Detroit Red Wings could select David Pastrnak type of player with their thirteenth overall draft pick

The Detroit Red Wings will select 13th overall in the 2025 NHL draft set for June 27 in Los Angeles, after slipping from 12th in the lottery.

No team has dropped more spots in draft lotteries than Detroit, and it's become a yearly let down for Red Wings fans.

Although an insider recently suggested that they trade the 13th overall draft selection, the Red Wings should analyze what they're working with and what they could potentially miss out on.

Detroit's blue line is solid with youth-movement talents such as Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson.

Instead, Yzerman craves an elite sniper, according to a recent report.

Two seven-game win streaks under new coach Todd McLellan, who replaced Derek Lalonde in December, cost Detroit better lottery odds.

The team finished with 86 points, down from 91 the prior season, and Yzerman's past draft pick of Lucas Raymond really was a brightside to a dreadful season at times.

In a recent mock draft, The Athletic's Max Bultman projected Detroit drafting Victor Eklund, a 5'11», 161-pound right-winger from Djurgården in the Swedish Hockey League.

Eklund's brother William plays for San Jose, the draft-eligble brother posted 19 goals and 12 assists in 42 games in 2024-25.

His 0.60 points-per-game rate matches elite SHL draft-year players like Elias Pettersson and David Pastrňák.

Yzerman could also target Justin Carbonneau, an 18-year-old right-winger with 46 goals and 43 assists in 62 games for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.