Detroit — The Red Wings stayed close to home for their first pick Saturday at the NHL Entry Draft in Vegas.
The Wings selected forward Max Plante, out of the Plymouth Township-based United States National Team Development Program, in the second round with the 47th pick overall.
Plante, a 5-foot-11, 177-pound left wing, played in 51 games last season with 15 goals and 46 assists.
Many scouting services view Plante as one of the best passers in this draft class. Plante isn’t big physically, but he compensates with the ability to find openings on the ice and has good quickness.
“A competitive playmaker,” Plante said, describing himself as a player. “I love to win hockey games and set up my teammates.”
Plante is the son of former NHL forward Derek Plante, who won a Stanley Cup in Dallas in 1999 during an eight-year NHL career. Grandfather Bruce Plante is a legendary high school coach in Hermantown, Minnesota, where the Plantes come from.
“I’m very lucky and fortunate to be around such great hockey people,” Plante said. “I’d say my dad probably watches more hockey than anyone probably in the world. Growing up, after I’d skate on the outdoor rinks I’d come home and my dad would be watching hockey, so there was nothing else on the TV.
“I’d just be watching hockey.”
As for the draft, Max said his dad offered simple advice.
“Be yourself and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Plante said. “My dad taught me pretty much everything I know about hockey.”
Plante is headed to Minnesota Duluth to play collegiately. He’ll join his brother Zam there.
“I’m really excited to go play with Zam,” Plante said. “Two years off of playing with each other, we probably miss playing with each other, playing give and go hockey together. Hopefully we get to play together this year at Duluth.”
There were some legendary pond hockey games in the backyard of the Plante house.
“Oh yeah,” Plante said. “We had a backyard rink at our house and we used to play. Me and my older brother Zam and my little brother (Victor), who is going to the development team next year, and my dad. My dad was probably better than us. He was so much bigger when we were younger but we put up a good fight”
Plante follows the selection of winger Michael Brandsegg-Nygard Friday in the first round. Brandsegg-Nygard projects as more of a goal scorer with a heavier shot, but he’s also strong defensively and on the forecheck.
In the third round, 80th overall, the Wings selected Ondrej Becher, a 6-1, 184-pound center who played at Prince George (WHL).
Becher, from Czechia, had 32 goals and 96 points in 58 games, then had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in seven games for Czechia at the world juniors. Becher had 20 points in his first 10 games this season at Prince George before settling into a career-best season with some explosive linemates.
A good passer and smart on the ice, the main concern from several scouting services is Becher’s skating. He was ranked 69th by NHL central scouting among North American skaters.
Becher, 20, went undrafted the previous two years.
Most teams, generally speaking, like to draft a goaltender somewhere in the draft to keep talent in the position flowing into the organization. The Wings did so in the fourth round by selecting Landon Miller.
In 30 games with Sault Ste. Marie (OHL), Miller had a 2.79 goals-against average and .889 save percentage with two shutouts (17-6-0).
Miller is 6-4 and 193 pounds. Scouts like his ability to move in net, especially laterally, and he rarely panics in net.
“I feel like I blacked out,” Miller said of the moment he heard his name being called. “It feels surreal. It’s a dream come true.”
Miller progressed steadily in his first year in the highly competitive OHL.
“It was exciting to be part of a good team and have a good run (in the playoffs),” Miller said. “Exciting to learn from some of the older guys and get my feet wet in the league and to see what I could do.
“With every game I got more comfortable and confident in net. It’s such a great league. As a younger goalie, as you get to play more you get more comfortable and it gets easier for you.”
In the fifth round, the Wings went back to Plymouth Township to select defenseman John Whipple with the 144th pick overall.
Whipple (6-1, 194) is headed to play college hockey at Minnesota in the fall. Whipple had 17 points in 61 games for the USNTDP with 54 penalty minutes. More of a defensive defenseman with good skating ability, he plays with some physicality.
The Wings took Swedish winger Charlie Forslund in the sixth round (176th overall).
Forslund is an intriguing selection. He has size (6-3, 212) and has one of the hardest shots in the draft class. Forslund also knows how to find open ice for himself.
Playing for three different teams in Sweden’s lower tiers, Forslund had 40 goals and 71 points in 52 games. He’ll play for Mora IK next season in Sweden.
To close out the day in the seventh round, with their two selections, the Wings took their third USNTDP player in left wing Austin Baker (203rd) and defenseman Fisher Scott (208th).
Baker (6-foot, 192), a White Lake native, is headed to Michigan State after a season which saw him score 15 goals (31 points) in 59 games. Baker’s main attribute is his speed.
Scott (6-2, 179) went undrafted last year and played at Dubuque (USHL), where he notched 33 points (eight goals) in 61 games with a plus-28 rating. He’ll play at Colorado College this fall.
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