FloHockey’s Chris Peters posted a list of 10 prospects to watch at the various prospect tournaments being held across the U.S. and Canada this weekend, and he picked an obvious choice from Detroit:
Simon Edvinsson, D, Detroit Red Wings; There’s no question that Edvinsson is among the top defensive prospects in the game right now. There is a valid question, however, if he’s ready to play in the NHL this season. He took a big step forward last season with Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League and his overall potential is tantalizing. Now he’ll have a chance to show off that progress even more at the 2022 Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Mich.
As a 6-foot-6 defenseman, he’s such a fluid, comfortable skater who can make some plays. I still think his offensive game has more maturing to do and while at the summer World Juniors, he didn’t necessarily look like a guy that was about to jump into the NHL. This rookie tournament will give Edvinsson a chance to show where he is relative to the other defensemen in Detroit’s system. It will also give the Red Wings another data point in how they need to make their decision about him. Given how cautious and patient they are with their prospects, I would be surprised to see Edvinsson on the team’s opening night roster. That said, he can make that decision a lot harder on them with a good showing this week and in training camp.
Continued; I would be a little surprised to see Edvinsson make the opening-night roster as well, given the Wings’ depth at defense, but the prospect tournament, training camp and the exhibition season will afford him opportunities to change the coaches and management’s respective minds.
