ON THE RECORD: You Do The Draft

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I absolutely have this fear. Wallstedt looks so poised today.

But Cossa's potential is indeed sky high. He has the right attitude and all the tools. So I'm just letting this marinate. Cossa is undeniably one of the better goalie prospects of the last decade, so I'm thrilled he's in the Wings pipeline.

And our Swedish scouts must have saw Wallstedt more than any other goalie. For Pete's sake he lives down the road from Lidstrom. If they didn't believe in him the way they did Cossa, there's got to be a reason we're not privileged to.

I'm telling you, man. The Wallstedt peeing in Lidstrom's pool as a kid theory has some merit to it. Maybe Lidstrom passed word along to Yzerman and Yzerman thinks that pool peeing is a low integrity move.

Or maybe it's just as simple as Yzerman saying, "Hey Drapes, Hakan had his pick. Now you get yours."

But I'm legitimately scared that we just drafted Subban over Vasilevski because Cossa was more personable in an interview than a kid who was conducting an interview in another language.

 

[Leadzedder]

- I do not make Cossa trade. I keep 23, 48 & 138
- I do not make Buium trade. I keep 38 & 128
- I do make Savage trade. I lose 102 but gain 114 & 155




6. Edvinsson - I would have been happy with Edvinsson or Eklund but SY made his decision and I’m with him.

23. (Traded) Lambos - At this point I’m happy with our LD acquisitions. I do love the trade down for Cossa. Before the draft we didn’t have a prospect that we could hope fills our 1LD and 1G spots. Now we do. That’s huge, so not complaining. Just in a hindsight look it’s easy to grab 2 strong prospects instead.

38. (Traded) Pinelli - Another legit C prospect would have been nice.

48. (Traded) Chibrikov - Because Kucherov

70. Lennox - Seems I have a tall goalie need. I hope this Mazur fella turns into something.

114. Savage 21 - Really liked this trade down. We were feeling short on picks at this point. I can get behind cheering for a savage.

128. (Traded) Tschigerl - Would have challenged the Savage pick. But was still available. Hindsight rocks.

134. Jack Bar - Basically anyone with one last name would have been my preference. Jack Bar. Simple.

138. (Traded) Kukkonen - Center that rips up high school. Why not.

155. Plandowski - I’ll defer to the red wing scouting staff for this one. Give em 1 pick anyways.

166. Bardakov - No logical reason



So, the 2 trade ups…


Cossa vs. Lambos, Chibrikov & Kukkonen

Buium vs. Pinelli & Tschigerl

 

[lilidk]

When is Frolunda opening day . We should send Sebrango there also

 

[Leadzedder]

For the couple posters that have a running exercise of their preferred selections each year…

very neat.

 

[deca guard]

Dower Nisson said he's determined to prove teams that didn't pick him wrong, and the Wings feel he has the ability to do it.
Wings' European scout Hakan Andersson was urging to draft Dower Nilsson.
"Hakan was pounding the table," Draper said. "When you look where we're at in the draft, it's another captain of a national team, he wore the 'C" for his national team in the world under-18s.
"We interview probably 100 prospects and our area guys always have conversations with them. We interviewed a lot of Swedish prospects and asked them who would they take to the NHL as a teammate and a majority of players said Liam Dower Nilsson.
"That's something that stuck with us."

 

[BStinson]

6- Simon Edvinsson, D
15- Jesper Wallstedt, G
36- Francesco Pinelli, C
70- Kirill Kirsanov
114- Red Savage
134- Liam Dower Nilsson
155- Hugo Gabrielson
166- Florian Elias

 

[cjeagle]

My only question is how come we don't draft players from Russia anymore the past few years?

The Redwings need to hire some of our former Russian Redwing players like Larionov who have a lot of respect within our organization to be a scout and to pound the table as well every now and then and say we need to pick that player when he was available. A random Russian scout doesn't seem to have much influence on the draft table.

Our Russian players played a big part in winning our Stanley Cups so I don't understand how the Redwings can completely ignore that player base that continue to be successful and are consistently among the top teams during international tournaments.

 

[TheClap]

My only question is how come we don't draft players from Russia anymore the past few years?

The Redwings need to hire some of our former Russian Redwing players like Larionov who have a lot of respect within our organization to be a scout and to pound the table as well every now and then and say we need to pick that player when he was available. A random Russian scout doesn't seem to have much influence on the draft table.

Our Russian players played a big part in winning our Stanley Cups so I don't understand how the Redwings can completely ignore that player base that continue to be successful and are consistently among the top teams during international tournaments.

Also especially considering 2 Russians that Stevie drafted are big reason the Lightning have back-to-back Cups.

 

[Frk It]

My only question is how come we don't draft players from Russia anymore the past few years?

The Redwings need to hire some of our former Russian Redwing players like Larionov who have a lot of respect within our organization to be a scout and to pound the table as well every now and then and say we need to pick that player when he was available. A random Russian scout doesn't seem to have much influence on the draft table.

Our Russian players played a big part in winning our Stanley Cups so I don't understand how the Redwings can completely ignore that player base that continue to be successful and are consistently among the top teams during international tournaments.

Which ones would you have liked?

 

[cjeagle]

Which ones would you have liked?

I actually wanted them to draft Azkarov last year but I know picking goalie that high was too much to ask for so I thought possibly trading down and getting an extra first round pick would have been acceptable.

Cossa looks like a good goalie but it took a lot of picks to move up and get him. If we got Azkarov(instead of Raymond) last year instead by moving down, we would have 1 extra first round pick(at a higher place in the list), No. 48 (second round) and No. 138 (fifth round) which was the price paid for Cossa.

We could have used those 3 picks to get a forward to replace Raymond if necessary.

Of course, all of this was with the benefit of hindsight.

 

[Frk It]

I actually wanted them to draft Azkarov last year but I know picking goalie that high was too much to ask for so I thought possibly trading down and getting an extra first round pick would have been acceptable.

Cossa looks like a good goalie but it took a lot of picks to move up and get him. If we got Azkarov(instead of Raymond) last year instead by moving down, we would have 1 extra first round pick(at a higher place in the list), No. 48 (second round) and No. 138 (fifth round) which was the price paid for Cossa.

We could have used those 3 picks to get a forward to replace Raymond if necessary.

Of course, all of this was with the benefit of hindsight.

I am a little surprised we did not opt for either Svechkov or Chibrikov.

Although I read mixed reviews on the offensive upside with those guys, and actually saw quite a few people say they play more like typical NA players than Russian players.

Kisakov is a guy I thought we would have considered in round 2, but we went with Buium, and clearly he was a target since they moved up for him.

I would not have minded a flyer in the later rounds on someone like Petrov, personally. Also think this Novikov kid that got drafted looks interesting.

 

[ChadS]

#6 - Simon Edvinsson
#15 - Sebastian Cossa
#36 - Ville Koivunen
#70 - Dmitri Kostenko
#114 - Red Savage
#134 - Liam Dower Nilsson
#155 - Lucas Forsell
#166 - Nikita Grebyonkin

I like the Buium pick but Koivunen is amazing. If they didn't trade up to #15 I would pick Räty, Buium and Koivunen with 23/36/48, then take Gerasimyuk at 138.

 

[Gniwder]

134. Jack Bar - Basically anyone with one last name would have been my preference. Jack Bar. Simple.

Wait, there was a kid named Jack Bar in the draft and we didn't pick him? I'm not sure if that's a noun or a verb, but that's gotta be a hockey name.

Complete miss. Sending the Red Savage on the ice with the Jack Bar would have been an instant win.

 

[Frk It]

My only question is how come we don't draft players from Russia anymore the past few years?

The Redwings need to hire some of our former Russian Redwing players like Larionov who have a lot of respect within our organization to be a scout and to pound the table as well every now and then and say we need to pick that player when he was available. A random Russian scout doesn't seem to have much influence on the draft table.

Our Russian players played a big part in winning our Stanley Cups so I don't understand how the Redwings can completely ignore that player base that continue to be successful and are consistently among the top teams during international tournaments.

Sitting here watching Yurov highlights, and this is your typical super skilled Russian. I know we need blue chip centers badly, but man this kid looks pretty special. Wonder if Stevie will find a way to get two high firsts again next year.

The talent from Russia in the next 2 drafts will be incredibly enticing, I think you will see us take some of these guys.

 

[lomekian]

#6 LD Edvinsson/Eklund
#15 G Cossa/Wallstedt
#36 C Aatu Räty
#70 W Simon Robertsson
#114 C/LW Red Savage
#134 C Liam Dower Nilsson
#155 RD Oscar Plandowski
#166 W Florian Elias

Fine with 5 picks. Three would have gone different.

This is exactly my lisr

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

6th - Edvinsson (was calling for it on draft day)
15th - Svechkov (totally fine with Cossa though)
36th - Stromberg (I really like Buium, I just would not have traded up for him)
70th - Gaudreau (I admit I know dick about goalies)
114th - Savage
134th -Robidas
155th - Plandowski (good pick at this point in the draft)
166th - Zito (I like Mast in this spot too though)

And that is why I don't work in the NHL...

 

[simonedvinsson]

006 | LD | Simon Edvinsson | Edvinsson was the top name on my board, followed by Eklund.
015 | GT | Sebastian Cossa | I'd been saying Cossa was the top goaltender in the draft for some time, so I'm glad brass felt the same way.
036 | RD | Aleksi Heimosalmi | Top four defender in my eyes, but if Buium fills that role as Yzerman expects, I can live with it.
070 | RW | Simon Robertsson | I think Robertsson could make it as a middle six winger at the NHL.
114 | LC | Redmond Savage | Solid pick. I'm surprised he was available this late.
134 | LC | Liam Dower-Nilsson | Solid pick.
155 | RD | Oscar Plandowski | Solid pick.
166 | LD | Hugo Gabrielsson | Zito looks promising, but I'd never heard of prior to the draft.

My two biggest objections immediately after the draft were where we drafted Buium and Mazur, but I've warmed up to them a lot after re-reading draft profiles and watching the video I could find on them. With Buium especially, I am encouraged that Yzerman and co. felt strongly enough about him that they were willing to trade up, whether that was necessary or not.

 

[Winger98]

I'm not a big enough draft person to comment on the later picks. I'm still not sold on Cossa being a better bet than Wallstedt, but I'm not going to quibble over it. The one pick I'd definitely switch is our second rounder. I'd have taken Raty.

 

[jfrank21]

After some time to stew this is basically what I came up with....
Who I wanted as the draft unfolded:
6. Eklund
15. Wallstedt
36. Pinelli
70. Kirsanov
114. Savage
134. Dower Nilsson
155. Plandowski
166. Connor Lockhart

I would have been thrilled with that outcome. I can appreciate what the Wings are doing and what the plan seems to be, and after thinking things over the only thing that I would still change would be taking Pinelli over Buium. Hopefully Shai hits his potential, definitely rooting for him because he seems like a good kid.

 

[RabidBadger]

I'll just go with the first 3 picks: Eklund, Wallstedt, Raty.

Eklund was my choice as BPA in that spot, Wally was the guy I was beating the drum to pick all along, and Raty to solidify C depth (though I vacillated between him and Scott Morrow at that spot).

I have zero complaints about our draft picks this year.

 

[Frk It]

#6 - Simon Edvinsson
#15 - Sebastian Cossa
#36 - Ville Koivunen
#70 - Dmitri Kostenko
#114 - Red Savage
#134 - Liam Dower Nilsson
#155 - Lucas Forsell
#166 - Nikita Grebyonkin

I like the Buium pick but Koivunen is amazing. If they didn't trade up to #15 I would pick Räty, Buium and Koivunen with 23/36/48, then take Gerasimyuk at 138.

Good call on Grebyonkin, he is having a good year in the MHL. Have you seen him play before?

 

[ChadS]

Good call on Grebyonkin, he is having a good year in the MHL. Have you seen him play before?

Not this season but last season he stood out the few times I watched Stalnye Lisy. Really good and confident with the puck, also a good skater and not a tiny kid like most of the lesser-known offensive guys you come across - so worth a late pick IMO.

Koivunen is the one guy I think we really missed out on, he's pretty great.

 

[HoweFan]

Probably would have gone Edvinsson, Lambos, Salminen or Helenius, Gaudreau, and then Bryce Montgomery. After that most of my wish list was gone