Are the Detroit Red Wings preparing to take a junior center in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft?

NESN.com thinks so.

The website is projecting that the Red Wings will take Sault St. Marie center Jared McCann with the 15th overall pick in the first round of the draft June 27 in Philadelphia.

"The age of veteran centers Pavel Datsyuk and Stephen Weiss might result in Detroit using this pick on a player who excels offensively in the middle of the ice," wrote Nicholas Goss of NESN.com. "McCann back-checks consistently, plays physical and excels on faceoffs.

"This is the type of two-way game the Red Wings expect from their centers. His offensive game needs polishing (although he did tally 62 points in 64 games this season), but that shouldn't be a concern because Detroit doesn't rush players to the NHL before they are ready to contribute at both ends of the ice."

McCann, who turned 18 Saturday, had 20-plus goals in two seasons with Sault Ste. Marie.

The 6-foot, 179-pound McCann had 27 goals, 35 assists, a plus-9 rating and 51 penalty minutes in 64 games last season before adding two goals and five assists in nine playoff games.

Two years ago, McCann had 21 goals, 23 assists, a minus-6 rating and 35 PIM in 64 games.

McCann was rated the 10th-best player in the NHL Central Scouting Service's final rankings this year.

"Jared is a highly skilled and creative playmaker," NHLCSS's Chris Edwards said in a story on BuffaloNews.com. "He has excellent hands and puckhandling ability. He sees the ice very well and can get the puck through traffic with great saucer passes. He is not a guy who will always bring you out of your seat but is dangerous every shift."

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