3 surefire steals the Red Wings must target in the NHL Draft

AJ Spellacy, C/Windsor Spitfires

If there is one common denominator between AJ Spellacy and William McIsaac, plus the No. 3 and my favorite prospect in this article, it’s that they all carry sensational size. Spellacy is currently 6’3 and 190 pounds, so naturally, he will hold the edge in strength. 

But you may not know that Spellacy is a speedy skater, and that’s something he will continue to use to his advantage over his next two seasons in the OHL. And if his upward trend from 2022-23 into 2023-24 continues across 2024-25 and 2025-26, he could transform into a player that puts up over a point per game, something that isn’t farfetched when you look at his increase in point totals from the previous two seasons. 

In 2022-23, he scored just seven goals and 17 points across 47 contests, but that number improved to 21 goals and 38 points in 67 games. Yeah, he tripled his goal total, and both his speed and knack for scoring are two reasons Steve Yzerman should put this prospect onto his shortlist. 

Another enticing point about Spellacy is that he’s a pure athlete, having spent time playing football besides hockey. So his overall athletic ability stands out alongside his size and speed, and yes, he’s also someone who can hit and play a solid game on both sides of the ice. No, Spellacy isn’t someone I would take in the first two rounds of the NHL Draft, but if he’s there starting in the third round, I’m at least considering this exciting hockey player.