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Who Is Kienan Draper for the Red Wings?

Kienan Draper is quickly establishing himself as a rising star amidst the Detroit Red Wings' prospects.

Jennifer Streeter

Michigan forward Kienan Draper, Detroit Red Wings
Michigan forward Kienan Draper, Detroit Red Wings / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
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On Sept. 13, Kienan Draper posted the only goal of the entire shootout to lift the Red Wings to victory over the Dallas Stars in the first game of the 2026 NHL Prospect Tournament.

This development comes after it was announced on April 13, 2026 that Draper was signed to the Grand Rapids Griffins — the Red Wings' AHL affiliate — with a two-year AHL contract to begin with the 2026-27 season. Draper is also the son of Detroit legend and current Assistant General Manager and Director of Amateur Scouting Kris Draper for the Red Wings.

Kienan is a University of Michigan alum and tallied 40 points across his career with the Wolverines. He was originally drafted by Detroit in the seventh round of the 2020 NHL Draft.

Kienan and Kris have a father-son dynamic that is centered around the sport — likely giving Kienan a leg up over some other prospects within the NHL world.

"We talk about hockey a lot,” Kienan said via the NHL. “We love watching hockey together. I’d say it’s probably the main topic of our conversations, just kind of chopping it up and seeing what we think. I love it. I think he’s one of the smartest hockey minds I know, so I love talking hockey with him.”

Before inking his ATO, the 24-year-old forward recorded 18 points (across five goals, 13 assists) and a plus-21 rating in 40 games as a senior at the University of Michigan. In total, Kienan finished with 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 133 games with the Wolverines and helped them win two Big Ten championships (2022-23, 2025-26).

The ongoing 2026 NHL Prospect Tournament is being hosted by the Red Wings at BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena — slated to run from Sept. 12 to Sept. 15. In addition to Detroit and the Stars, the Columbus Blue Jackets and Pittsburgh Penguins are also participating.

Detroit's roster for the four-team 2026 NHL Prospect Tournament consists of 24 recent draft picks, free-agent signees, and tryouts. Additionally, 13 of the 24 players on the Detroit roster are former Red Wings draft picks.

An In-Depth Look at Kienan Draper

Prior to his collegiate career, Kienan spent one season in the British Columbia Hockey League with the Chilliwack Chiefs in 2021-22 and totaled 50 points.

Michigan's Kienan Draper, Detroit Red Wings
Michigan's Kienan Draper, Detroit Red Wings / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

A Michigan native and true "Michigan man," Kienan spent his youth career with the Little Caesars program.

"Obviously, I’ve been a Detroit Red Wings fan my whole life, so to be part of this organization officially is something I’m very, very proud of," Kienan previously said to NHL.com on being a part of the Red Wings franchise. "I was definitely a late bloomer. So, being able to develop at Michigan was very special and very important for my development as a hockey player."

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Jennifer Streeter
JENNIFER STREETER

Jennifer Streeter graduated with a B.A. in journalism from Texas A&M and received her Master of Science from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. At both schools, she focused on an emphasis of sports reporting. A former athlete herself, "Jenny" was a varsity soccer player and comes from a family who participated in NCAA athletics. She has covered hockey since 2023 and is credentialed for the Seattle Kraken, New Jersey Devils and PWHL in addition to having covered the 2026 Frozen Four.

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