Paul Tyler
Inside the Article:
It’s past time for some good luck to go the way of the Detroit Red Wings this time around, isn’t it? After all, it goes without saying that they’ve not had the chance to make their annual Draft selection any higher than the 3rd overall pick since 1990 when they took power forward Keith Primeau. While not having a high draft pick was often Detroit’s price of success, the fact that during their recent lean years (including posting the NHL’s worst record in 2019-20 prior to the pandemic shutdown) they’ve not been able to select any higher than 4th is frustrating for both the fans and team management.
Why It Matters: Red Wings haven’t had the chance to select a generational talent in decades
The Red Wings were able to make strides this most recent season but were once again unable to clinch a postseason berth, making it seven straight years of not appearing in the playoffs after a streak of 25 straight years of having done so. Watching teams make runs in the postseason like the New Jersey Devils (with two Number 1 overall draft picks on the roster in Niko Hischier and Jack Hughes), Edmonton Oilers with Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Toronto Maple Leafs with Auston Matthews, and Florida Panthers with Aaron Ekblad is understandably having Red Wings fans dreaming about the possibility of the Draft Lottery luck finally turning their way.
General manager Steve Yzerman knows better than anyone just how much the Lottery luck has evaded his team in recent years.
“So we gotta stick with it and we have to draft well…We have to get lucky on some occasions, maybe at some point here, maybe this year, get lucky in the lottery and that’ll speed it up a little bit.”
– Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman
This year’s top prize for whoever gains the 1st overall selection is forward Connor Bedard of the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League, while local phenom Adam Fantilli of the University of Michigan is expected to be taken 2nd overall.
Bedard led the WHL in scoring with a whopping 71 goals and 143 points in 57 games before adding another 10 goals in seven postseason games. Oh, and he was also the Most Valuable Player for Team Canada in the recent 2023 World Junior Championship.
Meanwhile, Fantilli earned the Hobey Baker Award as the top NCAA player (only the third freshman ever to do so) by scoring 65 points in 36 games.
Wrapping It Up: Red Wings fans are hoping for a miracle
As it currently stands, the Red Wings have a 5% chance of landing the top overall pick. However, they hold a 64.4% of ending up with the 9th overall selection. Right now, the Anaheim Ducks lead the rest of the NHL with a 25.5% chance of landing the top pick, followed by the Columbus Blue Jackets at 13.5% and the Chicago Blackhawks at 11.5%.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed that a miracle can happen and the Red Wings can finally get some much overdue good luck to come their way tonight when the Draft Lottery begins at 8:00 on ESPN.
