Red Wings: Rounds 2-7 recap of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft

Round 4, Pick 97 (Acquired from Kings): Sam Stange, Forward, Sioux Falls (USHL)/University of Wisconsin (NCAA)

In the fourth round, the Red Wings would select Wisconsin-born Sam Stange, a nineteen-year-old right-winger who is entering his first year of NCAA hockey at the University of Wisconsin. The 6-foot-1, 201-pounder played his amateur hockey in the USHL with the Sioux Falls Stampede and Sioux City Musketeers.

He would play 44 games with the Musketeers, where he notched 24 goals and 18 assists for 42 total points. He also played in 4 games with the Stampede where he had two goals and an assist. He will begin his NCAA career this upcoming season for the Wisconsin Badgers.

From the looks of it, Stange is an offensively gifted right-winger who can use his shot to advantage. He can get himself into a position to put the puck in the net or, at a minimum, create scoring chances in the offensive zone.

The Red Wings can let him mature and develop with the Badgers at the NCAA level with some other NHL top draft choices from this year and past years.

Round 4, Pick 107: Jan Bednar, Goalie, HC Banik Sokolov (Czech)/ Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)

The Red Wings had been tied to the selection of Russian goaltender Yaroslav Askarov with the fourth overall selection, but in the fourth round, the organization would find their goaltender. They selected Czech-born goaltender, Jan Bednar, who is another goaltender to add to the long-term options.

Bednar is a 6-foot-4, 196-pound netminder who catches with his left-hand and spent time between two Czech-league teams and the Czech national team in 2019-20. With HC Energie Karlovy Vary, Bednar played in 13 games with a 4.39 goals-against average (GAA), and a .884 save percentage (SV%).

After being loaned to HC Banik Sokolov, he played the majority of his 2019-20 season games, playing 24 for them. He would post a 3.26 GAA with a .892 SV% for this Czech team, looking mighty good. For the Czech national team, Bednar played in 12 games with a 3.21 GAA and a .892 SV% in 2019-20.

Now, Bednar will head over to North America, playing for Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the QMJHL, where he will spend the 2020-21 season. Bednar’s flexibility will be key as he develops, having a good reach and smooth transition to move in the crease to make saves.