DETROIT – For the third straight year, the offseason started early for the Detroit Red Wings as they missed the playoffs once again. However, they weren’t waiting until the draft or free agency to make a splash. In April, the Red Wings brought back legendary captain Steve Yzerman to be their new General Manager, moving Ken Holland up to senior vice president before he left to take the vacant GM post in Edmonton.
Yzerman went from his introductory press conference to Sweden for the Under-18 World Championships, an important scouting event to prepare for his first draft running the Red Wings. The Red Wings took a mild tumble in the NHL Draft Lottery, falling from 4 to 6. However, the board is still really wide open. While there may be two sure things, Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko, the draft is still full of high-end talent.
There are a lot of places the Red Wings could go at 6, defense is certainly a possibility, but the value of a defenseman at that spot, at least in our draft, is questionable.
Detroit has gone with a forward in the first round four times in the last four years (there were two first rounders’ in 2018), but it is likely where Yzerman goes this year.
In a Q&A with The Athletic from the Under-18 World Championships, Yzerman was asked about, and went in-depth on, two prospects. PHN thinks one of the two will be his pick.
Don’t let Cole Caufield’s 5-foot-7 frame fool you. His smooth skating and effortless shot are lethal. At the U-18s Worlds, he tied Alex Ovechkin’s tournament record with 14 goals in seven games picking up tourney MVP honors. He averaged more than a goal per game on a loaded U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 squad (72-28-100 in 64 games), playing alongside the likes of Jack Hughes, Alex Turcotte, and Trevor Zegras.
This year, he became the National Team Development Program’s all-time leading scorer with 126 goals, topping Phil Kessel. Caufield also doesn’t have to be rushed to the NHL. The Red Wings forward depth isn’t so dire that he needs to be there on opening day this season. A year at the University of Wisconsin will give him more time to hone his game.
Caufield is the same size as Alex DeBrincat and two inches shorter than Johnny Gaudreau, both of whom have proven that there’s still space in the game for players who aren’t 6 foor or taller.
“With the 6th pick in the NHL Draft, the Detroit Red Wings select forward Cole Caufield of the U.S. National Team Development Program.”
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