Feb 18, 2018; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek (34) defends the net during the first period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
The Detroit Red Wings were once the maestros of finding gems in the draft–be it the 1989 haul that set the team up for nearly two decades or unearthing Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg in late rounds. Through the first decade of the new millennium, the Red Wings dealt high picks for premium players and Cup Chances. This strategy became verboten as soon as the Cap took precedence.