from Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News,

It takes smarts and patience and a solid plan. Rebuilding in the NHL is difficult and dicey, which is partly why the Red Wings spent 25 years stridently avoiding it.

It also takes a little good fortune, and it appears the Wings finally got a healthy batch of it. This was their most important draft in decades, a huge moment for GM Ken Holland and his staff, and if you go by numbers and scouting reports, they hit it big.

By most accounts, the Wings essentially got two steals in the first round, which might not alter the long-term timetable, but it sure makes it more interesting. They took Czech winger Filip Zadina at No. 6, after virtually every projection had him going third to Montreal. They took center Joe Veleno at No. 30, a stunner considering three rating services pegged him at six, eight and 11.

Holland didn’t try to outsmart or outmaneuver anyone. The Wings wisely didn’t reach for a much-needed defenseman. They did precisely what a rebuilding team must do — grab as much high-end talent, regardless of position, as you can grab.

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