The Detroit Red Wings have had a lot of first-round draft picks since 2000, and you may remember a lot of them - for both all the right and wrong reasons. Below, I’ve listed each pick, plus a small snippet of how their career turned out.
For players the Wings took later, I’ve highlighted what their current role is in the organization, and where they’re headed in the near future. Hint: It’s a lot of good news.
2000: Niklas Kronwall, D/Djurgardens
Red Wings fans can look back fondly on Niklas Kronwall, who spent his entire career wearing the winged wheel. While he wasn’t a flashy player, he helped fuel the second half of the Red Wings dynasty, winning a Cup with them in 2008 and sticking around until the 2018-19 season.
2005: Jakub Kindl, D/Kitchener
Kindl’s career with the Red Wings was short and unmemorable compared to Kronwall’s, joining the team for the 2009-10 season but rarely averaging more than third-pairing minutes. He spent parts of seven seasons with the Wings before finishing his career with the Florida Panthers.
2007: Brendan Smith, D/St. Michaels
Brendan Smith spent six seasons in Hockeytown, putting up just 67 points in 291 games and averaging low second and high third-pairing minutes. He was known more for his physical and defense-first play, and he spent the 2024-25 season with the Dallas Stars, appearing in 32 games.
2008: Thomas McCollum, G/Guelph
Thomas McCollum is one of the bigger draft busts on this list, appearing in just three career games and facing just 33 career shots on goal. That said, he managed a 0.960 save percentage and a 0.91 GAA throughout the two appearances he made in 2014-15.
2010: Riley Sheahan, C/Notre Dame
Another one who never lived to expectations, Riley Sheahan spent seven seasons in Detroit before bouncing around the NHL. While he was a moderately big hitter and somewhat reliable at the face-off dot, Sheahan was never more than a middle-six forward who put up fringe production numbers.
2013: Anthony Mantha, W/Val-d’Or
Anthony Mantha continues to be a strong supplementary forward in the NHL, and he spent six seasons with Detroit, putting up decent numbers and physical play. He’s one of those players you look at and, while unspectacular, has been more than solid throughout his NHL career.
2014: Dylan Larkin, C/USDP
The current captain following the 2024-25 season and the bridge between the team that made the playoffs 25 seasons in a row to the current playoff drought. Still, Larkin’s been an effective player, and that trend should continue as the Red Wings keep building around him.
2015: Evgeny Svechnikov, W/Cape Breton
A former first-round pick who never panned out in Hockeytown, Svechnikov played in just 41 games with the Red Wings before moving on to Winnipeg and San Jose. He played in just 172 career games overall.
2016: Dennis Cholowski, D/Chilliwack
An NHL journeyman who appeared in 104 games for the Red Wings across three seasons, Cholowski’s made stops in Long Island, Washington, Newark, and Seattle. These days, he’s little more than organizational depth.
2017: Michael Rasmussen, C/Tri City
Like quite a few former first-rounders on this list, Michael Rasmussen never reached expectations. But he’s been a pivotal part of the Red Wings lower lines and has proven to be a physical center/winger.
2018: Filip Zadina, W/Halifax
Filip Zadina is another one who’s made a minimal impact in the NHL, suiting up for 190 games with the Red Wings. His most recent act in the league came with the San Jose Sharks, where he finished with 23 points in 72 games.
2018: Joe Veleno, C/Drummondville
Joe Veleno looked like he had a future on the lower lines, but a trade to the Chicago Blackhawks in March 2025 negated that. As with Zadina, Veleno never lived to his draft status, but he had an emerging role in the Motor City.
2019: Moritz Seider, D/Adler
If you want a franchise cornerstone who can be moderately successful in the points column and bring an intimidation factor, Moritz Seider fits the bill. He’s been incredible for the most part throughout his time in Detroit, and he still has room to grow.
2020: Lucas Raymond, W/Frolunda
Earlier, I said something about the Red Wings building around Dylan Larkin. But maybe I was wrong, considering what Lucas Raymond’s brought since arriving full-time in the Motor City. Raymond has become more than just a solid player in Hockeytown, and he may just be the franchise’s next elite talent.
2021: Simon Edvinsson, D/Frolunda
He completed his first full season with the Red Wings in 2024-25 and enjoyed a decent campaign with room to grow. Look for Edvinsson to continue creeping his way into playing more top-four minutes, bringing a decent blend of productivity and physical, defense-first play.
2021: Sebastian Cossa, G/Edmonton
Sebastian Cossa has put up gaudy numbers in the AHL, even if they’re inconsistent at times. That said, he’s shown a lot of signs that he will turn the corner and transform into a fully-fledged NHL netminder.
2022: Marco Kasper, C/Rogle
Another one who’s been as advertised, something characteristic of the Steve Yzerman era. If Kasper keeps up his current trajectory, he’s another building block and potential cornerstone for a team that’s starving to end its current playoff drought.
2023: Nate Danielson, C/Brandon
Nate Danielson burst onto the scene in Grand Rapids, recording 39 points and 12 goals in 71 games. Look for him to make a jump in 2025-26, with some potential NHL time if needed. By 2026-27, he could be ready for the NHL, or shortly thereafter.
2023: Axel Sandin-Pellikka, D/Skelleftea
He’s looked good just about everywhere he’s played, whether it was in Sweden, international play, or his cameos in Grand Rapids. It won’t be long until Sandin-Pellikka’s wearing a winged wheel.
2024: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, W/Mora
He’ll be one to watch as he makes his move to North America. No, we didn’t see much of Michael Brandsegg-Nygard this season, but wow, three points and two goals in three playoff games? It’s a start.
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