Detroit — The best part about it for Carter Mazur wasn’t just being drafted by the Red Wings.
But add to it, Mazur was surrounded by family and friends at a Jackson sports bar on July 24, the second day of the Entry Draft. To share that excitement and emotion with everyone made the entire experience more memorable.
“We were watching and I look up and saw my name and I look over and my mom was crying and my dad, and my grandpa was there and he was crying, and just being drafted by your hometown team, especially growing up and playing at Little Caesars Arena.
“It’s just unbelievable for sure,” said Mazur, a third-round pick, taken 70th overall.
Mazur, who attended Jackson Lumen Christi and played in the Little Caesars program, was a diehard Red Wings fan whose favorite player was Darren Helm.
Mazur’s coach for much of his time in Little Caesars was Kris Draper, the former Wings star who currently is the director of amateur scouting. That, also, made the entire draft process special for Mazur.
“It’s crazy that it comes full circle,” Mazur said. “He was my coach and now he’s drafting me and it’s surreal. I can’t just put it into words. It’s awesome I’m part of what he’s trying to build in Detroit.”
Mazur, 19, became a target on the Wings’ draft board after a stellar overage season playing for Tri-City in the United States Hockey League.
After not getting drafted the year before, Mazur went to work physically during the pandemic and got bigger and stronger.
The results showed on the ice, as the now 6-foot, 180-pound Mazur had a team-leading 20 goals and 24 assists in 47 games last season with Tri-City.
In 47 games the previous season, Mazur had six goals and seven assists.
“My season started when the (previous) season ended with COVID,” Mazur said. “I felt like I was kind of hitting my stride (last season) and I also put on 30 pounds over the offseason, which really helped how I play. I feel like that was a massive part in how I produced this year, for sure.
“I feel I’m a 200-foot player. I’m better when I’m playing physical and heavy on players, as well as when I’m attacking the net and scoring down low. I feel like that’s when I’m at the top of my game.”
Draper knew what kind of player Mazur was, and noticed what the young player was accomplishing in the USHL. But seeing it confirmed by other Wings scouts gave Draper the reaffirmation to draft Mazur.
“The interesting thing for me was watching Tri-City and seeing the improvement from Carter from last year to this year,” Draper said. “Our area scouts, the reports they were putting in about Carter, talking about the improvement, it was great to hear. We (drafted) Carter in a spot where he deserved it. As we were talking to our scouts, it was a pick we all wanted to make.”
For Draper personally, it was gratifying to see Mazur be drafted after watching the progress the young player made.
“He grew up playing Little Caesars all the way from 10 to U-16,” Draper said. “It’s been a lot of fun. I’m proud to watch Carter develop into the player he has. Last year he went into his first year in Tri-City and it’s a big jump.
“At the time he was maybe 5-9, 5-10. He’s grown two or three inches and he’s put on about 20 pounds. (But) he knows he needs to still get bigger and stronger.”
Both Draper and general manager Steve Yzerman, after the draft concluded, talked about the Wings’ desire to add motivated young players who were leaders and showed the determination to do what necessary to succeed.
Mazur fits that description.
“We’re trying to find good kids. Solid-character kids that have drive and motivation,” Yzerman said in his post-draft media conference. “Ultimately, we think they’re all competitive kids. We think they’re all motivated and driven, and time will tell.
“But I guess what would be in common, and we’re trying to do that every year, is draft kids that are good, solid kids that we think have a chance to play in the league and are really driven and motivated.”
Mazur will play this season at the University of Denver, where there is likely to be Wings area scouts in attendance often.
Mazur will be joined by this year’s second-round pick, defenseman Shai Buium, as well as defenseman Antti Tuomisto.(2019 second-round pick) — three Wings draft picks on one college team.
Mazur and Buium were teammates this summer at the Team USA junior development camp in Colorado Springs, as well as roommates for summer camp at Denver.
“We’ve been keeping in touch,” Mazur said. “I know Shai from coming in together as the freshman class (at Denver). I got to know him well. It’s special that both of us were drafted by the same organization.”
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tkulfan