The Red Wings had a list of picks this draft, and in effort to make it easier on not only our editorial staff but for our readers, we consolidated the team’s final three picks into a one-stop analysis.
6th rd — 159th overall
Ken Holland moved this pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 2019 5th round pick. Gotta like a move like that considering they own the very next pick in the order.
6th rd — 160th overall
Victor Brattstrom – Goalie
Age: 21
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 198 lbs
Red Wings taking an overager with this pick. Brattstrom has had some good numbers in the SuperElit league, and you gotta love the size he brings between the pipes.
7th rd — 191st overall
Otto Kivenmaki – Center
Age: 18
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 137 lbs
I can already tell by this kid’s frame, you’re all going to freak out over this pick. Kivenmaki was ranked 102 by the NHL CSS. Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News had him listed as a top sleeper pick in the 2018 NHL Draft earlier this month:
“Smart, very skilled and has great hockey sense. Kivenmaki is a smaller player and he might not get too much bigger. Back in the day, that would have been a death-knell, but now scouts are more open to how smaller players can contribute at the pro level and that will help Kivenmaki.”
Kivenmäki at this point is only useful as offensive player as his defensive game still needs a lot of work. He goes out of position often and thinks too much offense even at the defensive zone. However he can make things happen at the both ends of ice with his great movement. Center has great acceleration, he is agile and his speed is above average in this league.
More analysis from Finnprospects.com
Who knows.. Maybe the Red Wings got themselves a slippery, shifty, skilled pivot who can wheel.
That wraps up the 2018 NHL Draft, folks. Say what you want about the later picks, but the Red Wings will be chalked up as having one of the best drafts in the NHL this year. They added elite talent that could step into the NHL immediately. We’ll have more reaction and analysis coming up in the coming days.
