Detroit — The Red Wings expect to get two talented young players when they select ninth and 17th at the NHL Entry Draft later this month.
Unless, that is, they trade one or both picks for an established player that’ll be available.
Or maybe they use one of those picks and something else to move up, or back, in the draft on June 28 (first round) and June 29 (Rounds 2-7).
And don’t forget the three consecutive picks the Wings possess in the second round (picks 41, 42 and 43). That could also be a nice haul of talent.
That’s unless general manager Steve Yzerman uses some of that currency in a trade, as part of the package to move up or down or get a veteran player.
Bottom line: the Wings are going to get players. Who, when, and whether it’s done through the draft or a trade remains to be seen.
But Yzerman and the remainder of the NHL are in for a busy few weeks, with free agency beginning July 1 and many teams looking to trade to alleviate salary cap restrictions and concerns.
Yzerman met with the media Tuesday on a Zoom call to talk about the Entry Draft. But with all the rumors surrounding the Wings in trade talks — specifically Ottawa’s Alex DeBrincat (Farmington Hills) and to a lesser degree players such as Arizona’s Clayton Keller and Winnipeg’s Pierre-Luc Dubois — potentially making trades was a popular topic.
But Yzerman stressed that drafting players is the focus.
“I don’t really anticipate moving the ninth pick, and in all likelihood I expect to use the 17th pick on the first night of the draft as well,” Yzerman said. “Certainly, it gives you options (having multiple draft picks). I’ve never had three picks in a row, particularly three in the second round. That’s interesting. Those picks tend to be valuable.”
Many playoff teams from this past season are without first- and even second-round picks. Some could be on the lookout for draft picks.
“Those are things that’ll happen at the draft, really on the floor in all likelihood,” Yzerman said. “It gives you options, for sure. It’s some form of currency. Whether using them to move up or move back in the draft, to acquire more picks or players, in the position we’re in, it’s nice to have a lot of draft picks.”
If the Wings are to acquire players, Yzerman laid out the type of player he’d like. Yzerman would like to acquire someone in that 19-27 age bracket, around Dylan Larkin’s age (27 in July), that the Wings can neatly put into their core group and move along.
But there are plenty of variables that enter that equation and make finding that younger veteran difficult. The Wings could be acquiring a prime player but simultaneously taking away from their current lineup.
“I’m trying to build a nucleus of young players that’ll be the core of the team for a significant period of time, or for the future,” Yzerman said. “If we give up those pieces — and again these draft picks there are no guarantees they’ll turn into that — we have to feel the player we would be acquiring will be part of that core for a long period of time.
“It doesn’t make sense to acquire a player and give up pieces that we need to build a core, and in three or four years that player is retired or moved on and we still don’t have that core in place.
“If we’re going to move our picks or any of our prospects, it has to be a player we’re comfortable with what it’s going to cost to get him, the contract and how long he’ll be part of it.”
Even moving up or down in the draft isn’t easy, as teams have their needs, but Yzerman is looking into the possibility.
“You check with teams around you and what their interests are and the cost to move up or back,” said Yzerman, adding those decisions to make a trade usually happen on the draft floor. “To sit here today and say I’m moving up or moving back, no.
“I’m planning on picking ninth right now.”
As for the draft, much has been made of the top of this particular class, with its elite talent. Connor Bedard is regarded as a generational potential star and is headed to Chicago with the first pick, while Adam Fantilli (MIchigan) and Leo Carlsson are expected to go with the next two picks to Anaheim and Columbus, in whatever order.
Russian Matvei Michkov, who might be the second-best prospect in this draft, is considered a bit of a wild card. Because of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, the politics and difficulties involved bringing a player to North America, and the fact Michkov is currently signed to play in Russia until 2026, teams will have to weigh the possibility of waiting years to get Michkov here.
“Ultimately draft classes seem to be measured, good or bad, basically on how good is it at the top, and this year looks real good at the top,” said Yzerman, adding the Wings are excited at what could be available to them at No. 9, No. 17 and those three second-round picks.
“We think it looks like a pretty good draft. Time will tell, but we feel pretty good about having those three seconds and picks beyond that.”
And if Michkov were to somehow fall to No. 9, don’t forget this quote from Yzerman.
“If we like the player, regardless of the country he lives in, and he’s what we want, we’re going to pick him,” Yzerman said.
Yzerman isn’t looking to stockpile or replenish a particular position group, either. At this point in the Wings’ rebuild, picking the best player when it’s their turn to pick is still the focus.
“I don’t think we’re at that point and I’m not sure it’s really the right thing to do, to target a specific position,” Yzerman said. “We’ll go simply with who we think is the best prospect at that point in the draft.”
Still, there is a position group that stands out in this class.
“There are a lot of good forwards, for sure. A very talented group of forwards this year,” Yzerman said.
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tkulfan