Detroit Red Wings 2015 draft review: Squandered picks and what they could have had

Players from the surrounding drafts already have made an impact for the Detroit Red Wings, but five years out, the 2015 class is looking like a dud.

The Wings made six picks at the June 26-27 event in Sunrise, Florida. It was the year of forward Connor McDavid, the generational talent who went first overall to the Edmonton Oilers, the fourth time in six years they picked first. 

The Wings, whose draft table at the time was run by general manager Ken Holland and chief amateur scout Tyler Wright, made their first selection at No. 19, choosing forward Evgeny Svechnikov. They didn’t have a pick in the second round because it was sent to Dallas as part of a trade that turned out badly for the Wings.

Where forward Dylan Larkin (15th, 2014) and defenseman Filip Hronek (53rd, 2016) have established themselves as key rebuilding blocks, Svechnikov’s career has been marked by inconsistency and injury.

The Wings’ 2015 class on the whole has disappointed and is more notable for who they could have had (highlighted by a couple of 20-goal scorers) and why they had only six picks. Their selection at No. 49 was packaged to the Stars as part of the Erik Cole trade. The Stars used it on forward Roope Hintz, who scored 19 goals for them this season, and also gained Mattias Janmark, has played 143 games for them the past two seasons.

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Cole lasted 11 games before suffering a career-ending injury.

This is the first in a series examining the Wings’ past five drafts. The lottery for the 2020 draft, delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, is scheduled for June 26. Under the format announced May 26 as part of the NHL’s plan to resume play, the Wings will pick no worse than fourth overall. 

F Evgeny Svechnikov

Drafted: No. 19

Draft year: 32 goals, 46 assists for 78 points in 55 games with Cape Breton (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League).

Scouting report: Considered a complete package of size, skill and strength.

Wingspan: Svechnikov had a promising first year of pro hockey, with 20 goals and 31 assists in 74 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2016-17, and 12 points in 19 playoff games en route to the Calder Cup championship.

He went through growing pains the following season, producing just seven goals and 16 assists in 57 games with the Griffins, and two goals and two assists in 14 games with the Wings.

Svechnikov, 23, missed all of 2018-19 because of reconstructive knee surgery after getting hurt during the exhibition season. He looked better than expected (considering he hadn’t played in a year) at training camp in 2019, but began the season in Grand Rapids, where he had a goal and two assists his first game.

He yoyo-ed between Grand Rapids and Detroit the rest of October: called up for three games (did not to play) ... back to GR for two ... called up to play in four games (no points).

Then he was sent down days before he could realize his dream of playing in the NHL against his younger brother, Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov.

He finished with 11 goals and 14 points in 51 games with Grand Rapids.

This was Svechnikov’s last season of being waiver exempt, so he’ll have to be on next season’s roster. He projects as a bottom-six winger.

In hindsight: The Wings could have had forward Brock Boeser (23rd, Vancouver Canucks), an All-Star who was a finalist for the Calder trophy in 2018 after producing 29 goals among 55 points 62 games.

Boeser scored 26 goals in 2018-19 and was on pace for a third straight 20-goal season when the NHL shut down March 12.  Forward Travis Konecny (24th, Philadelphia Flyers) has recorded three straight 24-goal seasons.

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D Vili Saarijarvi

Drafted: No. 73

Draft year: Six goals, 17 assists for 23 points in 57 games with the Green Bay Gamblers (United States Hockey League).

Scouting report: Mobile and smart player. 

Wingspan: Spent two season with the Griffins (27 points in 112 games from 2017-18 to 2018-19). Saarijarvi had fallen on the depth chart when general manager Steve Yzerman traded him to Arizona for goaltender Eric Comrie in November. Comrie lasted three games (0-2, 4.28 goals-against average, .864 save percentage) before the Wings waived him, but Saarijarvi does not appear to have a future in the NHL.

In hindsight: The Wings could have had forward Denis Malgin (102nd, Florida Panthers), who has 60 points in 192 career NHL games. 

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G Joren van Pottelberghe

Drafted: No. 110

Draft year: 1.25 GAA in 15 games with Linkoping J20.

Scouting report: Hard worker.

Wingspan: Never played in the organization, but is notable because he’s the reason Kris Draper and Claude Lemieux spoke for the first time since Lemieux’s hit on Draper in the 1996 playoffs. Lemieux was van Pottelberghe’s agent, and approached Draper (who was part of the Wings’ amateur scouting staff) the day after the draft.

In hindsight: The Wings could have had forward Mathieu Joseph (120th, Tampa Bay Lightning). He has 33 points in 107 games.

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F Chase Pearson

Drafted: No. 140

Draft year: 12 goals, 14 assists for 26 points in 57 games with Youngstown Phantoms (USHL).

Scouting report: Good size, skill.

Wingspan: Captain at University of Maine his sophomore and junior years. Produced eight goals and 14 assists in 59 games with the Griffins this season. Very coachable, hard worker with leadership qualities who might develop into an NHL grinder.

In hindsight: The Wings could have had forward Adam Gaudette (149th, Vancouver), who scored 12 goals in 59 games this season.

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D Patrick Holway

Drafted: No. 170

Draft year: Eight goals, 17 assists for 25 points in 28 games with Boston Advantage (Tier 1 EHL U18).

Scouting report: Good skater for his size (6-foot-5) and good hockey sense. 

Wingspan: Spent two seasons at Maine (10 goals, 22 assists in 66 games overall). Took a year off, then transferred to Merrimack College, where he had three goals and seven assists in 17 games in 2019-20. Wings still own his rights.

In hindsight: The Wings could have had defenseman Markus Nutivaara (189th, Columbus Blue Jackets), who has 60 points in 244 NHL games. 

F Adam Marsh

Drafted: No. 200

Draft year: 24 goals, 20 assists for 44 points in 60 games with Saint John (QMJHL).

Scouting report: Good skater, hard shot. 

Wingspan: Never played for the organization; no longer in system.

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter.