Welcome to Day 2 of the 2025 NHL draft. One person who is curious how today will unfold is Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman.
Yzerman made trades during Round 2 and Round 3, acquiring goalie John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks, and then swapping the Wings’ second third-round pick for two fourths (one in 2026).
The Red Wings held picks at Nos. 44, 75, 76, 119, 140, 172, 204 and 211 overall entering Day 2, taking place Saturday, June 28, live at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. About 100 prospects are there – and 32 of them were selected Friday, June 27, in the first round – while team hockey operations personnel stayed home and enjoyed the decentralized format.
The Red Wings used their first-round pick at No. 13 overall to select Carter Bear, a versatile forward with a high-energy inner drive and a knack for scoring from any position.
Red Wings wrap it up in Round 7
Grayden Robertson-Palmer (No. 204) is a 5-foot-11, 197-pound forward who played at Phillips-Andover Academy in 2024-25.
They had another pick at No. 211, but sent that to the Calgary Flames for their seventh round pick in 2026.
Red Wings draft Will Murphy in Round 6
Drafted No. 172 overall, Will Murphy (6-4, 209) recorded four points in 54 games last season playing for Cape Breton in the QMJHL. He uses his big frame to deny opponents space and deliver a physical game.
Red Wings draft Nikita Tyurin in Round 5
Drafted No. 140 overall, Nikita Tyurin is a 6-0, 174-pound defenseman from Moscow who plays in Russia’s junior league, producing 20 points in 50 games in 2024-25 with Spartak Moscow. He’s a mobile defender and solid puck mover.
Red Wings add Brent Solomon, Michal Svrcek in Round 4
The Wings used the No. 109 pick, added in an earlier trade, to draft Slovakian Brent Solomon, a 6-0, 173-pound right winger out of Minnesota. He’s headed to play at the University of Wisconsin in 2025-26.
At No. 119, the Wings took Michal Svrcek, also from Slovakia, is a forward who can play center or left wing. He’s been playing in the junior league in Sweden and is slated to play next season for the Brynäs hockey club.
Red Wings trade own pick in Round 3
Just as they were about to make their selection at No. 76, the Wings traded the pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Wings got a 2025 fourth round pick (No. 109) and a fourth-round pick in 2026 in the deal.
Red Wings draft Michal Pradel with first pick in Round 3
At No. 75, the Wings added Michal Pradel, a Slovakian goaltender. This is the pick the Wings received from Utah in the Olli Määttä trade.
Pradel (6 foot 5, 199 pounds) spent most of 2024-25 playing for the Tri-City Storm in the USHL. He posted a 2.41 goals-against average and .899 save percentage in 14 games. He also represented his country at the U-18 worlds, recording a 2.46 GAA and .914 save percentage in seven games.
Red Wings draft Swede, Eddie Genborg, in Round 2
It wouldn’t be a Wings draft without adding a Swede to their pipeline. With the 44th pick, they selected forward Eddie Genborg, an 18-year-old who is earmarked to play for Timrå in the Swedish Hockey League next season. Genborg posted 34 points in 28 games with Linköping’s junior team this past season, and had two assists in two games with their SHL club. The 6-foot-2, 196-pound winger is scouted as a physical two-way player.
Red Wings begin NHL draft Day 2 with a trade
About half an hour into day two, news broke that the Wings had acquired goaltender John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks, sending Petr Mrazek and two draft picks to Yzerman’s former colleague, Ducks GM Pat Verbeek.
Gibson, 31, is a veteran of 506 NHL games with a career 2.89 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. He has two years left on a deal with a $6.4 million salary cap hit.
With Mrazek (a trade-deadline acquisition in March) out of the picture, Gibson and Cam Talbot shape up to be Detroit’s tandem in goal in 2025-25.
Red Wings NHL draft picks today
Here’s a look at the Red Wings’ Day 2 picks from Rounds 2-7:
Steve Yzerman a homebody at heart
The change in format suited Yzerman, who said he likes that “we are in our own confines, it’s not as noisy as being in a big arena. It’s a little bit more relaxed for us. I’m in favor of doing it from our home building.”
But (there’s always one of those), he did wonder as he spoke to reporters around 11:30 p.m. at the conclusion of Round 1, four-and-a-half hours after it began, how Day 2 would go. When the NHL held remote drafts during the pandemic, the second days were a marathon. (On site, they’re usually over in five hours.)
“The first round is pretty easy because it’s not the fastest pace,” Yzerman said. “During the pandemic, we did it twice, and (the second day) really dragged on. But I like the format.”
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her latest book, “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings, A Curated History of the Red Wings,” was released October 2024. Her books, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings NHL draft Day 2: Seven more players added to pipeline
Reporting by Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
