Detroit Red Wings 2009 Draft Review

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

As the 2009 draft commenced on June 27, my thoughts were that the Detroit Red Wings had an amazing draft. They got two great players with the second-round picks they had, and they rounded out their prospect pool with some good players.

Pictured above are new Detroit Red Wings Landon Ferraro (left) and World Junior Championship star Tomas Tatar.

First Round, 32nd Overall:

Landon Ferraro—C, Red Deer (WHL). 5'11", 168 lbs.

The son of former NHL star Ray Ferraro, Landon was expected to go in the first round, but he fell to the Detroit Red Wings, and I couldn't be happier. Landon played for an abysmal team in Red Deer and still scored 37 goals while playing with a bunch of scrubs.

He factored into the majority of Red Deer goals, and next year will be playing with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who is the best 15 year-old in the country and managed over a point per game in his five-game trial. Expect Ferraro to near the 50-goal plateau next season.

Strengths: His skating is a huge asset and he has an amazing work ethic. His shot is NHL-caliber already and he has one of the quickest releases in the WHL. He is not afraid to go into the corners despite his size.

Weaknesses: His size is a concern and like most young players he needs to improve on the defensive side of the game. Fortunately, you can teach a player to play defensively, Ferraro`s offensive game is what can`t be taught.

Potential: Scoring line center

Second Round, 60th Overall:

Tomas Tatar—C, Zvolen HKm (Slovak). 5'11", 176 lbs.

Tomas Tatar first got the hockey worlds attention with his incredible World Junior Championship performance, leading Team Slovakia to a fourth-place finish and a higher rank then the United States

Many see him as being a few years away from making an NHL impact, and he may come over next year to play in the Canadian Hockey League.

Strengths: Like Ferraro, Tatar has an incredible shot and extremely quick release. He also has great hockey sense and is always in the right spot to score goals. He is defensively responsible and plays on the PP and PK.

Weaknesses: He is also a small player and must put on some weight to make an impact with the Wings. His foot speed isn't the best, but he can accelerate fast and I can't see it being to much of a problem for him.

Potential: Scoring line center

Third Round, 70th Overall:

Andrej Nestrasil—C, Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL). 6'2", 200 lbs.

Another player who played on a weak team, Nestrasil came over from the Czech Republic to play in the QMJHL. He showed flashes of brilliance this year, but was also benched in December for a lack of work ethic.

Strengths: Has great size and a goal scorer's touch. Another player with great hands and a nose for the net. He is also not afraid to get physical with the opposing players.

Weaknesses: He has slow foot speed because he has a large upper body, but his legs are extremely thin. His technique is good though so expect him to get faster once he works on his legs this summer.

Potential: Scoring line center

Third Round, 90th Overall:

Gleason Fournier—D, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL). 6'0", 176 lbs.

Fournier is supposed to be an offensive defensemen but only scored three goals this year in the wide open QMJHL. The talent is there, but he is a huge project that needs to improve on many areas of the game. At the very least, he is probably four years away or more.

Strengths: Has extreme offensive potential and is a good power-play quarterback. He can move the puck quickly and can make great outlet passes to his forwards.

Weaknesses: Not very good in his own zone and is pushed around easily. His shot needs improvement and he needs to put on more weight.

He also has trouble making the right decisions with the puck and doesn`t have very good hockey sense.

Potential: Power play quarterback/third pairing defensemen

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