2025 NHL Draft Lottery: Red Wings Drop to 13th Pick After Utah Jumps Up

Another NHL draft lottery, another frustrating result for the Detroit Red Wings. On May 5 in Secaucus, New Jersey, the lottery balls once again didn’t bounce Detroit’s way. Despite holding the 12th-best odds, the Wings were bumped down one spot and will select 13th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft.

It’s a familiar feeling for Red Wings fans — and not in a good way. The team has now entered the lottery nine years in a row without ever moving up. Instead, they’ve either stood still or, more often than not, moved backward.

Why Did the Red Wings Drop in the Draft Order?

The Wings came into the lottery with an 85.7% chance of staying at No. 12, where they were slotted after finishing 21st in the league with a 39-35-8 record. But a stroke of good luck for the Utah Hockey Club changed everything. Utah, which finished just behind Detroit, won the second draw of the night and jumped from 13th to the fourth overall pick. That bump caused Detroit to slide back to 13th.

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There was always a small chance of this happening — just an 8.9% probability of dropping one spot — but that’s exactly what happened.

Now here’s the kicker: even if Detroit had won the lottery draw, the current NHL rules wouldn’t have allowed them to move up all the way to No. 1. The league changed its rules a few years ago so that no team can move up more than 10 spots in a single draw. That rule was put in place after the Wings, who had the worst record in the league in 2019-20, were pushed all the way back to the fourth pick.

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Who’s Picking Ahead of the Red Wings This Year?

The New York Islanders were the big winners this time around, jumping up nine spots to win the right to pick first overall. Utah followed with their leap to fourth, while San Jose and Chicago landed the second and third picks, respectively.

So the top five now looks like this:

1. New York Islanders
2. San Jose Sharks
3. Chicago Blackhawks
4. Utah Hockey Club
5. To be determined based on regular-season finish

After that, things get a lot murkier. Once you’re out of the top five, the draft can go in just about any direction. That includes Detroit at No. 13, where they’ll need to rely on good scouting and some luck to land a future difference-maker.

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Who Are the Top Names in the 2025 Draft?

Right now, Matthew Schaefer, a standout defenseman from Erie (OHL), is widely seen as the favorite to go first overall. He’s known for his two-way play, leadership, and NHL-ready frame.

Behind him, two centers are projected to go high in the draft. Michael Misa, another Ontario Hockey League star playing for Saginaw, and James Hagens, a dynamic forward out of Boston College, round out the likely top three.

After that trio, it becomes much tougher to predict. The Wings’ front office, led by GM Steve Yzerman, will need to dig deep into their scouting reports and trust their process to find value at pick 13.

How Has Detroit Fared in Past Lotteries?

Red Wings fans might feel like they’re stuck in a time loop when it comes to the draft lottery. Since 2017, the team has never moved up. In fact, they’ve moved backward more often than not. Here’s a look at their lottery luck over the past several years:

• 2017: Dropped from 7th to 9th (picked Michael Rasmussen)
• 2018: Dropped from 5th to 6th (picked Filip Zadina)
• 2019: Dropped from 4th to 6th (picked Moritz Seider)
• 2020: Had the worst record but picked 4th (selected Lucas Raymond)
• 2021: Stayed at 6th (Simon Edvinsson)
• 2022: Stayed at 8th (Marco Kasper)
• 2023: Stayed at 9th (Nate Danielson)
• 2024: Stayed at 15th (Michael Brandsegg-Nygård)
• 2025: Dropped from 12th to 13th

It’s been a rough run of luck, but Yzerman and his staff have still managed to find solid talent in the middle of the draft board. Players like Raymond and Seider have turned into core pieces of the team’s future, even if the team never got a crack at the top pick.

What’s Next for the Red Wings?

The 2025 NHL Draft will take place June 27-28 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. With the 13th pick, the Wings will have their eyes on several potential prospects, depending on how the top of the board shakes out.

The front office will be hoping to find a player who can either step in fairly soon or grow into a key contributor down the line. While it’s disappointing to slide back again, Detroit has built a strong foundation in recent years. If they can add another solid piece this summer, they’ll be one step closer to ending their playoff drought.

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