Red Wings draft review

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Written by: Zoran Manojlovic on 06/25/2003

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Last weekend in Nashville the Detroit Red Wings organization gained eight new young members. Going into the draft, the Red Wings were without first and thirrd round picks because of two separate trades. With a total of eight picks, the Red Wings brass were confident that they would find at least one player that could eventually help the organization down the road.

The first pick was a late second rounder, (64th overall) which the organization used to grab what they felt was the best player avaliable, University of Maine goaltending senasation James Howard. "I'm just thrilled," Howard said. "I don't know what to say. I didn't have the foggiest idea who'd pick me, but I'm glad it's Detroit," said Howard. "They've been around since the beginning and to put on the Red Wings jersey, there's a lot of pride," said Howard.

Name	Born	Team	League	Height	Weight	Position	Catches
Jim Howard	1984-03-26	U. of Maine	Hockey East	6-1	204	G	L

Ogdensburg, N.Y. native Jim Howard spent his draft year as a freshman with the University of Maine. The previous season Howard played with the U.S. National development team where he was the starting goalie. He posted very good record (16-8-1) and a 1.89 goals against average and a .933 save percentage. He also recorded three shutouts on the season. His great performances earned him the "USA Hockey Dave Peterson Award" as Goalie of the Year given to the top goaltender in USA Hockey.

Howard is a big butterfly goalie who covers the net well and plays with poise. He has very good balance and skating ability. A natural talent, Howard shows good concentration and focus while playing. He also has a well developed hockey sense and reads the play well.

Howard was a surprise pick to most of the Red Wings fans, but this was a very solid pickup. "At that position (64th overall), he was the best player available," said Jim Nill, the Wings assistant general manager. He was the No. 2 rated goalie in North America (with only the No. 1 pick in the draft, M-A Fleury ahead of him) in a weak goalie year. This means that he probably wouldn´t have been around when the Wings would have made their second choice in the fourth round. Instead of wasting a later pick on a weak goalie why not pick a very good one in the second, and select skaters with later picks?

Season	Team	League	GP	GAA	SV%	SO
2002-03	University of Maine	Hockey East	21	2.45	91.6	3

Name	Born	Team	League	Height	Weight	Position	Shots
Kyle Quincey	1985-08-12	London	OHL	6-2	191	D	L

Kyle Quincey spent his first season in the OHL with the London Knights after being drafted in the third round of the 2001 OHL draft. He played a safe stay-at-home type of hockey while contributing offensively as well. He finished the regular season with 6 goals and 18 points in 66 games. His playoff performance was even better. He scored 3 goals and 7 points in 14 games and was one of the best defensemen on the team. Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill's comment on Quincey was: "Good size. Plays hard. Really a solid all-around defenseman."

Quincey is a good sized defenseman who has good mobility. He is a good skater with solid lateral movement and good top speed. He has quick feet and plays aggressive, defensive-minded hockey. He works hard and is a true team player. He is strong and clears the zone effectively.

Quincey was another surprise pick by the Red Wings on the second day of the draft. Being ranked 150th overall in North America, Kyle was surprised that the Red Wings selected him in the fourth round. He is a solid pickup that will have to spend at least two more seasons in the OHL before turning pro.

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2002-03	London	OHL	66	6	12	18	77
2002-03		OHL playoffs	14	3	4	7	11

Name	Born	Team	League	Height	Weight	Position	Shots
Ryan Oulahan	1985-03-26	Brampton	OHL	6-1	180	C	L

With the fifth round pick, the Red Wings selected yet another OHL player. Ryan Oulahan who was playing in his rookie season with the Brampton Battalion was selected with the 164th pick overall. The smooth skating center had a good first year in the OHL where he collected 21 goals and 43 point in 61 games. Playing behind another NHL-draftee, Kamil Kreps, Oulahan didn´t get as much attention from the scouts. But as the season went on Oulahan made a name for himself by playing a sound two-way game. "He's a very tenacious, hard-working player," Nill said. Coach Stan Butler was also pleased with Oulahan´s performances during the season. "He a very complete player and is getting better every game. It's no surprise. I knew he could play at this level." coach Stan Butler said. He was ranked 48th among NA skaters by CSS.

Oulahan is a very good skater who has quick feet and great acceleration. He works hard and is very aware of his defensive duties as a center. He possesses solid hands and is a capable scorer. He sees the ice well and creates offense. Primarily a defensive forward Oulahan is often used in odd man situations, killing penalties or setting up the power play.

Oulahan will have to continue his development in the OHL for two more years.

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2002-03	Brampton	OHL	61	21	22	43	6

Name	Born	Team	League	Height	Weight	Position	Shots
Andreas Sundin	84-03-15	Linköping HC	Elitserien	6-0	178	L	L

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2002-03	Linköping HC	Elitserien	8	0	1	1	0

Andreas Sundin was the first Swede taken in this year's draft by the Detroit Red Wings. During his first season in the Swedish eliteleague, Sundin only played eight games. Linköping is a "veteran loaded" team that buys most of its players. But as the team was forced to play in the relegation playoffs Andreas was given more ice time. He took the promotion and ran with it. He scored only one goal in seven games but his play was good enough to convince Red Wings scout Håkan Andersson that he is a legitimate NHL prospect. "He has a scoring touch. He had a very good wrist shot, a real nose for the net. I think he has a chance to be a real scorer." Andersson said.

Sundin is your typical undersized winger who has good speed and scoring touch. He skates very well (good acceleration, quick feet, good top speed) and is a capable scorer. He has a very good shot with a quick release and precison. He works hard all over the ice and is aggressive.

The 19-year-old forward is a solid pickup in the sixth round. He is a good kid who has bright future ahead of him. When asked about what he felt by being drafted by the Red Wiings. He said, "As good as it gets. I knew that there were a few teams that were interested in me, but I didn´t dare to hope for the Wings to draft me. It is, and always has been my favorite team in the NHL. The youngster will now try to make the eliteleague team next season and make big step in his way to the NHL.

Name	Born	Team	League	Height	Weight	Position	Shots
Stefan Blom	85-07-30	Hammarby IF	J-20	6-2	189	D	L

Stefan Blom was another surprise pick by the Red Wings. The 18 year old defenseman was selected with the second pick in the sixth round, 194th overall. He has been playing for Hammarby IF in the Superelite, J-20 league where he scored 4 goals and 6 points in 24 games. He has been playing on the third pairing for most of the season and was given much ice time on the power play. "He hasn't been seen by a lot of other teams, but we like his upside. He's getting better and better." said Jim Nill.

Blom is a big kid who plays a sound two-way game. He has very good mobility and is capable of delivering a nice first pass. He sees the ice well and makes safe plays. He isn`t overly aggressive but he takes his opponent out effectively. He has solid shot from the blue line and is capable of running the power play.

Blom is a longshot to make it to the NHL, but the Wings brass are confident in him. "You're hoping he develops and in three or four years is on the national team." Nill said. The next season Blom will play for Djurgården in the J-20 league and might get a emergency call up to the eliteleague team.

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2002-03	Hammarby	J-20	24	4	2	6	8

Name	Born	Team	League	Height	Weight	Position	Shots
Tomas Kollar	82-02-25	Hammarby	Allsvenskan	6-2	211	LW	L

Tomas Kollar is a 21-year-old left wing who has been playing with Hammarby in the allsvenskan for three years. During the last season he started to get his game together. He scored 18 goals and 31 points in 48 games. This was enough for him to earn a contract with Djurgården, a top team in the eliteleague, for the 2003-04 season. "He's going to get good exposure. He's a big strong guy who skates well." Nill said.

Kollar is a big forward who has a good skating ability. He competes hard and is very aggressive. Tomas also has a good nose for the net and is a capable scorer. He is also a solid playmaker who has good vision.

Kollar will have to make a name for himself in the eliteleague with Djurgården before he can make any plans on moving over the pond. He is at least two years away from North America.

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2002-03	Hammarby	Allsvenskan	48	18	13	31	68

Name	Born	Team	League	Height	Weight	Position	Shots
Valdimir Kutny	85-05-22	Quebec	QMJHL	6-4	194	LW	L

Vladimir Kutny is a "super sleeper" whom the Red Wings scouts were very high on at the end of the last season. After a successful tournament in Czech Republic Wings scouts believed that he could go in the first round in this year's draft. He was drafted to the QMJHL and wasn`t given much ice time. He managed only 19 points in 66 games. "We'll see what happens. He did show good skills over in Europe." Nill said.

Kutny is a big winger who has good skating ability. He has good acceleration and top speed. He likes to throw his body around and is a good body checker. He also possesses a well developed hockey sense and reads the play very well. He has soft hands and is dangerous in the offensive zone.

Kutny will have to bounce back and find his scoring touch for the 2003-04 season. The Wings see him as a sleeper pick who could become another Zetterberg or Datsyuk pick.

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2002-03	Quebec	QMJHL	66	7	12	19	37

Name	Born	Team	League	Height	Weight	Position	Shots
Mikael Johansson	85-06-27	Arvika	SWE-3	5-10	176	C	L

The smallish center Mikael Johansson was a highly touted prospect three years ago when he was named the best forward at the "TV-pucken", a tournament where the top 15-year-olds are playing from all over the Sweden. He has been playing with Arvika in Swe-3 for the last two years where he has been very successful, scoring 14 goals and 55 points in 67 games over a two year span. "He was never really seen by anybody. He's got good skills." Nill said.

Johansson likes to play aggressive in-your-face type of hockey. He is a very good skater with great speed and acceleration. He has soft hands and is abel to handle the puck in full flight. Although being a small player, Johansson is not afraid of getting his nose dirty. He has also very good on ice vision and is a fine playmaker.

The small centre has moved to Skåre, another team in the Swe-3 where he will spend the 2003-04 season. He has already been practicing with Mora of Allsvenskan. There are also some rumors that he´ll be playing with Bofors (Allsvenskan) in the 2004-05 season. He has good skills and attitude. He just needs to grow and gain strength before taking the next step, which is Allsvenskan.

Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
2002-03	Arvika	SWE-3	30	13	28	41	89

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