Detroit Red Wings

Tomorrow’s Red Wings: Trey Augustine ready for next step

Published

9 months ago

July 12, 2023

It’s been quite an offseason for Trey Augustine.

First, he was the goalie for Team USA at the IIHF World Under-18 Championships, backstopping the U.S. to gold medal with a career-defining performance in the championship game.

Then, the South Lyon native was drafted by his hometown team, the Detroit Red Wings. The next week, he was skating at the team’s player development camp at Little Caesars Arena.

“The facilities are great. I’ve never had this in-depth of a look before,” he said. “It’s like a whole dream to just play in the NHL and obviously play for your hometown team. It’s an amazing opportunity.”

The Red Wings were happy to have the opportunity to draft him with their first pick of the second round of last month’s 2023 NHL Draft.

“Phil Osaer, who runs our goaltending department, we had a lot of conversation about the goalies in this year’s draft,” Red Wings assistant general manager Kris Draper said. “Phil kept coming back to Trey and we were able to see him. We saw the last game that he played, he won it and it was for the gold medal (at the world U18s).”

Augustine impressed the Red Wings with his ability and poise in the gold-medal game’s final seconds.

“We loved the poise, we loved the control,” Draper said. “He’s got a great path going to Michigan State. It’s a pick that we were excited to get.”

Augustine proved he was more than ready for college during his second season with the National Team Development Program, posting a 29-1-2 record with 2.13 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage.

Becoming a Spartan

After considering Michigan, Augustine instead decided on Michigan State after meeting with coach Adam Nightingale.

“He’s a top-level coach,” Augustine said. “He’s a great person. Super easygoing guy and made me feel I was part of the family and culture.”

At 6-1, Augustine is a couple inches shorter than prototypical NHL goalies, something he’ll work to offset at Michigan State.

“I’m obviously going to have play a little bit different than certain other guys they have,” he said. “So it’s finding ways I can play farther out in the crease and present as big as some of the other guys is a big part of it.”

Analysis

Augustine will have every opportunity to start for the Spartans, who will be loaded with underclassmen in Nightingale’s second season as coach. His development, along with that of Grand Rapids goalie Sebastian Cossa, will be closely scrutinized by the team next winter.