from Pat Caputo of The Oakland Press,

The Red Wings have four selections in the first 40, including sixth overall. It’s a deep draft, especially at the top end. If the Red Wings’ scouting staff and general manager Ken Holland do their homework properly, the Red Wings should still land a genuine impact player early in the first round - and perhaps beyond.

That’s the big “if,” isn’t it?

This much is true about the NHL Draft, the top end doesn’t always yield stars. The sixth overall pick, for example, hasn’t particularly drawn impact players, at least not since long ago when it brought Peter Forsberg, Phil Housley and Paul Coffey to the NHL. But the odds, without question, improve in the Top 10.

It’d be foolish for the Red Wings to take a so-called offensive defenseman simply because it has been such an obvious need since Nicklas Lidstrom retired. Swedish defenseman Adam Bovqist, although much smaller than Dahlin, is just as skilled. It’s doubtful he will be there sixth overall, though. The Red Wings likely will just miss out on power forwards Brady Tkachuk and Andrei Svechnikov, and super sniper Filip Zadina. Those are clearly the Top 5 players at this stage.

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