Who Is Kienan 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.

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."