Mock Draft Take 2: Who should the Red Wings take at #6?

The Detroit Red Wings will be choosing once again at the sixth spot. Recently, Daniella Bruce interviewed Steve Yzerman on what exactly he’ll be looking to draft at that spot:

We could go several different directions. There are several players that we all feel are the same level of prospect. Different countries, different leagues, different positions. So there’s a lot of different ways to go.

So that really doesn’t clear things up. And as Bruce said after speaking with TSN’s Bob McKenzie, there’s just no way to really give a concrete selection on 2-10. Heck, I’ll be honest, who knows if Owen Power will go first overall at this point.

Regardless, there’s a very diverse pool of prospects available at the number six spot. I’ve made my picks (with the help of Chris and Alex as well) in terms of who I believe will be available after the first five selections. I then look at the potential eight players Yzerman might consider at number six.

Of the nine names I provide, I provide a reason why he takes them at six over the other eight names, and then a reason why someone else would be chosen instead of them at six.

Let’s start with the first five selections.

Mock Drafting the first Five Picks

1. Buffalo – Owen Power
2. Seattle – William Eklund
3. Anaheim – Matty Beniers
4. New Jersey – Luke Hughes
5. Columbus – Dylan Guenther

I see Eklund going much higher while Anaheim opts to take Beniers to really strengthen down the middle. Hughes goes with his brother and Guenther gives Columbus some scoring punch down the road, maybe enticing Patrik Laine to stick around a bit longer.

Now onto the Wings. At this spot, Yzerman will have a surplus of players to choose from. For each selection, I will give a brief synopsis of the player and then provide reasoning as to why Yzerman would take that player over the others. Of the players available at six, these are the ones I’m focusing on:

• Mason McTavish
• Kent Johnson
• Chaz Lucius
• Fabian Lysell
• Brandt Clarke
• Simon Edvinsson
• Sebastian Cossa
• Jesper Wallstedt
• Cole Sillinger

Mason McTavish – C

Why Yzerman picks him over other prospects available: He’s the prototypical Yzerplan center who could strengthen Detroit down the middle for years to come. His stock has risen over the last few months and his time in the Swiss league during the pandemic gives him the professional experience Yzerman seems to prefer. Pre-pandemic he nearly hit 30 goals and he’s been compared to Mark Stone.  If Eklund is indeed not there, I think it’s between McTavish and Kent Johnson.

Why Yzerman passes on him: There are some intriguing names still available and in spite of what everyone else believes, even scouts, Yzerman is a scrupulous talent assessor and will go after the player he deems best for the organization. The Moritz Seider choice, which was met with utter shock by the fanbase and pundits, stands as the reasoning here. But McTavish seems like a perfect fit for him, and probably the top forward on the board along with Johnson if both are still available.

Kent Johnson – C/LW

Why Yzerman picks him over other prospects available: He doesn’t have the professional league experience but Johnson has a ceiling that is unbelievably high. But that’s not all. Our own Alex Faber describes him as this:

Johnson has a diverse set of skills in his offensive toolbox. He uses his speed, creativity and fantastic handling skills in the offensive zone to remain a constant threat. He will patiently maintain possession of the puck, always keeping an eye out for an under-the-radar passing lane or opening in the net. Johnson will often blitz the goaltender, only to snap a pass through his legs to whatever teammate was behind him.

Beyond that, he can play on the wing or center a line, another invaluable trait that Yzerman would certainly value. Johnson checks so many boxes that I believe with Eklund off the board, he checks the boxes they want and is arguably the 1-B argument to McTavish. In many ways, I think it’s a tie between the two of them.

Why Yzerman passes on him: Truthfully, I don’t think he does if McTavish is taken already. Watching clips of Johnson, he reminds me an awful lot of Brayden Point with his speed and skill. With what has been described as a high ceiling by many talent evaluators, I think this might be with who he goes with. However, if McTavish is still available, it’s most likely a toss up between the two.

Brandt Clarke – D

Why Yzerman picks him over other prospects available: Imagine having another big bodied, strong puck moving, responsible defenseman with Seider on another pairing. Bingo. That’s why Yzerman takes Clarke here. This moves solidifies the blue line for years if Clarke truly is the player he’s scouted out as. Here’s more from Alex’s piece on him:

His offense isn’t quite as offensively gifted as Hughes, and he’s not quite as far along defensively as Edvinsson:  he has a comfortable, well balanced combination of both. Clarke has some of the raw skills to push the offense in the NHL and he’s above average defensively. Although he doesn’t have Edvinsson levels of potential, he could very well be the best defenseman in the draft because of his ability as a two-way player.

Why Yzerman passes on him: It’s more about if Yzerman deems him the best player available and less about him not being better than other players. The Red Wings are full on the right side of the blue line but Troy Stecher isn’t going to be around forever. In fact, it would buy time for Clarke to develop. Detroit desperately needs scoring help and defenseman on the left side, but Clarke could be the case of not being able to pass up one of the best defensemen in the draft.

Simon Edvinsson – D

Why Yzerman picks him over other prospects available: Talk about upside. No defenseman has seemingly caused more debate amongst draft analyst rankings than Edvinsson. Alex weighed in a bit and wrote this:

Standing at 6-foot-5 and clocking in at 207 pounds, he’s an imposing force on the blue line, with deceptively great skating (Especially for his size). If the more simple defensive tricks don’t work, he’ll get physical to halt oncoming offensive charges .Edvinsson possesses elite mobility for a defender of his size and some pretty tricky hands, too. Occasionally, he can put the two skills together and activate effectively on the offensive side of the ice.

Not to mention he’s on the left side, which is a need for Detroit. A big bodied, strong defenseman who in just a few years could be paired with Seider (best case) or anchoring another pairing? Seems like a perfect fit.

Why Yzerman passes on him: Edvinsson might need a little more time to develop and the Red Wings would certainly be willing to provide that. Really, it’s not a matter of patience but more of where does it fit in Yzerman’s timeline? If they’re fine with him needing that time, then this could absolutely be the pick. One consistency in the Red Wings decline has been a blue line that struggled to capture the dominance it did during the heyday. Not only could Edvinsson be a solution there, but one for a long time if he does in fact “hit.”

Additionally if we’re following McKenzie’s rankings, there’s a high chance Edvinsson is not there.

Sebastian Cossa – G

Why Yzerman picks him over other prospects available: Oh I know. Goaltenders shouldn’t go this high. But do you really think this stops Yzerman from taking him? Cossa has gained traction over the past few months and he fits the Yzerplan “giant” goalie. Alex also writes this:

Standing at 6-foot-6, he towers over the entrance of the net, daring shooters to find a gap. The problem for opposing teams? His positioning makes it nearly impossible to find any hole in the net. Cossa is fantastic at angling to cut of shooters and positioning to take away any high danger scoring chances.

Why Yzerman passes on him: Beyond taking a goalie at six, Cossa’s experience is still limited. Goalies are the toughest to project and development is key–which doesn’t seem like much of an issue for Yzerman as Seider shows. With many needs in the organization, it seems more likely that Yzerman moves up to snag him from #23 instead of taking him at #6.

Jesper Wallstedt – G

Why Yzerman picks him over other prospects available: Besides the international experience, Wallstedt was between the pipes in the SHL as an 18-year-old. Wallstedt is also a larger frame, but he has a high hockey IQ and is tough to beat with how much of the net he can cover. I wrote about him last month and had this to say:

Walllstedt isn’t a giant but he is 6’3,  and seeing him in the net he covers a lot of real estate. From Central Scouting comes a description that highlights his strengths. In fact, he looks an awful lot like Vasilevskiy with how he squares the shooter and appears to make saves with little effort.

Why Yzerman passes on him: The buzz surrounding Wallstedt has dropped some as well as Cossa getting a lot more attention. But that won’t phase Yzerman. Again, I think it’s more likely he trades up to get Wallstedt from the 23rd spot (unless he falls that far–which I don’t anticipate). Taking him at six doesn’t seem as likely now either with the acquisition of Alex Nedeljkovic.

Cole Sillinger – C

Why Yzerman picks him over other prospects available: Work ethic, high hockey IQ, and speed. Wheeler had a source who used “freak” and “stud” as descriptors. Sillinger has the attributes that Yzerman looks for but also boasts the strength in a forward that you see as a hallmark of his former team’s forward group. Think of any of stronger goal scoring forward on Tampa and that’s what you can compare Sillinger to. It’s not a surprise to see him up the board as a result, and it’s also not out of the realm of possibility that along with Johnson and McTavish, he stands one of the better chances of being drafted.

Why Yzerman passes on him: He values Johnson or McTavish higher. Honest to God, I think Sillinger is one of the more underrated players on the board and fits what Yzerman wants in a forward with so many of his attributes.