Detroit — Kienan Draper will play college hockey at Michigan.
Draper, the son of former Red Wings forward Kris Draper (currently director of amateur scouting), will finish this season with his junior team, the Chilliwack Chiefs (British Columbia Hockey League) and will join UM next autumn.
“It will definitely be nice to be close to home, and my sister is a senior there,” Kienan Draper told the Chiefs’ website. “It’s pretty awesome for me and I’m very excited.”
He was a 2020 seventh-round draft pick of the Red Wings, who played youth hockey in the Little Caesars program.
He has seven points (one goal, six assists) in 11 games with the Chiefs this season.
His Chiefs’ coach, Brian Maloney, is a Michigan State grad.
“I don’t think coach (Brian) Maloney likes the choice all that much, because he’s a Michigan State alum, but it’s an all-round great school,” the younger Draper said. “I’ve been to some hockey games and football games, and it’s an unbelievable environment there.
“There will be some extra chirping now between me and coach, but he did tell me it’s a great spot.”
Draper joins a star-studded roster at Michigan, that may — or may not — still be there when Draper arrives on campus.
Defenseman Owen Power (2021, first overall, Buffalo), forward Matty Beniers (2021 second-overall, Seattle, defenseman Luke Hughes (2021, fourth-overall, New Jersey), forward Kent Johnson (2021, fifth-overall, Columbus), and forward Mackie Samoskevich (2021, 24th-overall, Florida) were all recent first-round draft picks.
They are joined on the U-M roster by forwards Dylan Duke (2021 fourth-round, Tampa), Brendan Brisson (2020 first-round, Vegas), Thomas Bordeleau (2020 second-round, San Jose), and Ethan Edwards (2020 fourth-round, New Jersey), and defenseman Jacob Truscott (2020 fifth-round, Vancouver), as well as 2019 draft picks forwards Johnny Beecher (first-round, Boston) and Eric Ciccolini (seventh-round, New York Rangers) and goaltender Erik Portillo (third-round, Buffalo).
ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tkulfan