Let’s face it: The Detroit Red Wings have not drafted well after the first round since Steve Yzerman took over. While that can change in the coming seasons, the Wings have only seen late-round prospects Elmer Soderblom and Albert Johansson log extended ice time at the NHL level.
And depending on your definition of ‘late round,’ you may not even put Johansson in that category, since he’s a former second-round pick. Carter Mazur, a former third-round pick, would’ve seen more time at the NHL level last season, but an injury shortly into his first rodeo with the team sidelined him.
So, it’s time to reverse that trend in 2025, and one player could possibly do that. One who debuted in North America in 2024-25 and hit the ground running. That player is Adam Benak of Czechia. And if you haven’t heard of him yet, stay tuned.
Adam Benak would be an outstanding prospect for the Detroit Red Wings
One reason Benak may fall so low in the 2025 draft is that he, much like prospect Cameron Schmidt, is small. Benak’s only 5’7, and he clocks in at 163 lbs, so the slight build’s definitely scaring teams away.
Tankathon has him rated as the 58th overall prospect and they’ve mocked him to the Toronto Maple Leafs at 63rd overall. That means there’s a good chance he can fall out of the second round and into the third, where the Wings are waiting with the 75th and 76th overall picks at the time of this writing.
Maybe he falls that far, and maybe he doesn’t. But if he does, Steve Yzerman needs to do us all a favor and stop his slide with nothing later than the 76th pick. Benak may not be anywhere near the top-rated center in the 2025 class, but wow, his numbers show that he can be a formidable playmaker, at worst, if he masters the North American game.
Just how good was Adam Benak in 2024-25?
He burst onto the North American scene with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms and logged 59 points with 17 goals in 56 contests. Not bad for a North American debut. But that isn’t where he started turning heads this season, having put up 11 points and four goals in five games at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup for Czechia.
And if you think that’s amazing, he turned around and may’ve been the best points producer at the international level, racking up an eye-popping 24 points and seven goals in 12 games. He showcased his talents at the World Juniors, with two goals and seven points in four contests, solidifying his status as a points producer.
Now, with his small size and one season on North American ice, Benak won’t be playing at the NHL level anytime soon. Instead, the Wings need to take him for his potential and productivity, then let him develop for a few seasons, before re-evaluating. That’s what a solid third-round pick should look like if Benak lasts that long.
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