I haven't followed the draft too closely, but have picked up interest as the date grows closer. The three names that interest me right now:
Pettersson
Liljegren
Heiskanen
1) Pettersson: you can't teach vision/creativity and elite skill, and from my understanding he has it in spades. Size, particularly weight, seems to be separating him from being a top 3 lock to potentially there whenever we pick. I've also heard he has an older brother that is also a twig though, which is a bit worrisome. Some people simply can't hold significant weight, so I get the risk. But Detroit needs to be thinking long term and not thinking this is going to be an overnight turn around. As a result, I'd take my chances on a high reward selection like this.
2) Lilegren. Long thought of as the top blueliner, but it's not all coming together. This pick scares me a bit. Tools are essentially useless without the toolbox. I have not watched him enough to say for myself that something is missing, but the reports certainly cause concern. An elite blueliner needs to be able to think the game at an elite level. If there's concern at this stage that's a red flag for me. If we're picking later and he's there then I'd be interested in the risk, but maybe not if the other two are available. With that being said, we need elite talent, so sometimes you have to take your chances.
3) Heiskanen. Maybe the safest pick? The reports read well: seems to do everything well and has NHL future. As much as we need elite talent, we also need depth talent. At the very least we want a Top 4 defencemen from this draft. Like I said, this wont and shouldn't be a one year turnaround. He seems like a safe, yet solid pick who thinks and executive the game well. If you can get a bonafide Top 4 blueliner around 10 that's not the end of the world.