Visit NBC’s Draft Headquarters for our complete coverage of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
This may sound odd, but the biggest need for the Red Wings is another Nicklas Lidstrom. Obviously, they’re not looking to strike gold with another player just like him, but Detroit is certainly facing a need for big, burly defenseman that can help boost the blue line in a few years when and if Lidstrom ever does retire and the defensemen in the system start going to the next level. The Red Wings are also in need of a talented, playmaking center; sure they have good talent at the NHL-level but are needing more of the same organizationally.
2010 draft picks:
Round 1 - 21st
Round 2 - 51st
Round 3 - 81st
Round 4 - 111th
Round 5 - 141st
Round 6 - 171st
Round 7 - 201st
Top prospects (per Hockey’s Future):
1. Jakub Kindl, D
2. Brendan Smith, D
3. Daniel Larsson, G
4. Tomas Tatar, LW
5. Justin Abdelkader, C
6. Landon Ferraro, RW
7. Thomas McCollum, G
8. Jan Mursak, RW
9. Gustav Nyquist, C
10. Cory Emmerton, C
PHT’s mock draft results:
21 - Vladimir Tarasenko - RW - Novosibirsk (KHL)
This kid can score and every team would want him on their roster in a heartbeat and many have him as a top-10 pick. But there’s no guarantee he leaves the KHL to come across the pond to play with the team that drafts him; otherwise he’d go much higher and a team late in the first round may find him falling to them. It’s a risk, but later in the first round it’s a worthwhile one to take.
What the blogs are saying:
As a freshman this past season, Riley Sheahan stepped onto Notre Dame’s squad and made an impact. His play has been described as “man among boys,” with good two-way skill. Sound familiar?
Assistant General Manager Jim Nill, who runs the draft for the Wings, has made it clear that they’ll be selecting the best player available at 21, and it’s hard to imagine a better player falls. ISS has him listed as the 22nd best player available, but some mock drafts have him going in the top dozen. Having just turned 18 in December, it’s fair to assume he may add a few more pounds to his 6'2", 200 pound frame -- and if he improves on his finishing ability, he could develop into a big bodied scoring threat with defensive prowess. Not bad for the 21st pick...