The second day of the Red Wings’ training camp differed from the first, and not only because the teams upon which the players skated changed pretty significantly in terms of their personnel.
The biggest differences from the first day of training camp were that, instead of working on possession, the emphasis today was on puck-tracking and player battles, so things got particularly physical at times…And coach Derek Lalonde deferred to his assistant coaches, Jay Varady, Alex Tanguay and Bob Boughner for most of the drills, affording some “different voices” for the players to hear on the ice.
Practices were hard-charging, regardless of whether it was coach Dan Watson with the first “non-NHL” group, skating for an hour, or coach Lalonde and company with the second and third groups, who skated for almost two hours apiece. The Red Wings worked very hard to replicate some game conditions today, and that resulted in game-level competitiveness and game-level battling out there from what is very clearly a more competitive group this season.
That was both encouraging and a little worrisome, because you don’t want the team to go into the regular season banged-up as all hell get out from practice, never mind the gauntlet that is an 8-exhibition-games-in-12-nights schedule. But coach Lalonde insisted that it’s important that the players go all-out all the time, and that’s exactly what his charges did today.
It’s a little harder to describe the kinds of drills that the players engaged in today, because they involved setting up a scenario, like a 5-vs-5 faceoff in the offensive zone, and allowing a predetermined outcome before the players were to skate all the way back up the ice and track the puck as one side or the other engaged in a full-ice attack on the opposing team’s net.
Sometimes chosen arbitrarily, and mostly chosen based upon the structure of the drills, the players would engage in center-ice faceoffs, regrouping at the blueline, battles down low along the goal line and offensive/defensive zone faceoffs, often utilizing odd-man situations to spice up the drills. The Red Wings’ players embraced the concepts which they were asked to learn, and, as previously stated, today was particularly competitive in good and sometimes scary ways.
In one instance, I was watching Dylan Larkin battle Jonatan Beggren for the puck in the offensive zone, and Larkin laid an elbow into Berggren’s head and smeared him into the glass right in front of me–and that’s pretty darn representative of how the day went, physically speaking. I’m going to be very curious as to see whether there are some sore bodies that miss tomorrow’s practice or the Red vs. White Game, because the Wings did not give up a millimeter to each other without battling hard and battling physically for their time, space, and possession of the puck.
As the “teams” were different, the lines were a little different today: David Perron played alongside the Larkin-DeBrincat pairing, Lucas Raymond skated with Robby Fabbri and J.T. Compher, and the only defensive pair that remained intact from Thursday was the Seider-Walman pair.
Coach Lalonde very specifically stated that Saturday’s practices will focus on special teams, so that will be particularly interesting to watch as the team attempts to round into form for the Red vs. White Game at 12 PM on Sunday (which will be streamed on the Red Wings’ social media channels).
In terms of player impressions, keeping in mind that this is the second day of training camp for the Wings’ 68 participants, let’s build upon the first day’s impressions and get to work:
TEAM LINDSAY:
Note: Team Lindsay skates very early, at 8 AM, and today it seemed that some of the Grand Rapids Griffins’ top players had to do their time with the “AHL’er/ECHL’er and try-out” team. Nobody likes waking up at 6 in the morning for practice, but Griffins coach Dan Watson, assistant coach Stephane Julien, Toledo Walleye coach Pat Mikesch and his assistant, Alden Hirschfeld, are all getting their an advanced viewing of players that they might employ at the AHL or ECHL level through Team Lindsay’s hour-long practices. They engage in a truncated version of the 2-hour skates that Team Howe and Team Delvecchio take part in, and the coaches teach the same systems as the “future Red Wings teams” utilize.
Forwards:
#42 Nolan Stevens: Stevens is a player who was signed to provide scoring at the AHL level and depth at the NHL level. At 27 years of age, the 6’2,” 194-pound center has good speed, fairly good size, and a bit of an edge, and after posting 33 points in 46 AHL games this past season with Utica, he might end up being called up in a pinch. Mostly, he’s going to provide the Grand Rapids Griffins some much-needed scoring after a tumultuous offseason, but he’s got some outside NHL potential, too.
#50 Dominik Shine**: He’s just really steady. The 30-year-old Shine, a native of Pinckney, Michigan, is 30 years old, and he’s got 8 full years’ worth of AHL experience with the Grand Rapids Griffins, posting up to 30 points a season. Not big at 5’11” and 175 pounds (maybe), Shine is plain old fast, he’s got some grit to him and he just busts his tail. Shine is a valued member of Grand Rapids, and he’s a leader down there.
#56 Matyas Melovsky*: Melovsky was lighting up both goaltenders on Friday, and that’s rare for a player who posted 52 assists and 4 goals in 58 games this past season in the QMJHL. The 19-year-old still has two years of Major Junior eligibility, and I believe that the 6’3,” 190-pound right winger–and free agent invite–will be best-suited by heading back to Baie-Comeau to send scintillating passes to his teammates. Over the course of the prospect tournament and training camp, we’ve seen glimpses of his talent, but not much more than that.
#58 Dean Loukus*: The little guy from Calumet is getting his day in the sun. Loukus posts a point per game at the OHL level, playing for Saginaw, but he’s not large at 5’9″ and 181 stout pounds, and he just hasn’t been a consistent hitter, passer or shooter at the prospect tournament or training camp. He’s got a motor on him, but the 20-year-old right wing will go back to the Spirit and try to earn a pro contract on the strength of his upcoming season.
#64 Emmitt Finnie: The Red Wings drafted 6’1,” 178-pound Emmitt Finnie 201st overall this past June, and the Kamloops Blazers center is very, very raw and somewhat inconsistent, but there’s at least enough speed, puck-movement and physicality to make me understand why the Red Wings took a flyer on an under-developed player who’s still in the process of growing into his body and his game.
#67 Joel L’Esperance**: L’Esperance, from Brighton, Michigan, is a 28-year-old winger who can score 20-25 goals and post about 50 points per season at the AHL level, and that’s a useful player, so the Griffins have re-signed the 6’2,” 212-pound power forward. He’s a popular fellow and a leader for the Griffins. He’s also from Brighton, Michigan.
#72 Trenton Bliss**: Bliss had a very good ECHL season, posting 40 points in 38 games, and really impressing coach Dan Watson, and now he wants to become an AHL player full-time. The Michigan Tech graduate stands at 6′ and 191 pounds, and the 25-year-old will try to impress his former Walleye boss over the course of training camp and the exhibition season, mostly through practices.
#73 Cam Hillis*: If not for the wings’ last-minute invites to Artem Anisimov and Michael Hutchinson, Hillis would have been the only free agent invite without employment plans for the 2023-2024 season at the Red Wings’ camp. The 23-year-old is only 5’9″ and 175 pounds, and he posted 36 assists and 50 points in 46 games for one of the Toledo Walleye’s arch-rivals, the Indy Fuel, last season. The Walleye need all the scoring they can get, so they may sign Hillis to an ECHL deal.
#75 Orrin Centazzo*: Already having signed with the Toledo Walleye, the 5’8,” 165-pound Centazzo is a 23-year-old who’s had two very strong seasons with the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers, and he’s actually impressed me substantially as someone with minor-league scoring aplomb. Centazzo works hard, he’s not afraid of anyone bigger than him (and that’s almost everybody), he’s fast and he’s got a rocket shot that victimized John Lethemon and Lukas Matecha this morning. I think the Walleye have a really good one on the line here.
#82 Israel Mianscum*: As two of the fine security guards at Centre ICE Arena told me this morning, when you hear Mianscum’s story, you want him to make the team. The 20-year-old native of Quebec posts point-per-game totals at the QMJHL, and he’s an Indigenous Cree Canadian named Israel, who is Christian, and the 20-year-old stands at a strong 6′ and 200 pounds. The problem is that he’s just looked “off-kilter” at both the prospect tournament and main camp thus far, and while I fully believe that the Sherbrooke Phoenix forward can get the job done as a Major Junior player, he’s just looked intimidated here.
#83 Nic Sima*: I will give this to the 18-year-old free agent invite: Sima shoots well and he scores regularly. He was passed over in the draft because the 6’4,” 197-pound Saginaw Spirit forward posted a pedestrian 16 points this past season, but I do wonder whether there is potential to at least impress at the Major Junior level within him.
#85 Jake Uberti*: Another free agent try-out, Uberti is hedging his bets. At 21 years of age, the Mississauga Ice Dogs alum is headed to Saint Mary’s University of the Canadian USports circuit, and that makes sense for the 6’1,” 205-pound center. He’s been OK during the prospect tournament and main camp, but being able to bob along at the level of talent that everyone else shows is pretty much good enough to keep you playing hockey for as long as you can skate for a major junior, univeristy or minor pro team.
Defensemen:
#26 Andrew Gibson: Gibson’s still a raw steak, so to speak, at 18, and he makes errors from time to time, but the 2023 draft pick is a big (6’3,” 202 lbs) right-shooting defenseman who is a superb skater and, when he’s on, a smooth, “heavy” physical defenseman without much flair, but with some jam. The Red Wings drafted him 42nd overall last June, and I could easily see the Soo Greyhounds defenseman become a very good #3/4 defenseman down the line.
#61 Connor Punnett*: The best way I would describe the free agent invite is that the 20-year-old Punnett is looking for a professional hockey home after this upcoming season with the OHL’s Barrie Colts, and he’s probably going to earn one because he’s tougher than nails. 6’2′ and 201 pounds, he fights superbly well, and he plays a stay-at-home game that allows him to get by with more talented teammates. He’s not an NHL prospect, but he’s got the kind of physical bite necessary to play pro hockey.
#70 Finn Harding*: Harding is an 18-year-old free agent invite from the Mississauga Steelheads, and he’s got speed, but his talent has been inconsistently applied over the course of the prospect tournament and main camp thus far. 6’2″ and 192 pounds, he’s a right-shot defenseman who was passed over in the 2023 draft.
#79 Jackson DeSouza*: DeSouza is not going to earn a contract here at training camp, but I see some positives in the free agent try-out’s game. Very big at 6’6″ and 197 pounds, the 20-year-old from the Kelowna Rockets has a significant set of skills when it comes to passing, shooting and making plays. He’s just very skinny and under-powered, and sometimes quite inconsistent. He’s a very good skater, he can hold his own physically, and he’s an intriguing free agent, but he’s just been too sloppy at times to earn more than a long look and encouragment to go back to the WHL and have a monster season.
#95 Tnias Mathurin: Mathurin is a very big young man who is still growing into his 6’4,” 195-pound body. He’s working on improving his skating, which can be downright slow, though he’s mobile. He does a solid job of moving the puck most of the time, but his tools need to find a toolbox, so to speak, and he still projects as a bottom-pair defender to me.
Goaltenders:
#68 Lukas Matecha*: Matecha continues to learn. The 18-year-old free agent invite stands at 6’3″ and 195 pounds, and the Czech U20-league alumnus is coming over to North America to play for Tri-City of the WHL. There, he’ll attempt to apply the lessons learned mainly under the guidance of Grand Rapids Griffins goaltending coach Roope Koistinen, and the big man has learned to be a more patient, less panicky or reflex-dependent goaltender. He was the 3rd goalie at the prospect tournament and he’s been consistently with the AHL/ECHL guys during training camp.
#31 John Lethemon: Lethemon had a so-so morning. The 27-year-old goaltender won 18 games in 26 starts for the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye this past season, posting a 1.99 GAA and .930 save percentage, but he struggled in Grand Rapids, and the 6’1,” 189-pound native of Northville, MI is “not big” by today’s goaltending standards, but he is very disciplined and smart in goal. When he is inconsistent, he can be beaten around the “four corners” of the net due to the simple fact that he can’t cover everything with size. He’s presumptively the starter for the Walleye this upcoming season.
TEAM DELVECCHIO:
Forwards:
#14 Robby Fabbri: Fabbri plain old has to stay healthy now. He’s put on a little muscle at 6’1″ and 185 pounds, and after coming off reconstructive surgery for his third ACL tear, the 27-year-old center and wing looks to regain the kind of confidence which made the Red Wings trade for the forward with 20-goal, 50-point potential. It’s not been easy for Fabbri, but development is not a linear path for everyone, and if Fabbri can play consistently well, he’s going to earn opportunities to succeed in the Wings’ lineup.
#18 Andrew Copp: Copp and Fabbri looked very good as a “second line” skating alongside Lucas Raymond during Friday’s practice, and I’m starting to think that the 29-year-old Copp really is more of a play-maker than anything else. The 6’1,” 203-pound center is a year removed from core muscle surgery, and he hopes to build upon a 42-point, 33-assist season because the strong skater and defensively responsible forward has slowly but surely added offense to a sound two-way game that earned him an NHL paycheck “back in the day” with Winnipeg.
#21Austin Czarnik: Czarnik is ticketed for Grand Rapids this upcoming season, but the Red Wings know that the 5’9,” 167-pound center and Detroit native is capable of playing up above the AHL level and above his size when necessary. He’s fast and flexible, which makes him useful at any level of play, and he posted 37 points in 43 games last season.
#23 Lucas Raymond: Raymond is 5 pounds heavier than his EliteProspects-listed weight, but the 5’11,” 188-pound Raymond is actually up 11 pounds from the start of last season. The fact that his mom is a nutritionist probably helped him gain weight and muscle, and the 21-year-old was willing to admit that he was proud of his ability to really grow into his body…But, like any good Swede, Raymond deferred to his “team” to some extent. The right wing is a smart, speedy and incredibly intelligent offensive force who looks like he’s finally truly comfortable in his own skin. He possesses strong snap, slap and wrist shots, he goes to the net to jam home rebounds, and he digs pucks out of battles in the corners and along the half wall. He’s got a bit of an edge to him, at least competitively speaking, and I believe that he’s going to have a ceiling in excess of 25 goals.
#24 Klim Kostin: Kostin intrigues with flashes of sublime skill, but the 6’4,” 232-pound winger is going to earn his paycheck because he is big, strong, heavy, and physical. All of 24 years of age, he has a good all-round skill set, and he’s not mean per se, but he’s a massive checker/forechecker who should succeed in a bottom-six role here in Detroit.
#27 Michael Rasmussen: Rasmussen had a quiet day on Friday. Very large at 6’6″ and 220 pounds, coach Lalonde believes that the 24-year-old center may be better as a winger than a center, because he’s unencumbered by his defensive responsibilities. He’s big, strong, physical, competitive and skilled enough to make a difference as a middle-six forward with presence and an intimidation factor. He was absolutely crucial to the Wings’ physical success (and the lack thereof during his absence due to a broken kneecap) last season, and nothing will change in that regard this year.
#28 Riley Sawchuk**: Griffins-contracted, the 5’10,” 179-pound center earned a day with the NHL squads because he’s busted his hump working hard with the AHL/ECHL team. Sawchuk lead as a 24-year-old during the prospect tournament, and while he’s heading to the Griffins or Walleye, the speedy graduate of Mount Royal University has impressed the coaching staff enough to skate with the big boys, which is quite the compliment.
#29 Nate Danielson: There is zero intimidation factor in terms of Danielson skating against NHL competition at all of 18 years of age. Supremely self-confident, Danielson has continued to snipe top-shelf shots, cycle with aplomb and keep possession of the puck in the offensive zone while he skates with the NHL teams. Selected 9th overall this past June in Nashville, the 6’2,” 188-pound center will head back to the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings as their captain, confident in himself and secure in his belief that he can become a strong two-way center at the NHL level. I would not bet against him.
#36 Christian Fischer: Fischer is not gigantic by any stretch of the imagination, but the 6,’ 208-pound right wing plays with snarl and excellent two-way abilities. The 26-year-old free agent signing from Arizona is a valuable player who will embrace a supporting role as a penalty-killer and right-shooting faceoff-winner who checks, grinds and skates far better than I thought he would.
#37 J.T. Compher: Meat and potatoes. And not meatloaf. The 28-year-old center with a right shot posted 52 points with the Colorado Avalanche last season, and the Red Wings don’t have a Mikko Rantanen to place on Compher’s wing, but the 6,’ 195-pound center is a speedy skater, he’s got a strong shot and is a good play-maker, as well as a puck transporter, and he just works and works and works. He’s not going to wow you with end-to-end breakaways, but he’s the kind of player that forms the spine and guts of a team.
#63 Alexandre Doucet: The Red Wings’ free agent signing from Halifax got a turn with the big boys today, and he’s earned his day in the sun. Turning pro and headed to Grand Rapids, if not Toledo, the 21-year-old right wing posted 58 goals and 115 points in the QMJHL last season, and he really can snipe. He’s also got a bit of an edge to him, and he skates well enough to be more than just a one-dimensional kid from the “Q.” At his age, he’s going to need some pro seasoning, but there’s potential in him.
#74 Cross Hanas: Another 21-year-old, Hanas had shoulder surgery this past season, and that hampered his rookie pro campaign with Grand Rapids. The 6’1,” 181-pound right wing is an excellent play-maker with an “underrated” shot, and his work ethic and skating skills make him a popular player. For a middle-tier prospect, there is much potential in the affable Hanas.
#76 Tyler Spezia**: Spezia has ECHL size at 5’10” and 170 pounds, but the 30-year-old has been a Grand Rapids Griffin because the Clinton Township, MI native and Bowling Green State University graduate an post anywhere from 15 to 35 points, and he’s speedy, relatively skilled, and smart. He puts his head down and works, and as such, he’s very valuable to GR.
Defensemen:
#2 Olli Maatta: I just like Maatta’s game. At 29, the former first-round draft pick has completely re-imagined his game as a former offensive defenseman who’s earned his paycheck by playing rock-solid, simple and steady defense. Maatta is the stalwart partner for just about anybody you can pair him with, and at 6’2″ and 207 pounds, he’s got some bite and weight to him. Sure, he still has the skill to send prety passes to teammates and fire bombs at the net from time to time, but the Red Wings rely on his utter reliability to succeed.
#20 Albert Johansson: Johansson may be in the Swedish dictionary next to their word for “underrated.” He’s not big at 6′ and 185 pounds, and at 22, the graduate of Farjestds BK did not dent the scoresheet heavily during his 15-point rookie campaign, but he turned heads because he skates superbly, he transports the puck with his head up and his stick ready to fire passes to open teammates, and his positioning is impeccable. He’s just damn smart, and he has the talent for that intelligence to translate to useful on-ice skill.
#38 Antti Tuomisto: Tuomisto has a learning curve ahead of him. Also 22, the 6’5,” 209-pound right-hot defenseman is very tall, very rangy and quite mobile, and in an ideal world, he re-adapts to North American hockey and becomes an utterly dependable and slightly nasty second-pair defenseman whose decision to leave the University of Denver for TPS Turku of the Finnish Liiga will look like a smart bet on himself. But he needs to readjust to playing hockey against men on a smaller, faster rink, first.
#46 Jeff Petry: My expectations of Petry are pretty realistic: at 35 years of age, Petry is not the defenseman he was at 28, but the 6’3,” 208-pound Ann Arbor native can still contribute on the power play, he’s still got a boomer of a shot and a good outlet pass, he’s mobile and he’s smooth in terms of his all-round form. As a secon-apir defender and power play specialist, the Wings can still squeeze out high performance from a high-mileage defender.
#51 Eemil Viro: My hope is that the forgotten man becomes relevant again. Viro is all of 21, and he got pushed down to the ECHL because the Griffins’ defense was so crowded. 6′ and 184 pounds, he’s not big, he’s not offensively prolific, and he’s not physical, but when he’s on, he’s useful and effective, and he’s got a year or so to reestablish himself as a relevant prospect. After that, he may go home to earn bigger bucks in the Finnish Liiga.
#52 Brogan Rafferty: He’s got a Red Wings contract because the 28-year-old right shot can post 40 to 50 points in the AHL, as he did with Coachella Valley this past season. There wasn’t a spot for the 6,’ 197-pound defenseman in the Seattle Kraken’s depth chart, so he signed with Detroit in order to advance his pro prospects. We’ll see where his performance leads him this upcoming season.
#77 Simon Edvinsson: Elegant skater. Huge at 6’6″ and 212 pounds. Gotta get better defensively, but is only 20. That’s the short-hand version of Simon Edvinsson’s biography, and he really is a tremendous prospect because of his offensive skill set (shooting, passing, playmaking, puck distribution) and fantastic skating skills. He just needs to buy into playing strong defense and playing physical hockey as areas at which he can excel. And have fun doing so.
Goaltenders:
#33 Sebastian Cossa: Sebastian Cossa may be the oldest 20-year-old prospect the Red Wings have ever had. Already written off three times by Red Wings fans for mediocre-to-bad prospect tournament appearances, Cossa won 26 ECHL games this past regular season, and the 6’6,” 215-pound goaltender is still developing into someone who will hopefully prove his critics wrong. He’s not a finished Jesper Wallstedt product, so that pisses Wings fans off, but Detroit did not believe in drafting Cossa because he was going to be an easy player to develop. They drafted him because they believe in his long-term potential, and he’s putting in the work with Alex Westlund, Roope Koistinen and Phil Osaer to try and prove his optimistic assessment of himself correct.
#35 Ville Husso: Coach Lalonde was very plain in his language when stating that he wants Husso to continue to be a 50-to-55-game starter, and coach Lalonde fully believes that the 28-year-old Husso can get the job done. 6’3″ and 205 pounds, when Husso is controlled in his movements, he is a butterfly goaltender who is damn hard to beat. When he’s throwing his body around the crease, he’s very beatable up high, and yes, at 28 years of age, you can still be someone who is learning how to be a consistent player at the NHL level.
#60 Jan Bednar**: The Grand Rapids Griffins-contracted goaltender has undergone significant changes to stabilize his game, and the 6’5,” 200-pound Bednar is probably headed to Toledo to establish himself as a professional goaltender. He used to make tremendous saves and surrender “muffins,” but Bednar has worked very hard to settle down, and regardless of how far he ends up going as a pro goalie, that’s an admirable trait.
TEAM HOWE:
Forwards:
#22 Matt Luff: Luff is no prospect at 26, but he still intrigues me. He’s 6’3″ and 223 pounds, and he’s just been so injured so regularly that Luff hasn’t had a full season in a long time. At the AHL level, he’s a scorer and power forward; at the NHL level, he’s a big guy who’s useful as a depth player, checker, and, occasionally, a scorer. He knows he’s a support player, and he embraces that role.
#25 Taro Hirose: Again, not a prospect any more at 27, Hirose is still a useful player at the AHL level. He posted 41 assist and 57 points last season, and he can pass, pass, and pass some more, making plays with aplomb. He’s been loyal to the Wings and they’ve been loyal to him. 5’10” and 172 pounds, he’s small, but he’s effective.
#39 Tim Gettinger: Boy is he big, part 1: the 25-year-old Cleveland-born winger is 6’6″ and 217 pounds, he can post 30 points as an AHL player, and he’s going to give the Griffins some much-needed size and pop physically.
#44 Artem Anisimov*: Boy is he big, part 2: at 34 years of age, Anisimov wants a job, and the 6’4,” 205-pound winger posted 36 points in 55 games with the Flyers’ AHL team in Leigh Valley last season. He’s not going to post a point-every-other-game at the NHL level, but he’s a big man who can still be a useful AHL player.
#48 Jonatan Berggren: Berggren had a quieter second day than the first. The 5’11,” 194-pound center is a hard worker and puck-distributor whose 28-points-in-67-games rookie season is hopefully a harbinger of things to come. Berggren isn’t fast per se, but he is speedy, he isn’t physical, but he can be gritty, and he has a better shot than we give him credit for. It’s his willingness to self-improve that got him to the NHL, and self-improvers tend to find ways to stay in the NHL.
#57 David Perron: Perron insisted that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to help will the Red Wings back to the playoffs, and yet he made a very interesting remark: he said that he hadn’t had a summer as long as this past some in many years, and in a way, it afforded him the opportunity to get his nagging issues resolved. At 6′ and 195 pounds, Perron lost about five pounds in the offseason, and he insists that it’s made him leaner and meaner. Tremendously determined, Perron can still post 20-25 goals despite having not the greatest speed in the world, thanks to a Cracker-Jack shot and excellent positioning. Mostly, however, he’s the bench boss not named Dylan Larkin, and a locker room cheerleader, egger-onner and occasionaly an irritant whose leadership skills have turned a very quiet locker room around.
#71 Dylan Larkin: I don’t know whether the Red Wings are going to make the playoffs this season, but it won’t be for a lack of effort, heart or determination by the Red Wings’ captain. The 27-year-old Larkin is bound and determined to earn a post-season position ASAP, and with his fantastic skating skills, his ability to drive play via puck possession, his strong shot and all-round point-per-game-producing offensive gifts, the 6’1,” 199-pound center is the beating heart of the franchise.
#78 Amadeus Lombardi: I’m not certain whether Lombardi projects to be an offensive center at the NHL level, but his 102-point season with Flint speaks well of his ability to score goals and post points. 5’11” and 180 pounds, Lombardi insists that he’s still growing into his “man’s body,” and given his tremendous speed, strong puck-handling and slight nasty streak, it’s going to be intriguing to watch him develop.
#85 Elmer Soderblom: We’re going to find out whether Big Elmer can replicate the kind of two-way effectiveness he displayed in the SHL in the NHL. The 6’8,” 255-pound left wing stick-handles like he’s Lombardi’s size, he skates excellently for a man of any size, and if he is willing to go to the “dirty areas” of the ice and out-compete opponents for pucks, jamming them toward the front of the net to pursue…That’s a really intriguing outcome for the still-22-year-old prospect.
#88 Daniel Sprong: Sprong is a late-bloomer, a 26-year-old right-shooting right wing who bounced around the NHL before posting 21 goals and 45 points in 65 games with Seattle last season. So the 6,’ 196-pound forward signed a 1-year, $2 million contract to see whether he could succeed in a middle-six role and become a plain old speedy, hard-to-play-against scorer. Whether he keeps that weird purple visor, however, I do not know.
#90 Joe Veleno: Joe Veleno is on the other side of Daniel Sprong’s “prove it” contract. At 23 years of age, the Red Wings believe that the 6’1,” 201-pound center is still developing into a strong third line center or winger, and he can skate, pass and shoot like someone who was given an exemption to play Major Junior hockey at 15, but things just haven’t come together for him yet. Here’s hoping that this is the year.
#92 Marco Kasper: Kasper has a less circuitous path toward NHL success, but it’s up to the 19-year-old center to find his offensive game here in North America. He gives up an inch to no one at a stout 6’1″ and 193 pounds, and his two-way game is impeccable, he’s a professional skater, fine shooter and strong play-maker, but he’s going to take some time to adjust to the North American-sized rink’s dimensions and lack of time and space. His edge and professional pedigree (his father was a professional hockey player) are strong selling points for the top prospect, too.
#98 Alex DeBrincat: The 5’8,” 180-pound winger hopes to reestablish himself as an elite scorer after a 27-goal campaign with the Ottawa Senators, and given the dearth of natural scorers on the Red Wings’ roster, it’s hard to not see DeBrincat hitting 30-35 goals at the very least. He really does possess a fine shooting set, he’s surprisingly good at carrying the puck up ice despite not possessing elite speed, and he makes plays in order to create scoring chances. At 25, he’s in his prime, and he’s going to be playing for his hometown team.
Defensemen:
#3 Justin Holl: Again, no complaints here. Holl isn’t flashy by any means, but the 31-year-old stands at 6’4″ and 194 pounds, he can post 20 points a year as a solid stay-at-home defenseman who’s got the skating skills to keep up with a more offensively-inclined partner, and he’s got a right shot to go with a subtly physical game. I’m expecting him to fit in.
#15 Jared McIsaac: McIsaac is 23, and the 6’2,” 193-pound defenseman has had some rough seasons due to shoulder issues which required surgical repair, but he still believes that his rugged two-way play merits an NHL contract, even if it takes another year (or more) in the AHL to prove it. This season is very important for McIsaac given how crowded the Griffins’ blueline is. He’s going to have to distinguish himself to earn ice time.
#41 Shayne Gostisbehere: Again, he’s only 5’11” and 183 pounds, but Gostisbehere looks like a very solidly-built defenseman who doesn’t give up leverage to his opponents. He’s more steady with the puck than he’s given credit for, and he’s fast enough to lug the puck up ice himself if he doesn’t choose to send slick outlet passes to teammates. He’s got a hard slapper on the power play, too, and he’s versatile enough to play left or right defense. At 30, he’s probably not going to score 65 points again, but he should be useful for the Red Wings’ employ.
#53 Moritz Seider: Seider and Walman are two peas in a pod, and it’s a hell of a pea pod. All of 22, the 6’3,” 205-pound Seider is still developing physically, and the third-year player has proven himself to be at least a point-per-every-other-game defenseman who leads teams’ defensive corps with superior playmaking, a fantastic shot, elegant skating and a panic level in the zero-degree range. He’s got an edge on top of it all, though he doesn’t pursue physical play. He’s going to remain a star, if not a superstar.
#54 William Wallinder: Wallinder is 21, and he’s coming here to North America after four seasons playing at a men’s league level for some significant period of time. I over-use the word “lanky,” but that’s what he is at 6’4″ and 201 pounds of massive wingspan, and while his offensive output at the NHL level remains uncertain, he’s an effortless defenseman who really impresses with his patience, poise and resolve. We’ll see him in the NHL sooner than later.
#62 Wyatt Newpower: Newpower fits a role at the AHL level. The 25-year-old right-shooting defenseman can post a solid 10-15 points, but he’s 6’4″ and 205 pounds of heavy-duty enforcer-deterrent when called upon. He’s just a difficult opponent to play against, but he’s smart enough and talented enough to accompany a skilled partner.
#84 Josiah Didier**: The Grand Rapids Griffins-contracted defenseman is simply particularly comfortable being a steady two-way AHL defender, and the 6’3,” 220-pound 30-year-old was the captain of the Providence Bruins for two seasons. He’ll probably wear a letter in Grand Rapids, whose captain, Brian Lashoff, moved behind the bench.
#96 Jake Walman: Walman is something of an ace in the hole. Still finding his form at 27, Moritz Seider’s left-hand man is an excellent skater and fine shooter who complements Seider’s dekes and dangles with straight-line play and surprisingly physical aplomb for a 6’1,” 218-pound defender. His self-confidence and comfort in his own skin are off the charts, and that brings an enthusiasm to the team that’s contagious.
Goaltenders:
#34 Alex Lyon: I find it very interesting that Lyon and Reimer, rivals for the back-up goaltender’s spot, are playing on the same team. Lyon is an older “developing player” at 30 going on 31 in December, and he only recently found an NHL home with the Panthers, but the 6’1,” 196-pound butterfly goalie with the incredibly stiff pads chose to come to Detroit to compete for a spot behind Ville Husso, if not the Grand Rapids Griffins’ starting role. He is a smart, hands-up, boot-the-puck-out-of-the-way goaltender.
#47 James Reimer: Reimer is attempting to rebound from a rough season with the struggling San Jose Sharks, and the 35-year-old hopes that the Red Wings provide him with a place to reestablish himself as at least a capable back-up. The 6’2,” 200-pound goalie has good reflexes, a disciplined butterfly style, he catches pucks with an odd break on his glove and he’s a good puck-mover.
#80 Michael Hutchinson*: The free agent invite is no spring chicken at 33 years of age, and the 6’3,” 201-pound right-catching goaltender is more of an old-school acrobat than most. He possesses a wealth of experience and a desire to earn a professional’s job just about anywhere, and we’ll find out whether he can push Cossa back down to Toledo over the next three weeks.
*=Free Agent Try-out, **=Grand Rapids Griffins contract.
I’m sorry this one is a little late. I had to spend an hour at the pharmacy to deal with some “Aunt Annie” prescriptions, so I got a late start.
In terms of fundraising, things are better, but not great. Aunt Annie and I need to earn our way back home, and we need to raise a good chunk of change for bills. We’ve raised approximately $220 over the course of the Traverse City trip thus far, which is much less than we need to pay our bills when we get home (more like $500+). I hope that I can earn your support through my work here.
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.”
