Of prospect-related note this afternoon:

In the Finnish Liiga, Eemil Viro had an assist on 2 shots, finishing at +1 in 14:34 played as TPS Turku won 2-1 over JYP;

Otto Kivenmaki also had an assist, finishing even in 17:03 played as the Lahti Pelicans won 6-2 over Jukurit;

And in the Swedish J20 league, William Wallinder made an appearance with Rogle BK’s J20 team before rejoining the men’s league team.

Wallinder had an assist as Rogle BK won 7-4 over Linkoping. Right now there are no game reports available, but I’ll check back in an hour or two to see if that changes…and we should expect Wallinder to play with the men’s team tomorrow.

Edit: Wallinder finished at +3 with 1 shot and a minor penalty taken.

The Athletic’s Max Bultman and Sean Shapiro wrote a fantastic article discussing the evolution of the NHL’s prospect tournament phenomenon, discussing the Red Wings’ prospect tournament as the blueprint upon which other teams built their own prospect gatherings:

The hockey season starts today.

No, the NHL regular season doesn’t kick off until mid-October, but for many NHL executives and prospects, the 2021-22 campaign has its soft opening on Thursday afternoon when prospects, in full NHL apparel, clash in exhibition games.

“It’s really the kickoff of the season,” Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill said. “Everyone is back in the rink, there are games to watch, and it’s a return to a sense of normalcy of what we hope will be a long season.”

Prospect tournaments and showcases were canceled in 2020 because of COVID-19 but have returned in 2021. Some have been altered for financial or logistical reasons, but with a few exceptions, sending prospects to play in September has become a must-do item for NHL teams as they hope to embark on a more normal season.

And for five NHL teams, normal means returning to a small resort town along the lake in Northern Michigan, which served as the setting for the growth of the prospect tournament from an outside-the-box idea to an institution amongst NHL clubs.

The birth of the NHL Prospect Tournament dates back to 1997.

Continued (paywall)

Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill appeared on the Michigan Sports Network’s “X’s & Bros” show this morning, speaking for 11 minutes in an interview with Anthony Bellino:

GT.se, Expressen’s Gothenburg-based newspaper, has posted a subscriber-only article in which GT.se’s Stefan Nilsson profiles Red Wings prospect Simon Edvinsson, who Nilsson notes played 20+ minutes in Frolunda HC’s first game…

But the profile is stuck behind a paywall, just like an article where Hakan Andersson discussed the connection between Frolunda and the Red Wings a couple of days ago.

I’d share ’em if I could, gang.

Red Wings director of player development Shawn Horcoff appeared on “The Word on Woodward” to set up the Wings’ prospect tournament:

From DetroitRedWings.com’s Brett McWethy:

Detroit Red Wings announce Meijer as helmet entitlement partner

Red Wings helmets will feature Meijer branding in time for upcoming NHL Prospect Tournament and Training Camp in Traverse City

DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings today announced that Landmark level sponsor Meijer will serve as the club’s new Helmet Entitlement Partner. The Michigan-based grocer will have its brand marks prominently appearing on Detroit’s home, away and practice helmets beginning with this week’s NHL Prospect Tournament in Traverse City.

As part of Meijer’s recently extended partnership, a decal will be positioned on the left and right sides of the helmet, which will be worn for home and away games, as well as practices throughout this season and further Meijer branding will continue to be featured at Little Caesars Arena. In honor of the new helmet partnership, the first 10,000 fans to enter Little Caesars Arena for the Saturday, Dec. 18 game against the New Jersey Devils will receive a Holiday ornament that is a replica of the Red Wings helmet with the Meijer logo featured.

MLive’s Ansar Khan posted an article previewing the Red Wings’ prospect tournament, which begins on Thursday at Centre ICE Arena in Traverse City:

When many of the Detroit Red Wings’ top prospects take the ice Thursday, much of the focus will be on a trio of forwards who aren’t far away from the NHL – Joe Veleno, Jonatan Berggren and Lucas Raymond, as well as two other high draft picks in defenseman Jared McIsaac and goaltender Sebastian Cossa.

But the organization also will be eager to see how another group fares – players not drafted as high but expected to compete for jobs in Detroit over the next couple of years, like forwards Chase Pearson and Kirill Tyutyayev, defensemen Wyatt Newpower and Donovan Sebrango and goalie Victor Brattstrom.

The NHL Prospects Tournament returns to Traverse City’s Centre I.C.E. Arena this week after being canceled last year due to the pandemic. The Red Wings open the five-team tourney Thursday against Dallas (7 p.m., live streamed on DetroitRedWings.com).

This event will mark the North American debut of Raymond, the No. 4 overall pick in 2020, and Berggren, the 33rd selection in 2018. Both are likely to need some development time with the Grand Rapids Griffins, but their offensive skills could enable them to push for NHL jobs in training camp and the preseason.

Continued

NHL.com’s polled its writers as to which players might be able to earn the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie. While Moritz Seider has an uphill battle among a crowded field that includes Cole Caufield, Spencer Knight and Trevor Zegras, NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman believes that Seider could still contend for the Calder:

Moritz Seider, D, Detroit Red Wings: Seider has excelled at every level he’s played the past three seasons, and the 20-year-old looks ready to do the same in the NHL. As a 17-year-old in 2018-19, he was named rookie of the year in Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the top professional league in his native Germany. Then as one of the youngest players in the AHL in 2019-20, he scored 22 points (two goals, 20 assists) in 49 games with Grand Rapids. Last season, he scored 28 points (seven goals, 21 assists) in 41 games with Rogle in the Swedish Hockey League and was named the league’s best defenseman. He also had five assists in 10 games for Germany at the 2021 IIHF World Championship and was named the tournament’s best defenseman. Seider has a chance to be a linchpin in the Red Wings’ rebuilding effort, and that could include the Calder Trophy this season. — Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

The article continues, and I can only speak from my 30-year history as a hockey fan (I was a late bloomer, coming to the game at 13 years of age)…

But Nicklas Lidstrom of all people was unable to beat the buzz surrounding Pavel Bure’s Calder candidacy in 1992, so I’d expect Caufield or Zegras to take home the trophy unless Seider is absolutely extraordinary during the 2021-2022 season.

Despite having lost Monday to whatever fatigue I’m battling through, I managed to pack up my 2006 Chrysler Pacifica today (with the laundry-folding help of Aunt Annie), run my pre-trip errands and “head out on the highway” around 4 PM this past afternoon.

I drove through some particularly heavy storms on my way to Lansing, but the trip up US 127 to Grayling was utterly smooth, and I arrived in Traverse City around 9:15. I’ve unpacked, I’ve had a late dinner (the traditional Burger King burger was eaten in-hotel as the dining room was closed due to COVID protocols…though nobody is wearing a mask up here but me…), and my credit card has been charged $975 for the first half of the $2,081.25 hotel bill.

So I’m up in TC for the prospect tournament and main camp, and, thanks to your generosity, my credit card didn’t bounce.

Early this morning, The Athletic’s Corey Pronman suggested that, in the absence of Moritz Seider, the Red Wings’ prospect to watch at Detroit’s prospect tournament in Traverse City–and main training camp–is one Lucas Raymond…

And, this evening, the Hockey News’s Ryan Kennedy agrees (at least with the prospect tournament part), per his list of a top 10’s worth of prospects to watch at the NHL’s various rookie tournaments:

Lucas Raymond, RW, Detroit: The host Red Wings always have a fun and exciting team in Traverse City and Raymond is the one to watch this time out. The 2020 first-rounder hasn’t played in North America yet, but his dynamic skill game will certainly be welcome. If Raymond adjusts quickly over here, there’s no reason he couldn’t see games with Detroit this season (though spending time with AHL Grand Rapids would not be a step back by any means).

Continued; I’m curious to see how Raymond’s recovery from elbow surgery has gone, as that nagging injury set him back during the course of his first full SHL season.