First Attempt at a Mock Draft 2019

Round 1, pick #6: Bowen Byram, D, Canada

**TRADE: Round 2 (#58), Round 5 (#143), and 2020 Round 2 (latest of the three) to NYR for Round 2 (#22)

Round 1, pick #22: Arthur Kaliyev, RW, USA

Round 2, pick #35: Yegor Afanasyev, LW, Russia

Round 3, pick #66: Ilya Nikolaev, C, Russia

**TRADE: Round 4 (#97), Round 6 (#159) to NJ for Round 3 (#80)

Round #3, pick #80: Pyotr Kochetkov, G, Russia

Round #4, pick #103: Antti Tuomisto, D, Finland

Round #5, pick #129: Matthew Struthers, C, Canada

Round #7, pick #190: Oliver Okuliar, C, Slovakia

Round #7, pick #200: Conner Horning, D, Canada

Wow, this board is completely dead!!! The draft is coming up and no one seems to want to throw things out there. Well, I really want to see us be aggressive in moving up with all our picks we have in this draft. As I did above, we need to trade up and trade up some more so we get more draft prospect impact. I starting to get the feeling our most important pick, Bowen Byram, will not be there at #6 so I wouldn't mind trading up to 3 or 4 to get him. The problem seems to be both spots are occupied by our rivals (Chicago and Colorado) so I'm not sure there will be a trade there to make. If he isn't there, then Zagaras, Cozens, Turcotte, or Podkolzin will be and I'm fine with any of them. If one of those is the pick, then we need to immediately start talking to teams in the 12 to 25 range to land one of the very good defensive prospects: Victor Soderstrom, Phillip Broberg, Thomas Hurley, Cam York, Moritz Seider, Ville Henola, Lassi Thomson, or Thomas Bjornfot. I'd prefer one of the RH shots with Soderstrom, Seider, or Thomson but the upside with the others is fine too.

Let's say we get lucky and get Byram at #6, then I would work the phones for the following offensive talent: Alexander Newhook, Phillip Tomasino, Egor Alfanasyev, or Ryan Suzuki.

I can't wait to see how Stevie is going to handle the draft and the entire off season. Articles lately have him avoiding FA but I don't think he will entirely. I think he will just be smart about it and not invest foolishly and hopefully will never use a "no trade" deal like Holland did so many times. I am excited about the young Red Wings future.

anyone know anything about the dude we drafted? the ESPN link I clicked said Stevie Y reached pretty hard, but maybe he knows something ESPN doesn't

I mean we needed help on the backend so I guess I can't hate the pick that much.