No luck: Red Wings Stay at No. 8 After Missing Again In Draft Lottery

Steve Yzerman has experience, creativity, aggressiveness and success as an NHL general manager. What he doesn’t have is luck in the NHL draft lottery.

Yzerman is now 0-for-4 in the draft lottery. The Red Wings kept their No. 8 draft pick, not moving up or down

The Red Wings only had a six percent chance of winning the No. 1 pick and a 6.4% shot at the No. 2 pick. But the ping pong balls didn’t fall in his favor.  Under Yzerman, the Red Wings fell two places in his first draft lottery (2019) with Detroit and dropped three in his second (2020). The Red Wings didn’t rise or fall in the past two draft lotteries.

Shane Wright of the Kingston Frontenacs, the presumptive No. 1 pick, will go to the Montreal Canadiens. The New Jersey Devils moved up to pick No. 2.

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This year’s draft lottery debuted changes that theoretically helped the Red Wings: There was a second lottery for the No. 2 pick. The Red Wings had a 6.4% chance of securing the No. 2 pick.

Cooley vs. Slafkovsky

The consolation prize for No. 2 is subject to debate. Some believe it is U.S. National Development Program center Logan Cooley. He has been compared to Trevor Zegras.

Others believe it is 6-foot-3, 220-pound Slovak left wing Juraj Slafkovsky who was dominant performer at the recent Olympic Games. He has the potential to play in the NHL next season.

Like if you’re feelin’ lucky 🍀#NHLDraftLottery #LGRW

— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) May 10, 2022

The good news for the Red Wings has been that Yzerman has found draft success no matter where he has drafted. Yzerman’s four first-round picks are Moritz Seider (No. 6, 2019),  Lucas Raymond, (No. 4, 2020), Simon Edvinsson (No. 6, 2021) and Sebastian Cossa (No. 15, 2021).

Draft experts says the Red Wings will find talent in the No. 8-No. 10 positions.  The Red Wings should find some scorers available, including Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Frank Nazar, Conor Geekie, Jimmy Snuggerud and Isaac Howard. Nazar, Snuggerud and Howard play for the U.S. National Development team. Lekkerimaki is Sweden’s best prospect this season. Geekie has registered 70 points in 63 games for the Winnipeg Ice of the Western Hockey League.