Six Red Wings prospects named in EliteProspects’ Top 100 NHL-affiliated skater prospects list

EliteProspects’ Mitch Brown offers a list of his top 100 NHL-affiliated skater prospects this morning, with players’ “future values” weighed, and Calder Trophy eligibility shaping the list.

Here are the Red Wings’ 6 representatives on the list, which strikes me as a bit jumbled:

#20 Carter Bear

It’s Game 7 every night for Carter Bear. He plays with unmatched energy, engaging in every battle and leaving nothing to chance. With heavy hits, subtle physical skills, and a high-end defensive game, he’s a coach’s dream. Plus, he has a ton of offence. He’s a skilled net-front scorer and, increasingly, a top-end playmaker. He makes high-skill one-touch plays, deceives opponents to create lanes, and uses every option on the rink. Bear’s skating mechanics limit his ability to separate and complete plays at times, but players with this level of determination and intelligence find a way. He’s a potential top-six forward, built for the playoffs. 

…

#27 Axel Sandin Pellikka

Axel Sandin-Pellikka joined the ranks of the very best SHL defencemen last season. While his defensive mechanics have improved steadily over the past few years, it’s still the borderline high-end skating ability, the phenomenal activation instincts, and the premier puck-moving capabilities that drive Sandin-Pellikka’s value as a prospect. He’s a legitimate dual-threat weapon on the power play, too, someone who could effectively quarterback a unit for the Red Wings as early as next season. While the league is moving away from sub-6-foot defencemen, Sandin-Pellikka has all of the required qualities to become the exception that proves the rule and an integral part of the Red Wings’ top-four.

#63 Michael Brandsegg-Nygard

While Michael Brandsegg-Nygård’s breakout at the SHL level was left half-finished, rumours about his demise as a prospect have been greatly exaggerated. Even if one could argue he was owed more on the scoresheet based on his play, his NHL projection never relied on him being a top-end offensive producer in the first place. His physical game and forechecking abilities still remain high-end assets and will allow him to quickly become a fan favourite as he makes the move to the AHL for the upcoming season. Given his shooting prowess and budding playmaking improvements, it wouldn’t surprise us if he bounced back offensively, too. There’s still the makings of a complementary two-way top-nine winger for the Red Wings.

#68 Nate Danielson

Nate Danielson continued to look like a clear NHLer in his first season in Grand Rapids. Like Marco Kasper before him, he added more defensive details, honed his rotations and puck management, and leaned on his physicality. His all-around above-average tools should make the transition to a middle-six spot in the Red Wings lineup easy for him, but to push his upside, he needs to become less predictable, adding more deception and playmaking foresight. 

#89 Shai Buium

Shai Buium may be on the older side for a prospect now, but his NHL potential remains clear. He’s an aggressive defender and a clever and deceptive distributor, capable of beating defenders with passes and timely activations. He has the size, the puck-moving talents, and the confidence to play up with the Red Wings. If he can improve his mobility, his offensive possibilities and NHL chances would further increase.

#98 Dmitri Buchelnikov

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to deny the fact that Dmitri Buchelnikov is, in fact, a top prospect. Everywhere he goes, he finds a way to produce, leading the weak Vityaz Moscow team in scoring by an 11-point margin last season. He accomplished this through his borderline high-end hands, small-area craftiness, impressive passing vision, and quickness, which all allow him to drive results in transition, too. Now set to join a big KHL club in CSKA Moskva on a one-year deal, Buchelnikov will have to continue to prove himself on every step as an undersized winger, but in due time, the Red Wings could have themselves a legitimate top-nine scorer.

Continued (paywall); I’m a little surprised that Bear’s ranked higher than ASP, and that MBN is ranked so low, but otherwise, Buchelnikov’s unpredictable developmental path earns him a lower ranking, and Danielson…Meh, I guess that’s okay.