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Brock Boeser may be traded, but it’s difficult to think Detroit would have the pieces necessary to bring the young winger to Motown. It would be a boon for the club, but Vancouver needs defensive pieces that Yzerman can’t really part with at this point.
Mlive did a piece on Yzerman’s upcoming pre draft scouting. The GM has, clearly, done homework and interviews on many of the top rated players for this year’s draft. He gave some candid insight as to what could be in store for teams looking at European teams as they reconvene in September.
Some brief acknowledgement is given toward Lucas Raymond and Alexander Holt as potential 4th overall picks. This quote from the GM is what piqued my interest: “If they’re playing, we’re probably going to go watch them,” Yzerman said of European prospects in general. “It will have some influence on our decisions, good or bad.”
It may not seem like much of a revelation, until you apply the statement in the negative. If they’re not playing, they won’t be seen. There are some Canadian jr teams commencing in the fall, but it’s not yet known if that will be across all jr leagues. The IVY Leagues have cancelled all college sports for the fall. Other colleges as well as the USHL may follow suit. To add insult to injury, travel shutdowns may make it impossible for North American prospects to sign in Europe before the season commences.
I can already see the divide on this issue. Some think it won’t mean anything, some thing it is far more important than it may be. It is significant in this. The opportunity to watch prospects play for a month before the draft in competitive leagues (and not showcases) in a year without a combine will move the needle for GMS.
Last minute changes happen in front offices all the time. An interview goes well, the combine goes better than expected, prospects tournaments show some eye opening developments. What is really interesting is that each fall picks are labeled “steals” based on their performances. Young players develop in large incremental steps between 16 and 22. One year to the next a player can look like a completely different athlete.
Detroit has 5 picks between the second and third rounds this year. Yzerman has done a lot of European scouting in Germany and Finland over the past 2 years. This extra showcase could well put some of those kids over the top in the later rounds.
All of this aside, my heart breaks for college athletes. The missed development is going to be tough. Some schools may forego hockey altogether. If, in fact, the AHL and/or the ECHL are shut down for a while (USHL?) that is a lot of players who are stuck with nowhere to go. The full effects of the shutdown may not be known for another year. Some people may benefit from the time, and others may fall completely off. Access to ice and training equipment is a huge part of development. Gyms are shut down, rinks have been closed. Not every kid can put that stuff together.
Before being to closed off to this reality, think of senior players from last year who lost out on a chance to get a camp invite. Think of Freshman players this year who were excited to start that leg of their career. Dozens, if not hundreds of players are going to miss on critical development. Here’s hoping the damage is minimized.
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • 
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