After engaging in puck possession and tracking drills over the first two days of training camp, the Red Wings switched things up during their final full day of training camp practices at Centre ICE Arena.
During the course of the regular season, power play and penalty-killing drills earn a minority of practice time; today, the emphasis on PP and PK efficiency encompassed the entirety of Team Lindsay, Team Howe and Team Delvecchio’s practices.
The Red Wings boasted 4 power play and 4 penalty-killing units, and they included a couple of “jersey swaps” so the “red jerseys” and “white jerseys” on Team Howe and Team Delvecchio witnessed personnel switches, affording players like Dylan Larkin both PP and PK time.
Just as was the case on Friday, Grand Rapids Griffins coach Dan Watson and Toledo Walleye coach Pat Mikesch were involved in working the “minor leaguer and tryouts'” team’s practice, and when Teams Howe and Delvecchio took the ice,Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde delegated to his assistants, affording Jay Varady, offensive coach Alex Tanguay and defensive coach Bob Boughner teaching time. As Lalonde said on Friday, he’s making sure that the players hear different voices as he’s in charge for the vast majority of the year, and it seems to be a working strategy.
It’s also worth mentioning that Grand Rapids Griffins video coach Erich Junge is helping record every second of the Red Wings’ training camp, and I asked coach Lalonde if that’s for the purposes of ensuring that every moment is a teaching moment. He confirmed as much.
Long story long, Team Lindsay’s single-hour practice offered a truncated version of the significant special teams work that Teams Howe and Delvecchio engaged in. The drills built upon Friday’s puck-tracking and neutral zone regroup drills, and eventually involved utilizing bench changes to afford 2 PP and PK units per team over 45 minutes’ worth of dedicated power play and penalty-killing time.
As The Athletic’s Max Bultman noted, the Wings were trying out some different “looks” on the power play and penalty-kill, too:
Red Wings spent today mainly on special teams. Some PP looks they showed:
— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) September 23, 2023
Seider
DeBrincat Larkin Gostisbehere
Perron
Petry
Raymond Copp Fabbri
Compher
Walman
Sprong Veleno Berggren
Söderblom
Edvinsson
Danielson Czarnik Kasper
Rasmussen
More experimenting sure to come
To be honest, however, going on 5 hours of sleep (I woke up in the middle of the night for an hour) and dealing with a pounding headache, the rumble and roil of constant PP-PK drills got kind of innervating after a while. The Wings didn’t just spring their power plays on the ice: they conducted tons of situational drills, working on neutral zone transitions, zone entries, regroups at center, keep-ins, net-front play, lateral passes, point shots…I mean, the laundry list was a mile long. The coaching staff really crammed an inordinate amount of teaching into their two hours’ worth of instruction, and it was a little mind-numbing at times.
Don’t get me wrong, watching hockey for a living is a privilege 100% of the time. But I really could have used a simple chip-and-chase instead of 5-on-4, 5-on-4, 5-on-4, and more 5-on-4 situations. My sense was that, given how awful the Wings’ PP and PK were last season, the directive was to all but drill some confidence on special teams into the Wings’ brains.
For their sake, I hope it worked.
Next up: the Red vs. White Game on Sunday at 12 PM (to be streamed on the Red Wings’ social media channels). There’s practice for Team Lindsay at 9:30 AM, and I asked coach Lalonde whether the Red and White teams would practice before the game. He stated that instead of pre-game practices, he would try to play three periods’ worth of hockey on Sunday, first at even strength, then utilizing special teams play, and finally engaging in 4-on-4 and 3-on-3 situations. That’s a big step to take after 15 years of 2 periods of Red vs. White hockey after an hour-long pre-game practice.
After Sunday’s Red vs. White game, and some initial cuts (from the Major Junior free agent try-outs and some free agent invites), things will get moving in a hurry starting on Monday, when the team is down to two practice units, and each unit skates for an hour ahead of Tuesday’s home-opening exhibition game vs. Pittsburgh (on Bally Sports Detroit Extra).
Watching the team pack up and leave Traverse City is kind of bittersweet, because they make the city their home for over two weeks, and then, bang! By two or three o’clock on a day where they practice until noon, EVERYTHING and EVERYONE are completely gone, and that’s it for Centre ICE Arena’s day in the sun.
Anyway, Tuesday’s game kicks of a slate of 8 exhibition games to be played over the course of 12 nights, including a 3-in-3 stretch on October 3rd, 4th and 5th. The exhibition season is a little crazy, and in my opinion, the team plays two too many games, but when you’re charging full price for an exhibition game ticket (they used to discount exhibition tickets heavily) and parking, and the players’ paychecks aren’t coming in yet, I guess the bottom line really matters.
With my little rants out of the way:
In terms of player impressions, building upon the observations made on Day One and Day Two, here’s what I observed on the ice today:
TEAM LINDSAY:
Forwards:
#28 Riley Sawchuk**: Sawchuk was back with the AHL/ECHL team on Saturday. The 24-year-old, Grand Rapids Griffins-contracted forward led during the prospect tournament, the 5’10,” 179-pound center is looking to earn a spot on the Grand Rapids Griffins over the Toledo Walleye, and, thus far, the Mount Royal University graduate has looked steady and smart, if not occasionally physical playing as a checking center. He’s not much of a prospect at his age, but he should be able to contribute at the minor-league level.
#39 Tim Gettinger: I’ve said for two days that the 6’6,” 217-pound winger looks massive, and he plain old is. The 25-year-old posted 35 points in 55 games for Hartford last season, and if he could replicate his production for the Grand Rapids Griffins, they’d be ecstatic. Just as importantly, a team that’s signed a whole lot of Sawchuk-sized players needs physical players, and the big and speedy Gettinger embodies that philosophy.
#56 Matyas Melovsky*: Melovsky is likely to return to the QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar shortly before or shortly after the Red vs. White Game. The 52-assist man is 19, so he’s still developing, and the 6’3,” 190-pound right-shooting right winger has spent most of his time with the NHL’ers proving that he has a shot, too. His passing is what will earn him a professional paycheck, but there is some balance to his game. He’s just not ready to turn pro yet.
#58 Dean Loukus*: Loukus is a point-per-game OHL player, and the 20-year-old right wing has not stood out among the prospects, but the 5’9,” 181-pound forward from Calumet has at least kept up. Absolutely none of the Red Wings’ free agent try-outs have looked anything less than possessing a pro hockey player’s genome, and while Loukus has been a little shaky here, I cannot emphasize enough that most of the participants in the Red Wings’ prospect tournament and main camp earn pro jobs somewhere. It may be in the AHL, the ECHL, or Europe, but they find a way to earn a living as a professional hockey player. Don’t write Loukus or any of the free agent try-outs off.
#64 Emmitt Finnie: Finnie is one of only three 2023 draft picks who participated in the prospect tournament and main camp, but his time as a Red Wing is probably over, and he’s needed back in the WHL with Kamloops. A 6’1,” 178-pound center, the 18-year-old with raw talent and mostly rawness has at least proved that the Red Wings made Finnie their 201st pick this past June because he’s speedy and moves the puck well. He just needs to grow up physically, and he needs to continue to grind.
#72 Trenton Bliss**: Bliss wants to earn an AHL job after posting a 40-point campaign in 38 games with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye, but there may not be space for him on the Griffins’ roster. 6′ and 191 pounds, the Michigan Tech graduate and former team captain is now 25, and he needs a place to play where he can contribute to the offensive cause. Given that both Griffins coach Dan Watson and Walleye coach Pat Mikesch have been working with the youngsters, Bliss should find a home within this organization.
#73 Cam Hillis*: Hillis is a free agent try-out without a home. He posted 50 points in 46 ECHL games this past season, and the 23-year-old wants to earn a spot on the Toledo Walleye, despite his 5’9,” 175-pound status. He’s got speed to burn and good hands, but the Walleye have signed a lot of “small guys,” so I’m not certain whether they’re going to turn to Hillis as a reliable scoring option.
#75 Orrin Centazzo*: Centazzo has already earned an ECHL deal with Toledo. ALso 23, and 5’8″ and 165 pounds, he paints the bottom of his CCM Jetspeed stick white, and Centazzo really has a remarkable shot, at least as a minor-leaguer. He’s posted 51 and 46-point seasons with Newfoundland of the ECHL, and now he’s moving on to Toledo to be a Mighty Mite.
#82 Israel Mianscum*: Mianscum will head back to the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix looking to stand out. The 20-year-old free agent invite is 6′ and 200 pounds of stout hockey player, but he struggled with inconsistency during the prospect tournament, and he struggled with inconsistency and a lack of confidence during main camp. He can post a point per game in the “Q,” but some guys never get their legs under them while with Detroit.
#83 Nic Sima*: Sima, on the other hand, has progressed well over the course of training camp, after a very “meh” prospect tournament. The 6’4,” 197-pound forward is only 18, and he was passed over in this past summer’s draft due to a so-so rookie season, but he’s found some speed, found his shot and then some, and found confidence playing with the Red Wings’ “B Team.” He looks like a different player than he did two weeks ago, and perhaps he can utilize the confidence he’s gained to earn a draft position next summer.
#85 Jake Uberti*: Uberti is smartly heading to Canadian USports at Saint Mary’s University because, at 21, his Major Junior eligibility has run out. The 6’1,” 205-pound center has done an okay job, but he hasn’t stood out from the rest of his free agent brethren.
Defensemen:
#26 Andrew Gibson: When Gibson grows into his 6’3,” 192-pound frame, uses his right shot as an asset, and continues to develop his snarl and difficult-to-play-against qualities with the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds, he may very well become a strong middle-pair defenseman prospect. At 18, the 42nd overall pick in 2023 has some kinks to work out of his game, and some inconsistency to banish, but he also possesses a mean physical streak and good skating skills. He may earn an exhibition game appearance before being sent back to the Sault.
#61 Connor Punnett*: Punnett is in his last year of Major Junior eligibility at 20, and as a free agent invite looking for somewhere to play, the 6’2,” 205-pound defenseman sells himself as a physical specimen who plays physical hockey. He fought twice during the prospect tournament, and while he can keep up with his teammates, his intimidation factor will end up earning him money.
#70 Finn Harding*: Harding is a 6’2,” 192-pound defenseman who is fast, but not much else right now. At 18, he was passed over in the draft, and he’s headed back to Mississauga as early as tomorrow to continue developing into a signable player.
#79 Jackson DeSouza*: If he hasn’t been signed by somebody, I’d like to see DeSouza come back in a year. Massive at 6’6″ and 197 pounds, with a right shot, the 20-year-old DeSouza is confident with the puck, he’s a good passer, and he skates well, but he’s far too inconsistent to merit a pro contract yet. If he can go back to Kelowna in the WHL and really establish himself as a useful player, then a year from now, he’ll be intriguing.
#95 Tnias Mathurin: The 19-year-old defenseman is mobile, but sometimes looks slow-footed and slow to make decisions. He’s got crisp puck skills and he’s very physical as a 6’4,” 195-pound North Bay Battalion defenseman who recovered from a shoulder injury and other ailments last season, but right now, he’s a 3rd pair prospect, and not more. He has the opportunity to change that trajectory this upcoming season in the OHL.
Goaltenders:
#33 Sebastian Cossa: Everybody takes their turn with the “B Team,” and today was Cossa’s reminder that he’s not that far removed from playing in the ECHL. The 20-year-old goaltender stands at 6’6″ and 215 pounds, and he’s just still a raw goaltending prospect who possesses tremendous talent and tremendous skill, but also tremendous inconsistency. He’s going to try to make the jump to the AHL this season as a massive butterfly goaltender who seals the net down low, but needs to work on closing holes up high. Griffins goalie coach Roope Koistinen and Wings developmental goalie coach Phil Osaer will earn raises if they manage to salvage Cossa, who honestly looks better stopping NHL’ers than he does booting out odd rebounds to minor pros who have less controlled shots.
#68 Lukas Matecha*: Matecha is probably headed to Tri-City of the WHL on Sunday. The Czech Under-20 league graduate is making a different kind of jump to North American hockey, and the 18-year-old free agent has been an enthusiastic learner under Koistinen, Osaer and Red Wings goaltending coach Alex Westlund. So the 6’3,” 195-pound goaltender will continue his career and development in Washington state.
TEAM HOWE:
Forwards:
#14 Robby Fabbri: My hope is that Fabbri puts his game together and becomes a point-per-every-other-game player at the very least. Because he’s missed so much time with ACL tears, the 27-year-old is still developing confidence in his NHL game, and the 6’1,” 185-pound center/wing has the talent to score 20 goals in the NHL. He’s fast, he’s got good hands in terms of transporting and shooting the puck, and he just needs to find a way to put his disparate tools in a sturdy toolbox.
#18 Andrew Copp: Copp and Fabbri and Raymond looked great together on Friday, but Copp and Compher look even better together. At 29, Copp posted 33 assists and 42 points last year, and he’s healthier than he was a year ago, when he was coming off core muscle surgery, so I’m anticipating more points and continued two-way dominance from the quietly effective center. If he can trade off center’s duties with Compher, the Wings will have a pair that adores playing together.
#21Austin Czarnik: Czarnik isn’t big at 5’9″ and 167 pounds, but he’s earned an NHL contract because the 30-year-old center is dependable in a pinch at the NHL level, and is almost a point-per-game player at the AHL level. He played in 29 games for the Wings last season, posting 5 points, but on a checking line, he’s more than adequate.
#22 Matt Luff: Luff would have spent more time with the Wings last season if he hadn’t gotten injured. Big at 6’3″ and 223 pounds, the right-shooting winger is 26, and he’s another player who is reliable checker at the NHL level with a bit of goal-scoring flourish. He’ll buy into whatever role he’s given to attempt to help his and his teammates’ causes.
#23 Lucas Raymond: Raymond looks a lot stronger at 188 pounds, Raymond looks confident and composed, if not a little swagger-y at times. At 21 years of age, the 5’11,” 188-pound winger coming off an up-and-down sophomore campaign is attempting to add an edge to his incredibly skilled, goal-scoring game, and thus far, it’s working very well. As Dylan Larkin said, Raymond also appears to be skating better and faster, and the more mobile the puck-distributor and sniper can be, the better off the Red Wings are. Raymond is one of the few natural scorers on the team, and he’s ascending the ladder of stardom.
#24 Klim Kostin: Kostin is going to earn his money checking and forechecking, but the 6’4,” 232-pound winger has a good skill set, all things considered. At 24, there’s still some room for growth in terms of his all-round aplomb, and he’s just a big man who lays out bodies and maximizes his value as such.
#27 Michael Rasmussen: Another big, heavy dude, the 6’6,” 220-pound center is going to be utilized on the wing by coach Lalonde, and at 24 years of age, Rasmussen is ready to add more offense to his game. Rasmussen is not a bombastic physical player, but his determined nature and leadership set the tone for Detroit’s physical game last season, and he will be integral to Detroit’s success going forward.
#29 Nate Danielson: Danielson is probably going to earn a couple exhibition games’ worth of audition time with the Wings before heading back to the Brandon Wheat Kings, the team he captains in the WHL. He’s just damn confident in himself, he’s got a sneakily good shot, he passes excellently, and he’s growing into a 6’2,”188-pound frame at all of 18 years of age. His poise and maturity have served as strong indicators of his overall ability to battle through any rookie jitters and serve as an asset to the Wings in this upcoming exhibition season, before he heads back to Manitoba to don the “C” on his team.
#37 J.T. Compher: Compher is an intriguing 28-year-old, right-shooting center who stands at 6′ and 195 pounds. The Chicago native is a strong skater, he carries the puck up ice and distributes it well, and he busts his ass working. He’s earned his 5-year deal with Detroit by proving that he can post offensive numbers, perhaps in the point-per-every–other-game category, with Detroit (where he won’t have Mikko Rantanen to feed him pucks).
#50 Dominik Shine**: 30-year-old Shine has played for the Grand Rapids Griffins since he was 22, and the 30-point scorer at the AHL level is only 5’11” and 175 pounds, but he’s fast, he’s hard-working and he’s embraced his time with the Griffins, yielding admirable continuity at the AHL level.
#67 Joel L’Esperance**: L’Esperance and Shine are Griffins-contracted, and the 28-year-old L’Esperance is a 6’2,” 212-pound AHL goal-scorer who can post over 20 gols and abound 50 points per AHL season. The Griffins’ players love working with the play-driving L’Esperance, a Brighton, MI native.
#74 Cross Hanas: Hans is my vote for the most underrated prospect forward in the Wings’ pipeline. Not overly big at 6’1″ and 181 pounds, Hanas out-skates and out-works his opposition on a very regular basis. Coming off shoulder surgery this past season, the slick passer and savvy shooter hopes to establish himself as a regular pro hockey player who pushes the pace of the game.
#92 Marco Kasper: My hope is that the offense comes for Kasper, if only eventually. All of 19, Kasper is going to make the jump to North American hockey this season, and he’s probably talented enough to earn a call-up at the very least this year. 6’1″ and 193 pounds, the Rogle BK alumnus is a superb two-way player and passer and scorer, but he’s going to need to adjust to the lack of time and space he’ll face here.
Defensemen:
#3 Justin Holl: As a right-side, right-shot defenseman, Holl should do quite well as a 6’4,” 194-pound stay-at-home guy. The 31-year-old who got chased out of Toronto for occasional gaffes is actually pretty darn steady, and he’s got a wee edge to his game. He should succeed here.
#20 Albert Johansson: Johansson is THE forgotten prospect of the organization. Still just 22, the 6,’ 185-pound defender posted 15 points in his rookie season, but, regardless of whether Johansson posts 15 points or 50+, he’s such an effortless skater, puck-mover and passer that he serves as a catalyst for puck movement in all three zones. He’s a brilliant mind on top of a particularly talented hockey-playing body.
#38 Antti Tuomisto: Tuomisto will earn a couple of exhibition games, and I hope they will allow him to readjust to North American rinks’ size and width. The 6’5,” 209-pound 22-year-old rookie has played against men in the Finnish Liiga for TPS Turku, and now the physical, mobile defender with the gigantic wingspan needs to settle down a bit and allow his physical game to flourish by playing simpler, steadier hockey.
#46 Jeff Petry: Petry is a 35-year-old defenseman who is some years removed from his peak form, but as a power play specialist with an excellent shot, great playmaking skills and still pretty elegant skating skills. He’s not a heavy checker or a mean player by any stretch of the imagination, but he’ll likely anchor a second defensive pair while providing leadership and poise.
#51 Eemil Viro: Viro’s in his “prove it” year. Despite being 21, he’s fighting for a job on a stacked Grand Rapids Griffins blueline, and going back to Toledo of the ECHL won’t serve his long-term development. It may instead push the 6,’ 184-pound defenseman back to Finland, where the paychecks are fatter. Viro is a very steady and simple defenseman who moves the puck well, but he needs to move his butt up to the AHL ASAP to succeed here in North America.
#52 Brogan Rafferty: Ticketed for the Grand Rapids Griffins, 28-year-old Brogan Rafferty is a 6,’ 197-pound right-shooter who posted 51 points in 72 games for the Coachella Valley Firebirds this past season. At the NHL level, he’s able to keep up, but he’s unspectacular; at the AHL level, he’s an essential part of his team’s attack.
#77 Simon Edvinsson: We’ll see how long Edvinsson needs to play for Grand Rapids before he wraps his head around playing actual defense as an enjoyable, if not necessary part of his job. All of 20 years of age, the 6’6,” 212-pound defender skates like the wind, possesses superb offensive skills, and his weakness is that he only occasionally engages defensively. The Wings must convince their talented stud to focus on details.
Goaltenders:
#35 Ville Husso: Husso want to continue starting 50-55 games, as does his coach. The 6’3,” 205-pound butterfat goaltender is still figuring out the finer points of cross-crease management at 28, and his consistency in terms of stopping top-of-the-net shots needs to improve…But he’s still likely talented enough and driven enough to earn the Wings’ starting job.
#60 Jan Bednar**: Bednar earned his day in the sum on Saturday. The Griffins-contracted goalie is ticketed for the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye, but the 6’5,” 200-pound goalie has reinvented himself over the past couple of years, and I believe that he will succeed in a tandem with John Lethemon.
#80 Michael Hutchinson*: The 33-year-old Hutchinson is a long-time NHL veteran who spent last season split between struggling in Columbus and succeeding in the AHL with Henderson Valley. The 6’3,” 201-pound “full right” goalie plays an older-school style, and it’s certainly fun to watch.
TEAM DELVECCHIO:
Forwards:
#25 Taro Hirose: It’s hard to call Taro Hirose more than a depth forward as he’s 27, but at the AHL level, he posted 41 assists and 57 points last season, and he’s a fine playmaker who just can’t quite overcome his 5’10,” 172-pound size at the NHL level. Still, he’s chosen to stick around in Detroit, and they’ve given him two-way contracts as a result.
#36 Christian Fischer: The Red Wings signed the 6,’ 206-pound Fischer because he’s a big, tough penalty-killer who can win faceoffs with his right shot and out-grind and out-work his opponents. Fischer hopes to earn a bottom-six role with the Wings at 26 years of age.
#42 Nolan Stevens: Steven posted 33 points in 46 games with the Utica Comets last season, and the Red Wings signed the 6’2,” 194-pound center to give the Griffins depth up the middle with a scorer’s touch. 27 years old, Stevens hopes to earn a look-see from the Wings through his AHL play.
#44 Artem Anisimov*: I’m genuinely not certain what’s going to happen to Ansimov. A free agent try-out, the 6’4,” 205-pound wing is still an AHL scorer at 34, but that’s not going to be his NHL role any more. Instead of skating alongside Alex DeBrincat, as he used to do in Chicago, he’s more likely to ride shotgun with Marco Kasper, should he earn a contract.
#48 Jonatan Berggren: All of 23, Berggren is 5’11” and 194 pounds, and the “little” center is an all-round talent who may become an all-round useful player at the NHL level, because Berggren is versatile. He shoots well, passes superbly, he skates better than he’s given credit for, he’s got an edge, and he’s working on winning faceoffs. Ever-improving, Berggren is evolving into a catalyst for the Wings’ scoring machine.
#57 David Perron: The slimmed-down David Perron stands at 6′ and 195 pounds now, and the 35-year-old can still post 25 goals and 50 points at the NHL level despite not being the world’s greatest skater. He’s a versatile leader in many ways, on and off the ice, and he’s got a fantastic shot, net-front presence and some real greasy grind to him. Perron is integral to the Wings’ leadership group, and he is an important scorer, too.
#63 Alexandre Doucet: Doucet just has hands and is particularly slippery on the ice. The 21-year-old free agent signing from the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads is turning pro after posting a 58-goal season in the QMJHL, and his goal-scoring skills are self-evident, but I think that the Red Wings signed him because he can play greasy, sneaky dirty hockey. He’s going to have to learn how to play a full game in the AHL, but I think he’ll come to learn that a complete game helps with goal-scoring, honestly.
#71 Dylan Larkin: The Red Wings’ captain simply drives play on his own, and there are not a lot of players at any level who have the skating ability to create offense without sacrificing defensive play. The 27-year-old stands at 6’1″ and 199 pounds, and he’s an excellent skater, he’s a puck-lugger and puck distributor, he can score nearly 30 goals and he can post a point per game. He is Detroit’s heart and soul, and he backs it up on the ice.
#76 Tyler Spezia**: Griffins-contracted, Spezia is a 30-year-old center with speed to burn who’s graduated from the Walleye to the Griffins, and while he does not post a ton of points, he’s a leader in Grand Rapids despite his 5’10,” 170-pound frame.
#78 Amadeus Lombardi: Lombardi is turning pro with the Griffins or Walleye this upcoming season. The plucky center is 5’11” and 180 pounds of fast, puck-carrying blur on ice, and he’s unwilling to back down when challenged by bigger, stronger players. At 20, Lombardi has a bright future ahead of him, and room to grow into a bigger, stronger player.
#85 Elmer Soderblom: 6’8″ and 255 pounds, Elmer is still just 22, and he’s incredibly talented in terms of his puck-handling abilities, he’s got some grit to him, and Red Wings fans everywhere are hoping that the big man from Frolunda HC will develop into a massive power forward and net-front screen on the power play.
#88 Daniel Sprong: Sprong’s stick is curved like an iron hook, and the 26-year-old right wing used it to score 21 goals this past season with Seattle, after struggling to find an NHL home. Fast and physical, the 6,’ 199-pound forward is going to be an intriguing “Joker” card who may or may not deliver bottom-six scoring for Detroit as he plays through a 1-year, prove-it contract.
#90 Joe Veleno: Veleno also has a lot to prove. The 23-year-old center has grown into a 6’1,” 201-pound body, and yet he hasn’t truly developed into an every-day NHL’er yet. The Red Wings’ organization values Veleno highly, but he’s got to believe in himself as a middle-lineup center, too.
#98 Alex DeBrincat: Over the course of training camp, DeBrincat has displayed more than just goal-scoring aplomb. He’s lugged the puck into the offensive zone, he’s passed the puck well, and he’s been physical despite his 5’8,” 180-pound size. DeBrincat is also the most talented scorer on the Red Wings’ roster, so the 25-year-old with the arsenal of shooting skills is likely to re-establish himself as an elite goal-scorer this upcoming season.
Defensemen:
#2 Olli Maatta: The 29-year-old recast himself as a stay-at-home defenseman when his status as an offensive catalyst didn’t pan out at the NHL level, but the 6’2,” 207-pound rock-steady defenseman still shows flashes and glimmers of the skill set that got him drafted 22nd overall. Maatta is physical but not mean, and he blocks shots, he bails out more offensively-inclined defensive partners, and he generally makes himself indispensable to his employer by doing whatever is necessary to play sound defense.
#15 Jared McIsaac: McIsaac, like Veleno, has gotten lost in the shuffle, and the 6’2,” 193-pound defender who’s had surgery on both shoulders needs to bring his spare, tough game to the forefront as he struggles to find traction toward a professional hockey-playing outcome. He’s got a lot of competition to earn a spot in Grand Rapids, and as a simple defender, he’s going to have to be damn good to earn his keep.
#41 Shayne Gostisbehere: Not big but solidly built at 5’11” and 183 pounds, the 30-year-old Gostisbehere is an excellent puck-handler and play-maker, he’s got a rocket shot, and he overcomes simply not being a fast skater by being maneuverable. Left-shooting but able to play on either side of the ice, the Wings may end up using his power play prowess alongside Jeff Petry on a second power play unit.
#53 Moritz Seider: If Dylan Larkin is the Red Wings’ crown, Moritz Seider is the crown jewel. At 22 years of age, Seider is still learning how to play at an All-Star level in the NHL, and the 6’3,” 205-pound defenseman is a remarkable passer and play-maker, his one-timer is magical at times, he dekes, dangles and spins away from opponents with stellar skating skills, and he’s only going to get better. He’s physical, too, though he doesn’t go out of position to pursue big hits.
#54 William Wallinder: The Red Wings may not have another Seider on their hands in William Wallinder, but the 21-year-old graduate of Rogle of the SHL could end up being Simon Edvinsson’s partner some day. 6’4″ and 201 pounds of arms and legs and torso, Wallinder got better as the prospect tournament went along, and he continues to improve as the NHL’ers have arrived and thrived. Wallinder is a smart, smart defenseman whose abilities and overall savvy are far beyond his years.
#62 Wyatt Newpower: Newpower is a fly-swatter, a 6’4,” 205-pound fly-swatter. The 25-year-old defenseman can keep up with his compatriots in Grand Rapids, but he’s there because he is tough and tough to play against, and will fight and fight hard for his teammates, literally and figuratively. He’s a necessary element of any AHL team.
#84 Josiah Didier**: 30-year-old Griffins-contracted Didier is a mobile 6’3,” 220-pound right shot who doesn’t post a lot of points, but wears letters for teams (he’s exiting a tenure as the two-year captain of the Providence Bruins). He’s mobile, steady and smart.
#96 Jake Walman: Ever-confident in his own skin at 27, Walman is proud of being Moritz Seider’s safety valve, and he knows that he’s got a boomer of a shot himself, that he can pass superbly well and skate and check with poise…But as someone who wants to complement his defensive partners, he becomes invaluable. And he’s just got…swagger.
Goaltenders:
#31 John Lethemon: Somewhat surprisingly, Lethemon’s had a middling second and third days of training camp. The 6’1,” 189-pound goaltender was excellent with Toledo of the ECHL last season, winning 18 of 26 games with the Walleye, and his lack of massive size is made up for by disciplined technique. But the 27-year-old Northville native has had holes from time to time, and it’s my hope that he steadies himself in time for the AHL or ECHL season.
#34 Alex Lyon: Lyon and Reimer continue to share the crease, and they are such different goaltenders. Lyon is average in size for a goalie at 6’1″ and 196 pounds, and he’s a butterfly goaltender who utilizes stiff thigh rises and a high boot channel to, well, boot out rebounds and use his fast hands to gobble up his own rebounds. He’s a good puck-handler and smart 30-year-old who’s been around the AHL and NHL long enough to know that you make your home where you can find it.
#47 James Reimer: Reimer is also looking to find a home in Detroit, and he’s willing to step on Lyon’s toes to do it. At 35 years of age, the 6’2,” 200-pound goaltender plays a butterfly style that affords him the use of softer pads and stiffer glove and blocker hands than Lyon to smother rebounds in quick succession. He’s able and sound with the puck on his stick and he seems to have the mechanics and confidence to rebuild himself after that rough stretch with the rebuilding Sharks.
*=Free Agent Try-out, **=Grand Rapids Griffins contract.
I hope this set of observations was okay. I ran out of gas to some extent, and I didn’t want to overly repeat myself, so I chose to give slightly shorter evaluations and attempted to come at this from different angles, which isn’t easy after three days of seven or eight straight hours at the rink, starting at 7:30 AM. I’m doing my damnedest to give you what you’ve paid for, and I hope it’s been worth it, so:
In terms of fundraising, we got some really remarkable donations on Friday, but we are still $200 short of paying our bills and a little longer away from being able to buy food for the end of the month. We’re on our way, which is wonderful, but we need to pay for the ride home as much as anything. I hope that I can earn your support through my work here.
I should also note that PayPal $ is greatly appreciated as that’s what we use to pay the utility bills.
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.”
