The Wings loaded with young guns

The Detroit Red Wings have been working on the 2013 entry draft for the past 18 months and it paid off when they claimed 5 of the first 6 picks this week at the entry draft in New Jersey.  "We knew it was an extraordinary draft this year, we worked hard and sacrificed key elements to get the best of the class... the organization and the fans are ecstatic, this is just unbelievable!"  Boucher said.  

Nathan MacKinnon was selected 1st overall, followed by his teammate in Halifax, Jonathan Drouin.  The great young Finnish player, Alek Barkov also took Detroit's direction and with MacKinnon they will secure the center man position for many years to come.  Two weeks ago, the Wings sent to Chicago promising forward Tyler Seguin and d man Erik Gudbranson and received the 4th and the 12 picks in the first round.  "Knowing these 3 top forwards were heading to Detroit, Seguin was now available" explained Cyr.  "Seth Jones was also a priority and we've paid the big price to be able to draft him".  "Having no prospect in the net other than Markstrom, we wanted to acquire Fucale but it was obvious that he wouldn't be there at the end of the 1st round where we were drafting again... to also get the 12th pick overall from the Hawks was the key element in this trade". 

With the sixth pick overall, the Wings claimed the russian's sensation, Valeri Nichushkin. "We have no doubt Nichushkin is committed to play and have a great career in North America.  He is as talented as all the players drafted before him, he's a wonderful addition!" Boucher said.  D man Ian McCoshen was selected 30th overall with the Wings' 7th and last pick in this first round.

11 more players were selected by the Wings in this year's draft; promising winger Valentin Zykov, Gustav Possler, Will Butcher, Dylan Labbe,  Wilhelm Westlund, Brenden Kichton, Aleksi Makela, Michael Brodzinski, Mitch Wheaton,  goaltenders Eric Comrie and Merrick Madsen.

With players like Crosby, Tavares, Huberdeau, Kopitar and veterans like Datsyuk and Zetterberg who are talking about contract extensions with the Wings, it's obvious Detroit now have too many quality forwards and one or more trades can be expected.  Players like Jenner, Scheifele, Teravainen, Rattie and Kuznetsov might be shopped around to acquire young top quality D man.