Red Wings land one of the fastest-rising forwards in NHL Mock Draft 3.0
With the No. 15 pick, the Detroit Red Wings are in a remarkable position to land one of the draft’s fastest-rising players, and that was the case in Mock Draft 3.0.
NHL Mock Draft 3.0 for the Detroit Red Wings via FC Hockey’s Mock Draft Simulator saw a fast-rising forward fall to me at No. 15. And getting into the mind of general manager Steve Yzerman, I decided to roll with the free-faller in not just the first round, but another one fell to me in Round 2.
Overall, this one was my most exciting mock draft to date, given the influx of talent in the first two rounds that I managed to scoop up, plus a variety of safe and potential-based picks later. And it’s not like Mock Draft 1.0 and Mock Draft 2.0 were that bad, as they also contained exciting talent, yet nothing near what I snagged in this particular exercise.
So, who were the free-fallers at picks No. 15 and 47, and why would they make excellent additions to the Red Wings system?
15th Overall: Beckett Sennecke, RW/Oshawa Generals
As I said, the Red Wings landed a fast riser in this 2024 Mock Draft Simulation, and it’s to the point that Beckett Sennecke could even find himself going sooner than 15th overall. But I figured that, in the role of Steve Yzerman, I’d stop his freefall here.
Overall, Sennecke’s size (6’2, 181 lbs), his productivity, and his complete game make him an ideal pick for the Red Wings. He enjoyed a pair of remarkable seasons in the OHL, with 55 points and 20 goals throughout the 2022-23 regular season before that number increased to 27 goals and 68 points this year.
Give Sennecke another season or two in the OHL and keep letting him work wonders for Team Canada until the 2026-27 season. In a scenario like this, he would go to Grand Rapids at that point, with his frame close to filling out and his overall game fine-tuned for the most part.
47th Overall: Cole Hutson, D/Boston University
I often joke that we should just chalk up Cole Hutson as another forward because he is a defenseman who plays like one. That said, I hesitate to call Hutson an “offensive defenseman” because he also has sound capabilities, even when the puck isn’t in his team’s possession.
Overall, if Hutson were a few inches taller or at least 15 to 20 pounds heavier, he’s a surefire first-round pick, and I have a hard time believing he will drop this far. Throughout all levels of competition in 2023-24, Hutson played in 77 contests, scoring 22 goals and 76 points. Players like that, especially defensemen who play a two-way game, don’t often fall this far.
80th Overall: Elliott Groenewold, D/Quinnipiac University
Unlike Cole Hutson, Elliott Groenewold brings a 6 '2, 201-pound frame, so he’s more than ready to withstand the demands of professional hockey. Also, unlike Hutson, Groenewold’s scoring and points-producing are secondary to his play-killing style, something that involves a physical game and a hockey IQ that allows him to play with anticipation, where he can retake puck possession and set up sequences for his team at will.
126th Overall: Yegor Graf, C/SKA-1946 St. Petersburg
Still just 17 years old, Yegor Graf will also be in Russia until at least 2025-26 before he decides on where to go next. He needs to pack on some size, and Graf also would do well to gain more consistency. He produced 38 points and 13 goals in 39 MHL contests during the regular season, but that productivity dipped to just one point in 11 games in the postseason.
144th Overall: Louka Cloutier, G/Chicago Steel
Louka Cloutier has an ultra-late birthday, and he won’t turn 18 until August, so we really can’t gauge much on what his ceiling is until we see more of what he’ll do in the NCAA when he attends the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He was very average for the Chicago Steel this past season, finishing a 34-game stint in the regular season with a 3.68 GAA, a shutout, and a 0.904 save percentage.
176th Overall: Frankie Marrelli, D/Ottawa 67’s
I went with value over everything else when deciding to add Frankie Marrelli to the system in this mock draft. He’s got two seasons of experience in the OHL, and he’s not the greatest points producer, having put up just 41 in 110 games, but he’s also a throwback player who will add some old-school, physical play to the system.
203rd Overall: Charlie Cerrato, C/Penn State
Charlie Cerrato had experience playing for the US National Development Team before he continued his career with the Youngstown Phantoms, where he put up 50 points and 12 goals in 45 regular season games. He won’t make the highlight reel thanks to a simple approach, but Cerrato is also one of those players who won’t make many mistakes. He has limited upside, but playing a safe game, especially with the puck, can lead to increased opportunities for linemates.
208th Overall: Axel Nyman, G/Rogle BK J18
He’s another prospect on this list who won’t turn 18 until August, but Axel Nyman’s textbook size (6’5, 198 lbs) enticed me to take a chance on him with the final pick. He’s got ways to go from a productivity standpoint at J20 Nationell, but he’s a raw product who would be an enticing project for an organization once in North America.
feed
(Statistics powered by Elite Prospects)