receiving draft hype and is listed as one of the many names that the Red Wings could select. He could be an addition the Red Wings consider to bolster their future top-six forwards as Perfetti grows into the player he should become.
Lucas Raymond- Forward
If Lucas Raymond is available at fourth overall, the winger needs to be given a look. He is eighteen years old, coming out of Sweden, where he has played most of his amateur hockey with Frolunda HC at various levels.
In 2019-20, Raymond would play nine games in the SuperElit league, posting three goals and 11 assists for 14 points. In 33 games in the SHL, Raymond would score just four goals and six assists for ten points. He also managed two goals and two assists for four points at the World Junior Championships.
Raymond’s success comes from his ability to find open ice with and without the puck. He is good at being in a good position to make things happen in the offensive zone; he is a playmaking forward who could become a force if he grows into his frame and bulks up as he ages.