The 2021 NHL Draft: What the Red Wings Need to Know

With the 2021 NHL Draft just around the corner, the Red Wings need to know what they’re looking for. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the team’s needs and what they should be targeting in the draft.

Introduction

The 2021 NHL Draft is just around the corner, and the Detroit Red Wings are in a unique position. With the sixth overall pick, they have a chance to add a top-end talent to their roster. But with so many options available, it can be tough to know who the best fit for the team might be.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the top prospects in the draft and what the Red Wings might be considering when it comes time to make their selection.

The 2021 NHL Draft

The 2021 NHL Draft will be held on July 23, 2021, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. It will be the first draft held in Montreal since 2009. The Red Wings currently hold the sixth overall pick in the first round.

In recent years the Red Wings have been active at the NHL Draft making several trades to move up and down the draft order In 2020, they traded down twice in the first round, ultimately selecting defenseman William Wallinder with the 30th overall pick. In 2019, they traded up twice in the first round to select forward Moritz Seider with the sixth overall pick.

The Red Wings are coming off a disappointing 2020-21 season in which they finished last in the NHL Standings with a 14-26-8 record. They will look to rebound in 2021-22 with a young core of players that includes Dylan Larkin, Filip Zadina, and Michael Rasmussen.

The 2021 NHL Draft will be an important event for the Red Wings as they look to improve their roster and build for the future.

The Red Wings’ Needs

With the 2021 NHL Draft slated to take place on July 23 and 24, it’s time to start looking at what the Detroit Red Wings will be doing with their picks.

As of right now, the Red Wings hold the 14th overall pick in the first round and two second-round picks (Nos. 45 and 54). In a normal year, Detroit would also have a third-round pick, but that was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning at last year’s deadline in the deal that brought forward Tyler Johnson to Detroit.

Looking at Detroit’s recent draft history, they have mostly stayed true to their Best Player Available drafting strategy. However, there are always areas of need that a team looks to address through the draft. For the Red Wings, these needs are defenseman and wingers.

red wings NHL Draft needs defensemen
It is no secret that the Red Wings’ blue line is in need of an upgrade. Detroit has some good young defenseman in Moritz Seider, Filip Hronek, and Gustav Lindstrom, but they could still use another top-four defenseman who can eat up some minutes and provide some offense from the blue line

If there is a defenseman available at 14 that the Red Wings believe can come in and make an immediate impact, don’t be surprised if they go that route. However, with so many good forwards expected to go in the top-10 of this year’s draft, it is more likely that Detroit will look to add a defenseman with one of their two second-round picks.

red wings NHL Draft needs forwards
While the Red Wings have used high draft picks on forwards in recent years (Seider, Filip Zadina, Moritz Seider), they could still use more depth at forward. In particular, Detroit could use another top-six winger who can contribute offensively.

Again, if there is a forward available at 14 that Detroit believes can come in and make an impact right away, they will not hesitate to pull the trigger. However, with so many good forwards expected to go early in the draft, it is more likely that the Red Wings will look to add another forward with one of their two second-round picks.

The Top Prospects

The National Hockey League Draft is an annual event in which the NHL’s thirty franchises select new young players to join their organizations. The 2021 NHL Draft will be held on July 23, 2021, and the Detroit Red Wings are hoping to add some new talent to their roster. In this guide, we will take a look at some of the top prospects who could be available when the Red Wings make their first-round pick.

The Red Wings’ Strategy

With the exception of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft which was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 NHL Entry Draft will be the first time in NHL history that all seven rounds will be conducted on one day. The 2021 NHL Entry Draft is set for July 23, 2021, at the Bell Centre in Montreal. This will be the first time since 1998 that Montreal has hosted the NHL Entry Draft

The Detroit Red Wings currently hold the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft. The Red Wings have not selected this high in the draft since they took KeithPrimeau third overall back in 1991. Given that they have not had a top-five pick in 30 years, it is safe to say that Red Wings fans are excited for this year’s draft. So, what should we expect from the Red Wings on draft day?

First and foremost, it is important to remember that Steve Yzerman is now running the show in Detroit. Yzerman is widely considered to be one of the best minds in hockey, so it is safe to say that he will have a well-thought-out plan for the Red Wings on draft day.

Yzerman has made it clear that he wants to build the Red Wings through the draft and he has already shown a willingness to trade away veteran players in order to acquire more picks. It is very likely that Yzerman will look to trade down from fourth overall on draft day in order to acquire more picks. Given that there are a number of teams who are interested in acquiring a top-five pick, Yzerman should have no trouble finding a trade partner if he decides to go this route.

Acquiring more picks would allow Detroit to add even more young talent to their system and it would also give them more flexibility on draft day. For example, if they acquired an additional second-round pick, they could use that pick to select a player who falls out of favor with other teams on draft day or they could use it as part of a package deal to move up higher in the draft if they find a player they really like.

The most important thing for Red Wings fans to remember on draft day is that Steve Yzerman is running the show now and he knows exactly what he is doing. He has already shown us that he is not afraid to make bold moves and he will surely have something up his sleeve come draft day. So sit back, relax and enjoy watching Yzerman work his magic on July 23rd.

The Wild Card Prospects

There are a number of Wild Card prospects in the 2021 NHL Draft These are players who have the potential to be great, but who also come with a certain amount of risk. The Red Wings will need to weigh their options carefully when it comes to these prospects.

One Wild Card prospect is defenseman Owen Power Power is a big, physical defenseman who has the ability to shut down opposing forwards. However, he is also raw and may need some time to develop his game at the NHL level.

Another Wild Card prospect is forward Simon Edvinsson. Edvinsson is a skilled forward who has the potential to be a top-six player in the NHL. However, he is also small and may have difficulty adjusting to the physicality of the NHL game

The Red Wings will need to carefully consider their options when it comes to these wild card prospects. They could end up with a world-class player, but they could also end up with a player who never reaches his full potential.

The Sleepers

NHL teams are always looking for the next big thing and the 2021 NHL draft is no different. But with so many highly-touted prospects available, it can be tough to know who to focus on. That’s where sleepers come in. These are the players who may not be getting as much hype as some of the other prospects, but who have the potential to be star players in the NHL.

For the Detroit Red Wings there are a few sleepers that they should keep an eye on. First is defenseman Simon Edvinsson. He’s a big (6’5″, 220 lbs), mobile defenseman who is a good skater and has a great shot. He’s been compared to Erik Karlsson and could be a top-pairing defenseman in the NHL one day.

Another sleeper to watch is goaltender William Watcher. He’s been flying under the radar because he plays in the Swedish Hockey League but he has all the tools to be a successful NHL goaltender. He’s athletic, has good size (6’3″, 185 lbs), and is excellent at tracking the puck. If he can Adjust his game to the smaller North American ice surface, he could be a starting goalie in the NHL one day.

Finally, there’s forward Dylan Guenther. He’s an elite scorer who can play both center and wing. He’s got great hands and vision and isn’t afraid to go to the dirty areas of the ice to score goals He may not be as big as some of the other top prospects (he’s listed at 6’0″, 170 lbs), but he has all the skills necessary to be a top-six forward in the NHL one day.

So, if you’re looking for some sleepers in this year’s Draft Class keep an eye on Simon Edvinsson, William Watcher, and Dylan Guenther.

The Risers

There are a few things that the Detroit Red Wings need to know heading into the 2021 NHL Entry Draft Firstly, they need to be aware of the “risers” in this year’s class – the players who have seen their stock improve over the course of the season. Some of these risers could be potential targets for the Red Wings with their first-round pick.

Players who have seen their stock rise heading into the 2021 NHL Entry Draft include:

Wyatt McOwen – McOwen is a big, physical defenseman who has really impressed this season with his skating and puck-moving ability. He could be a great addition to Detroit’s blue line

Simon Edvinsson – Edvinsson is another big, mobile defenseman who has really come into his own this season. He’s a strong skater and has good vision, making him a great playmaker from the back end.

Dylan Duke – Duke is a high-scoring forward who has put up some impressive numbers in Junior hockey this season. He’s got good size and is a dangerous scorer, making him someone to keep an eye on for the Red Wings.

The Fallers

There are a few players in the 2021 NHL Draft who have seen their stock fall in recent months. These are the players that the Detroit Red Wings need to be aware of as they prepare for the draft.

The first faller is defenseman Simon Edvinsson. Edvinsson was once thought to be a sure-fire top-10 pick, but his play has slipped in recent months. He still has all the tools to be a top NHL defenseman but he needs to get his game back on track.

Another player who has seen his stock slip is center Dylan Guenther. Guenther was once considered a potential top-five pick, but he has struggled mightily this season. His production has dipped and he looks lost at times on the ice. However, he still has the potential to be a very good NHL player and the Red Wings should keep an eye on him.

Finally, there is goaltender prospect Joel Blomqvist. Blomqvist was once considered one of the best goalie prospects in the world, but he has struggled mightily over the past two seasons. He will need to rebound in a big way if he wants to hear his name called on draft day.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the 2021 NHL Draft is going to be an important one for the Detroit Red Wings They currently sit with the fourth overall pick, and while they’ve been linked to some big names, they need to be smart with how they use it. The Red Wings have a lot of prospects in their system, but they need to be judicious with who they select in the first round. With that in mind, the Red Wings should be looking to add a defenseman or a forward who can play a 200-foot game.