In Red Wings Land

Wings plenty encouraged as Filip Zadina concludes NHL audition | Detroit News

Zadina, 19, has a goal and assist in eight games. He’s taken 15 shots, and has a minus-5 plus-minus rating.

“He’s gotten better game by game,” coach Jeff Blashill said earlier in the week. “He’s gotten more and more confident, making plays, finding ways to create space.

“It’s a real positive step in the right direction, and certainly good for our organization.”

Thanks for the memories, Filip.

I’m glad Filip Zadina is getting his nine games and a chance to learn what the competition is like at the NHL level. I fully expect him to be playing in the Red Wings’ top six on opening night next season.

Around the League

The NHL announced that the 2019 #NHLDraft Lottery will be held Tuesday, April 9, in Toronto.
The results of the Draft Lottery will be revealed live by national rightsholders NBCSN, Sportsnet and TVA Sports during a one-hour show beginning at 8 p.m., ET. https://t.co/5oXwYXByWL pic.twitter.com/EsiSyzwKts

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 13, 2019

Sportsnet’s 2019 NHL Draft Prospect Rankings: March

1. Kaapo Kakko, RW, TPS (Liiga), 6-foot-2, 194 pounds: Patrik Laine and Jesperi Kotkaniemi have paved the way with a similar career path. There is some thought Kakko could play centre, and if the team picking first believes that, he may very well bypass Hughes.

2. Jack Hughes, C, USNTDP, 5-foot-10, 168 pounds: If — and this is a big IF — he is a consolation prize, it will be like winning the lottery.

Ken Holland and/or Steve Yzerman will have a tough decision to make this June.