The Detroit Red Wings came away from the 2020 draft with a dozen fresh faces hoping to stoke the rebuild.
One of those faces is very familiar to those within the organization.
After mining Sweden for the first three picks, general manager Steve Yzerman and his inner circle spread the picks across North America and Europe, adding depth at every position. One day after selecting forward Lucas Raymond at No. 4 overall, the Wings opened the second round by taking defenseman William Wallinder at 32nd overall.
The Wings selected more defensemen in the third round, and picked up a Czech goaltender in the fourth round. They used their 11th pick on Kienan Draper, who is Kris Draper’s son.
In all, the Wings selected six forwards, five defensemen and one goaltender.
No. 4: F Lucas Raymond
Vitals: 5-11, 183 pounds.
2019-20: 4 goals, 6 assists in 33 games with Frolunda (SHL).
Buzz: Incredible hockey sense and solid in all areas of the ice. No glaring weaknesses. Plan is for him to stay with Frolunda for 2020-21, not the least because of pandemic travel restrictions. He can push for more minutes among good competition and benefit from consulting the Wings on developing strength off the ice.
No. 32: D William Wallinder
Vitals: 6-4, 191.
2019-20: 5 goals, 19 assists in 24 games with MODO Hockey J20 in J20 SuperElit.
Buzz: Skilled skater with great potential as he grows into his frame. He’s a mobile puck carrier with an eye for creating offense. Just a solid two-day defenseman who can play in any situation.
No. 51: F Theodor Niederback
Vitals: 5-11, 182.
2019-20: 15 goals, 33 assists in 40 games with Frolunda HC J20 in J20 SuperElit.
Buzz: Has a knack for knowing where everyone is on the ice and good at making decisions with the puck on the fly. Has bounced back nicely after missing all of 2018-19 with a knee injury. Focused on improving the defensive side of his game.
No. 55: F Cross Hanas
Vitals: 6-1, 175.
2019-20: 22 goals, 27 assists in 60 games with Portland Winterhawks (Western Hockey League).
Buzz: Gained about 10 pounds during the offseason, which has especially paid off with greater leg strength. Plays with the confidence that comes with being a creative puck handler.
No. 63: D Donovan Sebrango
Vitals: 6-1, 189.
2019-20: 6 goals, 24 assists in 56 games with Kitchener (Ontario Hockey League).
Buzz: A mix of old-school grit with new-school offense, likes to jump in the rush when he sees a chance but focused on playing a simple game.
No. 70: D Eemil Viro
Vitals: 6-0, 165.
2019-20: 3 assists in 29 games with TPS in Finland’s top league.
Buzz: Tries to model his game after fellow Finn Viro Heiskanen, one of the best young defensemen in the NHL. Strong skater, with the smarts to match. Very dialed into showing leadership qualities, too.
No. 97: F Sam Stange
Vitals: 6-0, 200.
2019-20: 26 goals and 19 assists in 48 games split between Sioux City and Sioux Falls (USHL).
Buzz: Slated to play in 2020-21 at Wisconsin, where the head coach is former Wings assistant Tony Granato.
No. 107: G Jan Bednar
Vitals: 6-4, 196.
2019-20: Posted a 4.39 goals-against average and .884 save percentage in 13 games with HC Energie Karlovy Vary (Czech) and a 3.26 GAA and .873 save percentage in 24 games with HC Banik Sokolov (Czech-2).
Buzz: Was supposed to play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for Acadie-Bathurst in 2020-21.
No. 132: D Alex Cotton
Vitals: 6-2, 175.
2019-20: 20 goals and 47 assists in 63 games with Lethbridge (WHL).
Buzz: The 19-year-old was passed over in the 2019 draft, with just two goals and nine assists in 54 games with Lethbridge in 2018-19, but garnered interest this year after tremendous offensive improvement.
No. 156: D Kyle Aucoin
Vitals: 5-10, 164.
2019-20: 2 goals and 11 assists in 48 games with Tri-City (USHL).
Buzz: Slated to play at Harvard in 2020-21.
No. 187: F Kienan Draper
Vitals: 6-0, 187.
2019-20: 26 goals and 25 assists in 56 games with St. Andrew’s College (CAHS).
Buzz: Has an excellent bloodline, what with his father being a founding member of the Grind Line, a four-time Stanley Cup champion, and director of amateur scouting for the Red Wings.
No. 203: F Chase Bradley
Vitals: 5-11, 180.
2019-20: 7 goals, 12 assists in 34 games with Omaha (USHL).
Buzz: Has a knack for finding scoring opportunities in limited time.
Contact Helene St. James at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her book, The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings will be published October 13 by Triumph Books. To order, go to Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
