Steve Yzerman hates parting with draft picks. You never know if you’re missing out on the next Nikita Kucherov (No. 58 in 2011), Ondrej Palat (No. 208 in 2011), or Brayden Point (No. 79 in 2014), later-round steals in Tampa Bay under Yzerman’s watch.
But the Detroit Red Wings general manager utilized his surplus of picks this year to improve the current roster and add to the pipeline of prospects.
First, he sent a late second-rounder to the Islanders (along with Richard Panik) for defenseman Nick Leddy. Then he shipped a late third-rounder to Carolina (along with the rights to unrestricted free agent Jonathan Bernier) for goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic.
Leddy could end up being the first NHL defense partner for prized prospect Moritz Seider. If he doesn’t re-sign with the Red Wings, they might be able to recoup a pick comparable to the one they spent for him (No. 52, one of two second-rounders acquired from Edmonton for Andreas Athanasiou) by moving him at the trade deadline.
Getting Nedeljkovic, who’s 25 and was a Calder Trophy finalist as top rookie last season, for the 94th pick is nothing short of astonishing.
Yzerman wasn’t done leveraging his picks.
He moved up from 23 (one of the picks acquired from Washington in the Anthony Mantha-Jakub Vrana deal) to 15 during the first round of the draft Friday to land 6-6 Sebastian Cossa, the organization’s goalie of the future. It was well worth sending picks 48 (acquired from the New York Rangers for taking Marc Staal’s contract off their hands) and 138 (acquired from Montreal for Jon Merrill) to Dallas.
On Saturday, the Red Wings moved up from 38 to 36 in a deal with Vegas to take big defenseman Shai Buium (6-3, 209), giving up pick No. 128, acquired from Tampa Bay to facilitate the David Savard trade.
So, all four picks Yzerman relinquished were ones he had accumulated from other teams.
Still, it’s not something he takes lightly.
“I hate giving up draft picks,” Yzerman said. “I feel every draft pick, regardless of a first-round or seventh-round, is hope. It’s hope for Henrik Zetterberg (selected 210th) or Pavel Datsyuk (171st) or Sergei Fedorov (74th) or Nicklas Lidstrom (53rd). I love accumulating them and keeping them and using them.
“But this year we were in a situation … I feel strongly it’s important that we try to be competitive, that we bring in some players to help (Filip) Hronek, help Seider, to help Dylan (Larkin). Those cost us picks. We can live with that.”
The Red Wings still ended up with eight selections this year (they have 10 next year as of now, including an extra second-rounder and two additional fourth-rounders).
“In this year’s draft, you have to be prepared (to move up),” Yzerman said. “We felt very highly about Sebastian Cossa and thought there’s no chance he’s going to be there when we’re picking at 23, that the only way we’re going to get him is to move up. Having the picks allowed us to do that.
“Today we sit here, and we’re glad we have Nick Leddy, Alex Nedeljkovic. We’re very happy to have Cossa and Buium. The cost of that, we’re comfortable paying it.”
Now the Red Wings prepare for free agency on Wednesday. They need three or four right-shooting forwards and a depth defenseman, preferably a left-hander, even after re-signing Staal for one year on Sunday.
They aren’t likely to be in the market for any of the few big-name, high-priced players available. Those players generally go to playoff- or Stanley Cup-contending teams.
But the way Yzerman has been dealing and drafting, it might not be long before Detroit once again is a destination for top free agents.
More:
Red Wings addressed key needs in draft
Yzerman, Draper assess 2021 draft picks
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