The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects hoped to rebound from Friday’s 4-2 loss against the Dallas Stars by putting in some hard work during today’s practice at Centre ICE Arena.
Things get busy after today, so the Red Wings’ prospects needed to “cram” for their final exams: Toronto plays Dallas in the only game at the prospect tournament tonight (at 6:30 PM EDT), but then the Red Wings will battle Adam Fantilli and the Columbus Blue Jackets Saturday (3:30 PM EDT start), and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday (2 PM EDT; both games will be streamed by the Red Wings).
And training camp begins on Thursday, September 21st, running for five days.
The Wings’ prospects were put through their paces on Friday by Grand Rapids Griffins coach Dan Watson, assistant coaches Stephane Julien and Brian Lashoff, goaltending coach Roope Koistinen video coach Erich Junge…
And the Wings’ prospects were really put to the test, as what appeared to be an “optional skate” for the first fifteen minutes before practice began really ramped up in terms of intensity and pace of play.
Practice began with some “split squad” drills, in which several players warmed up the goaltenders with shots from the bottoms of each faceoff circle as the goaltenders worked at squaring up to their goalposts and coming off said posts to face each shooter;
At the other end of the ice, the Red Wings’ defensemen worked in a sort of square shape, working the puck from point man to point man before one of the blueliners took a shot.
As practice really got underway, however, some hockey calculus was played.
The forwards worked on puck retrievals and lateral passing while the defenders’ “box” passing drill iterated into a shooting drill, with Brian Lashoff’s students working on retrieving dump-ins via single outlet passes, lateral D-to-D passes behind the net, backhand D-to-D passes, and the like…
Then the forwards and defensemen came together to work on a set of breakout drills in which pucks moved through neutral ice via D-to-D and outlet passes to forwards whirlpooling through center ice yielded layered 2-on-1’s and 3-on-2’s.
As that drill evolved, the skaters had to chug their butts back to the center ice red line when the drill was over to prove that they still had some “gas”…
When Cross Hanas blocked a shot and took something of a stinger, coach Watson said, “Let’s celebrate that, that has to be who we are, blocking shots, playing D.”
Eventually, the players engaged in drills which involved purposefully regrouping through a set of 3 cones for the forwards at center ice, and re-entering the offensive zone after a defensive clear, which emphasized regrouping for fast zone entries;
William Wallinder and Alexandre Doucet flipped jerseys from red to white to take part in 5-man, 4-line drills in which situational faceoffs required players to either clear the zone or generate scoring chances on the goaltenders, depending on whether the players were playing as “offense” or “defense,” and that drill became a 5-on-4 and then 5-on-3 PP and PK practice…
And after Cross Hanas earned praise from Nate Danielson during the center-ice stretch, more than half of the players stayed on the ice for another 15 minutes, taking shots on net, working on faceoffs with the coaches, and goofing around, frankly.
It was good to see the players remaining enthusiastic after a significant workload in terms of skating and executing drills at what became higher and higher paces of play.
In summary, coach Watson said that he was going to emphasize puck possession on Friday, and by working on retrievals, transition plays and passing, shooting and situational faceoff drills, establishing and maintaining possession and control of the puck in all situations was the message of the day, delivered.
In terms of my player impressions, here’s what I thought about those who practiced on Friday, building upon of Thursday’s practice and Thursday’s game impressions:
FORWARDS:
#28 Riley Sawchuk**: Sawchuk excelled during last night’s prospect tournament game, playing as the “go-between” forward that filled in for Carter Mazur and, for a short period of time, Elmer Soderblom as well, but the fact that he did a good job should be expected. He’s a 24-year-old Grand Rapids Griffins-contracted forward who posted 49 points at Mount Royal University last season.
He should be borderline dominant against players who are younger than he is, and at 5’10” and 181 pounds, he’s likely ticketed for the Grand Rapids Griffins or Toledo Walleye. Both coach Watson and Walleye coach Pat Mikesch were in attendance for last night’s game, and will watch their future employees throughout the weekend.
#29 Nate Danielson: Having heard Danielson speak with the media, I like his confidence, but he’s still quite young. Built like a 6’2,” 185-pound gazelle, he’s got room to add some weight and strength, but at 18 going on 19, the Brandon Wheat Kings captain and superb two-way center skates strongly, wins faceoffs, passes and shoots well, and he’s got a bit of a chip on his shoulder regarding any questions as to whether he should have been picked 9th overall. He has a lot of developing to do, but Danielson looks like a safer bet than anybody might have imagined.
#32 Carter Mazur: Mazur missed Friday’s practice with a lower-body injury, and that’s unfortunate, because this prospect tournament can really provide some runway for the bottom-six forward to earn his place in the discussion as to being one of the first call-ups from Grand Rapids. The 21-year-old is 6′ and 175 pounds, and he’s got a gritty, greasy streak a mile wide, but he also possesses the skill set to snipe home goals and pounce on rebounds (all while aggravating his opponents, gleefully so). Here’s hoping the Jackson, MI native comes back for the tournament, if not training camp.
#56 Matyas Melovsky*: Melovsky posted 52 assist in 59 games for Baie-Comeau last season, but on Friday, he owned Jan Bednar, sniping goal after goal against his Czech compatriot. The free agent invite stands at 6’1″ and 190 pounds, and he might be ticketed for a ride back to the QMJHL this upcoming season, but if he can match his passing aplomb with a tenth of the goal-scoring skill he displayed on Friday, the 19-year-old might turn some heads.
#58 Dean Loukus*: Loukus has been relatively sold but totally unspectacular over the course of two day’ worth of viewings. The free agent invite from Saginaw of the OHL stands at 5’10” and 175 pounds, and he’s been passed over in the draft twice. The 20-year-old will probably get at least a game in while playing in a fourth line role.
#63 Alexandre Doucet: There is no doubt that Doucet can score as the 21-year-old from the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads posted 58 goals this past season, but there are questions as to whether the 6,” 187-pound center/wing has the all-round skill set necessary to excel as a professional hockey player. He’s probably going to get a chance to shine for Dan Watson’s Grand Rapids Griffins, and he did have five shots in the first prospect tournament game.
#64 Emmitt Finnie: Finnie impresses me a little more each time I see him, but the 6,” 170-pound center from the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers is still pretty raw at 18 years of age. He’s speedy and can win faceoffs, and there have been flashes of, “Oh, THAT’s why the Red Wings drafted him 201st overall” skill, but there are inconsistencies as well.
#74 Cross Hanas: Hanas’ blocked shot during practice earned him a round of applause (of sorts) and a final-stretch lap around the ice, and I really think that Hanas is an under-the-radar prospect who might be more important than we might think. The 21-year-old second-year pro missed a chunk of time last season with a shoulder injury which required surgical repair, and the 6’1,” 180-pound winger could have been given a pass for having some rust on his game, but instead, he’s displayed skills as a dynamic play-maker and strong skater.
#78 Amadeus Lombardi: Lombardi missed Friday’s practice with a personal issue, and the 5’11,” 171-pound speedster of a center does a fine job of out-leveraging and out-competing his generally bigger, stronger opponents. Not as small as he once was, the 20-year-old Lombardi is graduating to the AHL after a strong career with the OHL’s Flint Firebirds, and he projects in my eyes to be a middle-six forward with grit, jam and pluck.
#82 Israel Mianscum*: Mianscum is a big boy at 6’1″ and 198 pounds, and the free agent invite from Sherbrooke of the QMJHL is a little older at 20, but the big, heavy guy has looked a little unsteady on his feet at times. I don’t know whether it’s nerves or something else for the point-per-game center, because I expected to see more from Mianscum than flashes of self-confidence and physicality.
#83 Nic Sima*: Sima, like Loukus, comes from the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit, and the 18-year-old is no slouch at 6’3″ and 190 pounds, but he’s not going to make an impression on me or the coaching staff until he plays in a game.
#85 Elmer Soderblom: Elmer is playing in his 3rd prospect tournament, and you would expect the 6’8,” 246-pound forward to know how it’s done. Instead, the 22-year-old insisted to the media that he’s working off rust after an injury-marred first North American pro campaign, and his dekes, dangles and elegant skating skills were evident last night, but the finish was there only once. He could have scored another two or three goals if he played a little more simply. The big man may never be a physical force, but his size makes his skill set unique.
#86 Jake Uberti*: Uberti was okay-to-good during his first prospect tournament game. At 6’1″ and 200 pounds, the Mississauga Steelheads graduate is headed to St. Mary’s College this upcoming season, and there have been flashes of goal-scoring abilities, as well as skating ability, but right now, the 21-year-old looks like he needs more seasoning at the Canadian University level.
#92 Marco Kasper: Kasper admitted to the press that he likes to talk in Swedish with his Swedish teammates, and that being in America was different than living alone in Sweden because you have to drive everywhere, but the 19-year-old seems to be incredibly comfortable in his own skin, and incredibly comfortable playing a responsible two-way game with an edge to it. Kasper is a high-talent forward whose offense should get better as he adjusts to North American pro hockey’s grind.
DEFENSEMEN:
#26 Andrew Gibson: It’s hard to remember that Gibson is only 18 years old sometimes. The 6’3,” 196-pound Soo Greyhounds defender is a right shot, and he’s tough, spare in terms of his pace of play, and getting stronger. He didn’t look out of place skating with pros in the “All in 4 ALS” game in Windsor this past August, and while there have been hiccups, he doesn’t look out of place here in Traverse City.
#38 Antti Tuomisto: Tuomisto looks like a steal at the present moment. The 22-year-old University of Denver and TPS Turku alumnus stands at 6’5″ and 205 pounds of right-shooting size and reach, he skates very well for a big, heavy defender, and there’s bite and snarl to his physical game–but he can also move the puck up ice with urgency, and send long bombs on and into the net.
#54 William Wallinder: Wallinder seems to be a little more in need of adjustment to the lack of time and space on North American rinks and playing against North American pros than I thought he’d display, but the 21-year-old defenseman is, dare I say it, all arms and legs at 6’4″ and 19 pounds, and he possesses superbly solid all-round skills, though I would not guess that he’s going to be offensively dominant, barring a surprise or two.
#61 Connor Punnett*: The Barrie Colts defenseman was brought in to provide toughness, and last night’s fight included two take-downs on Artem Grushkinov, so the message was sent that nobody is going to mess with Dan Watson’s team. At 20, the 6’1,” 198-pound defenseman is stocky and strong, and he’s fine as a third-pair defenseman who provides grit.
#70 Finn Harding*: At times, the free agent invite from Mississauga of the OHL looks sharp and snappy in terms of his shooting and passing skills, but the 18-year-old defenseman sometimes makes mistakes, especially under pressure. He’s got to step up a bit if he wants to remain in the Wings’ lineup.
#79 Jackson DeSouza*: On the outside looking in, the Kelowna Rockets defenseman looks sharp and talented, but the right-shooting 20-year-old needs some game action to prove that his lovely dangles and dekes and confidence with the puck are repeatable in game situations. Tall and skinny at 6’5″ and 187 pounds, he’s got quite the wingspan and reach.
#95 Tnias Mathurin: A 2022 draft pick, the 19-year-old Mathurin stands at a solid 6’3″ and 200 pounds, and he sure is physical, but my concern is that the big, hulking defenseman can be a bit of a lunk on the ice. Heavy-footed, Mathurin needs to continue to improve his skating and quickness in order to earn a spot in the Wings’ pipeline.
GOALTENDERS:
#33 Sebastian Cossa: Cossa really is a work in progress. At 6’6″ and 229 pounds, he’s truly massive, and Cossa has sealed the holes down low, but his glove and blocker hands are a work in progress, and the 20-year-old Toledo Walleye alum is going to try to make the jump to the AHL this upcoming season as a superbly talented but inconsistent butterfly goalie with size, strength and work ethic, but not so much consistency. I’m assuming that Griffins goalie coach Roope Koistinen and Wings developmental goaltending coach Phil Osaer will be working with Cosssa this upcoming season.
#60 Jan Bednar: Bednar had an “extreme makeover” of his style, and he’s gone from a goaltender who would flop and flail to make spectacular saves, only to surrender “easy” goals against, to a goaltender who plays a more conservative and more effective game. At 6’4″ and 199 pounds, he’s got size, and at 21, he’s got the maturity necessary to play for the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye this upcoming season, at the very least.
#68 Lukas Matecha*: Matecha is the Wings’ third goaltender at this prospect tournament, and that usually means that he’s not likely to play. Coming from the Czech under-20 league, the Tri-City Americans goaltender is only 18, and at 6’3″ and 187 pounds, he’s got some size. What he struggles with is hand position–his hands are held too low and too tightly to his body–and he’s just still beatable at times. I’m assuming that he’ll head to the WHL and hope that he can put himself on the 2024 NHL Draft’s radar screen through the kind of hard work he’s displayed this week.
*=Try-out **=Grand Rapids Griffins contract
In terms of fundraising, things are not going great. Aunt Annie and I need to earn our way back home, and we need to raise at least $600 for bills, but I find that the actual “impressions” posts, rather than earning money, tend to turn off donators. I’m not certain why we’ve raised all of $20 over our first three days in Traverse City, but that’s where we’re at, and we’re going to need to earn some help paying the bills that wait for us when we get home on the 27th. I hope that I’m earning your support here.
If you can lend a hand with our overall 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.”
