DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills posted a profile of Red Wings prospect and Grand Rapids Griffins center Amadeus Lombardi this morning:
After spending his 2023-24 season with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins, and with all the work he put in this summer, Amadeus Lombardi feels stronger and more confident as he prepares for the upcoming campaign.
“Last year was a huge adjustment, just with the speed and physicality,” Lombardi said after Saturday’s 2024 NHL Prospect Games opener. “You have so much less time and space (in the AHL), but I adapted to that. Coming back here, it’s obviously good for my confidence. I feel stronger out there, being able to make plays. It’s just nice to round out my game before camp.”
Last season, Lombardi ranked third among Griffins rookies with 26 points (five goals, 21 assists) in 70 games. The 21-year-old forward also played in eight Calder Cup Playoff contests, scoring one goal.
“He’s starting to want more now,” Detroit Red Wings Assistant Director of Player Development Dan Cleary said about Lombardi. “He’s going to get some preseason games. He got a taste in his first year and he’s gotten stronger. He’s got the new haircut, a little bulked up.”
Reflecting on his first full professional hockey campaign, Lombardi said he quickly learned how demanding the daily grind of the AHL is.
“You’re playing 72 games,” Lombardi said. “They are hard, very defensive. You don’t have a lot of time and space. A big adjustment for me was being smart with the puck at the right time.”
Continued; good stuff here.
