The Detroit Red Wings re-signed defenseman Wyatt Newpower to a 1-year, $787,500 contract today (with an AHL salary of $70,000).
As the Red Wings’ fan base looks toward the bright futures of Grand Rapids Griffins defensemen Simon Edvinsson, William Wallinder, Albert Johansson, Eemil Viro and Jared McIsaac, it’s worth noting that the Red Wings have surrounded their mostly European D-corps with a couple of veterans in scoring defenseman Brogan Rafferty and two players who will keep the flies off in Newpower and AHL-contracted Josiah Didier.
Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen penned an article which explains why the Red Wings re-signed Newpower today:
The Red Wings signed Newpower to a two-way contract for $750,000 with the idea that he can be a stabilizing force on the Grand Rapids Griffins roster. Newpower, 25, is an old school player who offers size (6-foot-3), hard-nosed play (Led the Griffins with 59 penalty minutes this season) and toughness (Six fighting majors).
The Minnesota native blocks shots and thinks defense first. Coaches appreciate what he brings to their table. This is a player who played four games with a broken hand this past season before admitting to himself that he needed to go on the injured list.
Former Griffins coach Ben Simon used to call Newpower “an old soul.”
The Red Wings have Simon Edvinsson, Albert Johansson, Antti Tuomisto, Eemil Viro and William Wallinder with the potential to play in Grand Rapids this season. But new Griffins coach Dan Watson will likely carve out playing time for Newpower. He played 59 games last season, The Griffins want to make the playoffs this season after missing the past two seasons. Newpower can help the Griffins win.
Newpower isn’t one of Detroit’s top prospects, but the Red Wings like who is a player and a person. He works his way into the lineup by competing hard and playing a sound all-around game. At some point, you could see the Red Wings giving him a few games in Detroit just to see how he performs.
The best way I can explain the AHL is this: it is still a league where you need an enforcer or two to defend younger, lighter players, and the Red Wings have a litany of young prospects who are high-flying offensive players.
If you look at EliteProspects’ Griffins depth chart, the team’s being built to add heft and experience surrounding the Mazurs, Hanases and Kaspers of the world. Newpower fits the mold of a bit of a “bumper” to afford what is a medium-sized, skilled defense to do its job without fear of bigger players targeting them.
It’s a bit of an “old-school” approach in the AHL, but it works that way, so you build accordingly.
