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.