Draper named Assistant General Manager and Director of Amateur Scouting

DETROIT - Detroit Red Wings executive vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman today announced that Kris Draper has been named assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting.

Draper, 52, will work alongside Yzerman and Red Wings assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff on all hockey operations matters for the organization, in addition to continuing in his role as director of amateur scouting.

Draper spent the last four seasons as Red Wings director of amateur scouting, overseeing the franchise's amateur scouting department, running the NHL Entry Draft and assisting the Red Wings' management team in various hockey operations decisions. As director of amateur scouting, Draper presided over the selection of six first-round picks in the NHL Entry Draft, choosing Lucas Raymond (fourth overall in 2020), Simon Edvinsson (sixth overall in 2021), Sebastian Cossa (15th overall in 2021), Marco Kasper (eighth overall in 2022), Nate Danielson (ninth overall in 2023) and Axel Sandin Pellikka (17th overall in 2023). Draper was named Detroit's director of amateur scouting prior to the 2019-20 campaign after working the previous eight seasons as assistant to the general manager, providing player evaluations at both the professional and amateur levels and input regarding potential trades and free agent signings.

Draper's on-ice accomplishments are highlighted by four Stanley Cup titles in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008, joining Nicklas Lidstrom, Tomas Holmstrom, Kirk Maltby and Darren McCarty as the only players to hoist the Stanley Cup in each of Detroit's last four championship seasons. Originally selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the third round (62nd overall) of the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, Draper played 20 games over three seasons in Winnipeg before the Jets dealt him to Detroit in exchange for future considerations on June 30, 1993. Draper spent the next 17 seasons in the Motor City, becoming a fixture in Detroit's lineup during the 1993-94 season and played center on what became known as the 'Grind Line' with Maltby, and at different times, McCarty and Joe Kocur. They formed one of the most revered lines in Red Wings history and played an integral role in helping Detroit end a 42-year drought by capturing the 1997 Stanley Cup.

The Toronto, Ontario, native was recognized throughout his career as one of the top penalty killers and face-off men in the NHL and was rewarded with the 2004 Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward. He became the fifth player in team history to play 1,000 games in a Red Wings uniform, joining Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Yzerman and Lidstrom. Draper never missed the playoffs during his 17 seasons in Detroit and appeared in 220 postseason games with the Red Wings, ranking second in club history behind Lidstrom (263). In total, Draper recorded 361 points (158-203-361), a plus-78 rating and 781 penalty minutes in 1,137 games with the Red Wings from 1993-11, in addition to 46 points (24-22-46) and 160 penalty minutes in 220 postseason contests.