DetroitHockey.net’s Clark Rasmussen has posted his annual assessment of the Red Wings’ training camp jersey number changes:
Regarding jersey numbers, there aren’t a whole lot of surprises, either.
Two of my predictions came true. With Cam Talbot having taken #39, Tim Gettinger has switched to #26. Carter Mazur is also switching, giving up #32 (now assigned to Jack Campbell) for the #43 he had been assigned up until last season.
[Austin] Watson’s usual #51 is assigned to Eemil Viro, leaving Watson with #24. Similarly, Talbot has [Alex] Chiasson’s usual #39 and the #48 he wore in his previous stint with the Wings now belongs to Jonatan Berggren so he’s wearing #79. Both #24 and #79 were last assigned in this summer’s Development Camp, to Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Larry Keenan, respectively.
[Try-out Isaac] Ratcliffe has been given #76, worn in Development Camp by Cy LeClerc.
The only other number curiosity is Griffins’ captain Josiah Didier, who wore #84 in camp last year and is wearing #94 this year. That switch was necessitated by William Lagesson signing in Detroit over the summer and taking #84.
Continued; kudos to Clark for spotting Isaac Ratcliffe on the roster. He’s a 25-year-old left wing who stands at 6’6″ and 225 pounds, and he spent last season playing for the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, posting 10 points in 66 games (along with 60 penalty minutes).
I’d guess that Ratcliffe is being evaluated for a spot on the Grand Rapids Griffins’ roster.
