At first glance, you could say that getting drafted by the Detroit Red Wings was a dream come true for goalie Rudy Guimond.

“I was a big  Red Wings fans growing up, even though I was from Montreal,” he said. “I liked (Canadiens goalie) Carey Price a lot, but not the Canadiens.”

So getting drafted in the sixth round by Detroit last summer out of The Taft School in Watertown, Conn. was as exciting as one could imagine.

Guimond has already committed to play at Yale University and plans on playing two years in Cedar Rapids of the USHL to sharpen his game.

The post 2023 Red Wings Draft Update: Guimond Prepared to be Patient (+) appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

(Editor’s Note: This is another installment of Detroit Hockey Now updates on some of the Detroit Red Wings’ top prospects. Today’s subject is Yale recruited goalie Rudy Guimond).

When an NHL team drafts a college-bound goalie, it’s like planting a tree in your backyard. You know it will take time, but you are encouraged by the hope that, with proper nurturing, the seeds you planted will grow into a towering specimen.

The Red Wings drafted Rudy Guimond 169th from Taft (Connecticut) High School and his journey to professional hockey may take even longer than usual.

He is scheduled to play in the United States Hockey League (Cedar Rapids) next season and won’t enroll at Yale as a freshman until 2024-25. That timetable fits well into the Red Wings’ goalie development plan. GM Steve Yzerman and his assistant GM Kris Draper seemed to place special emphasis this summer on strengthening their goalie pipeline. They drafted two goalies (Trey Augustine and Guimond) and re-signed John Lethemon.

Late last season, they signed Red Wings draft pick Jan Bednar, presumably to use in Toledo this season. Sebastian Cossa is clearly the team’s goalie of the future, but Augustine is highly regarded. Plus, the Red Wings seem to like Colgate goalie Carter Gylander. He’s 6-foot-4 and was drafted in the seventh round in 2019.

NHL Central Scouting ranked Guimond 17th overall among North American goalies. Augustine was ranked No. 3 in North America. That probably puts Guimond in the project category. But he is almost 6-foot-3, and scouts like his athleticism. Plus, NHL history shows top goalies don’t always come from the top of the first round. Retired Predators goalie Pekka Rinne, maybe the most popular player in Predators’ history, was drafted 258th overall in 2004. Former Detroit goalie Dominik Hasek was drafted 199th.

Rudy Guimond.

2015: #RedWings birthday cake.
2023: #RedWings draft pick. pic.twitter.com/ncDJzyIxfx

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 1, 2023

Analysis

Guimond, a Quebec native, posted a 2.78 goals-against average and .932 save percentage as a junior for Taft. He boasts a strong foundation that can be built upon, especially for an organization willing to take a long-term approach.

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Forecast

The Red Wing view Guimond like a long-term investment. Goalies often aren’t truly ready for the NHL until they are 24 or 25. Let’s just wait and see where Guimond is at age 22 or 23. That’s when we will have a better understanding of his potential.

The post Tomorrow’s Red Wings: Rudy Guimond A Long-Term Investment appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The Detroit Red Wings added to their defense at the start of the second day of the NHL Drat on Thursday in Nashville.

The Red Wings had three consecutive picks in the second round, but traded the third to the Predators for Nashville’s second-round pick and one in the fifth round.

Their first pick, at No. 41, was goalie Trey Augustine, who was born in South Lyon and played in high school at Livonia Churchill before moving to the National Team Development Program. He has committed to play at Michigan State.

Augustine, who is 6-feet, 189 pounds, played in 32 games last season for the USNTDP with a 2.14 goals-against average and .925 save percentage. He won four of six games for the U.S. team at the World Junior Championships, with  2.85 GAA and .891 save percentage. His draft stock rose considerably after that.

The next pick, No. 42, was defenseman Andrew Gibson of the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL. The 6-3, 185 pounder had seven goals for the Greyhounds last season and recorded three assists in seven games for Team Canada in the World Under-18 Games.

“I got a lot of friends and family who are Wings fans,” Gibson said. “I played for the Junior Red Wings in a tournament with Trey. It’s a great feeling being so close to home, being with such a great organization.”

Gibson , who missed eight weeks due to injury last season, uses an accurate wrist shot in traffic to create opportunities for rebounds and tip-ins. He was the Greyhounds’ rookie of the year last season.

“I’m a bigger guy,” he said. “I like to use my size to my advantage. I think I skate well for a big guy as well. I think I can play both ends of the ice, but offensively and defensively.”

After the trade, Detroit took defenseman Brady Cleveland with the No. 47 pick, Cleveland is a Wisconsin native who is signed to play at the University of Wisconsin next winter.

Cleveland was excited to join his teammate, Augustine, in the Red Wings[ draft class.

“I was sitting in the stands when he got picked and I was absolutely pumped for him,” he said, “and then for me to get picked right after is awesome. I really loved playing with him and to be able to go back and play with him again, that would be something really special.”

Cleveland isn’t much of  a scorer — he took only 14 shots in 55 games last season. But at 6-5, 211, he was one of the toughest hitters in the USHL and led the USNDTP with 106 penalty minutes. He’s skilled enough as a defender to play for the U.S. team at the World U-18 Championships.

“That’s kind of what I pride myself on,” he said of his physical game. “I like to be that guy who’s mean and physical and get up in your face and be hard to play against. It doesn’t matter what game, what scenario, I’m going to be out there and make it a nightmare for you.”

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In the third round, Detroit selected forward Noah Dower Nilsson, a 6-0 left wing who played for Vastra Frolunda Jr. of the Swedish Junior League last season, recording 26 goals and 28 assists in 37 games.

“I think my strength is developing,” he said. “When I have the puck I create opportunities for my teammates. My offensive skills. What I need to be better on is to be stronger on the puck, stronger on the whole and my play in the D zone.”

His brother, Liam, was a fifth-round pick by the Red Wings in 2021. He was with the rest of the family when Noah’s name was called.

“He’s always been with me and my whole family has helped me to get here,” Noah Dower-Nilsson said. “Without them I don’t think I’m here. I will also thank my mom. She has helped me get here today. She’s my biggest idol.”

In the fourth round, the Red Wings took Larry Keenan of Culver Academy, a high school in Culver, Ind. He is the grandson of Larry Keenan, who played for four NHL teams in the 1960s.

The younger Keenan wasn’t surprised to be taken by Detroit.

“They were probably one of the teams that had the most interest in me,” he said. “I know their scout Tim Gibson, he was calling my personal trainer quite a big, even like two days ago, just checking in, making sure everything was good.”

The elder Keenan scored the first goal in the history of the St. Louis Blues, and was on the ice when Bobby Orr scored his famous goal against St. Louis in 1970.

Among those celebrating the pick was the elder Larry Keenan, who is now 83.

“I’m really excited to share it with them and take it all in. Enjoying the moment,” the younger Keenan said.

Detroit had two fifth-round picks, their own and Nashville’s. With their pick they took defenseman Jack Phelan of Sioux City (USHL). With Nashville’s choice, they took German forward Kevin Bicker.

In the sixth round, the Red Wings took another goalie, selecting Rudy Guimond of the Taft School of Watertown, Connecticut.

He plans to spend the next two years with the USHL’s Cedar Rapids team before attending Yale. But the draft was a personal highlight.

“It’s something I’ve been dreaming about my whole life,” Guimond said. “So if (being drafted) were to happen I just really wanted to be here. Nashville’s been great, so I’m really happy I came. And obviously, I got drafted.”

Detroit finished the day by taking left wing Emmitt Finnie in the seventh round. Finnie played for Kamloops of the WHL last season.

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