Detroit Red Wings: The Top Three Centers in the Draft

Kent Johnson

Johnson is another member of the stacked 2020-21 Michigan team that is slotted to be a pick in the top ten. Although Johnson is projected below teammates Owen Powers and Matty Beniers, he has one of the highest ceilings in the entire draft.

We’ve already delved into Johnson’s draft profile at Octopus Thrower, so let’s keep it short and sweet: he a flashy, highly skilled winger that has experience playing center and could very well transition to the NHL down the middle. Johnson has the skillset to try things that others wouldn’t dream of, and half the time, he pulls it off. But the other half of the time, the flashy tricks lead to turnovers or other small mistakes.

Johnson is a really tough player to fully analyze. He has all the upside in the world; his highlight real can easily be confused for gameplay of NHL ’21.

But all that flash and elite skill might not transition well to a center in the NHL, especially in Detroit. Yzerman and Blashill like their centers to distribute the puck, play responsibly on defense and make limited mistakes. None of those quite fit Johnson’s draft profile. If Yzerman is dead-set on drafting a center at 6th overall, then Johnson might not be the safest pick. But if Detroit willing to take a wild swing, Johnson might be the player to swing for.