Rychlovsky hasn’t given up on the North American grind

I’ve been looking at the Red Wings’ prospect pool on an informal basis over the last couple of weeks. In the case of 23-year-old winger Jakub Rychlovsky, I had to double check PuckPedia and the Grand Rapids Griffins’ “Roster and Alumni Tracker” to confirm that the 5’10,” 181-pound Rychlovsky was still Red Wings property.

It was easy for Rychlovsky to get lost in the shuffle, because he followed up a 46-points-in-51-games season with the Bili Tygri Liberec of the Czech Extraliga with an injury-plagued North American rookie season in which he registered 3 goals and 5 assists for 8 points in 38 games, which isn’t pretty.

I had assumed that Rychlovsky would be leaving the Red Wings’ organization to head back to Europe, but he’s still on the books for one more season.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff reports good news on the Rychlovsky front this morning (via a look behind the paywall at an article from iSport’s Zbynek Irgl, Radek Duda and Miroslav Horak). Duff reports that Rychlovsky still believes that he can salvage his North American career:

Continue reading Rychlovsky hasn’t given up on the North American grind

‘Genborg loves to make a ruckus’

As noted earlier this evening, Red Wings prospect, 2025 draft pick and Team Sweden forward Eddie Genborg scored a goal and added an assist at the World Junior Summer Showcase today.

While we need to take Genborg’s performance in August hockey with a bit of salt, because the World Junior Summer Showcase is about establishing a pecking order for the World Junior Championship more than anything, it’s good to read that Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis felt that Genborg was at his pest-ering best today:

#25 Eric Genborg, LW (Detroit Red Wings): Genborg loves to make a ruckus, that’s what he did today. he had two points, including a goal where he tipped a point shot in perfectly. He’s a strong forward who defenseman seem to struggle to clear from the crease. Players like that will always find roles because even when they’re not scoring, they’re difficult to play against. Scoring the odd goal doesn’t hurt, though.

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan noted that Genborg enjoys being a pain in the ass in a mid-July profile, and Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff noted earlier this week that the 6’2,” 205-pound winger is going to be joining Timra IK of the SHL this season, hoping to crack the men’s roster after a strong J20 season with Linkopings HC last year.

Timra IK, of course, has a very famous alumnus in a certain Henrik Zetterberg, who unofficially provides advisement to both Timra and the Red Wings on occasion.

I have a feeling that Genborg’s high-energy, chaos-embracing style will endear him to Wings fans if and when he turns pro with the Griffins in a couple of seasons.

Fathers and sons at the WJSS

The St. Paul Pioneer Press’s Jess Myers reports that several former NHL players are attending the World Junior Summer Showcase in Minneapolis to scout potential draft picks and signings…as well as their own sons…

Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff has been a particularly interested observer, not only looking for future stars to play in Motown, but having a vested interest in one particular U.S. winger.

After a solid first season of college hockey at Michigan, Will Horcoff was selected 24th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, and in addition to vying for a Big Ten title with the Wolverines and a gold medal with Team USA, he’s certainly a candidate to emulate his father, who skated in more than 1,000 NHL games with the Oilers, Stars and Ducks over a 14-season pro career.

“It just shows how fast time flies. It seems like just yesterday I was watching him play,” Will Horcoff said. “It’s kind of crazy that now the roles are reversed and he’s watching me. But he has been a great guide my whole life, and he has taught me so much about how to be a player and a man.”

…

A few sections over from where Horcoff and Michigan head coach Brandon Naurato were talking, former Chicago Blackhawks assistant coach Derek Plante — now scouting for the Ottawa Senators — watched intently as Team USA battled penalty troubles and Team Sweden on Wednesday afternoon.

His son Max, who will be a sophomore at UMD this season, has not been on the ice for the Americans due to a nagging injury. But Max played a role in Team USA’s gold medal and is widely expected to make the final 2026 roster for the Americans.

The elder Plante, who was a star for the Bulldogs and a member of the 1999 Stanley Cup champions in Dallas, said getting paid to watch hockey when your child is in the mix is a special thing.

“It gets me in the rink, anyway,” Derek said, with a smile. “I don’t have a lot of decision-making power for him, but it’s fun to watch all these games. I got to watch Max grow up, and also I’ve seen a lot of these kids grow up. I get to know a little bit more about them as a scout.”

Continued

Tweets of note: Eddie Genborg registers a goal and an assist at the World Junior Summer Showcase

Red Wings prospect Eddie Genborg has had a quiet World Junior Summer Showcase for Sweden, but today in Minneapolis, he registered a goal and an assist in Sweden’s 8-4 win over Canada.

Genborg’s goal was a net-front tip-in (and Steven Ellis’ goal clip comes from Red Wings Prospects on Twitter)…

And he had a power play assist on Eric Nilson’s goal via a blueline shot:

These games are “summer shinny,” but they’re also important in terms of establishing a pecking order for Sweden, Finland, Team USA and Team Canada’s World Junior teams. To see Genborg score from his office and then register a power play assist is good news in terms of making some concrete impacts.

We’re not talking about landing a spot on the Tre Kronor because of a goal and an assist in August, but it’s good nonetheless.

Talking about the Wings’ crop of rookie players

MLive’s Ansar Khan wonders aloud whether the Red Wings have a player who will make a significant impact as the team’s “best rookie” during the 2025-2026 season, and Khan lists 7 candidates for said position. Here are some less-heralded “dark-horse” rookies:

William Wallinder: Big, left-shooting defenseman (6-4, 205) has put together solid back-to-back seasons with the Griffins (34 points in 127 games) and might be closer to NHL-ready than any other D-man in the system. It would take a couple of injuries on the blue line for him to get an opportunity.

Antti Tuomisto: It’s been six years since he was drafted (35th overall) and he’s still waiting for his NHL debut. He’s a tall, right-shooting defenseman (6-5, 2010) with offensive upside. Just like Wallinder, Tuomisto would only get a look as a replacement for an injured player.

Michal Postava: It’ll be interesting to see how the workload will be divided between Cossa and Postava in Grand Rapids. Postava, 23, led Kometa Brno to the Czech Extraliga championship last season with a 1.97 GAA and .940 save percentage in 17 playoff games. It’s the Czech league, but still.

Continued; Khan’s other potential rookie contributors consist of Carter Mazur, Eduards Tralmaks, Axel Sandin Pellikka, Sebastian Cossa and Nate Danielson. They’ve kind of been talked to death this summer, which is why I chose not to spotlight them.

He offers this from GM Steve Yzerman regarding the possibility of a rookie player catching on with the Wings’ roster, too:

“Hopefully they come in and really perform well in training camp,” general manager Steve Yzerman said after the season. “We think we have a group down there (Grand Rapids) that are going to play (in the NHL eventually). Can I say any of them out of that group are going to next year? Not definitively. If they finish strong, have a good offseason and simply force their way into the lineup next year, that would be great with Todd (coach McLellan).”

Ah yes, the ‘Mushy Middle’

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan took inspiration from the recent MLB trade deadline to discuss the NHL’s “offseason winners and losers,” and he’s not placing the Red Wings in either category just yet:

With the NHL’s training camp set to begin in just over six weeks, why not analyze who the winners and losers are thus far this offseason around the league?

Admittedly, a lot of teams are pretty static and, on the surface, aren’t majorly better or worse.

The Red Wings, right now, would fall into that mushy middle. Acquiring goaltender John Gibson rather inexpensively (for goaltender Petr Mrazek and two draft picks) was a nice get, but general manager Steve Yzerman continues to search for a goal-scoring forward and top-four caliber defenseman.

Yzerman is hardly alone. Most GMs haven’t been able to secure the type of changes they’d have liked to this point.

Continued (paywall); I’m beginning to think that the stagnant trade marketplace means that the Wings will not make any more changes this summer, given that the prices for useful players appear to be so incredibly steep.

At this point, the most improvement the Red Wings may make this summer, the addition of John Gibson excluded, may have to come from within.

Regarding Guimond’s ‘runway’

Red Wings prospect goaltender Rudy Guimond was headed back to the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats this summer, but he received an offer he could not refuse from NCAA Division 1 school Harvard this week, so he’s committed to playing for Harvard this upcoming season.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff discussed the 20-year-old’s decision today, and Duff added a very wise comment from Red Wings assistant GM and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper regarding players who take the NCAA route:

Selected 169th overall by the Red Wings in the 2023 NHL entry draft, the Detroit brass are looking upon Guimond as a long-term project. They like the idea of him playing college hockey.

“Now I think with the CHL rule and NCAA, it opens things up to a longer runway and more of an opportunity that these young prospects can play,” Red Wings assistant GM and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper said. “Whether it’s playing in the USHL or playing major junior. And still have the opportunity at 19 or 20 years old to go to school.

“It gives you a longer time and more of a development plan with these goalies.”

The Red Wings are pretty much flush with goaltenders in their developmental pipeline right now, so Guimond having the opportunity to not have to “turn pro” after this upcoming season definitely helps him take more of that “runway” to develop his game while earning a college education. For Guimond, going to college just makes more sense right now.

Server fundraising continues

Sometimes all you can do is show up and try to give your best. My summer cold has turned into a fatigue-o-thon that has affected both myself and my aunt…

But I got up this morning and decided that I would give you my best, and work as I am able today. That’s part of the job that I am learning to be better at doing. It’s not pleasant or comfortable, but you show up and you grind.

As the server bill is going to be $477 this year, and I’ve got a big fat bill for $137 on the 17th of the month, I have to work on another fundraising effort, and you’re going to see one of these posts every day this month.

These might not be our favorite posts, but this blog doesn’t have ads, we don’t sell your information, and we try keep your reading experience as clean and as predatory-script free as possible.

If you would be willing to lend assistance in keeping the blog going, I would greatly appreciate it, no matter how small the donation.

Here are the details:

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Bleacher Report’s Stuart ranks Red Wings prospect pool 13th-best

Bleacher Report’s Hannah Stuart has ranked the NHL’s 32 teams’ prospect pools, and the Red Wings receive a surprisingly middling ranking, finishing 13th out of 32:

13. Detroit Red Wings

Prospects to Watch: Carter Bear, Nate Danielson, Axel Sandin-Pellikka

Analysis: At this year’s draft, the Detroit Red Wings got one of my very favorite picks—Carter Bear. In a more overall sense, though, their drafting has been hit or miss for me the last few years. There were some excellent picks, and some head scratchers. But their top picks, in my view, all have a key thing in common: they can create. And that’s not a bad place to start from.

Bear’s tenacity is unreal, and he’s incredibly involved offensively, creating opportunities anywhere he can, on top of that. It’s his tenacity that makes him a perfect fit for the Red Wings, but the rest doesn’t hurt.

And Axel Sandin-Pellikka already looks like a pro when you watch the little things he does. He’ll almost certainly spend time in Grand Rapids of the AHL rather than jumping right to the NHL, but that’s a good thing—moving to North American hockey is always an adjustment, although perhaps less than it once was with today’s emphasis on smooth skating and mobility.

Continued; I can only guess that Stuart’s examining the top of the Wings’ crop, because Detroit has a deep pool of prospects, and a 13th-overall ranking seems a bit low.

Windsor Spitfires aren’t giving up on recruiting Michal Svrcek just yet

Red Wings prospect Michal Svrcek has stated that he’ll be playing for Brynas IF of the Swedish SHL this upcoming season, but the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires are not giving up hope of recruiting Svrcek to play for them after selecting Svrcek in the CHL’s Import Draft.

The Windsor Star’s Jim Parker reports that Spitfires GM Bill Bowler feels that the chapter isn’t closed in terms of Svrcek’s future quite yet:

Meanwhile, Bowler is uncertain about the status of Slovakian forward Michal Svrcek, who was the team’s first-round pick in this year’s import draft.

A Detroit Red Wings’ fourth-round pick, reports out of Europe quote Svrcek as indicating he will return to play in Sweden for Brynas, but Bowler is taking a wait-and-see approach for now.