It’s been a couple months now since the Red Wings walked away from the NHL Draft with a haul of talent. One of the draft’s top scorers fell into their lap at No. 6. A highly regarded young center drifted down to No. 30. They nabbed a crafty Swedish wing at 33 and a two-way defender at 36.



Less than 60 days later, all four of those prospects are among the best in the organization’s farm system. For a franchise in the midst of a rebuild, it’s hard to overstate what that kind of infusion could mean for Detroit a few years down the road.



Before it can mean anything, of course, those players have to actually develop and make the NHL. Being a good prospect on draft night doesn’t always translate to a long, successful career in the pros, but for now, it’s worth diving into the system and seeing how the various prospects at all levels stack up to one another.



A few notes before we start. First, one of the hardest parts of a list...