The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects held an hour-long morning skate ahead of tonight’s game vs. the Dallas Stars’ prospects (6:30 PM EDT on the Wings’ YouTube channel, Facebook and official website, and stats are available on PointStreak).
An hour is a little long for a “morning skate,” but the players usually get in a quick “getting to know you” skate on Wednesday, and Thursday’s morning skate is always about instruction–and structure.
Grand Rapids Griffins coach Dan Watson is in charge of the prospects, with Griffins assistant coaches Stephane Julien, Brian Lashoff and goaltending coach Roope Koistinen also working with the prospects today.
The drills the players engaged in this morning mostly focused on establishing structure in terms of puck retrievals, break-outs, speed through center ice, and power play-and-penalty-kill formations. The emphasis on speed and puck possession were evident from the get-go, as this year’s Red Wings prospects team moves the puck well up ice.
As I said on Twitter, or X, the power play formations were kind of exciting:
PP1 = Mazur bumper, Doucet net front, Lombardi LW, Wallinder and Kasper points.
— George Malik (@georgemalik) September 14, 2023
PP2: Soderblom net front, Danielson bumper, Melovsky LW, Tuomisto and Hanas points.
So that’s Amadeus Lombardi-Carter Mazur-Alexandre Doucet up front, with William Wallinder and Marco Kasper on the points; then Matyas Melovsky, Nate Danielson and Elmer Soderblom up front, with Antti Tuomisto and Cross Hanas on the points.
The line combinations stood up as the first two lines at even strength as well, so that’s noteworthy, but it was hard to tell the bottom two lines apart, and the defensive pairings were a little scrambled because 7 defenders on the roster = different players taking their “reps” with each other, depending on the drill.
The media and fans get a roster sheet before each game, and that’s going to tell the tale. I’m assuming that the top two lines are going to be pretty much set, and that we’ll see some shifting of players in and out on the third and fourth lines as Detroit has some try-outs that they’d like to see.
At the end of practice, before Sebastian Cossa led the stretch at center ice, coach Watson did give the players an impromptu address, and I didn’t hear the whole thing from the top of the stands…
But he emphasized that, yes, the players were learning a lot of information all at once, but that he wanted the team to “play fast.”
The first prospect tournament game is always interesting because you’ve got a professional team’s coach trying to teach players how to shake off their Major Junior and European Pro habits over the course of 3 games played in 4 days.
That takes its mental and physical toll on the players, challenging them to balance a heavy mental and physical workload before training camp, but it can serve as a wonderful runway with which the players can afford themselves some real momentum going into the main training camp a week from today.
My observations on a player-by-player basis are pretty limited today, in no small part because I had to come back to the hotel to make sure my aunt was medicated, fed and generally okay, but I’ll give you what I’ve got:
FORWARDS:
#28 Riley Sawchuk**: As stated in my “Getting to know the Red Wings’ prospect tournament roster” post, it’s very evident that the 24-year-old Sawchuk is here in a leadership role. Griffins-contracted, the 5’11,” 181-pound grinding center worked on faceoffs with Nate Danielson at the end of practice.
#29 Nate Danielson: Listed at 6’2″ and 185 pounds, down two pounds from his EliteProspects weight, 2023 9th overall pick Nate Danielson definitely looked the part of a responsible two-way center with speed to spare and a high hockey IQ. He’s still growing into his skinny frame, but he’s pleasantly surprised me from my first viewing at July’s summer development camp.
#32 Carter Mazur: At 20 years of age, coming off his sophomore season at the University of Denver, the 6,’ 175-pound Mazur is certainly a wiry fellow, but his pluck makes up for his lack of size. Mazur was expressive and talking to the coaches throughout the morning skate to get pointers and make sure that he was doing drills correctly.
#56 Matyas Melovsky*: A free agent try-out, Melovsky posted a pretty dang impressive 52 assists in 59 games with the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix this past season, and if he can replicate that kind of output while skating among bigger, faster and meaner players, he’ll get a long look.
The usual rule under the Yzerman regime has been that every prospect tournament player gets in a couple days’ worth of training camp, though they’re usually cut before the Red vs. White game. That’s a far cry from when Ken Holland would cut guys after the final prospect tournament game.
#58 Dean Loukus*: 5’10” and 175 pounds, the undersized Loukus is a try-out from the Saginaw Spirit who is also from Calumet, Michigan. He’s been a point-per-game player for the past two seasons in the OHL, but he’s also been passed over for the draft.
#63 Alexandre Doucet: The 21-year-old free agent signing from the QMJHL looks like a natural scorer, and the 6,” 187-pound center may or may not face a significant transition period in adjusting from the free-wheeling QMJHL to the faster, more defensively-oriented AHL. I’ve been impressed with his finishing skills and his self-confidence.
#64 Emmitt Finnie: I read a story this summer about the 6,” 170-pound 2023 draft pick, and the Lethbridge Hurricanes Kamloops Blazers forward grew something like six inches during his draft year, so he’s a player who’s dealing with adjustments to his stature and size.
#74 Cross Hanas: Hanas is a bit of a mystery man in terms of the prospect hierarchy. An elite passer and AHL sophomore, he’s recovered from shoulder surgery, and the 6’1,” 180-pound Hanas can often force passes to the point that he gets covered by opponent defenses while he tries to find that perfect passing play. He’s fast, but he’s got to make faster decisions.
#78 Amadeus Lombardi: Up to 5’11” and 171 pounds, Lombardi plays plucky hockey, making up for his lack of size with tenacity and skill. He looks more than ready to graduate from the Saginaw Spirit to the Griffins this upcoming season, displaying skating skills, offensive abilities and an ability to out-will bigger, stronger opponents.
#82 Israel Mianscum*: Mianscum is an intriguing try-out, a 6’1,” 198-pound 20-year-old center from coach Julien’s Sherbrooke Phoenix who’s developed into a point-per-game player. He’s got some skills, but his inconsistencies in terms of applying those skills are evident as well.
#83 Nic Sima*: Listed at 6’3″ and 190 pounds by the Red Wings, the 18-year-old Saginaw Spirit forward had a middling draft year, and he’s a bit of an unknown to me as he didn’t take part in the summer development camp.
#85 Elmer Soderblom: Massive at 6’8″ and 246 pounds, Soderblom is heading into his second AHL campaign looking to establish himself as a more consistent offensive player. It’s hard to tell whether he’s going to develop into a defensive forward with some special teams (i.e. power play net-front) skills, or whether he’s got more to offer offensively. I’m hoping for the latter possibility to take hold over the course of his development.
#86 Jake Uberti*: Uberti is headed to Canadian University this season at St. Mary’s College, but he’s still eligible to play (unlike U.S. University players) in the prospect tournament. Big at 6’1″ and 200 pounds, he had a middling OHL career, but at 21, he’s looking to impress scouts and find a professional place to play.
#92 Marco Kasper: Kasper was the guy who grabbed the bucket for pucks and led the cause of picking up every puck on the ice at the end of practice so that the rink maintenance crew didn’t have to pick them up before resurfacing the ice. That’s the kind of underrated leadership you’re expecting from the 19-year-old Austrian who graduated from Swedish high school. Listed at 6’3″ and 181 pounds, 11 pounds lighter than his EliteProspects-listed weight, the big question with Kasper is whether he’s going to be a slightly mean, plucky two-way center who’s merely responsible defensively, or whether those sniper’s instincts are signs of really consistent offense at the professional level.
DEFENSEMEN:
#26 Andrew Gibson: A 2023 draft pick, the 6’3,” 196-pound Gibson has a reputation for playing a big, heavy and physical game with the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds. His skill set sort of screams “underrated down the line” as a middle-pair defenseman with all-round skills, and he’s 18, but the boy’s got a killer moustache.
#38 Antti Tuomisto: At 22, coming off a pro season with TPS Turku of the Finnish Liiga, the 6’5,” 205-pound defenseman brings maturity and poise–and a right shot–to the Wings’ prospect system. He’s big, he’s strong, and thus far, he’s spare in all the right ways.
#54 William Wallinder: Perhaps the highest-profile defenseman on the team, the 21-year-old played parts of four seasons with Rogle of the SHL, and the 6’4,” 190-pounder is really smooth in terms of his skill set. He’s big, mobile, and slick in terms of his puck-moving abilities.
#61 Connor Punnett*: The 20-year-old Punnett will probably play a 3rd-pair role, and he looked like a player screaming inside that he was physical and gritty at 6’2″ and 198 pounds of Barrie Colts defender during the summer development camp. He’s posted 109 penalty minutes in 66 OHL games, which is not insignificant, and in this kind of tournament, you need a Connor Punnett on your team, which is why he was invited to participate.
#70 Finn Harding*: Harding, another free agent invite, still hasn’t made much of an impression upon me after viewings at the summer development camp. 6’1″ and 182 pounds, he keeps up well, and there may be more to him, but he and Jackson DeSouza may be in and out of the lineup as depth defenders.
#79 Jackson DeSouza*: At 20, DeSouza hasn’t put up a lot of points in the WHL with Kelowna, but I really like his poise with the puck. The 6’4,” 187-pound righty can really “rag the puck” when he’s got the time to do so.
#95 Tnias Mathurin: At 19, the 6’3,” 205-pound defenseman needs more time to develop after missing all but one regular season game this past season due to an assortment of injuries, but he plays a “big man’s” game.
GOALTENDERS:
#33 Sebastian Cossa: I thought it was really cool that Cossa was selected to speak to his teammates at the end of practice during the “stretch.” He’s got a new set of pads (Bauer Vapor Hyp2rlites), and they looked pretty stiff, as did the affable 6’6,” 229-pound goaltender. As Sean Shapiro suggested, it’s really hard to evaluate prospect tournament goalies, because even the “starters” usually get two games, and the puck stays out, or it doesn’t. That being said, Cossa is still fixing some “holes” that open up when he drops, but his professional potential is evident, too–and we think of him as a grizzled vet of the ECHL, but he’s only 20.
#60 Jan Bednar: Bednar’s revised his technique, and he hopes to find a new beginning at 21 playing for the Toledo Walleye this upcoming season. At 21, the 6’4,” 196-pound Bednar flips and flops and dives much less regularly, and I have to give him credit for being a much more controlled, disciplined goalie.
#68 Lukas Matecha*: The designated 3rd goalie worked with Roope Koistinen when he wasn’t getting his share of time in the crease, and as a free agent try-out, the 6’3,” 187-pound commit to the WHL’s Tri-City Americans is going to have to continue working with the goalie coaches and proving his worth as an 18-year-old passed over in his first draft year. Unless an injury occurs, knock on wood, Matecha won’t get a start, but he’ll attend training camp, so the more time he spends with Koistinen and Phil Osaer, the better.
*=Try-out **=Grand Rapids Griffins contract
Okay, we’ve made it to Traverse City, but Aunt Annie and I still need to find a way to plain old pay our bills when we get home as we exhausted our reserves to get up here, so we’re still raising funds.
If you can lend a hand with our expenses, we have an old-fashioned GoFundMe here https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-george-annie-attend-prospect-tournament, 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. I’m also on Cash App under “georgeums.”
As always, thanks for your readership and time.
