What Do the Red Wings Have in Fifth Round Pick John Whipple?

The path from the fifth round of the draft to the NHL is far from a certain one, but 2024 Red Wings fifth round selection John Whipple—last of the United States National Team Development Program, next of the University of Minnesota—appears a possible candidate for the arduous journey.

At the 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase last week,  Whipple's defining attribute as a young defenseman: an eagerness to defend—boxing out at the net-front, blocking shots, angling an onrushing forward harmlessly into the boards.

“Willingness to defend, does it with a smile on his face actually, and I think really enjoys it,” Team USA coach David Carle said, when asked what stands out about Whipple. “I thought in the first game he found the middle of the rink a couple of times, had some really nice clean breakouts, but you see his closing, feet, how sturdy he is, he can separate people, and there’s a lot to like in his game.”

As an 18-year-old, Whipple is a long shot to crack the USA roster for December's WJC, it being an under 20 tournament.  However, he will be a major asset to the Gophers' blue line this season, and, as Connor Earegood and I discussed on the most recent episode of The Silky Mitten State, Whipple's profile as a defense-first defenseman may well earn him a spot on a USA roster laden with small and speedy puck-movers.

Check out a sample of that conversation via the video above, then listen to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts:

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