Impressions from the third day of the Red Wings’ 2022 summer development camp

After a day’s worth of skill development drills at the Red Wings’ 2022 summer development camp on Monday, I had a feeling that Tuesday’s activities would involve more game-like situations as skills coach Dwayne Blais, skating coach Brodie Tutton, skill consultant Kevin Galerno, Wings goaltending consultant Phil Osaer and the rest of the Wings’ player development staff.

Instead, the first development camp under assistant director of player development Dan Cleary involved repetition to some extent, with Tutton first taking groups of forwards, defensemen, and then a second group of forwards through skating drills, before a very vocal Blais and company (including on-ice appearances by Griffins coach Ben Simon, Niklas Kronwall, and Cleary himself) took over and worked on players’ stick-handling skills.

There was some battling at the very end of the day, as a sort of “street hockey” set-up afforded players the chance to engage in real one-on-one battles for the puck in front of an assortment of goaltenders (the Wings’ practice goalie, whose name I do not know, and Grand Rapids Griffins netminder Jonathan Lethermon made appearances alongside the camp participants). It was fun to finally watch the skaters bump and grind a bit, but there hasn’t been much else in terms of game situations…

So this has probably been the most difficult camp I’ve faced in terms of making player assessments. I’ve enjoyed the hell out of being here and being back at work again, and even putting in 16-hour days, but it’s been damn difficult to really get a feel for what these players are like in terms of game situations, and we won’t really see them in games until Thursday’s 3-on-3 slate.

That’s not going to stop me from offering observations, of course, but I want you to know that this has been the hardest-to-assess summer development camp I’ve covered, and I’ve covered at least 10 of them. Possibly a dozen, because they were the first (and often only) times that the Wings credentialed me (and I’ve been doing this long enough to remember the first time that Steve Yzerman joined the front office).

Long story long, Day One and Day Two have built upon each other, but Day Three did not necessarily add wrinkles which aided any sort of attempt at evaluation. Of course, as assistant director of player development Dan Cleary said, this is about player education, not player evaluation (that’s what the prospect tournament is for)…

But it’s worth mentioning that, in addition to Steve Yzerman and Shawn Horcoff watching the vast majority of this development camp from the executive suite which overlooks the BELFOR Training Center, the Red Wings do have cameras that are recording every second of the on-ice activities.

Now, that’s for feedback more than anything else, but it’s still noteworthy.

In terms of Tuesday’s drills, they started way too early (my only complaint about this camp is that it starts at the butt crack of dawn), while Team Lindsay worked out off-ice under Mike Barwis (who could be heard outside the locker room, encouraging players to bounce heavy medicine balls off the walls and floors), Team Howe got the early-morning on-ice session–well, their skaters did, at least.

That was the weird thing about today: Team Howe’s forwards worked together with their goaltenders, Team Lindsay’s forwards and goaltenders worked together, and a combined team of defensemen from both teams had a third session, working with a diminutive practice goaltender who I didn’t recognize, and Grand Rapids Griffins free agent signing Jonathan Lethemon.

Oh, and this guy was there, too, testing out what was probably a surgically-repaired “lower body injury” suffered at the World Championship:

Nedeljkovic skittering across the crease. pic.twitter.com/LJrXRIqBPy— George Malik (@georgemalik) July 12, 2022

The sessions consisted of two very different skill development courses, separated by a Zamboni flood. First, the skaters worked with (and I have to thank the Detroit News’s David Guralnick for the names) skating coach Brodie Tutton, and the goalies mostly worked with goaltending consultant Phil Osaer and a gaggle of on-ice player development staff (a gaggle being 4 or 5 coaches) on lateral movement and getting to shots through screens.

Nothing coach Tutton instilled did anything less than build upon Day One and Day Two’s lessons: today, the skaters were working on learning to trust their edges, skating oftentimes with their knees bent and their skates pointing 180 degrees apart as they circled the faceoff dots, took S turns through the bluelines and center ice, and essentially tweaked their skating strides, both forward and backward.

Coach Tutton took a lot of video of the players’ skating strides, and he instructed via video, too, and there were times when the skaters lined up along the benches’ boards to hone their perfect stride while holding themselves up against the half boards.

Pucks were eventually brought into the equation, and as the goaltenders worked with Osaer, the skaters worked on poke-checks and puck protection.

After a Zamboni flood, a particularly vocal Dwayne Blais and skills consultant Kevin Galerno took to the ice, and really built upon both Days One and Two as well as Tutton’s points of emphasis.

Backhand and forehand dekes, puck protection in tight (first skating alone, and then in pairs), some very simple puck battles and a lot of working through retrievals of set dump-ins or center-ice transition plays–with the goaltenders aiding the cause–began what I hope was an emphasis upon some more game-like situations.

The defensemen very specifically worked on different drills with coach Blais: there was a heavy emphasis on gap control, passing and shooting from the blueline, especially with lateral movement along the blueline itself, and different iterations of the dump-and-retrieve or take-pass-from-a-coach-and-skate-one-on-one stuff that the skaters engaged in.

Throughout, Niklas Kronwall and Daniel Cleary were available to the players for clarification purposes, as was Grand Rapids Griffins coach Ben Simon, and a quartet of skill development specialists who work with the team oversaw the proceedings as well.

At the very end of the defensemen’s drills, they were allowed to play some “street hockey,” with nets set up at the bluelines and defensemen engaged in tight one-on-one battles for the puck, and new camp attendee William Wallinder took a puck away from an opponent and roofed a through-the-legs shot into the top shelf:

William Wallinder in the flesh. #DRWDC pic.twitter.com/KDZtfonaP4— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 12, 2022

Again, I’m hoping that we see more game situations and battling as camp progresses toward Thursday’s 3-on-3 games, but it’s hard to say after three days whether Day Four is going to do much more than continue to build upon the on-ice skill development that’s led into tomorrow’s sessions.

I’d bet on there being more skill development than bumping and grinding, to be honest, because the goal of this camp is to educate the players as to how to self-improve and take instruction on the ice and off the ice.

Working out properly, focusing on recovery, nutrition, sleep, and yes, managing interactions with the online media and social media realm are all important parts of becoming a professional athlete as well, and these players are being utterly bombarded with information over the course of what appear to be 12-hour days which start at 6 AM.

I don’t think that the Wings are going to want to inflict much physical wear and tear on the players in the middle of the summer.

In terms of player assessments, here’s what I observed:

TEAM HOWE:

Forwards:

#56 Pasquale Zito, LW: We start with someone who I am presuming is an injured player. the 19-year-old Zito had just been traded from Windsor to Niagara of the OHL prior to this camp, following a “lost COVID year” that didn’t prevent the Wings from drafting the 6’1,” 176-pound sparkplug, but I’m certain that the Wings want to figure out whether Zito’s reputation for snarl and instigation is legit, even over the course of a developmental setting, and whether his 42-points-in-49-games season is indicative of top-six offensive potential, or whether he’s a 3rd liner in the making.

#58 Riley Piercey, RW**: Piercey, a free agent invite from the Flint Firebirds, is a 20-year-old who posted 58 points in 59 games for a very good Flint team. At a massive 6’3″ and 212 pounds, he’s a bit lumbering out there at times, but the 20-year-old winger is going to serve as a messenger:

The truth of the matter is that, regardless of whether you’re Marco Kasper or Riley Piercey, every player the Red Wings have invited to this development camp is a capable skater, every player the Red Wings have invited to this development camp has a good skill set, and as the years get by, the level between the players who “bob along” as free agents in the deeper NHL talent pool and the stars-in-the-making…Shrinks. Considerably.

So no, Piercey has not stood out. Despite his superb OHL performance, players like Piercey, Anctil, et. al. may have the highlights of their NHL careers this week. It’s hard to say because you never know which players will earn second looks or second chances at the prospect tournament, or due to performances at the prospect tournament. But he’s been solid. “These kids today” are all capable players, and the vast majority of them have professional attitudes as well as professional aspirations.

#61 Ethan Phillips, C: Phillips is just running out of time. The 5’10,” 160-pound Boston University center earned inconsistent playing time as a junior, and he’s really going to have to post a tremendous season over the course of his senior year to harbor professional hopes. That being said, he’s got a ton of speed, and you can see that he’s got a scorer’s touch, but he’s under-developed physically.

What’s the key to success at the professional level? Having your physical development, mental development and skill development intersect at the same time and place.

At 21, I don’t see Phillips’ body catching up with his brain or game. But stranger things have happened.

#62 Theodor Niederbach, C: A Niederbach appears!

The 20-year-old Niederbach finally arrived during today’s sessions, mostly working with the goaltenders as he didn’t look completely comfortable out there. I’m not sure if he had the same “lost baggage/equipment” problem as William Wallinder, his future teammate with Rogle of the SHL, but the 6,’ 190-pound Niederbach did display some top-shelf shots and some elite passing while skating up the ice with aplomb. He also was a little inconsistent in his application of his talent, which is why he’s still trying to establish himself as an SHL regular. There’s some runway left for Niederbach, and a lot of skill to go around.

It’s Theodor Niederbach! pic.twitter.com/Y34sTViEoC— George Malik (@georgemalik) July 12, 2022

#72 Trenton Bliss, C*: Bliss, a 24-year-old center, looks solid at 6’1″ and 195 pounds, and the Michigan Tech graduate is the only summer development camp participant who’s signed to the Grand Rapids Griffins for the upcoming season. I don’t think that he’s going to end up in Grand Rapids given how stacked the Griffins might be this upcoming year, but he did post 40 points in 36 games as an NCAA senior, so we’ll see how the prospect tournament and training camp hash out.

#74 Cross Hanas, RW: The affable Hanas is also looking to earn a spot with the Grand Rapids Griffins instead of another overage season with the fine Portland Winterhawks of the WHL. At 20, the 6’1,” 171-pound Hanas looks bigger and stronger than his wiry frame would suggest, and as I’ve said, he skates “heavier” than that frame would suggest, too. Hanas posted 26 goals and 60 assists for 86 points in 63 WHL games this past season, and he can score as easily as he can dish the puck for highlight reel goals. That being said, he’s got a hell of a work ethic, and is still working on establishing himself as a reliable two-way center.

#84 Julien Anctil, C**: Anctil, like Piercey, is a free agent invite who did a great job of posting a point-per-game (68 points in 67 games) for the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix, but the 6’2,” 175-pound 19-year-old was passed over in the draft because he didn’t dominate the Q, and he hasn’t dominated at the BELFOR as of yet. Like Piercey, his skill set is good and his skating is fine, but he hasn’t made any particularly spectacular impressions (as of yet).

#87 Dylan James, LW: James is an intriguing “story.” The Wings drafted the 6,’ 177-pound winger 40th overall this past weekend due to his 61-points-in-62-games season with the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL, the league which allows players to retain their NCAA eligibility. He’s headed to the University of North Dakota this upcoming season, and the incoming freshman seems to be regarded as Carter Mazur II.

He’s certainly got the same kind of enthusiasm and strong skating skills that Mazur, who projects to be a scoring middle-six instigator who loves to do the dirty work around the net and along the boards, and James’ skills look all-round superb thus far. He’s stood out mostly for the joy with which he plays the game, and his seeming willingness to skate through walls if he were asked. We’ll see whether he’s another “diamond in the rough” over time as he’s only 18.

#88 Liam Dower-Nilsson, C: LDN isn’t big at 6′ and 174 pounds, but the stockily-framed center from Frolunda HC is going to give becoming a full-time SHL player a go at 19 years of age. He’s really fun to watch because there’s top-six skill in a pint-sized package here, especially in terms of skating and his pace of game, and he chugs around the ice and makes things happen. He’s not an elite prospect yet, but he’s on the higher end, with development to come.

#92 Marco Kasper, C: The Wings’ 8th overall pick this past weekend in Montreal is not a finished product, either, but the maturity of the 18-year-old stands out. The 6’1,” 183-pound center is surprisingly gritty for someone who has a reputation as a skilled all-round, two-way center, and as he plays for the excellent Rogle BK in Sweden, the multi-lingual (German, Swedish and English) Kasper is an utterly elegant skater, he’s got good vision and playmaking skills, he can roof pucks, and as he chip-chops his way toward full speed, he’s assessing situations and anticipating plays. There’s a lot to like in the young, talented forward.

#98 Brennan Ali, C: Ali was drafted 212th overall–a far cry from Dylan James–but the 6,’ 193-pound center plays a lot like his fellow 2022 draftee. After posting a dominant 34-point season in 27 high school hockey games, the enthusiastic Ali is headed to the USHL’s Lincoln Stars, and, ultimately, the University of Notre Dame, and he’s another one of those middle-to-bottom-six types whose work ethic stands out. With solid all-round skill, he works his ass off and loves working said butt off, which is exciting, regardless of whether he becomes a skilled offensive forward or a support player.

Defensemen:

#3 Simon Edvinsson: I don’t know whether Edvinsson made it to Detroit on Tuesday. At 6’6″ and 205 pounds, the highly-heralded 19-year-old and Frolunda HC product is supposed to make a hard push to earn a spot on the Red Wings’ blueline this fall, but it’s hard to say whether the physical, fine-skating defenseman is going to do anything without getting him into North America so that he can at least skate for Sweden at the World Junior Championship redux this August in Edmonton, never mind participate in the Wings’ prospect tournament. The 6th overall draft pick in 2021 comes with an impressive pedigree and top-pair aspirations.

#51 Eemil Viro: Because the 20-year-old Viro has been playing for TPS Turku for a couple of seasons now, there is a lot of professional polish in the 6,’ 176-pound defenseman’s game. He skates fantastically well with those hips chugging along, today, I was able to see him gap up on his opponents like a professional defenseman should, he’s got a hard shot, a wise passing and playmaking sense and Jack-of-All-Trades written all over him, but he’s so very lean and sometimes very inconsistent in the fit-and-finish part of his game that I worry that he’s going to have a bumpy ride as he attempts to turn pro here in North America. He’s an affable chap and quite humble, so I’m hopeful that he turns out to be a rock-solid #4 defenseman with great maneuverability and a touch of grit.

#78 Shai Buium: Again, Buium is a bit of a giraffe–still growing at 6’3″ and 220 lanky pounds, looking uncomfortable at rest, but seemingly graceful when he’s in motion. The 19-year-old NCAA Division 1 hockey champ from the University of Denver posted a very solid 18 points in 39 regular season and playoff games, and he skates superbly, he’s got good shooting and passing skills, there’s a hard edge to his game and there’s poise to boot, with a ton of development left to go. High-end, methinks.

#79 Cedric Fielder**: Fielder has been good as a free agent invite. The 6’3,” 204-pound Western Michigan sophomore has impressed me as a solid all-round defenseman. Again, nothing screams “elite!” about him, but among the free agent try-outs, he’s been one of the few players that’s really kept up with the higher-end prospects.

#81 Cooper Moore: Moore, like Phillips and Mastrosimone, is skilled enough, but he’s running out of runway. The 6’2,” 190-pound 21-year-old University of North Dakota defenseman is solid enough, but he doesn’t post points and he isn’t particularly physical. He’s earning regular ice time on one of the best college hockey teams in the NCAA, and he’s going into his junior year looking to make himself more relevant. Moore looks a wee bit under-powered when he skates, but his skill set is up there.

#95 Tnias Mathurin: I’m of two minds on the 6’3,” 197-pound Mathurin, a 2022 draft pick from the OHL’s North Bay Battalion.

Part of me thinks that the Wings tossed their 137th overall pick in last weekend’s draft away on a big, plodding third-pair defenseman in the making. Part of me remembers that he’s only 18, and while he doesn’t seem to be the most offensively gifted player out there, he’s big, like Buium, he’s lanky and has room to grow, and he can work on his mobility. Quite raw and full of enough potential to hope for another middle-pair guy in there.

Goaltenders:

#31 Andrew Oke**: The 18-year-old Oke is similarly raw, and the 6’2,” 200-pound goaltender from the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit has a lot of work to do in terms of fit and finish to rebound from a rough 13-15-and-1 season with a 4.63 GAA and .848 save percentage. He stands really tight in terms of his stance, he can be beaten to the post, and his glove is a work in progress, but you watch him and you see enough skill to

#35 Carter Gylander: Gylander is equally maddening in different ways. Gigantic at 6’5″ and 185 pounds of all arms and legs, the 21-year-old Colgate junior lost his starting job last season, and his rebound control can be summarized as having no control at all, because everything that hits him is booted out (see: Jonas Gustavsson) off those stiff pads of his, but when he concentrates and he puts himself together, he’s got a strong blocker, superb glove, agile toes and a strong butterfly style.

For the present moment, he needs to soak up the Wings’ goaltending coaches’ suggestions with no rebounds allowed, and then he needs to go back to Colgate and stake claim to a starter’s position.

#68 Connor Murphy**: Murphy stands a heavy 6’4″ and 200 pounds of well-built goaltender, and the 23-year-old Union senior has really strong fundamentals, but, as I’ve said before, there are holes where the puck squeaks through his arms and legs and five-hole. Murphy is not likely to turn pro, but he can at least become a better netminder here.

TEAM LINDSAY:

Forwards:

#21 Kienan Draper, RW: The 20-year-old Draper is headed to the University of Michigan, perhaps for as long as four seasons, after skating two overage years in the BCHL, and he’s far from a finished product. At 6’1″ and 198 pounds, the right-shooting right wing is evidently physically fit as an NHL’er, and he posted a superb 50 points in 53 games with a good Chilliwack team, but what I see is that he’s a step slower than his dad, and as impeccable as his work ethic may be, there are some inconsistencies to his application of what should be more consistent offensive talent.

He’s got a good shot and he’s a strong passer, his vision is good and he’s not big but strong, but there are just hiccups and mistakes that belie his status as having played as the biggest fish in a smaller pond for a couple of extra seasons. Going to Michigan should kick-start his development.

#37 Chase Bradley, LW: At 5’11” and 180 pounds, Bradley doesn’t bowl you over per se, and the 20-year-old UConn sophomore just didn’t find himself during his freshman campaign, posting 9 points in 29 games. I can see a physical edge to his game that’s being held back over the course of the Wings’ skill development drills, as well as a good work ethic, but it’s very hard to see more there.

#43 Carter Mazur, LW: Mazur is sort of a Deluxe Version of a middle-six grinding forward. As a freshman at the University of Denver, he and Buium won the NCAA Division 1 championship (as did Finland-bound Antti Tuomisto), and while Mazur is a wiry 6′ and 173 pounds, he’s strong, he’s feisty and he’s grittily hard-working…But his NCAA stats stand up as a scorer and passer, having posted 14 goals and 24 assists for 38 points over the course of 41 games. He’s a ball-busting hard worker, he’s got some real snarl, even in the skill drills, and his hands are as solid as his feet are. He may not project to become a first-line player, but he could be the Wings’ Palat.

#54 Robert Mastrosimone, C: Another player who’s running out of runway, Mastrosimone chose to transfer from Boston University to Arizona State to jump-start his career going into his senior year. A hard-working, humble and composed 21-year-old, the 5’10,” 170-pound forward has speed, has hands, but he’s still developing into his body at an age where most NCAA players are dominating scoring-wise, and he hasn’t been able to do that at BU. The will, determination and drive are there, but thus far, the results are lacking.

#57 Cole Knuble, RW**: Knuble was passed over for this past weekend’s draft because the 18-year-old is still only 5’10” and 175 pounds, so while he posted 49 points in 62 games with the USHL’s Fargo Force, the Notre Dame-bound forward (after one more season with Fargo), he’s just not developed physically yet. That being said, he posted 20 goals and 29 assists in 60 games, and while he’s not the same kind of clutch goal-scorer that his dad was, Cole possesses a very strong all-round game. He skates very well for his physical stature, and he’s going to work his tail off to get drafted next spring. The Wings will be watching the son of their AHL affiliate’s assistant coach.

#63 Sam Stange: Stange is just frustrating for me to watch, because the 6’1,” 208-pound University of Wisconsin junior is so damn naturally talented, but so damn inconsistent in the application of his talent. He posted all of 4 goals and 7 assists in 37 games this past season, but he can score, he can pass, he can skate and he’s filled out and strong physically. All the tools to at least succeed at the NCAA level are there, in abundance, if not over-abundance, but he’s not applied himself as of yet on any sort of consistent basis.

#64 A.J. Vanderbeck, C**: The Northern Michigan University graduate is the oldest free agent invite by far at 24 going on 25, and he’s been a point-per-game scorer at the NCAA level, but at 5’11” and 185 pounds, he’s not overly big, and like some of his free agent compatriots, this may be the apex of his career, playing for the Red Wings in a summer development camp, because he’s got to turn pro this upcoming season, or he’s out of options. I don’t know whether the Wings will bring him to the prospect tournament as veteran leadership.

#67 Redmond Savage, C: Savage definitely fits a bottom-of-the-lineup, fourth-line center’s mold, but as I’ve said before, the fact that the 19-year-old Miami of Ohio sophomore has absolutely embraced the role of a faceoff-winning, penalty-killing, 5’11” and 185 pounds of steely determination to win every battle in the corners, along the boards and block shots and lay out bodies if necessary…

Is awesome. You need support players who love working hard to be support players, taking the dirty jobs and proudly accomplishing them, and you can see Savage’s enthusiasm–and his edge–in every moment he’s on the ice.

He and Carter Mazur were paired together for one puck-carrying drill, and it took every ounce of their self-restraint to not hack and whack each other into submission. They were playfully jabbing and jamming each other’s sticks and skates, but they kept it business casual, and it was hilarious to watch. At 19, Savage obviously has to fill out that skinny body, and he’s got a couple more years in college to really gain experience as a happy “heel.”

#94 Mitchell Martin, LW**: At 6’4″ and 199 pounds, the 19-year-old free agent invite is no slouch, and Martin posted 40 points in 65 games for the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers this past season, but he’s not stood out–good or bad–and that is unfortunate.

#96 Amadeus Lombardi, C: Lombardi, on the other hand, is a very noticeable 19-year-old. The Wings’ 113th overall pick this past weekend, the overage draft pick is only 5’10” and 165 pounds, but my goodness, can the Flint Firebirds center skate, my goodness, is he excited to be playing hockey and playing hockey for what may be money at some point, and he posted a strong 59 points in 67 games this past season. He’s inconsistent at times, but he’s got a sort of cocky pluck to him that’s infectious, and there’s time for him to fill out.

#97 Owen Mehlenbacher, C: Of the Wings’ “long shot” 2022 draft picks, Mehlenbacher may be the longest shot this side of Mathurn. At 6’2″ and 189 pounds, the 18-year-old posted 42 points in 56 games for Muskegon of the USHL, he’s headed to Sam Stange’s University of Wisconsin Badgers…

And he’s just all sorts of raw and needing to develop (and Tony Granato’s Wisconsin Badgers are as good a place to do that as any). Mehlenbacher skates well enough, but I’m not seeing the kind of scoring touch that his numbers indicate, and he’s just very inconsistent in terms of his fit and finish. That’s fine at 18, of course, but I suppose he was picked 201st overall for a reason.

Defensemen:

#44 Donovan Sebrango: When is a pro not a pro? When a two-year AHL veteran is still finding his form. The 6’2,” 195-pound Sebrango is all of 20 years old, but he’s played in 96 AHL games for Grand Rapids already, and, like Savage, he loves being a physical, shut-down defenseman. He’s really embraced his role as that 4/5/6 defender that you put out when you’re down by a goal or killing a 5-on-3, playing with grit, determination, and serviceable-enough-and-improving skating and physical aplomb to be very evident as somebody who checks and out-works the snot out of his opponents on a shift-by-shift basis during a skill development camp. He’s fun to watch, fun to talk to, and he’s going to be miserable to play against.

#55 Kyle Aucoin: Aucoin has a lot of runway left at 20 years of age, and the Harvard sophomore isn’t nearly as big as his heavy-shooting dad at 6′ and 175 pounds, but he skates well, his shot is indeed hard, he passes superbly…And he hasn’t put his game together. Aucoin posted 2 points in 30 NCAA games this past season, and while he played regularly, he didn’t play a ton. He’s got a top-four skill set, and he’s improved over the course of the week in terms of his details, but he’s got to establish himself at the college level. He does gap up really well and close on his opponents smartly.

#75 Drew Bavaro**: Another free agent invite, the 6’3,” 200-pound transfer from Bentley to Notre Dame posted a superb 27 points in 36 games this past season, but his rough edges indicate to me that he’s trying to jump-start his NCAA career by transferring despite being a productive defenseman. He skates well enough and shoots well enough, but he looks heavy and looks a little under-maneuverable.

#77 Oscar Plandowski: Plandowski is another raw specimen at 19 years of age, having just been traded from the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders to the Drummondville Voltigeurs. 6′ and 190 pounds, Plandowski is the son of a skating coach, and he skates superbly well, just really damn well, he’s got heads-up vision, he shoots and passes hard, and he can make plays…Or not. Sometimes he looks as raw as the kids that were picked at the draft last weekend, and sometimes he looks particularly promising. He needs to iron out the kinks in his game.

#83 William Wallinder: I thought that Wallinder, who made his development camp debut today, was bent over a lot because he was jet-lagged. It turns out that he was bent over a lot and looked a bit uncomfortable out there despite top-pair skill and a 6’4,” 190-pound frame because the Rogle BK defenseman was playing in borrowed skates, with a borrowed stick and borrowed equipment. Wallinder still scored that gorgeous goal that you see above, and Wallinder, over the course of one viewing, reminded me that the 19-going-on-20-year-old defenseman is establishing himself as a fine performer for one of the SHL’s most dominant teams because he’s got oodles of talent, talent, talent.

He’s a smooth skater, he’s an excellent passer, he’s got a slick shot, he sees the ice well and even in borrowed skates, his lateral and backward maneuverability are excellent. There’s a wee bit of snarl to the big man, too. He was wildly inconsistent at last summer’s World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, but he’s ironed out the flaws in his game, and he’s headed to the World Junior Championship in Edmonton after a great SHL season.

Goaltenders:

#33 Sebastian Cossa: I see a lot of work to do in the incredibly-talented Cossa’s game, but the 19-year-old just won a WHL title with the Edmonton Oil Kings, the 6’6,” 215-pound goaltender may end up being one of those 235-pound behemoths at some point (he’s still very lanky), and while I see holes between his legs and top shelf when he’s in the butterfly…He posted a damn 2.28 goals-against average and .913 save percentage while winning 33 of the 46 games he played in this past regular season.

Now the Oil Kings were stacked as stacked could be roster-wise, but they won 2-1 and 3-2 games because Cossa was back on the goal line, making tremendous toe stops, glove saves, boarding pucks off his blocker to proper locations to be cleared, and moving around the crease with a veteran’s flair and confidence.

He’s not perfect, and the self-assured but not arrogant netminder is an acquired taste for some, but he’s a good young man and he’s en route to becoming a fine professional goaltender, regardless of whether he turns pro with Grand Rapids or goes back to Edmonton for one more year.

#36 Owen Flores**: At perhaps the other end of the spectrum, Flores, an 18-year-old who was passed over in the draft despite a 12-wins-in-16-games Ontario Junior League season, just doesn’t have a lot of confidence in himself after going 6-8-and-4 in 23 starts for the OHL’s London Knights, posting an ugly 3.67 goals-against and .875 save percentage for one of the OHL’s flagship franchises.

Flores stands at 6’2,” but he’s only 170 lanky pounds, and his confidence playing against over-16 players is not evident playing against 18-and-over players. He’s got a very solid “toolbox” as a goaltender, but where you’d like to see Sebastian Cossa find a hammer to go with that Ferrari of a wrench set, you’d like to see Flores just get some tools to put in that toolbox. He’s lean, he’s tight, and he’s still working on finding himself.

#80 Pierce Charleson**: The final free agent invite of the bunch, Michigan State’s back-up netminder going into his junior campaign did not post great numbers, going 3-and-8 in 12 starts, but I have been impressed with the 22-year-old’s size (6’2,” 193 pounds), his impeccable technique and fundamentals, and his overall poise and form. He’s a work in progress, but there’s some meat on those bones to work with, and I hope he gets a better chance to start going forward.

*=Grand Rapids Griffins contract, **= Free Agent invite

I hope you’ve enjoyed the third day’s observations. Even if you’re skimming them and gathering stuff about this prospect or that prospect, and then scrolling past the rest, this is for everybody, and I hope I’ve been an OK pair of eyes. This has been damn hard, but I’ve enjoyed it as much as it’s exhausted me, and three days in out of five, running on five hours of sleep, I’m going to do my best to get down to LCA tomorrow and cover free agency at the same time.

In all honesty, free agency may be my focus, with the prospects taking something of a back-seat as Twitter scrolls by, but I’ll do my best to multi-task, and I hope that what I’m going to do is enough.

I run a blog that does not have ads, and I’m coming back to work after 7 months’ worth of a shitty break to better treat my depression and anxiety, so I have to ask you for money now. I don’t like to do it, but it’s part of the job.

If you’re willing to lend a hand, you can use PayPal at https://paypal.me/TheMalikReport, Venmo at https://venmo.com/george-malik-2, Giftly by using my email, rtxg@yahoo.com, at https://www.giftly.com. And you can contact me via email if you want to send me a paper check.

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George Malik

My name is George Malik, and I'm the Malik Report's editor/blogger/poster. I have been blogging about the Red Wings since 2006, when MLive hired me to work their SlapShots blog, and I joined Kukla's Korner in 2011 as The Malik Report. I'm starting The Malik Report as a stand-alone site, hoping that having my readers fund the website is indeed the way to go to build a better community and create better content.

3 thoughts on “Impressions from the third day of the Red Wings’ 2022 summer development camp”

  1. George, a slight correction here: Ali went to Avon Old Farms..a prep school in Connecticut. He will be starting college in the fall.

    1. Opps, I was wrong about attending college in the fall. Did you mean that Avon O. F. played a college schedule?

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