Red Wings make moves and fill needs on Day 2 of 2023 NHL Entry Draft

NASHVILLE -- It was a busy Day 2 at the Detroit Red Wings' table inside Bridgestone Arena for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

Detroit made three selections in the second round on Thursday morning, first drafting goalie Trey Augustine (41st overall) and defenseman Andrew Gibson (42nd overall) before announcing it traded the 43rd overall pick to the Nashville Predators in exchange for picks No. 47 and 147.

After taking defenseman Brady Cleveland (47th overall), the Red Wings acquired center Kim Kostin and right wing Kailer Yamamoto from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for future considerations.

Detroit selected left wing Noah Dower-Nilsson (73rd overall) in the third round and defenseman Larry Keenan (117th overall) in the fourth round, then made two fifth-round picks: blueliner Jack Phelan (137th overall) and left wing Kevin Bicker (147th overall).

The Red Wings finalized their 2023 draft class by taking goaltender Rudy Guimond (169th overall) in the sixth round and centerman Emmitt Finnie (201st overall) in the seventh round.

Speaking to the media after Rounds 2-7, Executive Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman said Detroit continued its strategy of building through the draft.

"Again, just add to the pool of prospects and hope some of them turn into NHL players at one point," Yzerman said.

Detroit used its first pick of Day 2 on Augustine, a 6-foot-1, 183-pound netminder who spent the past two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Mich. He posted a 29-1-2 record with a 2.14 goals-against average and .925 save percentage in 32 games in 2022-23 with the USNTDP's U18 club.

Augustine, who is a South Lyon, Mich., native, also finished with a 10-1-0 record with a 2.34 GAA, .928 SV% and one shutout in 14 games this season for Team USA in the United States Hockey League.

"I grew up watching games at Joe Louis Arena," Augustine said. "It's pretty special that it comes full circle now. I'm really excited about it."

One spot later, the Red Wings selected the 6-foot-3, 196-pound Gibson, a young blueliner who recorded 21 points on seven goals and 14 assists in 45 games this season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League.

"I'm a bigger guy," Gibson said. "I like to use my size to my advantage. I think I skate well for a big guy as well. I can play both ends of the ice."

Detroit drafted Cleveland - a 6-foot-5, 210-pound defenseman - with its third and final second-round pick. Cleveland has spent the past two years with the USNTDP and tallied six assists in 55 games with the U18 squad in 2022-23. He also recorded three helpers with Team USA in 19 USHL contests this season.

"Going into the draft, I knew Detroit liked me a lot," Cleveland said. "You never really expect where to go. Luckily, they picked me. There's no place I'd rather be."

The Red Wings then selected Dower-Nilsson, a 6-foot, 185-pound forward who spent most of 2022-23 with Frolunda's U20 squad. He led Sweden's top junior league with 54 points (26-28-54) in 37 regular-season games.

"Just an unbelievable feeling," said Noah Dower-Nilsson, who is the younger brother of Detroit's 2021 fifth-round pick Liam Dower Nilsson. "To share this with my family and hear my name by Detroit, which my brother was drafted by, is unbelievable."

With its lone fourth-round selection, Detroit took Keenan, a 6-foot-3, 186-pound blueliner who has played the past two seasons at Culver Military Academy in Culver, Ind. This season, he compiled 11 goals and 26 assists in 49 games.

"I think I'm a big, solid defenseman," Keenan said. "I have a good two-way game. Still developing physically, but I think Detroit will enjoy my hockey IQ, good playmaking and work ethic."

Detroit used its first fifth-round pick to draft Phelan, a 6-foot-2, 171-pound prospect who recorded five points (1-4-5) in 59 games this season with the USHL's Sioux Falls Stampede.

Ten picks later, the Red Wings selected the 6-foot, 176-pound Bicker, who tallied 21 points in 20 regular-season games this season with Jungadler Mannheim in Germany's top junior league. He also made his professional debut with Adler Mannheim in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in 2022-23.

The Red Wings took another netminder in Guimond - a 6-foot-2, 166-pound prospect - with their lone sixth-round pick. He played the past two seasons at Taft School in Watertown, Conn., posting a .940 SV% in 28 games in 2022-23.

"Detroit was my team growing up," Guimond said. "I'm really happy that this happened."

Red Wings director of amateur scouting Kris Draper said that Detroit entered Thursday looking to add depth between the pipes.

"We didn't draft [a goalie] last year," Draper said. "We were able to add two this year. (Sebastian) Cossa obviously made a big step this year in Toledo. We're expecting and looking forward to another big step going forward. We gotta start getting some goaltending prospects in the system."

Detroit took Finnie with its final pick of the 2023 Draft. Finnie totaled 35 points on nine goals and 26 assists in 64 regular-season games this season with the Western Hockey League's Kamloops Blazers.

Up next for the prospects is Detroit's 2023-24 Development Camp, which begins Saturday at the BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena.

"Our Development Camp is more about education than it is really about conditioning," Yzerman said. "Mostly just wanna spend a few days with them, kind of make sure they're set up for a good offseason."