The Detroit Red Wings are preparing for the 2025 NHL Draft, with general manager Steve Yzerman looking to build out the franchise’s future after a disappointing 2024-25 season.
The Red Wings have the No. 13 overall pick in the first round of the draft, which will take place on Friday, June 27, at 7 p.m. ET.
One factor Yzerman will have to consider while planning out his team’s draft strategy is who the Red Wings drafted in 2024 and how their futures have projected over the past year.
According to The Athletic, the Red Wings have the NHL’s fifth-best farm system as of February, with 2024 draft picks Michael Brandsegg-Nygård and Max Plante all ranking highly in the team’s system.
Here’s a recap of who the Red Wings drafted in the 2024 NHL Draft:
Round 1: RW Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (No. 15 overall)
Brandsegg-Nygård made history in 2024 becoming the first Norwegian player to be drafted in the first round. And while he isn’t as highly-rated a prospect as 2023 first-round pick Axel Sandin Pellikka, his teammate at Skellefteå in Sweden, the winger still projects to be a contributor at the top level according to prospect experts.
Round 2: C Max Plante (No. 47)
The son of former NHLer Derek Plante, Max Plante was taken in the second round by the Red Wings in 2024 before joining the University of Minnesota-Duluth. While playing for the Bulldogs, the freshman scored nine goals and recorded 19 assists over 23 games in the 2024-25 season.
Round 3: C Ondřej Becher (No. 80)
The Czech center spent his first season in the Red Wings’ system with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, where he scored 10 goals and recorded 10 assists over 59 games played.
Round 4: G Landon Miller (No. 126)
The 19-year-old goalie spent the 2024-25 season in the Ontario Hockey League for the Soo Greyhounds, where he registered an .877 save percentage while allowing 4.07 goals per game. The Red Wings landed Miller in the draft after a trade with the Dallas Stars.
Round 5: D John Whipple (No. 144)
The 19-year-old from Minnetonka, Minnesota played on the silver medal-winning U-18 Team USA squad at the 2024 IIHF Men’s World Championship, scoring one goal over seven games. He is currently playing at the University of Minnesota.
Round 6: LW Charlie Forslund (No. 176)
The winger from Sweden is still playing in his home country, currently in the junior J20 league with Mora IK.
Round 7: LW Austin Baker (No. 203)
Baker is a local pick, with the winger born in White Lake Township and committed to playing at Michigan State heading into his freshman season.
Round 7: D Fisher Scott (No. 208)
Finishing off their 2024 draft class with another American, the Red Wings selected the Colorado College defenseman with their second seventh-round pick.
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Who did Detroit Red Wings draft last year? Checking in on their 2024 class
Reporting by Christian Romo, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
