Grayden Robertson-Palmer was the final pick in this past draft for the Detroit Red Wings and he's light years away from even playing in the NHL. And while Steve Yzerman's track record's been nonexistent when picking talent beyond the first round, it doesn't mean Robertson-Palmer will be another forgotten name.
Just look at names like Elmer Soderblom, who went in the sixth round back in 2019, or if you want examples from the seventh and final round, Carter Gylander and Emmitt Finnie, both of whom who are now seeing serious time in the minor leagues.
Will Finnie or Gylander end up playing in the NHL? If they do, it'll probably be limited minutes and games. But nevertheless, they're excellent organizational depth, and that may be the case with Robertson-Palmer.
Robertson-Palmer has sleeper qualities that make him worth following in the prospects pool
Robertson-Palmer, who'll be heading to the Moncton Wildcats in 2025-26 and Dartmouth for 2026-27, put up over a point per game at the USHS-Prep level, scoring 16 goals and 39 points in 30 games for Phillips Academy Andover last season.
He also recently lit it up in training camp for Moncton, showing the ability to outpace everyone during a sequence that ended with him finding the back of the net for a goal. That kind of speed will get you serious consideration for the NHL level down the road, or at least quantity minutes in the AHL.
He's also got the leadership qualities you need at the lower levels, and that's not an intangible even first-round picks have. But when you look at every team in the AHL, they're full of players who may not have had it in them to reach the NHL, but they've become very, very good mentors for future NHL players and stars.
Grayden Robertson-Palmer's got the intangibles to find a spot in the professional game
If Robertson-Palmer translates those leadership skills to the QMJHL, the NCAA, and, ultimately, the pro level, you'll see him stick around the Red Wings system.
Making it to the top will be a challenge, but it doesn't mean Robertson-Palmer won't evolve into a very, very good second-tier player. if he can, in a worst-case scenario, mentor the next crop of Red Wings players throughout his time in the system, then fans will look back at him as a solid pick.
It also shows that you don't need to make the NHL, even if that's every draft pick's end game, to have a sound effect on one of the league's 32 franchises.
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