NHL Draft: Red Wings looked to add size to their depth chart

By Dave Waddell – 

The Detroit Red Wings have followed the same blueprint in drafting for a couple of decades, but fans saw in 2012 NHL draft a continuation of the reality the salary cap has forced upon the club.

Long a proponent of always taking the most skilled player, Wings’ assistant general manager Jim Nill admits size is now becoming more important to Detroit.

Detroit will still take the small skilled player, but size has been the focus of the past two drafts.

“I’d say the last two years have been the biggest drafts we’ve had (in terms of size of players),” Nill said.

“There’s a reason for that. We know we got to get bigger. It’s the new wave of the game.

“If there’s a high-skill guy there, you’re always going to him. You come to a point, too, where you need to add some size.”

Detroit got size in a big way.

After taking a pair of six-foot forwards and a goalie in Martin Frk (49th overall, Halifax, QMJHL), Andreas Athanasiou (110th overall, London, OHL) and netminder Jake Peterson (80th overall, Saginaw, OHL), the Wings took 6-foot-4, 232-pound defenseman Mike McKee (140th overall, Lincoln USHL), 6-foot-2, 197-pound defenseman James de Haas (170th overall, Toronto Lakeshore (OJHL) and 6-foot-6, 207-pound forward Rasmus Bodin (200th overall, Sweden’s Ostersunds IK).

“Look at the history of our team the last seven or eight years and we’ve lost Yzerman, Shanahan, Rafalski and now Lidstrom,” said Nill, who oversees Detroit’s drafting and scouting.

“That’s some of the best talent in the history of the game. You can’t just replace that kind of talent easily.

“Our skill level is down, so we have to get bigger. The playoffs proved that. It’s a big-man’s game now.”

In the past, the Wings would’ve just continued to draft skill regardless of the player’s size with Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and Niklas Kronwall being examples of picks that were questioned on draft day because none of that trio was six foot or even close to 200 pounds.

However, Nill said the Wings no longer have the luxury of compiling enough talent to out-skill teams.

“The new CBA has leveled the playing field for all of us,” Nill said.

“We all have our core group of five or six players making five or six million and you have to build around that. It’s about filling in holes in your line-up now and drafting for needs.

“You’re not going to see 14 or 15 skill players on your team. The days of a team having way more skill players than other teams are over.

“The cap doesn’t allow it, so you have to get bigger and stronger.”

Nill cited the success of the recently-crowned Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings as example of the new wave.

The Kings’ star forward Anze Kopitar is 6-foot-4, 220 pounds and presents mismatch problems for smaller defenses.

In addition, the Kings augmented their core by calling up big role players like 6-foot-3, 234-pound Dwight King and 6-foot-3, 227-pound Jordan Nolan in the second half of the season.

Nill added rule changes and styles have also forced the Wings to re-examine things.

The unintended consequence of some rule changes aimed at increasing the speed and offense in the game have also eliminated the need for certain skill elements.

“Even the way the game is played now has forced changes in drafting,” Nill said.

“It used to be, you had to be able to make a play to get the puck up the ice. Now, with no red line, you can throw the puck up the ice, tip it in and chase it.

“You need certain players to play that way. There’s a lot of different dynamics going on in the game right now.

“A lot of teams are trying to figure it out.”

The Wings are also facing the reality of trying to retool their team without taking a huge dip in the standings or having the benefit of top draft picks.

“We’ve had to change (our drafting approach) too because of where we pick,” Nill said.

“We’ve not had the opportunity to draft in the top 10-15 where you can get those slam-dunk picks. We’re drafting kids that are four or five years away from helping us.”

That is again the case after this draft.

Everyone taken over the weekend will report back to their junior or college teams while Bodin will remain in Sweden.

However, in the 6-foot, 204-pound Frk, Nill said the Wings feel they got a first-round talent who slipped because of injuries last season.

A good skater with a great shot, Frk will likely be riding shotgun alongside next year’s favorite to be the top pick in the 2013 draft, center Nathan McKinnon.

“We’re excited about him, he’s one of Czech’s top players,” Nill said.

“He had a tough year last year with injuries, but as an underager he was one of their top players in the world juniors in Buffalo. Heavy body, very competitive.

“Skill and size and he plays hard. He was a big surprise for us; we didn’t think he’d be there.”

In Paterson, the Wings have added more depth in their organization at the goaltending position.

After a slow start last year, Paterson was outstanding in the second half and the playoffs for Saginaw.

“He’s like (Vancouver’s Corey) Schneider,” said Chris Osgood, who works with the Wings young goalies.

“He’s really fast. He doesn’t rely on his reflexes alone. He challenges.

“He plays like Schneider with the athletic ability of (Los Angeles’ Jonathan) Quick a little bit.”

Nill described Athanasiou as a player who has all the skills in the tool box, but is still trying to figure out how best to exploit his abundance of puck skill and blazing speed.

“Great skater, great speed, so we’re excited about his upside,” Nill said.

“He had an in-and-out season with London. (He needs) a little bit of  maturity. He’s a young kid wanted to play more.

“The Hunters (London owner/coaches) are very demanding. They do a good job with him.”

As for McKee, De Haas and Bodin, Nill said the trio are clearly projects with raw skills and great size.

They epitomize the Wings revamped philosophy.

The Wings used to gamble a pick on a skilled, small player, now they’re using them on big players who might mature into something more.

“It’s not going back, I just think it’s Mother Nature,” Nill said. “In the past, it used to be big guys who couldn’t play the game much.

“Now, when you look at the Stanley Cup finals, Kopitar is one of the best players in the world and he’s 6-4. If you’re defending against him and you’re 5-11, you’re not going to stop him.

“It’s the evolution of every sport. Everyone is bigger, stronger, and faster. It’s just the way the game is.”