The 2021 NHL Entry Draft is just around the corner and the top selections are still shrouded in mystery. Owen Power is projected as the number one pick but after that not much is known about which direction the other 31 teams will go. The Detroit Red Wings are one of those teams that find themselves at a crossroads after their best goaltender prospect in Keith Petruzzelli elected to enter free agency. This has fanned the rumors that Detroit is interested in drafting Swedish goaltender Jesper Wallstedt at 6th Overall.
With the holes that the Red Wings have in their goalie pipeline, it can be tempting to pursue a goalie relatively high in the draft. However, a goalie drafted at 6th Overall can be a very risky move as they are hard to project and take several years to develop. This concern combined with Detroit’s failure to produce goaltenders at the NHL level recently could be a very costly investment for a team that can’t afford to make mistakes at this stage in their rebuild. Detroit has a glaring hole at center, Dylan Larkin is a great leader and player but isn’t going to be a number one center on a cup winning team unless he gets someone of equal talent to center him on the second line. Potential centers like William Eklund, Matty Beniers, Kent Johnson, or even Mason McTavish could be great fits for the Red Wings down the middle. There’s also potential in drafting a blue-liner like Luke Hughes, Brandt Clarke, or Simon Edvinsson to pair alongside Mortiz Seider, who will make his NHL debut next season. Center and a left-shot defenseman are much bigger needs then goalie at this stage of the rebuild.
While the Red Wings have more pressing issues than their goalie future, they are admittedly in a unique situation. This year’s draft is considered weaker than normal due to no true-cut best player and a lack of scouting due to Covid-19. This could make GM Steve Yzerman swing for the fences and draft the best goalie prospect since Carey Price in Wallstedt. While this is unlikely, given his recent comments on the upcoming draft, nothing can ever be ruled out with Yzerman. There’s a possibility Detroit instead looks at drafting goalie Sebastian Cossa at pick 22, which they received in the Mantha-Vrana trade. Cossa’s projected potential may not be higher than Wallstedt but this would allow Detroit to get both a high end center and a good net minder.
The Wallstedt Question has caused a temporary rift in the Red Wings fandom as some want to draft the goalie of the future while others want to be more cautious. It is valid for Red Wings fans to be concerned about their future in net with the loss of Petruzzelli just a few days ago, but without a trade back Detroit could be wasting some value with their pick. If Wallstedt pans out he could be a great goalie for the Red Wings for years to come. However, if he falters then that could put Detroit behind in their rebuild and cause some issues down the line. There’s no certain or simple answer to the Red Wings woes right now. Steve Yzerman, Pat Verbeek, and Kris Draper will have to analyze their options at 6th Overall and decide whether or not to put the chips in on Jesper Wallstedt.
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