What do you think wings will pick with their 29th overall?

[p_diddy_datsyuk_13 2]

a goalie...

the more they pick, the more likely they are to eventually get one right!!

Other than that I would like to see a forward, the Wing's are getting thin as far as talented scoring forwards are concerned...

Abdelkader is more of a second liner, as is Helm. Leino is about the only sure-fire scoring forward in our system, and he's not even home grown. Dick Axelsson is a few years out and has had some issues, and no one in Grand Rapids really stepped up this year, although there are a few out there who could become NHLers.

A talented forward would be a nice change of pace from the last 10-15 years of back end men, either defense or goalies.

[zata20 4]

the Wing's are getting thin as far as talented scoring forwards are concerned...

Abdelkader is more of a second liner, as is Helm. Leino is about the only sure-fire scoring forward in our system, and he's not even home grown. Dick Axelsson is a few years out and has had some issues, and no one in Grand Rapids really stepped up this year, although there are a few out there who could become NHLers.

A talented forward would be a nice change of pace from the last 10-15 years of back end men, either defense or goalies.

I agree. That is why I think they should pick Jeremy Morin. He is a pure goal scoring winger. He is a right handed shot(that we desperately need). He has decent size 6-1,189. He just turned 18 in April, so they would have plenty of time to develop him. What's not to like?

[Echolalia 2,961]

So has anybody thought about the possibility of the Islanders passing over another Yzerman-like player with their top pick?

[LeftWinger 4,963]

Never going to happen.

That's wat Sean Connery said too!

[Probie 7]

JEREMY MORIN- http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/feature/?fid=11895

EDIT: Would like to see him put on 10-15 lbs though.

Nice link. I checked it out, and scanned a few players we might like. To the other poster who mentioned Tatar in this thread, I know the wings like him, but will he be around with our second pick, the 58th? I'm not to sure they will use their 1st for Tatar. I heard LA likes him, i think they take him with their 2nd rounder(is that 35th overall?). I would love it if the wings will pick a forward. From that link you provided, their is a pic of Dylan Oslon, and Ive seen it before...does he have something wrong with him or is he just really tired? He looks stoned:

I posted this article in another thread, but will post it here since it applies to the draft and its a great read. Jim Nill thinks the wings will draft another D man early...check it out:

Wings assistant GM Nill marvels at depth of NHL draft

Comparable to 2003 gold-standard lottery

By Dave Waddell, Canwest News ServiceJune 17, 2009

DETROIT �€†For Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill, next weekend's National Hockey League entry draft is going to be a little different and it's not just because he'll get to make a pick in the first three rounds.

Instead of hoping Detroit can nab a good player with the 29th pick overall, Nill knows there'll be a good player available for the Wings.

"It's a very strong draft," said Nill, who oversees the Wings' drafting and scouting departments. "Every draft always has 10 to 12 high-end talents early.

"This year there's lots of depth from 15 through 35. There's lot of real good players in there. You could toss the players that'll go 15 to 35 up in the air and take one because they have just as good a chance to become solid NHLers as anyone else."

The draft is so good, Nill compares it the 2003 draft. That draft has become the gold standard by which all drafts are measured.

Among the talents taken that year were Marc-Andre Fleury (1), Eric Staal (2), Thomas Vanek (5), Ryan Suter (7), Dion Phaneuf (9), Jeff Carter (11), Dustin Brown (13), Brent Seabrook (14), Robert Nilsson (15), Zach Parise (17), Ryan Getzlaf (19), Brent Burns (20), Ryan Kesler (23), Mike Richards (24), Corey Perry (28), Loui Eriksson (33), Patrice Bergeron (45) and Shea Weber (49).

"That was one of best drafts ever," Nill said. "This one has depth like that.

"Still, no matter who we pick, it's going to be three to five years before you see them in Detroit."

Nill said there's a possibility the Wings could move up or down in the draft.

The only round of the nine the Wings will be without a pick in is the fourth. That goes to Los Angeles as part of the February 2008 trade for defenceman Brad Stuart.

"Someone has to be there you like and you have to have a dance partner," Nill said. "There's lots of talk already.

"But you never know until the day arrives. Some years, I thought there'd be nothing and there's 20 trades. Other years, you expect a lot of trades and nothing happens."

Nill said all things being equal, he expects the Wings to select a defenceman early. It's the position the Wings value above all else.

"You can never have enough defencemen," Nill said. "For sure, we'll draft a defenceman in either Round 1 or 2.

"We already have a pretty good stock of defencemen, but we're thinking there might be someone there we never thought would be there like when Jiri Fischer fell to us (25th overall in 1998)."

Nill said the Wings have no real glaring shortages in their minor league system after shoring up the goaltending position by taking Thomas McCollum with their first pick last June and signing free-agent goalie Jordan Pearce out of Notre Dame this spring.

"We really do have balanced depth in our organization right now," Nill said. "We're always greedy guys, though. We don't want a break in that talent pipeline.

"I think the playoffs showed how deep we are at forward. We have a lot of good kids. We were very happy with what we saw in the minors last season."

Edited June 24, 2009 by Probie

[Coolio Mendez 7]

Aside from a few lucky late round picks and some crafty maneuvering by Hakan Andersson, their drafting has really been quite abysmal and quite frankly overrated. Our North American scouting has actually been atrocious. Don't expect much.

[Finnish Wing 110]

I can't understand these people who say Nättinen is better than Rajala. I wonder why nobody is speaking about Nättinen here in Finland then. Everybody speaks about Rajala, cuz he's hot stuff. I wonder if we even have a chance to draft him... And he will be over 180cm (~ 6 feet if I'm right).

[Guest mindfly]

Nättinen is bigger body, better two-way forward and most important he's RIGHT-shooter,which red wings desperetely need.

[Finnish Wing 110]

Nättinen is bigger body, better two-way forward and most important he's RIGHT-shooter,which red wings desperetely need.

What do you know about Rajala's two-way abilities? Played PK @WC, always helps defense. Just because he can score, doesn't mean he can't play D. Rajala is way better player overall, that's the point. Being right-handed isn't enough to make Nättinen a better choice for Wings. Rajala is just so much better as a player.

[egroen 384]

I hope Rajala is avoided like the plague because of his size, and the Red Wings pick him up.

The more I read about this kid, the more irresistible he gets...

You can always sign free agents for size and grit - but rarely for skill like that.

Edited June 25, 2009 by egroen

[zata20 4]

I hope Rajala is avoided like the plague because of his size, and the Red Wings pick him up.

The more I read about this kid, the more irresistible he gets...

You can always sign free agents for size and grit - but rarely for skill like that.

I know Dats was passed over because of his size. Does anybody know his height and weight when he was drafted. I just wondered if it is comparable to Rajala.

[egroen 384]

I know Dats was passed over because of his size. Does anybody know his height and weight when he was drafted. I just wondered if it is comparable to Rajala.

I know both Zetterberg and Datsyuk gained inches, as well as a lot of pounds since being drafted.

But they were virtually unknown, so could be taken much later in the draft.

Rajala is definitely a known prospect, and I have a hard time seeing him last well into the second round. I wouldn't be surprised even if he went mid 1st round.

[LeftWinger 4,963]

Ok, is it too early to start the Official Draft Day thread? Of course I am going with my trade scenario to the #1 or #2 spot to get Hedman!

Edited June 26, 2009 by LeftWinger

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Does he? His hands don't look like it. Helm is kind of alike a non-one-dimensional Lebda. His speed is the reason why he scores, not his hands. That can only take you so far.

If Draper in his prime wasn't a top six I don't see Helm being one.

All that being said- Helm isn't here to be a top six! He's here to hit everything that moves, win faceoffs, play solid defensive hockey and provide energy. Helm projects as a 3rd line centre with shutdown skill and high-end energy/checking ability. That's great because that's exactly what the Wings need right now- a long term replacement for Draper.

Helm has better hands than Draper. I peg Helm to be a borderline 2nd/3rd liner in the mold of Cleary. At best, hes the next Kesler, who took a while to develop due to his focus on grit and defense, and was criticized for his lack of finishing when he was in his early 20s.

[RedFX 48]

Helm has better hands than Draper. I peg Helm to be a borderline 2nd/3rd liner in the mold of Cleary. At best, hes the next Kesler, who took a while to develop due to his focus on grit and defense, and was criticized for his lack of finishing when he was in his early 20s.

Keep in mind also Helm's still only 22, FAAAAR from the prime of his career. Despite already being a big part of the team, he's still got alot of developing ahead of him, and he could very well develop a scoring touch.

Remember back those last few seasons before the lockout when Draper was starting to put the puck in the net more frequently.

[Zetts 236]

When you say "what do you think the wings will pick" if you mean by position, it sounds like a defenseman is likely and it will NOT be a goaltender.

As always, Nill said the Red Wings will take the best available player (forward or defenseman, not a goaltender) with their first pick.

He said they will select a defenseman with at least one of their top two selections (Detroit picks 60th in the second round).

"You can never have enough defensemen," Nill said.

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/20..._chances_o.html