The Detroit Red Wings walked out of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft with seven picks, one in every round, and Steve Yzerman’s approach looked different this time around.
In his eighth draft as general manager since taking over in 2019, Yzerman moved away from the familiar safety-first formula that had defined a lot of his previous work. Instead of leaning on responsible, two-way players, he chased more skill. The result was a class that felt more aggressive, more upside-driven, and a little less predictable.
The headliner came at No. 23 overall, where Detroit took J.P. Hurlbert after trading Sebastian Cossa.
Hurlbert, the WHL Rookie of the Year and a University of Michigan commit, brings speed, energy and plenty of offensive talent. He’ll spend the next year at U of M, but could be in position to make the roster as early as 2027-28.
He’s drawn comparisons ranging from Blake Wheeler to Kyle Palmieri, and he already picked up an invite to the World Junior Summer Showcase. For a team looking to stock its future forward group, this was the kind of swing Yzerman needed to take.
Detroit stayed on the skill side in the second round with Victor Plante at No. 47.
The younger brother of Hobey Baker winner Max Plante joins the organization with a reputation for hockey sense and a game built on outthinking opponents at both ends of the ice. Some mock drafts didn’t have him anywhere close to that spot, but the Red Wings clearly saw enough to make the call.
He’s been compared to Jonathan Marchessault of the Nashville Predators, which at least points to a player with some edge and compete in him.
The third round brought a familiar organizational move: a goalie. Michal Orsulak went 79th overall, becoming the sixth goaltender and third Michal in the Red Wings’ prospect pool.
He earned praise for his mobility and aggressiveness, two traits that fit a position group that needed them after Sebastian Cossa’s departure. His coaches also describe him as one of the most positive players on the roster.
That won’t show up on a stat sheet, but it’s part of the package Detroit is betting on.
Adam Levac arrived in the fourth round at No. 108, and he fits a different mold entirely. He plays with an edge and isn’t shy about confrontation, as shown by a suspension he picked up last season for htis move.
The Red Wings have been asking for a lunatic, and Levac brings that kind of bite. He also has a competitive streak similar to Carter Mazur’s, making him one of the more classic Yzerman-style picks in a draft that otherwise leaned toward a new direction.
Beckham Edwards, taken 143rd overall in the fifth round, adds to the growing NCAA theme in this class. He’s a Notre Dame commit, joining Hurlbert at U of M, Plante at Minnesota-Duluth and Orsulak at Northeastern among the college-bound picks.
Edwards played on a Sarnia Sting team that didn’t do him many favors, but the raw production doesn’t tell the whole story. He’s the type who notices the details, adjusts as he goes and could see his numbers jump with better support around him.
In the sixth round, Detroit took Luka Arkko at No. 175.
The 6-foot-3 Finnish power forward brings work ethic, physical play and more mobility than you might expect. He can cut across the crease quickly and close on opponents before they have time to react.
The big unknown is how that game will translate to North American ice, and the team he’ll play for next year also remains unresolved. Still, the physical tools are there.
The draft wrapped with Myles Brosnan at No. 196, the only defenseman Detroit selected. He might be the best sleeper of the group.
Brosnan has been ranked as high as 50 in some pre-draft lists and as low as 132 in others, which makes him exactly the kind of late-round dart throw that can pay off. He’s committed to Harvard next season, making him the fifth of Detroit’s seven picks headed to the NCAA in 2026-27.
With a seventh-rounder, the goal is simple: take the biggest swing available. On paper, Brosnan fits that mission.
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Tralmaks has made clear he was not especially happy with how things played out in Detroit, even as he said he was proud of what he accomplished last season. For a Red Wings system that has searched for offense wherever it can find it, losing a scorer at the AHL level stings a little more when the player had just put together the sort of year fans hoped would earn a reward. The unresolved part is whether Detroit ever saw him as part of the long-term picture, or only as a useful name after the fact. [Read more 🡒]
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For Detroit fans, the complication is obvious: Kane remains one of the leagues biggest free-agent storylines, and any outside interest only adds another layer to a decision that could shape the Red Wings plans. The ties between Kane and Edmontons leadership are well known, which is why the idea has some traction, but there has been no official offer or signing. For now, it leaves the Red Wings watching a market that could still bend in their direction, even as another team tries to pull the conversation elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Camp Just Sparked New Buzz Around One KHL Invitee
A familiar name from the KHL is getting a closer look in Detroit this week, as a Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod forward is attending Red Wings development camp while still under contract in Russia through May 31, 2027. Torpedo general manager Evgeny Zabuga said the player has not been drafted by any NHL club, which makes the visit notable on its own and gives the camp a little more intrigue than a standard summer workout.
Zabuga also made it clear Torpedo would like to keep the forward in place beyond the current deal, saying the club would be interested in a one-year extension to hold onto him for the 2027-28 season. For Detroit, the draw is obvious: a young KHL forward with a real chance to force his way onto the radar, and a camp appearance that suggests this trip is more than a courtesy stop. [Read more 🡒]