Safe to say that day two of the 2025 NHL Draft was a success for Steve Yzerman. At the end of it all, Detroit addressed an important need by trading for goaltender John Gibson, and it didn’t take away any picks in this draft.
The Red Wings got a little bit of everything in this draft — and from all over the map. Here’s our recap and brief analysis. Shoutout to EliteProspects for being such an excellent resource! (not an ad)
Round 1 Pick: C/LW Carter Bear
Round 2 Pick: RW Eddie Genborg
Pick 75: Goaltender Michal Pradel
BIG Slovak goalie at 6’5″ 195 lbs. Seems to be one of those extremely athletic types that has a lot of room to grow. Playing in the USHL, posted so-so numbers in his first season with Tri-City. Some notes from EliteProspects:
“[Pradel] is really smooth in his movement and tracks pucks extremely well, he looks both above and around screens, and does a really nice job tracking plays even when he has to go into scramble mode. His rebound control could use some work, but it doesn’t seem to bother him or shake his confidence, especially in big games and high-pressure moments.”
Pick number 76: Traded to Columbus for pick 109 and a 4th round pick in 2026
It’s a far drop, but now you’ve got another pick next year. Not mad about it.
Pick number 109: RW Brent Solomon
Will be interesting to see this guy play at University of Wisconsin next season. Good numbers in high school for what it’s worth.
Pick number 119: LW Michal Svrcek
The scouting services love this pick. Another Slovak, oddly enough with the same first name, playing in Sweden. EliteProspects had the consensus rank for Svrcek at 69 (nice) which seems like a nice value pick at 119. Not big, so Detroit probably sees some upside in his abilities. Some notes from EliteProspects:
“Svrcek’s motor and high pace of play have remained the most consistent thing in his game. While being on the smaller side comes with its limitations, he still managed to be a nuisance for the opposing defenders by swarming them and applying tons of pressure, even occasionally finishing his checks against bigger opponents.”
Pick 140: D Nikita Tyurin
Crazy to think this is the first Russian defenseman Detroit has taken since Alexei Marchenko in 2011. Sounds like Tyurin is one of the mobile-archetype D. Decent numbers in the MHL (not the greatest competition, to be fair) for a young guy — 20 points in 50 games. It’s a 5th round pick, so I like the value here. We’ll see where he’s at in a couple years. Some notes from Elite Prospects:
“Tyurin is an effective, puck-moving defender. A smooth handler and mover, he can escape forecheckers, keep the puck away from them, and find passing targets as his team regroups around him. He lets his options come to him, slowing the play, and then connects with teammates as they get open. Defending off the rush, he closes his gap on opponents near the red line, removing passing plays, and stepping up on opponents as opportunities arise.”
Pick 172: D Will Murphy
Battering ram defenseman. 6’4″ 209 lbs and he turns 18 in August. Offense doesn’t appear to be part of his game but there is value in defensemen like Murphy in today’s NHL.
Pick 204: C Grayden Robertson-Palmer
Another pick from the US high school circuit. Impressive numbers, now GRP (that’s what I will call him) heads to the NCAA next season with Dartmouth. Undersized, but I’m never against taking centers. Partial notes from EliteProspects:
“Robertson-Palmer knows how to leverage his on-puck magnetism, weaving hand-off plays into forceful, straight-line crease drives. He drags defenders into space, opening lanes for teammates. His intensity is unrelenting, and he protects the puck effectively, extending his arm to shield off pressure.”
Pick 211: Traded to Calgary for a 7th round pick in 2026.
Cool. I don’t like the number 211 anyway.
At the end of the 2025 NHL Draft, the Red Wings added eight prospects to the system, and made a big acquisition at the backstop.
I’ve said this before, but the NHL Draft is a “big picture” type of catalyst for teams nowadays. That means it takes time for a lot of these players to achieve an NHL roster spot. The players Detroit took in this draft are no different. With the Gibson trade and all of the “high-ceiling” picks, I think Yzerman earned himself a solid B+ for this draft. (just my opinion!!!!)
NHL free agency opens Monday. A lot more to come.
