The NHL Draft Lottery drawing in late June saw the Red Wings land the No. 4 overall pick behind the Senators and Kings, who both were ahead of Detroit in the standings – with the New York Rangers, who lost in the qualifying round of the 2020 playoffs, landing the first pick.
The Red Wings have actually dropped in the lottery compared to where they finished in the standings the past four seasons.
And while we still don’t know exactly in what position the Red Wings will be drafting in 2021, we know that they’ll finish with no better than the 6th best odds to land the 1st overall draft pick should the Vancouver Canucks pick up a single point in any of their remaining regular season contests.
That being said, Bleacher Report has released their first NHL Mock Draft of 2021, and they’re producing GM Steve Yzerman to go for help in the crease. With the No. 6 overall pick in the mock draft, the Red Wings select goaltender Jesper Wallstedt of Luleå HF in the Swedish Hockey League.
Wallstedt, 18, is a native of Västerås, Sweden. Should he be drafted by the Red Wings in the top 10 selections or any other NHL team, he’d be the first goaltender selected in the top 10 picks since Montreal took future NHL MVP Carey Price in 2005.
Per Last Word on Sports:
“In 2021, Swedish goalie Jesper Wallstedt hopes to become the first top-10 pick since Carey Price in 2005. Wallstedt has spent the season with Lulea HF in the SHL. Playing against men, he put up a 12-10-0 record, .908 save percentage, 2.23 goals-against average, and 2 shutouts in 22 games.
Wallstedt also played two games for Sweden at the World Juniors putting up an 0-1-0 record with a .923 save percentage, and 2.40 goals-against average. Wallstedt also helped Sweden to a bronze medal at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup with a .936 save percentage in three games.”
They have Hakan Andersson there in Sweden so my guess is they will have more insight to this goalie than a lot of other teams. In the end though it is up to them if they think he is the right choice at this time. If they pick him good and if not then also good. If Edvinsson is there and they pick him they must feel he is special as well and getting that fit for the left side top pair is more important. Goalie is a position you can trade for later as teams often have two starting caliber ones. If they pick him my guess is they feel he is special enough to just go for it. Him saying they are not looking at a goalie means nothing as he could just be doing the old smoke and mirror deal.