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BREAKING: Red Wings Will Select No. 4 in NHL Draft

By John Manzo

OSHAWA, ON - NOVEMBER 22: Jamie Drysdale #4 of the Erie Otters skates with the puck during an OHL game against the Oshawa Generals at the Tribute Communities Centre on November 22, 2019 in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)
OSHAWA, ON - NOVEMBER 22: Jamie Drysdale #4 of the Erie Otters skates with the puck during an OHL game against the Oshawa Generals at the Tribute Communities Centre on November 22, 2019 in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images) /
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The Detroit Red Wings fell to No. 4 in the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery Friday night despite having the worst record during the regular season.

Here roars 2020 again.

On a night when there was so much hope for the Detroit Red Wings to secure the No. 1 pick in the upcoming 2020 NHL Draft, a disastrous year for the franchise continued by falling to the No. 4 pick following the NHL Draft Lottery Friday night.

A team who is currently in the 24-team NHL Playoff tournament will have the opportunity to draft the unanimous top prize in be Rimouski (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League) QMJHL left wing Alexis Lafreniere.

The Los Angeles Kings, who only had a 9.5 percent chance of landing the top pick, moved up into the No. 2 overall slot, followed by the Ottawa Senators and then the Red Wings.

Picks 5-8 will be the Senators, Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils and then the Buffalo Sabres respectively.

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The Red Wings organization and its fans now must reign in the excitement of having Lafreniere on its roster for years to come and focus in on other players because the 6-foot-1 forward who scored 35 goals with 77 assists (112 points) in just 52 games with Rimouski and led the Canadian U20 team to gold at the 2020 World Junior Championships in January will not be coming to Hockeytown.

So, who’s next? Other top prospects include forwards Tim Stutzle, Quinton Byfield, defenseman Jamie Drysdale and goaltender Yaroslav Askarov, although it’s highly likely Byfield won’t be there at No. 4, either.

With the top forwards likely off the board by No. 4, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman now has the opportunity to continue upgrading the defense by selecting Drysdale, arguably the best defenseman in the draft.

While in the long run that might be a welcomed addition to the franchise, it won’t ease the gut-punch fans are feeling after tonight’s NHL Draft Lottery results.

2020 is at it again.

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