Top 5 forward prospects for Red Wings fans to know before the 2024 NHL Draft

We know the Detroit Red Wings need an undisputed right winger, but that doesn’t need to be the case when general manager Steve Yzerman is set to make his first pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. With one of the better prospects pools, he could add a winger like Liam Greentree, but what if he just went with the top forward on his board when the Wings pick, in the middle of the first?

We don’t know who Yzerman has on that draft board, but we can at least gain a general idea of which forward’s name he will call on draft day should he go in that direction in favor of a blueliner. That said, we have quite a long list of centers and wingers that you can dive into to share in the upcoming slides. 

Lots of high-end forwards the Red Wings can grab in the middle of the first

Just because we’re not talking about Macklin Celebrini somehow landing with Detroit or other top names like Ivan Demidov, Cayden Lindstrom, and Cole Eiserman, it doesn’t mean those players slated to go in the middle or even the bottom half of the first round aren’t intriguing. 

And given Steve Yzerman’s ability to call out the right names since he returned to Detroit, there is no doubt he will land a future contributor whom Red Wings fans will one day cheer for in Little Caesars Arena. No, they won’t take the ice this season, but it doesn’t mean they won’t crack the big club’s lineup before we all know it. So let’s talk about five solid forward prospects Red Wings fans must get to know more about. 

Igor Chernyshov, LW/MHK Dynamo Moskva

Igor Chernyshov has seen time in Russia’s top league, the KHL, but most of his production has come in the MHL, where he has 13 goals and 28 points through 22 contests. This puts him at over a point per game for the smaller club, and it’s an improvement over last season when he registered a point per contest - 38 in 38, with 18 goals to show for it. 

Chernyshov may be slated to stay in Russia next season to play for Dynamo Moskva’s big club, but we can’t stress enough that the Red Wings have enough organizational depth to wait on a talent of Chernyshov’s caliber. Plus, it gives him time to hone his game with what should be a full year in the KHL, and doing so will help make his eventual transition to the North American game even easier. 

Although with his overall size of 6’2 and 192 lbs, a player like Chernyshov could come over right now if he wanted to and be a force at the AHL level. Sure, he could still pack on even more muscle, but regardless, Yzerman would be landing a pro-caliber prospect with this pick should he snag Chernyshov. 

Michael Hage, C/Chicago

Michael Hage may not have an impressive resume based on longevity, but don’t let the mere 67 games he’s played for the USHL’s Chicago Steel fool you. Hage may have logged just 10 points and five goals in 13 regular season games for the Steel in 2022-23, but he’s recently more than proven his worth. 

Hage had 75 points and 33 goals in 54 regular season games this past year, and in the postseason, he amassed another four and two goals in a pair of playoff appearances at the time of this writing. Hage, who just turned 18 in April, also doesn’t need to put on much size to his 6’1, 190 lbs frame. 

Given his limited experience in a league like the USHL and his better-than-average size, Hage is one of those high-potential products you take early, and hope he develops into everything you envision. He will have an opportunity to further prove himself in the college ranks, as he will be heading to the University of Michigan and continuing his career with the Wolverines. 

Overall, Hage will likely play at least three, if not all four seasons, of eligibility at Michigan, but with the Yzerplan going well in the Motor City, he would be worth the wait. 

Andrew Basha, F/Medicine Hat

Andrew Basha doesn’t carry as much size as Michael Hage, but he’s not far off at 6’0, 185 lbs. And he’s got far more experience, having played nearly 180 regular season games for the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. He’s since grown into a star, from posting a meager 14 points and five goals in 48 regular season contests in 2021-22 to 85 points and 30 goals in 63 games this past season. 

Even more impressive is the fact Basha went on a point-per-game run not only in the playoffs this season but also last year, totaling nine points and six goals. So it makes you wonder what Basha will do in what should be his final season in the WHL - Hint: Don’t be surprised if he hits two points per game and, at minimum, 1.5 points per. 

Per Tankathon, Basha’s NHL equivalent points pace sat at 33.4, not bad for a kid they had going 21st overall to the Los Angeles Kings in the latest mock. With an early birthday and the fact Basha will have completed four seasons in the WHL this time next year, expect him to land in the AHL for the 2025-26 season. If Steve Yzerman wants to see faster returns for his first-round pick, Basha will be that player. 

Sacha Boisvert, C/Muskegon

Sacha Boisvert is another USHL product, having played in 118 regular season games for the Muskegon Lumberjacks, where he served as an alternate captain this past season. Following a sensational 2021-22 campaign at Mount St. Charles Academy, Boisvert burst onto the USHL’s scene last year and logged 45 points and 17 goals in 57 games. 

He parlayed that into 68 points and 36 goals in 61 regular season matchups, and he will only get better when he attends the University of North Dakota for 2024-25 and beyond. 

But like Michael Hage, Boisvert won’t see even AHL ice anytime soon, and he’s another one who can use most, if not all, of his college eligibility before moving up to the professional level. However, considering how quickly he caught on in the USHL, it’s okay to expect him to do the same in Grand Forks. 

His development at the collegiate level may require a little more patience, but at the end of the day, he will be an excellent player who will contribute at the next level. Overall, I would roll with Boisvert over Michael Hage at this point based on the former’s experience. But four to five years into the future, both players should reach a similar level of development following their respective collegiate careers.