What should the Detroit Red Wings draft board look like?
By Bob Heyrman
Spencer Knight -G
The Detroit Red Wings are extremely thin at goaltending prospects. Their two best candidates are still in college, Filip Larsson has shown recently during his work in the Frozen Four he could translate into the top prospect for the Wings in a few years.
Spencer Knight is expected to be the first goaltender off the board and potentially the first goaltender since Jack Campbell to be drafted in the top ten of the NHL Entry Level Draft. He’s 6’3 around 200 pounds. That being said, various mock drafts have Knight anywhere from being selected as high as 8th overall and as low as an early second-round selection.
Knight is expected to attend Boston College next season; the 17-year-old is supposed to be an anchor to a franchise with the potential to be an elite starting NHL goaltender in his future. He played 28 games with the US under 18 development team this year posting a 2.50 GAA|0.906 save percentage.
Knight has shown the ability to stay composed along with a will to fight through traffic to track the puck. He has a powerful lower body which allows him to push quickly side to side in the crease. His glove his above average and unlike many young goaltenders, he’s not fazed by the bright lights.
If the Detroit Red Wings can find a way to land Spencer Knight early in the second round it would be a steal and he would be a valuable piece to store away in the cupboard of prospects and insert into the lineup once Jimmy Howard and Jonathan Bernier finally run out of gas. The Detroit Red Wings own three second round picks in this draft and should use one on Knight if he happens to fall to them.