DETROIT — Red Wings rookie Emmitt Finnie is the Kentucky Derby longshot that paid off, a winning lottery ticket and a lightning strike all rolled into one
As a seventh-round draft selection, the 201st pick in the 2023 NHL draft, Finnie’s presence near the top of the 2025-26 rookie scoring leaders (second with eight points in nine games) qualifies as a rare occurrence.
Only 24 players drafted that year have already made an appearance in the NHL, and only seven of those players were drafted outside of the first round. Only six players (Conor Bedard, Leo Carlsson, Adam Fantilli, William Smith, Matvei Michkov and Zach Benson) have more career points than Finnie.
“He just continues to push the envelope, and we can talk about his points and his goals and that stuff,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. (But) the blocked shots today, the checking skill and the ability he plays with…”
Finnie is the 20th seventh rounder to play in the NHL since the 2019 draft, and none have enjoyed a start like Finnie’s
No seventh-round pick has won a Calder Trophy, but Finnie now has the fourth-best odds (+1600 ) for the award on the FanDuel Sportsbook
The Red Wings certainly didn’t see this coming, not Finnie coming in, winning a spot on the top line and producing at this level.
“Our thoughts were fairly realistic,” McLellan said. “Like, we’re going to play him. Let’s see what ends up happening. We believed in him. We certainly did.”
His blend in of speed, mental toughness, physical play, scoring touch and poise have allowed him to claim his place early. He is tied for second on the team in scoring and third in hits. He’s been on both the penalty killing and power play units.
“There’s nothing better that a player can have than to be trusted by the coaches or the teammates,” McLellan said, “and he has that right now.”