Yzerman's Draft Strategy and Prospect Profiles Begin - May 13th, 2026
Winged Wheel Podcast - A Detroit Red Wings Podcast
Winged Wheel Podcast
4.9 • 968 Ratings
🗓️ 14 May 2026
⏱️ 99 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
It's time - this Detroit Red Wings podcast breaks down the 2026 NHL Draft strategy for Steve Yzerman with no first-round pick in hand. News and analysis covers Yzerman's free agency options, prospect profiles, Stanley Cup playoff updates, and a coaching shakeup in Toronto.
(00:00) - Intro
Free agency is looking THIN.
(04:25) - 2026 Draft Strategy
With no first-round pick after the Justin Faulk trade, what should Kris Draper and the Red Wings do? The case for swinging for the fences and avoiding the safer Brady Cleveland/Andrew Gibson archetype that's burned them in the past, and how they can get a Stankoven or Hutson of their own.
(13:25) - Trading Up in the Draft
Is moving up worth the cost? Why Sebastian Cossa probably isn't getting it done on his own, and why the 33-38 range could be the sweet spot for catching fallers.
(40:35) - Prospect Profile: Gavin McKenna
Sick puck skills, Kucherov-level vision, and questions about his off-puck effort. Why he's still the favorite to go first overall over Stenberg.
(49:45) - Prospect Profile: Victor Plante
Max Plante's brother and what he could bring as a potential second-round target.
(56:30) - Stanley Cup Playoff Updates
Charlie McAvoy's suspension, the diving problem, and Carolina sitting back watching Montreal and Buffalo beat each other up.
(1:02:45) - NHL news: Berube Fired by Toronto; Cassidy in Demand
Why the move had to happen and what kind of coach the Leafs need next. Vegas blocking interview requests and Edmonton's never-ending dysfunction.
(1:11:05) - Charlie Coyle Contract
Six years, $6 million AAV, full no-move through age 38 - what does this mean for this year's July 1st market?>
(1:19:55) - Overtime Questions
Your questions on Kyrou, Brady Tkachuk rumors, Mackie Samoskevich, and more.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Wingwheel podcast, the number one source for news, analysis, and discussion on the Detroit Red Wings, the NHL, and all things hockey. |
| 0:19.2 | Here are your hosts, Ryan Hanna, |
| 0:21.5 | Brad Criscoe, |
| 0:22.5 | and Evan Lopsinger. |
| 0:28.5 | This free agency class is so thin |
| 0:30.6 | that I'm actually worried we're going to see Franz Nielsen |
| 0:32.7 | out there as an available option again. |
| 0:36.4 | Like, |
| 0:36.8 | who's left? |
| 1:12.3 | You know who has it the world. Who has it the worst or the like the TV broadcasts? Like these are their jobs. It's not like us, it's where we're like, ah, we can just do a lighter live stream or, you know, we'll switch it up to accommodate. It's like no, TV broadcasts who are already struggling with like, you know, trade deadline day coverage, they have to do all this draft coverage. And then the free agency coverage right after, and there's nothing going to, it's not, it's empty. There's nothing there left for free agents. So wait until they add two more teams. Franz Nielsen will be on that list. |
| 1:13.5 | He's going to be a second line center. |
| 1:18.0 | They might actually repeat one of the Nielsen or abdilcator contracts. |
| 1:20.7 | And this is abdilcators off the books now. |
| 1:23.9 | And I'm actually, it's like a non-0.0.001% chance. It's like he comes back. |
| 1:25.9 | This is bad. |
| 1:31.9 | I don't know. I was talking on the the blue shirts breakaway about the whole, you know, the way the league is trending. We've talked about |
| 1:37.0 | a lot on this show, but the way the rules are set up right now and, you know, adding more teams |
| 1:41.1 | in the future, it's going to be really hard to see any kind of player movement at all year over year in the NHL. Like, good teams are going to stay good for so long. Like, oh, this guy is 33. He's not the same as he was when he was 29. Yeah, great. All the other teams who wanted him couldn't get anyone close to that caliber, so you're still going to be better than them. |
| 2:05.0 | It's better for the Red Wings who are in a division where the good teams are some of the younger ones. |
| 2:05.7 | Yeah, it's awesome. |
| 2:06.8 | Can't wait for our next 15 years. |
| 2:09.0 | Should we just do our Atlantic Division preview today? |
... |
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