Detroit Red Wings
Firsts Are Rarely Foremost When Red Wings Acquire Them
Yzerman has acquired 17 former first round picks
When it comes to selecting players in the first round of the NHL entry draft, Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman is faring quite well.
Moritz Seider (2019) and Lucas Raymond (2020) are emerging NHL stars. Simon Edvinsson (2021) and Marco Kasper (2022) are established as NHL regulars. Sebastian Cossa (2021) and Nate Danielson (2023) are knocking on the door with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins. Embarking on their North American pro careers this season, Axel Sandin Pellikka (2023) and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (2024) display significant upside.
When it comes to acquiring players who were first-round selections of other teams, that’s an entirely different matter. Over his tenure as GM of the Red Wings, through trades, free agency, and the waiver wire, Yzerman has added 17 players who were first-round choices in their draft year. The latest addition to this group is UFA forward James van Riemsdyk. He was the second overall choice in the 2007 NHL entry draft.
Where will JVR fit? Time will tell.
For the most part, it’s fair to say the outcome of those additions has proven to be a mixed bag. There have been viable acquisitions. Others were forgettable at best. And then some filled a roster spot and not much else.
Let’s break it down.
These Were Good Red Wings
At the top of any list of positives is Patrick Kane. The first player chosen in the 2007 draft, he might not be the Kane of old, but he also hasn’t resembled an old Kane since arriving in Detroit as a free agent. He’s put up back-to-back 20-goal seasons.
David Perron (26th overall, St. Louis, 2007) counted 41 goals in two seasons with the Wings. Defenseman Olli Maatta (22nd, 2012, Pittsburgh) was a steady, third-pairing defender who was plus-14 with Detroit in 2023-24. Forward Robby Fabbri (21st, 2014, St. Louis) counted 17 and 18-goal seasons during his Detroit tenure, which was hampered by recurring knee injuries.
NAMESTNIKOV SCORES‼️
THE JETS LEAD 3-0 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fMKBNgMB8a
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 16, 2025
Vladislav Namestnikov (27th, 2011, Tampa Bay) was a reliable forward who scored 13 goals in 2021-22. The same could be said for the veteran presence of Sam Gagner (6th, 2007, Edmonton). Marc Staal (12th, 2005, New York Rangers) was a useful blueliner in two Red Wings seasons.
Austin Watson (18th, 2010, Nashville) has only played 13 games for Detroit, but he’s proven valuable as a mentor to Red Wings prospects with the Griffins, where he was an AHL All-Star Classic participant last season.
Bad Pickups For Detroit
On paper, Jakub Vrana (13th, Washington, 2014) looks like a win for Detroit. He scored 22 goals in 42 Red Wings games. However, shoulder surgery and a stint in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program led to his departure from the club. Defenseman Nick Leddy (16th, Minnesota, 2009) was a minus-33 in his lone season with the Red Wings.
Wild coach John Hynes on what Vladimir Tarasenko can bring to the team. #mnwild pic.twitter.com/AncOv6jQhk
— Star Tribune Sports (@StribSports) August 30, 2025
Vladimir Tarasenko (16th, St. Louis, 2010) played a hard game for a club in need of players of that ilk. But the six-time 30-goal scorer was brought here to score, and he did so just 11 times. Bobby Ryan (2nd, Anaheim, 2005) was popular with the fan base. Still, he scored just seven goals and was -14 in his lone Detroit season.
The Less Said, The Better
Klim Kostin (31st, St. Louis, 2017) scored three goals in 33 Red Wings games. Brendan Perlini (12th, Arizona, 2014) was good for one goal in 39 games and was minus-18. Defenseman Olli Juolevi (5th, Vancouver, 2016) was pointless and minus-one in his brief eight-game tenure with Detroit.
Signed as a UFA in the summer of 2022, defenseman Mark Pysyk (23rd, Buffalo, 2010) tore his Achilles tendon shortly thereafter. He never played a game for the Red Wings.
