Connect with us

Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings Show Talented Roster For Traverse City Prospect Tournament

Published

8 months ago

on

Nate Danielson, Red Wings prospect

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman isn’t handing out any free passes when it comes to the NHL  Prospects Tournament in Traverse City from Sept. 14-17.

Elmer Soderblom played 21 games with the Red Wings and 20 with the Grand Rapids Griffins and he’s playing. Sebastian Cossa is expected to get plenty of playing time this season in Grand Rapids, but he will launch this season as a member of Detroit’s 24-person roster for the annual tournament.

Cross Hanas will be playing his second season with Grand Rapids and he is on Detroit’s rookie roster. Finnish defenseman Antti Tuomisto is 22 and he will be there.

Add in the prize rookies like Marco Kasper, Nate Danielson, Amadeus Lombardi, Carter Mazur, William Wallinder and Andrew Gibson and it seems clear that the Red Wings have a highly competitive roster.

Cossa, Danielson and Kasper are three of Yzerman’s first-round picks since 2019. Wallinder took a major step in his development last season in the Swedish Hockey League.

There is plenty of fan and team excitement over Lombardi who posted 45 goals and 102 points in 67 games for the Flint Firebirds (Ontario Hockey League) last season.

Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson aren’t on the list for medical reasons. Edvinsson is coming off surgery and Johansson had an undisclosed injury in Grand Rapids last season. College prospects can’t play in the tournament.

The Red Wings rookies will face the top prospects from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets and Dallas Stars in games at Centre Ice Arena. Each team will play three games.

Doucet’s Debut

Detroit fans will also get their first look at Alexandre Doucet. He was an undrafted free agent signing last month. He comes from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Doucet netted 58 goals and finished with 115 points playing as an over-age junior.

It’s fair to say the Red Wings can’t be sure what they have with Doucet. He’s 21 and he boasts some nifty offensive instincts.

Anyone wondering how important this rookie tournament is needs only to remember that Lucas Raymond’s push to earning a place on the Red Wings started with a strong performance in this tournament.

Could Kasper have a similar launch?

Likewise,  last season’s free agent invitee Jeremie Biakabutuka started his drive to landing an NHL contract (with the St. Louis Blues) by drawing notice at this tournament.

The Red Wings do have some free agent invitees, including Michigan native Dean Loukus who posted 56 points in 65 games for the Saginaw Spirit. Here is the Red Wings NHL Prospect Tournament complete roster:

Related Topics: