Simulating a Day 2 NHL Mock Draft over at FC Hockey, I wanted to get an idea of who'd be available when the Detroit Red Wings found themselves on the clock again. And wow, disappointment struck early as some of my favorite names went off the board before I had a chance to pick at 44th overall.
Adam Benak was one player I zeroed in on, but he ended up going 37th overall. Way earlier than I expected. Alexander Zharovsky, a player I was talking about last night, was also gone by the time I got around to picking, going 40th overall. And Cameron Schmidt ended up going 43rd, one slot before me.
Still, I managed to land Nathan Behm with the 44th pick, so it worked out in the end and I wasn't totally let down. And Behm has some advantages over Zharovsky, Benak, and Smith, since he already boasts size that's closer to being NHL-ready, at 6'2, 198 lbs. Behm would ideally put on another five to 10 pounds, but in this situation, it's encouraged, not required.
Detroit Red Wings fans should be ecstatic if Nathan Behm falls to them at No. 44
I'm also a fan of the versatility that Behm brings. Should he earn a spot in the NHL, it don't matter which side of the ice the right-hander will play on, since he's got the ability to play off-wing. This doesn't make him the one-dimensional player that can be the case for some at the NHL level.
Some may call this one a reach, since Tankathon had Behm going 52nd overall. But like I mentioned last night. If Steve Yzerman has someone like Behm listed as their best available prospect, forget the rankings and draft him, or whichever prospect tops your big board.
I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but Behm's a point-per-game player, putting up 66 of them and 31 goals in 59 games last year. It was a major jump from the 31-point, 12-goal season that Behm had in 2023-24 across 68 games, showing me he's finally figuring things out.
That said, Behm's someone I'd expect a lot out of if he got to wear the winged wheel sweater on Day 2. And if the Red Wings took him, at least in my mind, they landed a first-round talent who's woefully underrated in the second round. And that's a scenario you just can't beat.
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