Prospect games ‘player takes’: Red Wings close out Prospect Games with 3-2 victory over Dallas

The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects swept the Prospect Games, defeating the Dallas Stars 3-2 on Sunday despite not having the services of Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (groin). The Wings didn’t walk over Dallas, as they did in Saturday’s 5-1 victory, but there are times when a hard-fought victory is perhaps even more satisfying than a blow-out win.

In Sunday’s game, Alex Doucet opened the scoring 14:58 into the 1st period on a goal assisted by Hunter Johannes, and the Wings looked to be in control for a significant period of time, but Dallas rallied in the second period peppering Carter Gylander with 12 shots in 30:12 of time in the Wings’ crease, but he held the fort and shut Dallas out.

The Wings then changed goaltenders, and Landon Miller stopped 16 of 18 shots, surrendering a 1-1 goal to Emil Hemming at 13:26 of the 2nd, but Detroit was mostly in charge the rest of the way, battling back off the mat via a goal from Hunter Johannes (from Amadeus Lombardi and Alexandre Doucet) at 16:45, and salting the game away with a power play goal from Emmitt Finnie (from Jakub Rychlovsky and Nate Danielson) 14:07 into the 3rd period.

Dallas did score a 3-2 marker with 0.6 seconds left on the clock, but Anthony Romano’s goal didn’t do much other than give the Stars some final rewards as they out-shot Detroit 30-20.

The only real area of concern for the Wings was the state of Shai Buium’s right ankle, as he blocked a shot and hobbled off late in the 3rd period, as noted by The Athletic’s Max Bultman:

Again, I’m not in Traverse City this year, so it’s just simply not the same to watch a live stream as it is to be in the rink, but I’ll do my best to offer a set of player assessments.

Forwards:

#58 Emmitt Finnie — #29 Nate Danielson “A” — #81 Jakub Rychlovsky

#58 Emmitt Finnie: Finnie finished the game with a goal on three shots, and he finished the weekend with a goal and an assist for 2 points, finishing at +1 with 7 shots. All of that being said,the plucky 6’1,” 183-pound forward still looks like someone who would benefit from one more year of playing a starring role for the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers than he does a player who would benefit from turning pro with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Finnie is plucky, fast, hard-working and he’s got a good set of hands, but he’s still growing into his body, and that blue-collar work ethic his tremendous competitiveness are just a hair shy of being quite ready to turn pro.

He reminds me quite a bit of Red Savage, the Michigan State University center who’s going to be an NHL’er some day, and it’s not difficult to envision both Finnie and Savage forming the nucleus of one hell of a checking line several years down the road. The two are ultra-competitive players who work their tails off to win every battle they possibly can, from one-on-one grinding for the puck to faceoffs, forechecking and back-checking races, and gritty battles along the boards and in front of their own nets.

All in all, Finnie looks like he’s gotten a lot more self-assured over the past season, but starring in the WHL may be more beneficial for him than trying to squeeze onto a tightly-packed Grand Rapids Griffins roster.

#29 Nate Danielson “A”: Danielson was perhaps unarguably the Red Wings’ best player over the course of the two Prospect Games affairs. On Sunday, he posted an assist, and over the course of the weekend, his single assist and 6 shots don’t jump out at you…

But the soon-to-be-20-year-old’s hustle, work ethic and strong skill set all shone brightly this past weekend. Danielson, standing at 6’2″ and 188 pounds, is a lanky, intelligent right-shot center whose compete level is deceptive, and whose self-confidence is supremely evident. He skates excellently well, he’s got a wicked shot, he passes and makes plays, he sees the ice well, and he wins faceoffs, grinds and out-works and out-hustles his opponents.

He’s one of those all-round centers who is going to definitely earn a spot with Grand Rapids at the very least, and if he ends up in the AHL, which is most probable at this point, he’s going to do very well as he “turns pro” after an incredibly strong second half of the season with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks.

#81 Jakub Rychlovsky: At first blush, Rychlovsky appears to be the “real deal.” The 23-year-old free agent signing from Liberec of the Czech league slithered a 50-50 puck to Finnie for the game-winning power play goal, finishing even with 2 shots, and over the course of the weekend, he finished with a goal and an assist for 2 points on 6 shots.

The 5’10,” 181-pound wing held his own in traffic and displayed something of a slightly mean streak himself when engaged in board battles and net-front exchanges, he’s got a hell of a selection of shots, and he’s speedy, working well with the puck on his stick or in his feet.

He’s definitely starting the year in Grand Rapids, but here’s hoping that he can buck the trend of Red Wings signing European free agents who don’t quite pan out, because Rychlovsky seems to have the work ethic with which to succeed on this side of the Atlantic.

#25 Hunter Johannes** “A” — #78 Amadeus Lombardi “A” — #63 Alexandre Doucet

#25 Hunter Johannes** “A”: Big Hunter Johannes did what you would expect a 26-year-old who stands at 6’3″ and 217 pounds to do–he was dominant among his peers. On Saturday, he posted a goal and an assist, finishing at +1 with 4 shots, and on the weekend, he was able to post a goal and 2 assists for 3 points, finishing at +3, taking 8 shots on goal (the most on the team).

Johannes isn’t the next coming of the Late-Blooming Superstar–instead, he’s likely to ride shotgun for the Wings’ smaller, more skilled prospects in Grand Rapids–but he displayed the fact that he is able to more than keep up with the youngsters who are generally more talented than he is. He can manage play at a high pace, he’s got a boomer of a shot, and he’s just incredibly steady and strong.

#78 Amadeus Lombardi “A”: At the other end of the size spectrum is Lombardi, a 5’11,” 171-pound center who still finds a way to be an integral part of the Red Wings’ attack. He finished Sunday with an assist and a +1 with 3 shots; on the weekend, he had 3 assists, a +3, and 6 shots on goal. Still only 21, “Ammo” is speedy, he’s got a low center of gravity, he dekes and dangles the puck…

And, at the same time, he puck-handling and playmaking could use a little bit of editing, because he tries too hard to make that extra, pretty play when he could take a more direct route toward the opposing team’s goal. He’s also a two-way threat as his defensive abilities are strong, and, obviously, he doesn’t take any shit from opponents, because he manages to battle his way into high-traffic areas and come out with the puck.

Whether he’s going to succeed at the pro level will be up to him; he needs to be more of a north-south player, and he definitely needs to work on continuing to add strength to his frame in order to truly succeed as a “small man” in the AHL or NHL.

#63 Alexandre Doucet: Doucet really, really, really wants to graduate from the ECHL to the AHL, despite the crowd of skilled forwards on the Griffins’ roster. On Saturday, he finished with a goal and an assist, finishing at +1 with 1 shot; for the weekend, he led the Red Wings with 4 points (3 goals and 1 assist), finishing at +3 and scoring those three goals on only 4 shots.

Doucet is 22, and the 6,’ 198-pound winger had a very strong season for the Toledo Walleye last year, posting 41 points in 52 games at the ECHL level. He’s fast, he’s got a bit of a piss-and-vinegar attitude when it comes to battling bigger, stronger opponents, and he’s definitely got a hell of a shot. The question is whether he can put the disparate elements of his game together on a consistent basis at the AHL level.

#42 Carson Bantle** — #82 Gabriel Seger** — #57 Borya Valis*

#42 Carson Bantle**: Like Johannes, Bantle is a Grand Rapids Griffins-contracted player, and the 6’5,” 207-pound graduate of the University of Wisconsin displayed some serious hands on Sunday. He finished the game at -1 with no points; the weekend was better, though, as he finished with 2 assists, and even plus-minus rating, and a single shot on goal.

It’s hard to not envision the 22-year-old working alongside linemate Gabriel Seger and Johannes as the nucleus of a very big and very tough third or fourth line in Grand Rapids, providing deterrence against the still-employed goons who try to mess with star players at the AHL level…

But at 22, there is still some developmental runway in front of Bantle, and he does possess a very solid skill set in terms of his skating, passing and playmaking skills. He’s an interesting “dark horse” prospect.

#82 Gabriel Seger**: Seger sort of does what he does. The 24-year-old, Griffins-contracted center stands at 6’4″ and 213 pounds, and the big man finished at -1 on Sunday, and he posted a goal on his only shot Saturday, but it’s not stats that are going to make or break the big Cornell graduate’s career. Seger is a Swedish grinder who is defensively responsible, gritty, and a tiny bit mean, and he’s just a reliable kind of player who will be utilized in Grand Rapids or Toledo as a “big man” who can tolerably play in any situation.

#57 Borya Valis*: Valis may have had the best weekend of any free agent invite. He finished at -1 with a shot on Saturday, and even on the tournament with 3 shots in 2 games, but the 20-year-old right winger from the WHL’s Prince George Cougars was dekeing and dangling all weekend long, displaying some of the skill set that teammate Ondrej Becher may have recommended to the Red Wings’ brass as a player who merited a “look see.” Valis is a deceptive skater, he’s got slick puck skills, and he has the kind of patience necessary to work the puck up the ice and make plays or fire smart shots on goal.

He posted 70 points in 67 games this past season at the WHL level, and while his playing future is as uncertain as Becher’s as a 20-year-old trying to fit under the WHL’s “3 over-ager per team” limit, his skill set was evident from the get-go, and it’s going to be interesting to hear what people say about him as he gets more comfortable.

#67 Chase Lefebvre* — #59 Brayden Edwards* — #65 Charlie Paquette*

#67 Chase Lefebvre*: Another free agent invite, the Peterborough Petes center finished even with 2 shots in his only game, looking a little shaky at times despite his 6’3,” 174-pound frame, but when he played some comfortable shifts on the ice, he looked solid enough. Lefebvre was a -46 on a rebuilding Peterborough squad last season, but he looked solid defensively and occasionally physical as he patrolled the ice on the fourth line.

#59 Brayden Edwards*: Edwards had a solid game, finishing with a shot and a penalty taken on the night, and an assist and a +1 with 1 shot over the course of 2 games played. The free agent invite from Lethbridge of the WHL isn’t overly big at 6’1″ and 185 pounds, but he posted 70 points in 66 games as a 19-year-old, and he was as described–defensively responsible, sharp enough, and capable in his role.

#65 Charlie Paquette*: Paquette also finished even with a penalty taken on the night, and the 6’2,” 207-pound right wing from the Guelph Storm scored a goal on 2 shots, finishing at +1 on the weekend. He’s only 18, and was passed over in the draft after posting 35 points this past OHL season, so the Red Wings invited him to get a look-see on a player who will remain draft-eligible next year. He was solid and useful, but not overly noticeable.

Defensemen:

#22 Shai Buium — #62 Matthew Virgilio*

#22 Shai Buium: 21-year-old Shai Buium had some moments where he looked particularly professionally ready, and some moments where his big-but-narrow skating stride and ability to “be turned” by opposing players spoke to the necessity of more finishing school at the AHL level. Standing at 6’4″ and 210 pounds, Buium was unable to finish Sunday’s game after finishing even with 1 shot as he blocked a late-third-period shot with his right ankle; on the weekend, he didn’t register a point, but finished at +1 with 2 shots.

At this point, I’m not certain whether Buium is going to be a very steady #4/5/6 defenseman with little to no offensive ability, or whether he’s going to become more of a Brad Stuart/Bob Rouse-style Swiss Army Knife on defense, who may be utilized in every situation. He’s a smooth-skating D with good hands, good vision and a bit of a physical bent, but he’s got to get more consistent in terms of his shift-by-shift play.

#62 Matthew Virgilio*: The 5’11,” 183-pound Virgilio may only be 18, but the youngster did a very tolerable job working as Buium’s 1-2 defensive pair partner. He finished at +1 with no shots on the weekend, but that’s okay; the right-shot free agent invite from the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires was supposed to be particularly steady, and that, he was. His speed complemented Buium’s, he handled the puck well, and he didn’t get bumped around very much by bigger, tougher Stars players. All in all, it was a good first weekend with the Wings for Virgilio.

#89 Marcus Kearsey* — #87 Josh Van Mulligen*

#89 Marcus Kearsey*: Kearsey ended up looking like a little bit of a dynamo on Sunday, and the 5’11,” 176-pound defenseman from the Charlottetown Islanders didn’t register a point on the weekend, but he was on the ice at the right times, finishing at +4. The free agent invite posted a very solid 49 points in 68 games as an 18-year-old, but questions about the smooth-skating defenseman meant that he wasn’t drafted.

I was quite impressed with his mobility and his puck-on-stick confidence, and he anchored the second defensive pairing in a positive light. He’s not going to be the next Joe Hicketts, but he was very solid.

#87 Josh Van Mulligen*: At 6’3″ and 205 pounds, the big right-shooting defenseman from the Medicine Hat Tigers did what was expected of the 19-year-old free agent invite: he was tough enough that he bumped and ground when necessary, and he was strong enough offensively to finish with an assist, a +3 and 3 shots on goal while working with an offensively-talented defensive partner.

I can’t say that there was anything to write a flourishing note home about with Van Mulligen, but he was steady and strong on the second defensive pairing, and he was physically-inclined enough to negate any size-and-strength issues from his partner. Good stick, good shot blocking, generally a solid D.

#95 Blake Smith* — #83 Bauer Dumanski*

#95 Blake Smith*: Smith finished the weekend at -1 with no shots or points, and the 6’5,” 215-pound free agent invite from the Flint Firebirds came as advertised–the 19-year-old was big, heavy, and rough when necessary. There was nothing in terms of Smith’s game that really made you say, “Wow!” but that wasn’t his role. He kept things quiet on the third pair, he didn’t lose his temper, and he ground out a strong set of two games.

#83 Bauer Dumanski*: The final of the Red Wings’ five free agent try-out defensemen, Dumanski finished the weekend even with no shots, but the 6’1,” 197-pound defender was not at the Red Wings’ Prospect Games to be an offensive dynamo. The Prince George Cougars defenseman was steady, simple and mobile, accomplishing his tasks in terms of battling against the big, strong, fast Stars.

Goaltenders:

Starter: #31 Carter Gylander: Gylander pitched a 12-shot shutout in 30:12 played on Sunday, and he finished the weekend with a single goal against, a .67 goals-against average and a .967 save percentage over the course of two wins (one split with Landon Miller). Massive at 6’5″ and 196 pounds, big Gylander is a little older than most prospects at 23 years of age, but the Colgate graduate is absolutely unflappable, sealing the lower part of the net, making strong saves while sliding and smoothly maneuvering around the crease, and his blocker, glove, toes and upright chest were all impressive.

Mostly, he was calm and very patient in terms of his movement, and as he turns pro, it’s pretty clear that he’s going to work his ass off to earn a spot with the Griffins as opposed to the Walleye.

Back-up: #61 Landon Miller: Miller is no smaller than Gylander at 6’5″ and 203 pounds, but the 18-year-old Soo Greyhounds goaltender was a flurry of movement around the crease, stopping 16 of 18 shots over the course of only 29:48 of time. That means his 4.03 goals-against average and .889 save percentage were not sterling, but that’s okay–he got the job done and held the Wings in the second half of the second game vs. Dallas, ensuring that Detroit was able to sweep the series.

Miller is definitely a “busy” goaltender, utilizing a snap-shut catch glove, a strong blocker and good stick to block shots. He’s more prone to utilize his size to butterfly and sometimes seal the net on wraparounds by sealing the post-to-post bottom of the net, which is a little surprising, but his hybrid style seems to work, and there’s a lot of room for improvement for the 126th overall pick in 2024, who will head back to Sault Ste. Marie as the team’s starter.

Scratches:

#28 Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, forward: As the Prospect Games draw to a close, the focus shifts toward training camp for the Red Wings’ prospects, and the Red Wings’ management and training staff do not want MBN to miss part or all of training camp to due a simply “tweaked groin” injury. He looked fine throughout last night’s game, so we can assume that the 18-year-old Brandsegg-Nygard, who stands at 6’1″ and 207 pounds, was probably injured in a minor manner over the course of last night’s 5-1 win over Dallas.

The stakes are too high for his playing future to incur a more significant injury for the sake of skating in a Prospect Game.

It’s going to be a whole different world for Brandsegg-Nygard playing against NHL competition, but over the course of a single game, he looked both like an 18-year-old who was adjusting to the smaller North American rink (which is 85 feet wide instead of 100 feet wide) and like a power forward and budding sniper with a vicious snap shot (among an arsenal of shots).

#41 Ondrej Becher, forward: As noted yesterday, Becher is apparently injured to the tune of “a couple of weeks'” worth of missed time, so the Red Wings will do their best to include the 6’1,” 187-pound center in all the off-ice aspects of training camp, but the question as to where the late-blooming assist machine will play this upcoming season will remain up in the air. At 20 years of age, CHL teams are limited to having 3 “overagers” in their lineup, and his Prince George Cougars may not want to utilize one of those 20-year-olds’ spots on the 64-assist, 96-point scorer.

As such, it is entirely possible that he’ll be traded to another WHL team, that he may end up in Toledo with the Walleye, or, at some point, even in Grand Rapids.

The Red Wings bet on Becher as a 20-year-old because they believe that his season as a 19-year-old was not a fluke; we’ll see whether he can back that up once he gets healthy.

#49 Dylan Edwards*, forward: Some players are destined to be healthy scratches over the course of a prospect tournament, and as it appears that Grand Rapids Griffins coach Dan Watson wanted to stick with the same lineup, Dylan Edwards, brother of Brayden, will shift his focus toward training camp as well. The free agent invite is only 5’8″ and 169 pounds, and the free agent from the Erie Otters will have to work very hard during the prospects’ practices this week, then soak up all the experience and instruction that he can receive during training camp..

#64 Zach Sandhu*, defenseman: Sandhu, another free agent invite, the Oshawa Generals defenseman is big at 6’2″ and 200 pounds, but the penalty-minute-per-game defenseman is essentially a stay-at-home guy with a mean streak, and it will be interesting to hear how he handles himself against bigger, faster, stronger and more aggressive NHL and AHL players.

#68 Gage Alexander, goaltender: The question going into training camp for Alexander is pretty simple: Is he Mr. Irrelevant? Gigantic at 6’6″ and 205 pounds, the 24-year-old has never really been able to string together a solid season, in no small part because he’s bounced around the AHL and ECHL, playing limited numbers of games. My best guess at this point is that the throw-in from the Robby Fabbri trade will be headed to Toledo to work with Griffins-contracted Jan Bednar.

*= Free agent try-out **= Grand Rapids Griffins contract

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George Malik

My name is George Malik, and I'm the Malik Report's editor/blogger/poster. I have been blogging about the Red Wings since 2006, and have worked with MLive and Kukla's Korner. Thank you for reading!