Sebastian Cossa isn’t the only Detroit Red Wings goaltending prospect turning heads in the minor pro ranks. Save some props for Jan Bednar.

The 21-year-old rookie pro with the Toledo Walleye is the ECHL goaltender of the month for March. Bednar went 6-1-0 in eight appearances during the month. He would post two shutouts, along with a 1.59 goals-against average and a save percentage of .939.

ANOTHA ONE Jan Bednar of the @ToledoWalleye has been named the @WarriorHockey #ECHL Goaltender of the Month for March pic.twitter.com/fKcN1W2CUX

— ECHL (@ECHL) April 3, 2024

He allowed two goals or less in six of his seven starts. Bednar stopped all 25 shots in a 3-0 win against Iowa on March 3 and all 25 shots in a 3-0 victory at Greenville on March 16.

Detroit’s 107th overall selection in the 2020 NHL entry draft, Bednar is under contract to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League, Bednar is 18-7-2 in 32 appearances with the Walleye this season. He is tied for second in the ECHL with three shutouts while ranking 11th with a 2.74 goals-against average.

Red Wings Prospect Gibson Feted For Defensive Prowess

While it’s been a season in which Red Wings draftee Andrew Gibson (42nd overall, 2023) has been flexing his offensive muscles, it was his defensive acumen that was earning the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds defenseman recognition. He is rated among the top three Western Conference defenders in two categories of the OHL Coaches Poll.

Getting their flowers
Congrats on Owen Allard, Kirill Kudryavtsev, Arttu Karki, Jack Beck and Andrew Gibson being recognized in the OHL Coaches Poll
RESULTS : https://t.co/4Ek9GheDip#FearTheNorth | @OHLHockey

— Soo Greyhounds (@OHLHoundPower) April 3, 2024

Gibson, Thomas Budnick of the Guelph Storm and Taos Jordan of the Owen Sound Attack each garnered 16 votes to share top spot as the conference’s best shot blocker. Gibson also would finish third in the voting for the best defensive defenseman.

The 19-year-old rearguard put up career-highs in goals (12), assists (32) and points (44) this season for the Soo, while also posting a plus-36 rating. The Greyhounds are on to the second round of the OHL playoffs after sweeping the Storm.

Ice Chips

Red Wings draft pick Anton Johansson (105th, 2022) and Leksands lost 3-2 in overtime to Frolunda in Game 7 of their SHL quarterfinal series . . . Center Nate Danielson (9th, 2023) dished out four assists as the Portland Winterhawks were sweeping Victoria in the opening round of the WHL playoffs . . . The Griffins signed forward Hunter Johannes to an amateur tryout for the remainder of the 2023-24 AHL campaign. He also agreed to terms on a standard player’s contract for the 2024-25 season. Johannes, 25, collected 19 points this season playing college hockey at North Dakota . . . Center Brady Gilmour, a 2017 draftee of the Red Wings (193rd overall), has joined the Walleye. He was recently named top player of the U Sports playoffs while leading New Brunswick to the national title.

The post Red Wings Prospect Report: Bednar Top ECHL Goalie; Gibson Gains OHL Recognition appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Steve Yzerman collectibles are certainly a popular pursuit among the Detroit Red Wings faithful.

A PSA 10 rookie card of the Detroit GM from the 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee set is currently showing with a list price of $49,995 on ebay. Yzerman autopgraphs sell for the hundreds of dollars.

Peterborough Petes forward Steve Yzerman #RedWings #TBLightning pic.twitter.com/kwoQg4uDBX

— Jen (@NHLhistorygirl) May 9, 2016

There’s an even rarer Yzerman piece of memorabilia that few have, simply because it’s such a rare item. That would be Yzerman’s only trading card from his junior days with the OHL’s Peterborough Petes.

If you come across an Yzerman Pronto Print 1982-83 Petes card, scoop it up. They are rare finds.

Yzerman wore the same No. 19 on his back in Peterborough that he would go on to make legendary during his time with the Red Wings.

In 2021, the Petes held a who wore it best online contest to determine the most popular Petes player to wear each sweater number. Naturally, Yzerman carried the day in balloting for No. 19. Surprisingly, though, Mark Reeds was voted Peterborough’s top No. 17, ahead of Red Wings Hall of Fame broadcaster Mickey Redmond.

Kevin MacDonald was among the finalists along with Yzerman in the No. 19 voting, but knew what the outcome would be. In fact, it was McDonald who immediately followed Stevie Y as No. 19 for the Petes.

“Dick Todd and Jacques Martin were the coaches at the time and when I got there they were mulling things around and they said, ‘We want to sign you but we want to sign you to a junior B card but you’ll be with the team the whole time,’” former minor pro MacDonald recalled to the Peterborough Examiner.

“I said I didn’t want to do that, ‘You either want me or you don’t.’”

Yzerman Was Also No. 19 In Peterborough

The reasoning of the coaching staff behind this decision was both sound and flawed.

“They said, ‘We only have one spot left and it’s for Steve Yzerman if he ever comes back,’” MacDonald remembered. “They thought about it and they said, ‘Who are we kidding, Steve Yzerman is never coming back.’”

Of course, he never did. Future Hall of Famer Yzerman made the Red Wings at 18 and played with the club through 2006, winning three Stanley Cups, serving as captain from 1986-2006, scoring over 600 goals and more than 1,000 points.

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MacDonald remembers crossing paths with Yzerman in an Ottawa gym. The two No. 19s from the Petes shared their unique history.

“I told him the story and said, ‘They gave me your number and your gloves and all this other kind of stuff and the one thing I’m pissed off about Steve is that you didn’t leave any talent in the gloves.”

The post For Petes Sakes – It’s Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman With Peterborough appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Tnias Mathurin is ready to step up this season for the North Bay Battalion of the OHL after spending last season on the sidelines.

Mathurin, a fifth-round pick by the Detroit Red Wings in 2022, originally injured his shoulder during the 2021-22 season after landing on the joint shortly after the NHL Draft in July 2022.

“It was definitely a long year,” he said in a recent phone conversation with Detroit Hockey Now. “The coaching staff was great with me and the rehab place was very intense and extensive.”

In addition, Mathurin worked on skating during practice and began light stick-handling drills 12 weeks after surgery. He focused on being ready for the OHL playoffs.

He sat out the first nine playoff games for North Bay. Mathurin was cleared before game 4 of North Bay’s second-round series with Barrie and was put to the test in the Battalion’s 4-3 double-overtime win.

Mathurin finished with four assists in 11 playoff games. 

“The plan was not to use him a ton,” North Bay general manager Adam Dennis said. “But double overtime comes up an you keep seeing him come out, and he was comfortable in the moment.”

In retrospect, Mathurin was glad to be tested early.

“It was a tough first game, but I almost liked that better,” he said. “I got to see, first-hand, what it was like to play again in a real game. And then I got two extra periods. It was kind of like two games in one.”

Looking forward

Mathurin is looking forward to taking a leadership role this season.

“I think we could have a great team,” he said. “I’d like to play a role in leading the younger guys and leading the defense and the team to the (OHL) championship. I also want to have a healthy year. I want to get into the flow of the lineup and not be in and out of the lineup. And I want to have a huge impact on the season this year.”

Dennis, who played in the AHL and in Europe before settling in North Bay, says Mathurin had an impact on his team last season.

“I’d say about 90 percent of players wouldn’t have played last year,” he said. “But (Mathurin) was determined, and they way he stepped in was just impressive, including all the work he put in behind the scenes.”

Dennis lauds Mathurin’s maturity on and off the ice.

“He’s got  great hockey sense,” Dennis said. “He’s miserable to play against and has a really long reach and a long skating stride so he can close really quickly. He doesn’t take a lot of penalties, but he doesn’t back down from anybody.”

About the name

Tnias is “saint” spelled backwards. Simple as that.

“That’s where my parents got it from,” Mathurin said. “They just liked the idea.”

He is the youngest of four, with three older sisters — Destiny, Justyce and Trinity.

“When I was younger, there was a lot of bullying, for sure. Now, they’re very nice to me,” he said, laughing.

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Up next

Dennis, for one, expects Mathurin to leave juniors after this season.

“We certainly think he will be ready to play pro hockey,” Dennis  said. “He’s always had a pro-like approach. Now that he’s fully recovered, he’ll have a full season to really build on that. We’re expecting big things next year as a 19-year-old.”

Here’s more on Tnias Mathurin.

The post Red Wings Draftee Mathurin Healthy, Ready To Go After Lost Season appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The Detroit Red Wings’ fascination with Flint Firebirds center Amadeus Lombardi goes well beyond his rockin’ first name.

“Amadeus Lombardi had an awesome year in Flint,” Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said Friday. “He’s really a good little player. He’s very creative.”

The Aurora, Ontario native made his pro debut Friday night with the Grand Rapids Griffins and picked up his his first point with a slick pass on a Taro Hirose goal. The Griffins lost 2-1 to the Rockford IceHogs.

“All things considered, I thought he played very well tonight,” Griffins coach Ben Simon said.

AMADEUS LOMBARDI!

First professional point in his first professional game, a pretty set up to Taro Hirose! #LGRW #GoGRG pic.twitter.com/Jpw6VjpWl9

— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) April 14, 2023

“I am just trying to play my game and see what happens,” Lombardi said.

Adjusting to Pro Game

He said he noticed immediately that speed and strength of the AHL will require him to step up his game. He didn’t sound concerned about it.

“It’s going to be a little bit of an adjustment, but I am very excited for it,” Lombardi said. “I am trying to get my feet wet, play as well as I can, and just gather experience, but I think I can bring some positive energy, and on the ice, some speed, playmaking ability,  just trying to play my game and see what happens.”

Amadeus Lombardi (drafted 113th overall in 2022) is fast, spunky and skilled. Ontario Hockey League coaches voted him the smartest player in his division. Coaches also voted him second in stickhandling and playmaking. He was third in the OHL scoring race with 102 points.

Doesn’t Play Small

“He’s 5-9. 5-10, 170 pounds,” Yzerman said. “That doesn’t matter. He’s real competitive. Is he in there running guys over, knocking guys out? No. But he drives to the net, he somehow gets to the corners first, he makes plays, he’s very creative. He’s a very entertaining player.”

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Lombardi seems driven to succeed. His Firebirds lost their first round playoff series to the Saginaw Spirit, but not because of Lombardi. He posted five goals in seven games.

“Can he take that to the American League or the NHL one day? I hope so,” Yzerman said. “He certainly has the ability to do that. He’s going to have to adjust to playing against bigger, stronger, faster guys but had a really good year and is a fun player to watch. We really hold out optimism for him to be one of those guys that’s on the smaller side who just has it to be an NHL player. Time will tell but I’m kind of excited by the potential that he has.”

Analysis: The Red Wings are intrigued about Lombardi’s potential as an offensive catalyst. This will be an important summer for him to add some muscle in the weight room.

Forecast:  Likely to spend next season with the Griffins, and maybe get a call-up for games at the end of the season.

The post Tomorrow’s Red Wings: Yzerman Singing Amadeus’ Praises appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.