from Ansar Khan of Mlive,

The 2019 NHL entry draft is strong, with a deep well of skill and talent into the second round, Craig Button says.

But Button also believes there is a clear separation following the top three players – Jack Hughes, Kaapo Kakko and Vasili Podkolzin.

“I don’t see any players being better than Hughes, Kakko and Podkolzin,” Button, one of the industry’s leading draft analysts, said. “Now, could somebody say, we’re going to take a defenseman? Bo Byram is a heck of a player and maybe you say we think it’s close enough (with the third pick) where we take a defenseman. But in terms of overall skill and impact, what I think their ultimate potential is, I think they stand apart.”

That is why it is important for the Detroit Red Wings to secure a top-three pick in the April 9 draft lottery....

The Red Wings’ biggest area of need is defense. If they end up selecting outside of the top three, perhaps they’ll consider Byram (Vancouver, WHL) or Philip Broberg (AIK 2, Sweden), defensemen projected to be taken in the top 10. Or maybe they will select one of several highly rated centers (Kirby Dach of Saskatoon, Dylan Cozens of Lethbridge or Alex Turcotte of the USNTDP).

If the Red Wings land their first top-three pick since taking Keith Primeau third overall in 1990, they almost certainly will add to their collection of young forward prospects...

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