When a team like the Detroit Red Wings drafts in the second round, the hope is that a player the team had rated in the first round drops into the second.
That’s particularly true this year for the Red Wings who surrendered their 2026 first-round pick (No. 15) to the St. Louis Blues in the Justin Faulk trade.
But the hard truth is that statistically an NHL team only has a 23% to 34% chance (depending upon which study is used) of drafting a player who logs 200 NHL games. The numbers grow grimmer the lower a team is picking in the second round.
With that in mind, we asked NHL draft analyst Russ Cohen (Sirius radio and hockeydraftbuzz.com) to tell us if there was a chance the Red Wings might find a center in the second round. That’s probably their biggest need in their prospect pool. Cohen offered a short list of centers he believes are intriguing and might be available for Red Wings at No. 47.
His top choice is Medicine hat’s Markus Ruck, the identical twin of Liam Ruck, a winger projected to go in the first round. Markus Ruck posted 108 points to Liam’s 105. The Twins are not big players.
The Detroit Hockey Now guess would be is that some team will make a deal to take both twins in the first round, creating a Sedins twins-like situation. The difference of course is that the Sedins were can’t-miss prospects. The Rucks have doubters.
“Will (Markus) be there (at No. 47?) Cohen said. “Would they trade up for him? Good speed, quick shot; he shields the puck from the opposition, which at six feet will be important going up the ladder. Has to get physically stronger to be better at face-offs. Is he a center in the NHL is the question that will be asked at some point.”
Cohen also likes Thomas Chrenko who is projected to land early in the second round.
“He had solid world juniors,” Cohen said. “His wrist shot is pro quality. The release is fast and will translate to the pros. He plays in all situations. He has a game speed, a patient passer, and decent on draws playing against men. His defense needs refining.
Cohen sees Sarnia Sting center Beckham Edwards (19 goals, 26 assists) as a safe pick at No. 47.
“A bit boring, but sometimes GMs want that,” Cohen said. “I wanted to see more offense this year. He plays in all situations. He’s committed to Notre Dame in 2027-28.
New Jersey-born Blake Zielinski scored 25 goals and added 30 assists for 55 points in 53 games for the Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL).
“He can play in all situations,” Cohen said. “He improved a lot this season. A true center who battles. A quality kid who has top nine potential. Good speed and a very high hockey IQ.”
DHN added Team USA’s Victor Plante to the list. He’s younger brother of Red Wings draft pick and Hobey Baker winner Max Plante. His father is former NHL Derek Plante. Like his brother, he’s a smart player who sweats the details. High motor. Strong work ethic. The question is how much will he score? He scored 19 goals this past season. At worse, he’s a third line performer who helps you win and provides secondary scoring. He will be playing with his two brothers at Minnesota-Duluth.
Oscar Holmeritz (Linkoping Jr, Sweden): He’s skilled 6-foot-1 player with noteworthy potential. Consistency has been a snag in his development thus far.
