Norway's Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, left, watches the puck after scoring past Denmark's goalkeeper Frederik Dichow during the preliminary round match between Denmark and Norway at the 2024 World Championship. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)AP
Once again, there will be no suspense at the top of the NHL entry draft, when Boston University center Macklin Celebrini is certain to be selected first overall by the San Jose Sharks.
Most expect defensemen Artyom Levshunov of Michigan State an Anton Silayev of the KHL along with forwards Cayden Lindstrom of Medicine Hat (WHL) and Ivan Demidov of the KHL to round out the top five.
The guessing game starts after that. It’s anybody’s guess who the Detroit Red Wings will select at No. 15. Early mock drafts indicate a number of possibilities.
The lone consensus is the Red Wings will select a forward with their top pick for the third year in a row, after taking centers Marco Kasper (eighth overall in 2022) and Nate Danielson (ninth overall in 2023) in the past two drafts.
They have a good core of young defensemen in Moritz Seider, Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson on the NHL roster for 2024-25 and Axel Sandin-Pellikka, William Wallinder, Shai Buium and Andrew Gibson in the pipeline.
A goal-scoring winger is their most pressing organizational need.
Here is a look at who some mock drafts are projecting general manager Steve Yzerman and Kris Draper, his assistant in charge of the draft, will take:
NHL.com: Michael Hage, 6-0, 187, C, Chicago (USHL): Adam Kimelman writes, “Hage plays with a physical edge and impressed with his ability to take over games late in the season.” He is committed to Michigan starting in 2025-26.
NHL.com: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, 6-1, 198, RW, Mora (Allsvenskan, Sweden): Mike Morreale says Brandsegg-Nygard “is a hard-working two-way player with good first-step quickness, decision-making and vision.” The Norwegian played in Sweden’s second men’s division.
TSN.ca: Brandsegg-Nygard: Says draft analysts Craig Button, “He is a hard-driving winger that just wants to make a difference in the game. Hard-working. We’ve seen the Red Wings have a lot of success in Sweden.”
Sportsnet.ca: Beckett Sennecke, 6-2, 181, RW, Oshawa (OHL): A player with a high offensive upside who combines skill and strength, Sam Cosentino said Sennecke “eludes defenders one-on-one with speed to the outside, cuts to the off-side well, and has quick hands to excel in a small-area game.”
The Hockey News: Liam Greentree, 6-2, 198, RW, Windsor (OHL): Ryan Kennedy writes, “The Red Wings could actually use a scoring winger for the future. Greentree has power forward potential with the bonus of finesse in his hands. Big and deceptively quick.”
Bleacher Report: Sennecke: Lyle Richardson writes, “The Red Wings lack a right-winger among their otherwise deep prospect pool. Sennecke could be a good fit. He skates well for his size, has good offensive abilities and isn’t afraid to use it to win puck battles.”
The Hockey Writers: Tij Iginla, 6-0, 185, C/W, Kelowna (WHL): Logan Horn writes, “(Iginla) has been one of this draft year’s biggest risers. He has the hands to make opposing defenders miss him entirely, and his shot has the speed and elusiveness to be an excellent weapon in the NHL. Iginla would be a good complement to recent Red Wings draft picks like Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson.”
Dobber Prospects: Sennecke: Peter Harling writes, “While the scouting world was tuned into the U-18 WJC they missed Sennecke having a monster playoff taking the Oshawa Generals to the OHL finals scoring 22 points in 16 playoff games. It’s hard to predict what Steve Yzerman will do at the draft, going off the board with Moritz Seider and Nate Danielson recently, but it would be hard to pass on Sennecke here.”
