Red Wings prospect defenseman Antti Tuomisto may stand at 6’5″ and 205 pounds, but the big defenseman is also already 24 years of age, so the Grand Rapids Griffins veteran doesn’t have a whole lot of developmental runway left.
Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen also notes that Tuomisto’s no longer waiver-exempt due to the combination of his age and the number of AHL games that he’s played…
One thing to keep in mind in assessing how the Detroit-Grand Rapids Carousel might operate: Antti Tuomisto is no longer waiver-exempt. Would another team claim him? Maybe. He’s got size, a shot, competes hard. The question about him is his skating.
I’m not going to worry about Tuomisto getting plucked off the waiver wire. Given the fact that he hasn’t played any NHL games yet, and given that his skating is still an issue, there are going to be more appealing defenders available on the waiver wire come the end of the exhibition season.
Unless Tuomisto takes several steps forward and almost makes the Wings’ roster, he’ll continue to be a “project prospect,” and that’s generally not the kind of player who finds himself plucked off waivers.
