Red Wings Have Nine Draft Picks, Small Shot at Second Overall Pick

With just one game remaining in the regular season, the Detroit Red Wings sit in sixth place in the Atlantic Division and hold the 12th position in the pre-lottery draft order. Following a disappointing season, the team is now focused on the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft, scheduled for June 27 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The Red Wings have a 5.1% chance to land the second overall pick in the lottery and an 85.7% likelihood of remaining at No. 12. Due to current NHL rules, Detroit cannot move into the top slot from their current position.

Detroit's recent win over New Jersey reduced the likelihood of improving their draft standing, with the New York Islanders now out of reach in tenth place. The Red Wings' odds of winning the lottery sit at just 2.5%. San Jose leads all teams with an 18.5% chance of securing the top pick, followed by Chicago at 13.5% and Nashville at 11.5%.

Top prospects include 17-year-old defenseman Matthew Schaefer, who logged seven goals and 15 assists in 17 games for Erie, and 18-year-old forward Michael Misa, who tallied an impressive 62 goals and 72 assists for Saginaw.

Detroit enters the draft with nine total picks, including No. 12 overall, No. 44 in the second round, and multiple selections in later rounds. These include picks at 75, 76, 122, 140, 172, 204, and 212, with extra selections acquired through trades with New York (third round), Tampa Bay (fourth), and St. Louis (seventh).

The draft lottery, expected in May, will determine whether the Red Wings can improve their draft position. However, with league rules allowing teams to move up a maximum of 10 spots, the top overall pick remains mathematically out of reach for Detroit this year.