NHL: Detroit Red Wings start draft, Riley Sheahan first pick
The Detroit Red Wings kicked off the draft with the towering Center, Riley Sheahan the 21st overall pick. Jim Nill, Assistant General Manager of the Detroit Red Wing, had no allusions about what he was getting in the form of the 6 foot 2, 200 lb Sheahan. Nill said that he expected Sheahan to be a “power forward”.
Last season the Red Wings took 3 forwards and this year the forwards kept coming. Up next was the Swedish Calle Jarnkrok, 51st overall pick, at 5-foot 11 inches and 156 pounds, Jarnkrok needs to bulk up. Nill said that Jarnkrok was undoubtedly talented but his relatively smaller build was the only downside and if he could become stronger, that would be the determining factor. Jarnkrok knew as much and conceded that there were many things he needed to work on.
Jarnkrok isn’t the only Swede the Red Wings have taken under their wing. They have a history in the team and since 1993 the team has taken at least one Swede every year. General Manager Ken Holland defended the decisions of the team over the years using the 4 Stanley Cup championships since 97 as proof of the prudency of those decisions. “The small, soft Euros did OK for us,” Ken said jokingly.
Saturday the Red Wings took the third round 81st overall pick, Marc Aubry. Son of Pierre Aubry who also played for the Red Wings through 80-85, Marc said that his father was elated that his son would play for the same team he did. Nill, full of praise for the two-way centre men, said that he is strong and played hard physically and is a scorer. Marc himself realizes the advantage his strength can be to his game. At 6 foot 3 and 186 lbs, just merely his physical presence would be an asset to any team. He isn’t just a big guy; in 131 games Aubry amassed 25 goals and 30 assists.
Nill said that with the induction of Sheahan and Aubry to the team, the Red Wings had two massive players and with Jarnkrok they focused on skill. Not to say that Sheahan or Aubry are lacking in anyway but they are bulky and their movement not as swift as those of Jarnkrok.
The build up of forwards continued. This time the European was Finnish forward Teemu Pulkkinen. Fourth round 111th pick, Pulkkinen was the highest scorer for the tournament in the 2010 under 18 World Cup. Nill said that Pulkkinen could shoot from anywhere and he likes to shoot the puck which most Europeans players don’t. Pulkkinen has been described as a tyrant in the offensive zone, extremely skilled, slightly slow, and not as keen on defence as you would want a player to be. His offensive capabilities, however, make up for all his shortcomings.
The Red Wings weren’t just looking for forwards though. The Red wings needed goaltenders and in most drafts they have tried to get their hands on one this time being no exception. This time around they took the fifth round pick Petr Mrazek. NHL central scouting ranked Mrazek 25th among goaltenders.
It would appear that leaving this year is Detroit’s defenseman Andreas Lilja. Lilja wasn’t a priority for Nill who made Lilja an offer a month ago. Nill assumed that Lilja didn’t like the offer considering the fact that Nill never heard back from him regarding the offer. Lilja’s agent said that Detroit had made no effort to sign or talk to Lilja and but added neither he nor Lilja begrudged the Red Wings.
Nill was happy with how the draft had turned out saying that he had got a bit of everything he was looking for. “A good mix”, he said, of lighter built European talents and players who have size, who Nill is particularly excited about. “We’ll see what happens”.
Tags: