I happen to believe that the Red Wings’ prospect tournament is a near-invaluable resource for the Red Wings’ prospects.
It provides three highly competitive games in which the Wings’ skaters and goalies, both those “turning pro” and first experiencing professional-level competition, get to adjust to the pace and play of North American pro-level hockey while playing among their peers (players between 18 and 25 years of age).
The prospect tournament isn’t a be-all-end-all, but it’s a significant step toward preparing players for the main training camp, where there are 40-60 players skating at 100 miles an hour and no time for player instruction or real systems-building in a “teaching” environment.
Especially with coach Derek Lalonde coming in, the emphasis over the five days of training camp is going to be on building an exhibition season-ready NHL team while very thoroughly presenting a ton of information to the players, and that can really overwhelm the young guys.
In that sense, the practices are almost as important as the games, because Grand Rapids Griffins coach Ben Simon and his staff are able to teach new players the systems that most of them will be playing in Grand Rapids, Toledo or even Detroit, all while both continuing to develop skill and while giving the Griffins and Red Wings’ coaches and scouts a bellwether as to where their potential AHL or NHL employees stand.
This morning, the Free Press’s Helene St. James posted an article in which she highlights three aspects of the prospect tournament worth watching:
Eye on the pipes: When the Wings traded up to draft 6-foot-6 Sebastian Cossa at No. 15 in 2021, it signaled confidence the team had found its goaltender of the future. Cossa, 19, spent the past three seasons starring with the Edmonton Oil Kings in the Western Hockey League (he posted a 1.93 goals-against average and .919 save percentage in 19 playoff games last spring). He cracked Team Canada’s roster for the World Juniors last December and again when the pandemic forced its postponement till August, but both times, he was passed over as the starter. It’s on Cossa to convince management he should have a job in Grand Rapids this season.
Cossa has a lot to gain and a lot to lose over a very short period of time here. I know that Wings fans are concerned about the Cossa-vs-Wallstedt debate, but right now, the Wings have four goalies in their AHL-ECHL system in Cossa, Victor Brattstrom, Jussi Olkinuora and Jonathan Lethemon, and only two spots in GR.
Cossa could still be sent back to the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings if the Wings don’t feel he’s ready, or would benefit best from playing there, but Edmonton’s already gone out and gotten a new starting goalie.
St. James also talks about Simon Edvinsson before offering this concluding point:
Sizing up the rest: Keeping on the topic of big men, 6-8 forward Elmer Soderblom (No. 159, 2019) is also part of the cast. He led Frölunda with 21 goals in his first full season in the SHL, and led the club’s under-21 players with 33 points. He and defenseman Albert Johansson (No. 60, 2019) are vying for spots in Grand Rapids as they get started on their North American careers. Johansson posted 25 points in 52 games with Farjestad, plus eight points in 19 playoff games to help his club claim the 2022 SHL Championship. Other prospects include defenseman Donovan Sebrango (No. 63, 2020), who already has appeared in 96 games with the Griffins and is coming off helping Canada win gold at the World Juniors, and forward Cross Hanas (No. 55, 2020), who had 86 points in 63 games with the Portland Winterharwks in the Western Hockey League.
I am very curious to see Soderblom, who may or may not be AHL-ready, and Johansson, who’s an under-the-radar prospect, but Eemil Viro, Kirill Tyutyayev and even back-up goalie Jan Bednar will pique my interest as well.
