The Detroit Red Wings have signed their share of NHL and AHL veterans to load up the Grand Rapids Griffins this past summer, but the Hockey News’s Jake Tye notes that, one way or another, a wave of rookies–be they rookie pro players or North American rookies with European professional experience–should help power the Griffins going forward:
Earlier Sunday, we detailed how one of Detroit‘s lesser-known prospects, Finnish winger Jesse Kiiskinen, could emerge as a surprise scoring leader for Grand Rapids this season on the strength of his heavy shot. The 20-year-old won’t be alone in getting real opportunity.
A wave of youth is expected to push into the Griffins lineup, headlined by high-profile names like Trey Augustine and Carter Bear, who figure to dominate the storylines throughout the year. Alongside them, an intriguing group of recent draft picks and rising prospects, including Anton Johansson, Kienan Draper, Noah Dower-Nilsson, Justice Christensen and Dylan James, are also expected to make the roster.
That youth movement will still be anchored by a core of returning Griffins looking to keep pushing for opportunities with the big club in Detroit, including Shai Buium, Ondřej Becher, John Leonard, Carter Mazur and returning team captain Dominik Shine.
Perhaps the most compelling storyline of the season will play out between the pipes. Trey Augustine is ticketed for his first full professional season with Grand Rapids, while Michal Postava, who broke out a year ago, will also see significant starts, setting up what looks like a genuine competition for the crease.
Continued; a few notes:
Kienan Draper and Justice Christensen are signed to AHL deals, and both Carter Mazur and John Leonard are in the mix for jobs in Detroit–as are William Wallinder and Axel Sandin Pellikka…
But the Griffins will look different this year thanks to an influx of younger players, and that’s a healthy thing.
