Red Wings’ Day-2 Draft Record Shows How the Real NHL Value Gets Found

The first round gets the TV cameras and the victory laps, but the real draft hustle often starts when everybody else is trying to beat traffic. Detroit’s work after Round 1 gets measured against the rest of the league, and that is where the front-office grading can get a lot more interesting than the public board. The Red Wings have spent years trying to turn those quieter picks into something sturdier than hope and highlight clips.