The general consensus is clear, the Detroit Red Wings know how to draft and this year was no different. Here is what some other websites had to say regarding the way the Wings drafted this year.
From ESPN.com
Detroit Red Wings: A-
Whoever the Red Wings wanted at No. 24 was gone by the time they dealt their pick away. I’d think Tyler Biggs is a reasonable guess on who they were targeting. The trade down still allowed them to draft a first-round talent (Tomas Jurco, the player I had them pegged to take at 24) and two serviceable junior defensemen, Xavier Ouellet and Ryan Sproule.
Sonier’s prime picks: Skill plays in the minds of the Red Wings and they got a gem in Jurco. Ouellet and Sproule have offensive upside as defensemen and fifth-round selection Philippe Hudon hits as hard as any player selected in this draft.
From TheHockeyWriters.com
The All-American City of Detroit continued its tradition of selecting skilled European players. Tomas Jurco has some of the best hands in the draft class, but will need to work on his overall game. Xavier Ouellet may have been selected a little too high; he doesn’t really possess a good “pro” game. Ryan Sproul on the other hand, could look like a great pick down the road.
From the BleacherReport.com
The Detroit Red Wings had been eyeballing Slovak prospect Tomas Jurco since his arrival to the North American Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The Q—as it is affectionately referred to—produced some of greatest young prospects in 2011’s NHL Entry Draft.
The Detroit Free Press goes as far to say that the Red Wings began tracking Jurco in 2009-10 as an underage junior. The team talked regularly this past season with Saint John Sea Dogs Head Coach Gerard Gallant who is a former teammate of Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill.
Jurco had 31 goals and 25 assists for 56 points in 60 games for the Saint John Seadogs in 2011.
Source: BleacherReport.com, ESPN.com, TheHockeyWriters.com
