Going forward, the Detroit Red Wings have got to draft more physical players. Sure, rolling with a dangerous scorer/playmaker hybrid in Round 1 would be a good deal, but the Wings must gain an edge in the intimidation game.
Well, in Round 2, there’s a good chance they’ll snag a bruiser who could be a future fit for low-second or high-end third-pairing minutes. In case you haven’t heard of him, Carter Amico is already scary, boasting a 6’5, 234-lb frame.
For a kid who just turned 18 on March 15th, that’s frightening, and you know he’ll rack up the body checks regardless of where he winds up. And to be honest, we could be looking at another Zdeno Chara here in terms of physical play.
Carter Amico isn’t a points-producer, but his overall play is staggering
Carter Amico’s statistics aren’t worth a second glance, as he put up just five assists in 17 games playing for the US Development Program. But he’s a right-handed defenseman who just lands punishing blows on opponents.
Now, the downside with Amico is obvious - 17 games this past season, as a knee injury ended his campaign. That will draw some concern from teams who may question his durability and could put him into something closer to the Mattias Samuelsson camp if it becomes an issue when he’s at Boston University next season.
But still, if I’m a draft scout, I’m ranking him high on my shortlist for players to target after Round 1. I get that the Red Wings haven’t had much luck in Rounds 2 through 7, but in the NHL universe, a lot of draft picks are gambles, and you only have up to 20 players in an organization taking the ice every night. That said, I’d pick Amico because of his potential.
Where would Amico fit in the Red Wings organization if drafted?
Carter Amico’s somebody who may or may not use his entire college eligibility. This is a player who may’ve been a surefire first-round pick if a knee injury didn’t derail his season. So, if he can prove he’s got durability and hasn’t lost a step in the process, Amico might go pro after three seasons.
Should he go that route, it means Amico would be in Grand Rapids as early as the 2028-29 season if he became part of the organization. At least one, if not two seasons with the Griffins is a realistic call, placing Amico at the NHL level in 2030-31 at the earliest, considering the Wings defensive rotation isn’t already stacked at that point.
During his development phase, it’ll be defense, defense, and more defense. With a prospect boasting such an intimidating build, he’ll unleash hits left and right, shutting down sequences, and creating opportunities for his team. We’ll see if the Wings zero in on him come Day 2 of the draft.