from Ansar Khan of Mlive,
The phrases “lack of” and “lottery luck” are often joined in conjunction with the Detroit Red Wings. But while the ping pong balls haven’t bounced their way in any of the seven draft lotteries they’ve participated in, they haven’t been bereft of good fortune.
They landed a franchise cornerstone on defense in 2019 by selecting Moritz Seider sixth overall.
“I’ve been living in a dream ever since,” Seider said. “I’ve had the opportunity to make a living out of my dream, which not everybody in the world can say, so I’m very proud of that. I’ve been around an awesome organization with unbelievable teammates, and I enjoy every single minute.”...
“I think I’m in a really good place,” Seider said. “I made strides during the season. I think I’m a better defender now than I was last year. I’m doing a good job of trying to shut the best lines down on a daily basis.
“I’m not caught out of position that often anymore. I’m not leaning for big hits. I matured on the PK to just block more shots. Another 82-game season helped me to mature as well.”
He’ll continue doing that over the next couple of weeks while playing for Germany at the World Championship, which starts Friday in Tampere, Finland, and Riga, Latvia.
“I’ve said it all along, he’s a beast out there,” Jake Walman said. “He can do it all. He can do everything by himself.”
Cossa sounds like he's doing fantastic in the ECHL. He's still got a long way to go.
from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News,
With more than a month remaining before the actual draft, here are some players who could interest the Wings with their second first-round draft selection:
▶ Axel Sandin Pellikka, defenseman, 5-foot-11, 181 pounds, 16 goals, 20 assists, 36 points, Skelleftea (Sweden): Great skater and transporter of the puck. Has a nice shot, too, and enjoys leading the rush. But, the size is a concern. Pellika is scrappy and enjoys throwing his body around, but he needs to get stronger physically.
▶ Samuel Honzek, left wing, 6-foot-4, 186 pounds, 23 goals, 33 assists, 56 points, Vancouver (WHL): Intriguing prospect in that his best hockey could likely still be ahead of him. Honzek has a lot of filling out to do physically but he's been scrappy in junior. Honzek skates well for a big man, but his instincts need work offensively.
▶ Koehn Ziemmer, right wing, 6-feet, 195 pounds, 41 goals, 48 assists, 89 points, Prince George (WHL): Ziemmer projects as a power forward in the NHL who isn't afraid to go to the net, play in front of the net, and make plays in tight spaces. Ziemmer has shown his ability to get his shot off in tight spaces. He knows how to use his body to shield the puck.
▶ Otto Stenberg, center/left wing, 5-foot-11, 181 pounds, 11 goals, 15 assists, 26 points, Frolunda (Sweden): The Wings are familiar with Frolunda, and Stenberg projects to be a capable NHL player. He's a good skater, has an accurate shot and is responsible defensively. Some scouts would like Stenberg to have more hockey sense, and his playmaking isn't elite.
more ($) names
Seider said. I like being engaged. I like playing hard. It just gets me more involved in the game.
I love that comment. He plays hard, not just to intimidate other players, but to get himself more involved in the game itself. I see that in guys like Larkin, Raymond, Maata, (formerly) Bertuzzi, and a few others. I think it's what was always lacking in guys like Mantha and Vrana.
It seems to be a quality that's at the top of the list of things that Yzerman is looking for, especially in the top prospects. Edvinsson has it. Kasper has it. And I'm sure whoever gets picked at #9 and #17 this year will have it.
I can't wait to see what surprises Yzerman has in store for us this year.
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