Latest:

MiHockey

Your Hockey – Our Hockey – MiHockey

Pro Red Wings The Latest 

MiHockey’s 2020 NHL Draft Watch

MiHockey Staff

 

NHL Draft in October, huh? This year just keeps getting weirder.

Join MiHockey as we follow along with the 2020 NHL Draft to keep track of all the Michigan names selected, as well as the Red Wings’ picks. Detroit’s picks will be in italics, Michigan natives will be in bold, and the rest of the Michigan connections will be listed alongside the rest.

 

Round 1

No. 4 – Lucas Raymond – Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings select Lucas Raymond fourth overall in 2020 NHL Draft

 

No. 5 – Jake Sanderson – Ottawa Senators – USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program alum

Sanderson was ranked the No. 4 North American prospect in the 2020 class. He led all NTDP defensemen with seven goals and 22 assists for 29 points in 47 games in 2019-2020. A 6-foot-2, 185-pound blueliner, he is the son of former NHL standout Geoff Sanderson. He is committed to North Dakota for the 2020-21 season.

 

No. 10 – Cole Perfetti – Winnipeg Jets – Saginaw Spirit

Perfetti was ranked the No. 5 North American prospect in the 2020 class. He finished second in the OHL in scoring in 2019-2020, posting 37 goals and 74 assists for 111 points in 61 games with the Spirit.

 

No. 29 – Brendan Brisson – Vegas Golden Knights – University of Michigan freshman

Brisson, the USHL Rookie of the Year last season, is a freshman at the University of Michigan waiting for the start of the Big Ten hockey season. He was ranked No. 20 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting after posting 59 points in 45 games during his lone USHL campaign.

 

Round 2

No. 32 – William Wallinder – Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings select a 6-foot-4 defenseman out of Modo in Sweden for their second selection of the 2020 NHL Draft. He was ranked No. 14 among European skaters in the final NHL Central Scouting rankings; he was No. 7 in the midterms. The NHL scouting report compares him to Victor Hedman. “Big, mobile, two-way defenseman with good passing skills and hockey sense. Plays with confidence and authority. Likes to join the offense.”

Red Wings select defenseman, two forwards in Round 2 of 2020 Draft

No. 38 – Thomas Bordeleau – San Jose Sharks – University of Michigan freshman, NTDP alum

The second NTDP product and the second Michigan freshman off the board in the 2020 NHL Draft, the Sharks claim a skilled forward who originally hails from Houston. Listed as the No. 29 North American prospect by NHL Central Scouting, Bordeleau led the NTDP Under-18 Team with 46 points in 47 games last season. His father and his grandfather both played in the NHL. “Plays with speed and energy and is hard to contain on the offensive rush,” says his NHL Central Scouting prospect report. “Recognizes opportunities and finds the open man with excellent passing ability. Has quick hands and can be very creative with the puck.”

 

No. 44 – Tyler Kleven – Ottawa Senators – NTDP alum

The third NTDP product selected in the NHL Draft, the Senators have claimed Kleven, ranked No. 42 among all North American skaters in the final NHL Central Scouting projections. Now a North Dakota freshman blueliner, Kleven is 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, and he uses his size to be a force on the back-end for his club. His dad, Chris, is a Northern Michigan alum.

 

No. 45 – Brock Faber – Los Angeles Kings – NTDP alum

Faber, placed just below Kleven at No. 44 in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings, is a 6-foot smooth-skating offensive defenseman who will play at Minnesota this fall.

 

No. 46 – Drew Commesso – Chicago Blackhawks – NTDP alum

Commesso is the second goaltender selected in the NHL Draft, and the first outside of the first round. A 6-foot-2, 180-pound netminder, he was 18-7-1 with a 2.05 goals-against average and .920 save percentage for the NTDP last season.

 

No. 47 – Luke Tuch – Montreal Canadiens – NTDP alum

Tuch, the younger brother of Vegas star Alex Tuch, makes it four straight NTDP players selected. A big-bodied forward at 6-foot-2, Luke will play at Boston University this year. He recorded 15 goals and 15 assists in 47 games last season with the Plymouth-based program.

 

No. 51 – Theodor Niederbach – Detroit Red Wings

The Wings claimed another Swede at No. 51, picking center Theodor Niederbach with the draft choice acquired in a trade-down with Los Angeles. At 5-foot-11 and 172 pounds, he’s not the biggest player on the draft board, but he’s got 15 points in nine games to start 2020-21 with Frolunda’s junior team, and he is an intriguing prospect after missing the 2018-19 season due to needing surgery for issues with his knee joints. EliteProspects calls him “the best 2020 prospect you’ve never heard of.”

 

No. 55 – Cross Hanas – Detroit Red Wings

Detroit picked a left-winger that checks in at 6-foot-1 and 167 pounds at No. 55 in Hanas, who is from Texas. Last year, as a sophomore with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks, Hanas registered 49 points in 60 games.

 

Round 3

No. 63 – Donovan Sebrango – Detroit Red Wings

To kick off the third round, the Wings selected Kitchener Rangers defenseman Donovan Sebrango. A 6-foot-1, 183-pound blueliner, Sebrango recorded 30 points in 56 games in 2019-2020 during his second OHL season. He is originally from Kingston, Ontario.

 

No. 70 – Eemil Viro – Detroit Red Wings

After trading down to acquire a late pick from the Minnesota Wild, the Wings used the 70th overall selection on Eemil Viro, a 6-foot, 168-pound defenseman from Finland.

 

No. 74 – Ty Smilanic – Florida Panthers – NTDP, Little Caesars, Belle Tire alum

Smilanic, who played two years of youth hockey in Michigan in bantams before returning to the Great Lakes State to skate for the NTDP, was selected by Florida at No. 74. A gifted forward, he fought through injuries in 2019-2020, still recording 22 points in 34 games. Smilanic will be playing for Quinnipiac this season.

 

No. 76 – Danil Gushchin – San Jose Sharks – Muskegon Lumberjacks alum

Despite a 5-foot-8, 165-pound frame, Gushchin posted 47 points in 42 games as a USHL sophomore in 2019-2020. That was a team-best for the Muskegon Lumberjacks before the USHL campaign came to an early close. Next year, he will be suiting up for the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL.

 

No. 79 – Landon Slaggert – Chicago Blackhawks – NTDP alum

The Chicago Blackhawks stayed close to home for the 79th overall pick, selecting South Bend, Ind., native Landon Slaggert. The son of Notre Dame associate head coach Andy Slaggert and younger brother of NTDP alum and Irish forward Graham, Landon posted 24 points in 47 games during his NTDP U18 year.

 

No. 86 – Dylan Peterson – St. Louis Blues – NTDP alum

The Blues get the big-bodied forward in Peterson, who was a force for the NTDP the last two seasons at 6-foot-4 and 192 pounds. He posted 25 points in 45 games last season; now, he will suit up for Boston University.

 

No. 91 – Jackson Hallum – Vegas Golden Knights – University of Michigan commit

Hallum, a 6-foot, 170-pound Minnesota product, is a Green Bay Gamblers prospect expected to arrive in Ann Arbor in 2022-23. Last year, he posted 35 points in 25 games with St. Thomas Academy.

 

Round 4

No. 97 – Sam Stange – Detroit Red Wings

Early in the fourth round, the Wings have claimed Wisconsin native Sam Stange, a right winger who checks in at 6-foot-1 and 201 pounds. Now a freshman at the University of Wisconsin, Stange posted 42 points in 44 games with the Sioux City Musketeers as a USHL freshman in 2019-2020.

 

No. 107 – Jan Bednar – Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings used their second pick in Round 4 to pick up a goaltender, selecting Czech native Jan Bednar. The 6-foot-4, 196-pound netminder was ranked the second-best goalie prospect in Europe by NHL Central Scouting. This upcoming season will be his first taste of North American hockey, as he is slated to play for Acadie-Bathurst Titan of the QMJHL. In 2018-19, he was named the Czech Extraliga Rookie of the Year.

 

No. 111 – Mitchell Miller – Arizona Coyotes – HoneyBaked, Compuware alum

The longtime Compuware and HoneyBaked product played the majority of his youth hockey in Michigan, despite being born in Ohio. A 5-foot-11, 194-pound defenseman, Miller will be playing for North Dakota this fall after impressing in the USHL for two seasons. Last year, with the Tri-City Storm, he posted 33 points in 44 games, along with a +7 rating.

 

No. 116 – Eamon Powell – Tampa Bay Lightning – NTDP alum

A New York native, Powell developed in a talented blueliner during his two years with the NTDP. The 5-foot-11 Boston College freshman finished with 14 points in 43 games with the U18 team last season.

 

No. 119 – Tanner Dickinson – St. Louis Blues – Oakland Jr. Grizzlies, Belle Tire, Victory Honda alum

Another Ohio native that was no stranger to the Michigan youth hockey scene, Tanner Dickinson spent time in the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies, Belle Tire and Victory Honda programs before playing eight games with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers and then a full 2019-2020 season with the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds. Last year, he racked up 40 points in 64 games as a major junior rookie.

 

No. 120 – Ethan Edwards – New Jersey Devils – University of Michigan commit

Soon-to-be Michigan freshman forward Ethan Edwards was claimed by New Jersey in the fourth round. Last year, the Grande Prairie, Alberta, native racked up 33 points and 83 penalty minutes with the Spruce Grove Saints of the AJHL.

 

No. 123 – Antonio Stranges – Dallas Stars – Plymouth native

The Plymouth native has a unique skating stride and puck skills potentially unmatched in this year’s draft class. A 40-point sophomore season for the London Knights may have hurt his draft stock a bit, but Stranges could be the steal of the draft for Dallas.

 

No. 124 – Sean Farrell – Montreal Canadiens – NTDP alum

Farrell, a late ’01 birth-year, impressed in his lone USHL season outside of the NTDP, posting 56 points for the Chicago Steel in what was supposed to be a lone season between Plymouth and Harvard.

Round 5

No. 132 – Alex Cotton – Detroit Red Wings

Cotton, a ’01 birth-year defenseman, posted 67 points in 63 games for the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes this past season. Those offensive numbers, combined with a 6-foot-2 frame, make him another intriguing blue-line prospect for the Wings moving forward.

 

No. 134 – Brett Berard – New York Rangers – NTDP alum

Berard, about to play at Providence, was a tenacious forward for the NTDP for two seasons. In his U18 year, he posted 34 points in 41 games before the campaign was cut short because of COVID-19.

 

No. 139 – Ryder Rolston – Colorado Avalanche – Birmingham native, NTDP alum

The Avalanche may have the second member of the Rolston househould suit up in Colorado someday soon, as they selected Birmingham native Ryder Rolston in the fifth round. Rolston is the son of former NHLer and Flint native Brian Rolston, who played for Colorado in 1999-00 as part of a 1,256-game NHL career. Ryder is a NTDP alum who played for the Waterloo Black Hawks last year before starting at Notre Dame this fall, where he will play for Jeff Jackson just like his dad did at Lake Superior State.

 

No. 142 – Carson Bantle – Arizona Coyotes – Michigan Tech freshman

Big things are expected of Bantle, Michigan Tech’s top recruit for this year’s freshman class. The Coyotes just selected a point-per-game USHL player, as Bantle racked up 49 in 49 for the Madison Capitols last season.

 

No. 144 – Jacob Truscott – Vancouver Canucks – Port Huron native, University of Michigan freshman, NTDP alum

Truscott, ranked No. 68 by NHL Central Scouting among North American skaters, racked up 21 points in 47 games with the NTDP this past season. The anchor of the numerous state title-winning Little Caesars squad with Kris Draper, his attention now turns to the University of Michigan, the school he has dreamed of playing for since he was learning how to skate.

 

No. 150 – Matthew Kessel – St. Louis Blues – Bloomfield Hills native

Kessel, a sophomore at UMass (Amherst) is no stranger to winning championships, having won a national title with Compuware 16U and a USHL title with the Sioux Falls Stampede. The Blues are getting a 6-foot-3, 203-pound responsible defenseman who was also the top scoring rookie defenseman in the NCAA with seven goals last year. He’s certainly coming from an athletic family – brother Peter plays hockey for Holy Cross, brother Will played for Western Michigan and brother Mitch played football at Cincinnati.

 

Round 6

No. 156 – Kyle Aucoin – Detroit Red Wings

The son of former NHLer Adrian Aucion, Kyle is a 5-foot-11 blueliner who is set to play for Harvard when he is done in juniors (and Harvard is playing). Last season, his first full year in the USHL, Aucoin recorded 13 points in 48 games with the Tri-City Storm.

 

No. 170 – Chase Yoder – Pittsburgh Penguins – NTDP alum

Yoder, a native of Texas, came to Michigan for the past two years to skate with the NTDP; in 2019-2020, he recorded 20 points in 47 games.

 

Round 7

No. 187 – Kienan Draper – Detroit Red Wings – Birmingham native

The Red Wings stayed very close to home with this one, as Detroit selected Kienan Draper, son of Red Wings alum and now director of amateur scouting Kris Draper. Kienan, after being part of a dominating Little Caesars team for his youth hockey days, spent last season at St. Andrews College prep school before starting with the Chilliwack Chiefs of the BCHL this fall. He is committed to Miami University, as well.

 

No. 203 – Chase Bradley – Detroit Red Wings

With their final pick in the 2020 Draft, the Wings claimed USHL forward Chase Bradley, who will be playing for the Sioux City Musketeers this upcoming season. Last year, the Northeastern commit recorded 19 points and 77 penalty minutes in 34 games with the Omaha Lancers.

 

No. 209 – Chase McLane – Nashville Predators – Trenton native

He’s about to start his college hockey career, and he will do so with a Nashville Predators logo attached to his name on the line chart. The Predators made sure McLane wasn’t passed over, as they claimed the Trenton native in the seventh round of the 2020 Draft Wednesday evening. McLane, fresh off three years with the USHL’s Tri-City Storm, will be skating for Penn State this fall.