Detroit Red Wings’ NHL draft: Why taking center Mason McTavish makes sense

Detroit Free Press

The Detroit Red Wings hold the sixth pick in the 2021 NHL draft, which is scheduled to be held virtually July 23-24.

The onus is on general manager Steve Yzerman and his inner circle to find a player who can help the rebuild. We aren’t likely to see the results for at least a couple of years — forward Filip Zadina, for example, was the sixth pick in 2018. Although he has become a regular in the lineup, there’s still a question as to how much of an impact he’ll have in the long term.

Given how the pandemic affected hockey leagues across the world, scouting was limited over the past year — and that’s why the top 10 picks are hard to predict. Star Michigan defenseman Owen Power, though, is widely projected to go first overall.

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So, rather than predict the entire top 10, we’ll take a look at some leading candidates for the Wings to take at No. 6 as part of an ongoing series. First up …

F Mason McTavish

Size: 6 feet 1, 207 pounds.

2020-21: Had nine goals and two assists in 13 games for EHC Olten in the Swiss League, plus two goals and five assists in four playoff games. Starred for Canada while winning gold at the World Juniors, where he filled in as captain and recorded five goals and six assists in seven games.

The buzz: McTavish, 18, recorded 29 goals and 13 assists in 57 games in 2019-20 with the Ontario Hockey League’s Peterborough Petes. (The Petes’ alumni include Yzerman, who recorded 91 points in 56 games in 1982-83, his draft season.) McTavish was placed in Switzerland’s second-highest professional league this season because of the pandemic.

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McTavish is a powerful, though not speedy, skater. He’s already big and strong, and is able to battle through checks to protect the puck and get into scoring positions. He’s a goal scorer, possessing a swift and accurate wrist shot and a heavy one-timer that makes him especially effective on power plays. He’s also effective at net-front at tipping pucks or pouncing on rebounds. He’s sound defensively, using his big body to force opponents to the outside and his stick to break up plays.

Why he makes sense: McTavish is a left-shooting center who can also play wing. The Wings’ future depth down the middle includes Dylan Larkin, Joe Veleno and Michael Rasmussen. Yzerman has noted multiple times the Wings need help at every position, but they are particularly short on centers in the farm system. If the Wings see McTavish as someone who can become a high-end NHL center, he’s a logical choice.

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her book, The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings is available from AmazonBarnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail. 

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