Red Wings' Draft Class: Our Review

By Will Burchfield
Twitter: Burchie_kid
The Red Wings added seven players to their organization during last weekend's entry draft, including four promising young defensemen. Most notably, though, they were able to unload Pavel Datsyuk's $7.5 million cap hit by trading his contract to the cash-strapped Coyotes. That move alone helped the Wings emerge as winners in Buffalo, but the draft was a success for reasons beyond their cap situation. The prospects they picked up will help solidify the organization's pipeline moving forward. Here's a glance at each one.

Dennis Cholowski, D, 1^st Round, 20^th overall  

The Wings had to swap first-round picks with the Coyotes as part of the Datsyuk trade, dropping from 16^th to 20^th overall. Still, Cholowski represents good value for a late first-round selection. He is a smooth-skating, move-the-puck defenseman, just the kind of blue-line talent the Wings have been lacking of late. Most scouts project him as a steady, second-pair d-man.

Quotable: "He's just a heckuva hockey player. He's got great mobility, he's a very good skater, he's got good puck skills, he can move pucks very well. He can jump into the rush, he can defend plays in all situations." – Tyler Wright, Red Wings' Director of Amateur Scouting

Givani Smith, F, 2^nd Round, 46^th overall

A player who adds some serious toughness to the team's prospect ranks. Smith scored 23 goals in 65 games for the Guelph Storm of the OHL last season, mostly by going hard to the net and doing the game's dirty work. The Wings have been knocked in recent years for being small and somewhat timid up front, and Smith is the perfect answer to that.

Quotable: "He's a big, strong kid, powerful kid, who plays nasty. That's an innate instinct. You either have it or you don't have it." – Tyler Wright

Filip Hronek, D, 2^nd Round, 53^rd overall

Detroit doubled down on its commitment to drafting puck-moving defensemen, getting another – albeit less refined – version of Cholowski in Hronek. He showed an ability to play above his age last season in the Czech Republic, where he was a boy among men.

Quotable: "Very competitive. Real good character, almost captain-like, more so than we normally see in a lot of European players." – Hakan Andersson, Red Wings' Director of European Scouting

Alfons Malmstrom, D, 4^th Round, 107^th overall  

Though not as offensively inclined as Cholowski or Hronek, Malmstrom is a noticeable player in his own right. He's 6'2 and still growing, and plays a physical game complimentary of his size. A true stay-at-home, defensive defenseman.

Quotable: He's a big defenseman, mobile, and still growing. He's closing in on 6'4. Mean, blocks shots, and does everything you want to hear about a guy like that." – Hakan Andersson

Jordan Sambrook, D, 5^th Round, 137^th overall  

Another imposing, young blue-liner, the 6'2 Sambrook has more of the offensive potential seen in Cholowski and Hronek. He put up 27 points in 67 games for the OHL's Erie Otters last season, and improved his defensive game in the process. Sambrook's NHL ceiling is probably as a bottom-four defenseman.

Quotable: "Can play lengthy shifts due to his conservative style without the puck, and can be relied upon in all situations. Mobile with and without the puck, and could even become a bit quicker." – Curtis Joe, EliteProspects.com

Filip Larsson, G, 6^th Round, 167^th overall

Despite struggling through an injury-plagued 2015-16 season, Larsson was one of the most well-regarded European goalies in this year's draft. A low-risk, high-reward pick given where he was selected.

Quotable:" We hired a goalie coach in Sweden and he's extremely excited about [Larsson]. He thinks he is a natural goalie talent." – Hakan Andersson

Mattias Elfstrom, 7^th Round, 197^th overall

The third Swede picked by the Wings along with Malmstrom and Larsson, Elfstrom is an intriguing prospect. He is a 6'3 power forward with great offensive upside. Detroit was just about the only team in on the relatively unknown Elfstrom, a scenario that's certainly worked out well for them in the past.

Quotable "A big forward with a lot of skill and hockey sense. I was pushing to pick him in the earlier rounds. It worked out real well for us." –