One subplot of the Grand Rapid Griffins’ strong season has been the pleasing development of defensemen Antti Tuomisto and William Wallinder.

While Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson receive most of the attention in the assessment of the Grand Rapids’ defensive prospects, Tuomisto and Wallinder are demonstrating their NHL potential. The 6-foot-5 Finn Tuomisto has five goals and owns a plus-7 plus-minus. The 6-foot-4 Swede Wallinder shows three goals and is plus-1.

“They’ve progressed really well,” Detroit GM Steve Yzerman said earlier this month. “Both of them are really good. Antti’s a right shot, William is a left shot. Different players but they’re both big. Antti’s big and strong, physical, great shot, passes the puck really well. William probably a little bit lighter. Tall, lanky guy, really good skater, moves the puck really well. Probably a little bit more active in the rush offensively.”

The post What the Red Wings Really Think About Tuomisto and Wallinder (+) appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

William Wallinder is like a lot of his Grand Rapids Griffins teammates.

He’s young (21), skilled and adjusting to  life on and off the ice in his first year away from his native Sweden.

“I think it’s it’s been going good,” he said in a Thursday interview. “I feel like I’m improving all the time and getting adjusted to the smaller ice.”

The post Wallinder Progressing in Debut Season in Grand Rapids (+) appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

While the Detroit Red Wings were playing in Sweden last week as part of the NHL Global Series, they were arriving to Stockholm with more Swedes in the front office than on the ice.

Forward Lucas Raymond was the only Swedish player in the Detroit lineup.

However, to quote Reg Dunlop, erstwhile player/coach of the Charlestown Chiefs, that situation is about to change.

While in Sweden, Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman was talking excitedly about the number of top Swedish prospects currently in the club’s development pipeline.

“We have some young guys who are close to playing in the NHL,” Yzerman told Swedish website Aftonbladet.se. “This year they get a bigger role in Grand Rapids (AHL) to develop a little and play more special teams and have a bigger role.

“They are very young and we expect them to be able to force their way into the team within a year or two.”

At the top of that list certainly is defenseman Simon Edvinsson. The sixth player chosen in the 2021 NHL entry draft is in his second AHL season with the Griffins. He’s fourth on the team in scoring with 3-4-7 totals through 13 games.

“Positive reports from him down there, where he’s starting to get a more complete game,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “There’s less of those egregious mistakes. He’s finding his game, he’s growing the correct way.”

Red Wings Pick Sandin Pellikka Lighting Up SHL

Still in Sweden playing for Skelleftea of the SHL, defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka, the 17th overall pick of the 2023 draft, already shows seven goals as his tally this season.

Pellikka moves from yesterday's game #LGRW pic.twitter.com/Asm5rN6mE7

— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) November 19, 2023

“He’s a slightly different player than what we have in our organization,” Yzerman said. “He’s an offensive defenseman who’s good at moving the puck and we don’t really have that type of defenseman.

“It’s only a matter of time before he has a positive impact on the team”

Forwards Jonatan Berggren and Elmer Soderblom and defensemen Albert Johansson and William Wallinder are other Swedish prospects in Grand Rapids.

BERGY BERGY BERGY!

Jonatan Berggren has been named the 2022-23 Red Wings Rookie of the Year by @TheDSportsMedia!

» https://t.co/aM6oBWiYH1 pic.twitter.com/YUcLjaxLyG

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) May 23, 2023

“Overall, they are good young men who all have a chance to become NHL players,” the Detroit GM said.

Yzerman finds the potential of Johansson to be curiously intriguing. The steady defender is a team-leading plus-four.

“He has started very well this year,” Yzerman said of Johansson. “Now he is injured but he is close to coming back. Based on his play, we want him to play in the NHL at some point to see where he fits in next year.

“He can be a good NHL player, he just has to be healthy and play.”

The post Potential of Young Swedes Exciting to Red Wings Yzerman appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

A tradition will continue with two Detroit Red Wings prospects gaining inclusion in the Swedish junior national team roster for the upcoming five-nations tourney set to be held in the Czech Republic. This event is the final tune up for the IIHF World Junior Championship, so barring injuries, this will likely be Sweden’s team to compete in that event.

Genrep inför JVM för Juniorkronorna
Här är truppen som förbundskapten Magnus Hävelid tagit ut till 5-nationsturneringen i Tjeckien.
Läs mer här https://t.co/VZousBbGHj #wjc2024 #juniorkronorna pic.twitter.com/PU0mrcIQrv

— Tre Kronor (@Trekronorse) October 24, 2023

Defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka of Skelleftea, chosen 17th overall by Detroit in the 2023 NHL entry draft, figures to be among Sweden’s top performers. As well, defenseman Anton Johansson of Leksands, selected 105th overall in 2022, is also gaining inclusion in the squad.

A third Red Wings prospect, forward Noah Dower Nilsson, likely would’ve also been considered. However, offseason shoulder suregery still has him on the shelf. Dower Nilsson was Detroit’s 73rd overall choice in the 2023 draft.

Sandin Pellikka Dominating SHL

In his first full season in the SHL, Sandin Pellikka, 18, is leading all defenseman in Sweden’s top league with five goals. It’s winning him praise from within his own club and from the Red Wings organization.

Pellikka's puck control pic.twitter.com/X45vBXAmdZ

— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) October 19, 2023

Both vice-president of hockey operations Nicklas Lidstrom and European player development director Niklas Kronwall are regular visitors to Sandin Pellikka’s game.

“Very mobile and calm with the puck,” Lidstrom told Swedish website Expressen.se. “He finds many good solutions and has a good one-timer he gets to show off, too.”

The person delivering the majority of the hands-on mentoring is Kronwall.

“I mostly communicate with Kronwall,” Sandin Pellikka said. “He gives me tips and feedback. So far I haven’t gotten any scoldings from him. I guess I haven’t made any bigger mistakes yet.”

Red Wings Swedish World Junior History

Over the past four world junior tourneys, 10 Red Wings draft picks were suiting up for Sweden. This list is including current Detroit forward Jonatan Berggren (2020) and top prospects such as defensemen Simon Edvinsson (2022), William Wallinder (2022), Albert Johansson (2021) and forward Elmer Soderblom (2021), all currently honing their games with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins.

Though at the time there were no Red Wings picks in last year’s squad, Sandin Pellikka did play for Sweden.

The post Red Wings Prospects Sandin Pellikka, Johansson Picked to Swedish Junior Squad appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Red Wings prospects made their presence known over the weekend,  despite the Grand Rapids Griffins getting swept on the road.

The Griffins lost a pair of games to the Colorado Eagles, 6-3 on Friday and 2-1 Saturday.

In Friday’s game, William Wallinder (drafted in the second round in 2020) and Marco Kasper  (first round, 2022) scored their first AHL goals, both in the second period. Michael Hutchinson, in Grand Rapids on a pro tryout, stopped 35 shots in goal.

In Saturday’s contest, Sebastian Cossa (first round, 2021) stopped 31 shots, while Cross Hanas (second round, 2020) scored his first goal of the season. It was the first time this season the Griffins allowed fewer than 40 shots on goal.

https://t.co/AUVu84HwJ2 pic.twitter.com/6NsIYpaygn

— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) October 22, 2023

The Griffins played the Eagles twice at home last weekend to start the season and finished the season series with the sweep at Colorado.

While the players were off Sunday, Griffins announcer Bob Kaser was back at work, filling in for Red Wings announcer Ken Kal for the team’s game with Calgary. Kal underwent surgery after returning from Ottawa on Saturday. He is expected to be out for a week or more.

Thank you to all who wished me well and sent prayers. It truly is appreciated. I was in quite a bit of pain yesterday calling the game. Had a procedure done as soon as we got back from Ottawa. All went well. Will be on IR for at least a week. Enjoy @bkaser1 call.

— Ken Kal (@KenKalDRW) October 22, 2023

A Return Stint

Kaser is in his 24th season calling games for the Griffins. He also has served as a Griffins vice president and president of the team’s youth foundation.

He last filled in for Kal in the 2016-17 season. That season, he did 13 radio broadcasts and one TV broadcast for the Red Wings.

In addition to Sunday’s broadcast, Kaser will call Red Wings home games against Seattle on Tuesday and Winnipeg Thursday and a road game at Boston on Saturday. Kal could return as soon as Oct. 30, when the Red Wings are on the road against the New York Islanders.

The Griffins, 2-2 on the season, return to the ice on Friday with a home game against Cleveland.

The post Red Wings Prospects Have Productive Weekend appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

As Dan Watson prepares to launch his inagural campaign as coach of the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins, top farm club of the Detroit Red Wings, he finds himself entering into a unique realm of the coaching world.

On the one hand, much like his players, he’s one step away from the NHL dream. At the same time, he finds himself in charge of a team he didn’t pick.

The AHL is the only hockey league where the coach isn’t the one choosing the roster. It is assigned to him by the parent club.

One. More. Sleep. #GoGRG pic.twitter.com/qfOS4Cq9FU

— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) October 13, 2023

“That’s their job,” Watson acknowleged of the role the Red Wings play in determining which players are given assignment to Grand Rapids. “Kids get drafted, they go through that development process and then eventually when they’re able to turn pro, it’s what they do throughout camp. It’s day to day.

“Whether that’s the Detroit staff, they’re gonna have their opinions, and then the management side, they’re gonna have their opinions of what they feel is the best team that can be iced in Detroit. And then we’re gonna get everybody else. That’s why I say it’s real important that we know our players from top to bottom. It doesn’t matter who it is.”

Griffins Loaded With Red Wings Future

As they prepare to face Ivan Ivan and the Colorado Eagles in their AHL home opener on Friday at Van Andel Arena (7 p.m. ET), the Griffins are icing much of the hopes for Detroit’s NHL future. They include three first-round draft picks – defenseman Simon Edvinsson and goaltender Sebastian Cossa from 2021 and forward Marco Kasper (2022).

Nineteen players (forwards Zach Aston-Reese, Jonatan Berggren, Austin Czarnik, Tim Gettinger, Cross Hanas, Taro Hirose, Kasper, Amadeus Lombardi, Elmer Soderblom and Nolan Stevens; defensemen Edvinsson, Albert Johansson, Jared McIsaac, Wyatt Newpower, Brogan Rafferty, Antti Tuomisto, Eemil Viro and William Wallinder; goaltender Cossa) on the roster are under contract with the Red Wings, while five players (forwards Joel L’Esperance, Riley Sawchuk, Dominik Shine and Tyler Spezia; defenseman Josiah Didier) are playing on a Griffins contract. Twelve players are Red Wings draft picks (Berggren, Cossa, Edvinsson, Hanas, Johansson, Kasper, Lombardi, McIsaac, Soderblom, Tuomisto, Viro and Wallinder).

Your 2023-24 Grand Rapids Griffins! #GoGRG

DETAILS >> https://t.co/pvRHbTCcun pic.twitter.com/5GXyleRogl

— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) October 12, 2023

It’s the task of Watson and his staff to get these players ready to make that final step into the best hockey league in the world.

“We have to make players better,” Watson said. “We have to make sure that we’re doing the right things away from the arena, at the arena, because that’s what it takes.

“It’s hard. It’s hard to actually make the NHL. But we want to make sure that our guys are developing in the right areas, so when they get that call, they’re prepared and they’re ready. We want guys to have success, not take a step backwards. We want them so that if Detroit needs them, they’re ready to where they’re gonna help their lineup. That’s our job.”

Longstanding Relationship Between Watson, Lalonde

It certainly helps the process when the NHL coach and the AHL coach are on the same wavelength and that shouldn’t be an issue in the Red Wings organization. When Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde was in charge of the WCHL Toledo Walleye, Watson was his assistant coach.

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“We have a very good relationship,” Lalonde said. “We’ve worked together. I think we see the games similarly in a lot of ways. I just think he’s a really good coach. I’m glad he ended up being the guy after a very thorough search. He’s obviously excited for the opportunity.

“I find myself talking to him 4-5 times a week organically just about hockey. That relationship with Grand Rapids is important and I’m very comfortable with the relationship with Dan moving forward.”

The post Griffins Watson Ready To Start With Team He Didn’t Pick appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

TRAVERSE CITY –  New Grand Rapids Griffins coach Dan Watson was thinking about today, tomorrow and beyond when he decided to play 6-foot-4 Swede William Wallinder and 6-foot-5 Finn Antti Tuomisto on the same defensive pairing for the opening game of the NHL Prospects Tournament.

It was only one game, and what happens this season in Grand Rapids will say more about their long-potential, but the Wallinder and Tuomisto pairing played Game 1 like a tandem that boasts long-term NHL potential.

“I thought last night they were the best D team on the ice,” Watson said Friday.

Tuomisto,22, scored one of Detroit’s goals in a 4-2 loss to the Stars and Wallinder generated five shots on goal. Watson used both of the players on the power play, penalty kill and matched them up against the best players. This feels more like a coach wanting to see how they play together than a coach just mixing and matching for a short tournament. Wallinder and Tuomisto even room together. They have been training together for two weeks.

What pro coach wouldn’t want two extra-large men, whose abilities complement each other, playing on a paring.

“I think so,” Watson said about their potential to be a long-term pairing. “They play different styles No. 1. William is real mobile. He can move pucks. He can provide some of that offense. With Antti, he’s got a great first pass. He’s big. He’s long. He has no problem playing a physical style of defensive game. So that’s a good pair, a pair that could go against the other team’s top lines. They have that experience of playing against pros in Europe. So that’s the basis for why they are paired together. ”

Pair Boasts European Experience

Wallinder, 21, has two seasons in the Swedish Hockey League on his resume. It’s well established how the Red Wings feel about the preparation the SHL provides players. “There’s a lot of good players,” Wallinder said. “It’s a great league.”

Last season, William Wallinder had a strong season (26 points in 50 games) and was named EHC Young Player of the Year. He was the Red Wings’ second-round pick in 2020. Wallinder was the 32nd pick. Today, the 32nd pick in the first rounder.

Today, the Red Wings’ top three defensive prospects are probably Simon Edvinsson, Axel Sandin Pellikka and Wallinder in that order, but Wallinder is significantly more advanced than Sandin Pellikka. Wallinder is three-plus years older than Sandin Pellikka He’s simply closer to being NHL ready. Albert Johansson, another Swede, is in the discussion at No. 4. Johansson came close to getting a call-up to the Red Wings last season.

Tuomisto was falling on the Red Wings’ prospect list in his second season at the University of Denver. He was Carter Mazur’s teammate. But he started to climb again after he left school to play in the top league in Finland. This is not a case of Wallinder supplying offense and Tuomisto playing more defensively. Both are well-rounded players.

“Obviously you see (Tuomisto) can shoot the puck,” Watson said. “For him, if he keeps it simple, if he plays a hard game, he’s gonna have success and he’s gonna grow. With William, I think you can see exactly what he is. There is some offensive tools there. He’s a smart player. He can skate, He’s got all the tools there to be a really good pro for a long time.”

Watson has expectations for them at the NHL Prospects Tournament.

“They’re gonna play important minutes here in this tournament,” Watson said. “Hopefully throughout camp they can keep on improving and getting better and set themselves up for success hopefully in Grand Rapids.”

The post Red Wings’ Wallinder-Tuomisto Pairing Has Long-Term Potential appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Much of the future of the Detroit Red Wings will be on display next month in Traverse City, Michigan as the club is playing host to their annual NHL rookie tournament Sept. 14-17. The likes of Sebastian Cossa, Marco Kasper, Elmer Soderblom, William Wallinder, Carter Mazur, Amadeus Lombardi, and Cross Hanas will be suiting up for Detroit.

At the same time, a number of players who’ll be wearing Red Wings colors during the tournament will be displaying their, seeking to also show that they are worthy of a pro hockey future.

Full 2023 #DRWPT roster.

Who are you looking forward to watching?! pic.twitter.com/rLYjDpO9JE

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) August 24, 2023

Along with the elite draft picks and pro prospects already locked into the Red Wings organization, nine free agents will be playing for Detroit. These few days of competition can be the difference for them as to whether they’ll be continuing in hockey as legitimate developmental pieces.

While the odds are certainly against these players, lightning does strike for them on occasion. Two free agents playing for Detroit in this event a year ago were ultimately earning pro contracts. Defenseman Jeremie Biakabutuka was signing with the St. Louis Blues. Forward Riley Piercey would go on to earn an AHL pact from the Bridgeport Islanders.

Will any of this year’s crop do likewise? Time will tell but for the time being, let’s get to know who these hopefuls are.

Uberti Gettting Second Chance With Red Wings

Right-winger Jake Uberti will be playing his second consecutive season for the Red Wings in this event. He spent the last season as an overager in the OHL with the Mississauga Steelheads and in the QMJHL with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Despite tallying just six goals last season, center Matyas Melovsky led the QMJHL Baie-Comeau Drakker in scoring with 58 points.

Right-winger Dean Loukus is from Calumet, Mich. His 56 points last season would earn him a share of the team scoring lead with the OHL Saginaw Spirit. Another right-winger, Nic Sima split his OHL campaign last season between the North Bay Batallion and the Spirit.

From Mistissini, Que., left-winger Israel Mianscum might be the most fascinating prospect among this year’s crop of free agents. From the Quebec Cree Nation, Miansum was in attendance at the development camp of the Montreal Canadiens in the summer of 2022. He potted 30 goals last season with the QMJHL Sherbrooke Phoenix.

Just 18, netminder Lucas Matecha was posting a stellar .940 save percentage a 1.44 goals-against average in two games this past season with Czechia’s under-18 national team. He’s slated to play in 2023-24 with the WHL Tri-City Americans.

Connor Punnett, Finn Harding and Jackson DeSouza face perhaps the biggest challenge of any of the rookie free agents. They’re all defensemen, and Detroit is absolutely loaded right now with rearguard prospects.

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Punnett put up impressive offensive numbers with the OHL Barrie Colts in 2022-23, accounting for 14 goals and 34 assists in 66 games. Playing last season with the OHL Steelheads, Harding, 18, previously was playing Tier II for the Toronto Jr. Canadiens. That’s the former team of Red Wings defenseman Jake Walman. Colorado-born DeSouza, 20, has spent the past five season in the WHL with the Kelowna Rockets.

The post Who Are These Guys? Getting to Know Free Agent Invites for Red Wings Rookie Tourney appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Steve Yzerman is taking a patient approach with the majority of his NHL entry draft selections since taking over as GM of the Detroit Red Wings in 2019. That being the case, the fact that defenseman Anton Johansson has signed on for two more seasons with Leksands of the SHL isn’t likely to give him any sleepless nights.

Johansson, Detroit’s 105th overall selection in the 2022 draft, is expecting to begin his first full season in SHL play in 2023-24. Johansson, 19, was up for 21 games with the big club last season, scoring his first SHL goal. He suited up for four games in 2021-22.

Anton Johansson preseason #LGRW pic.twitter.com/JXaHfH0Uwk

— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) August 26, 2023

“I’m going to play with the senior team in Leksands in the SHL,” Johansson said. “So yeah, it’s gonna be fun, see how that goes.”

In preseason SHL action, Johansson has been skating in the second defensive pairing for Leksands.

“I feel (comfortable),” Johansson said. “I just want to get more minutes. I’m just trying to play more so you get more comfortable with seniors of course.”

Two Years In Europe A Red Wings Standard

By staying with Leksands until his contract is up, it’s likely that Johansson will have enjoyed the experience of two full years of playing against men in the SHL. Looking at the resumes of several players now playing in North America with the Red Wings, or in the team’s system, two years of full SHL exposure is proving to be standard operating procedure.

Anton Johansson (#10) sets up the OT winner in today's preseason game for Leksand #LGRW pic.twitter.com/FSAhjxBl8z

— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) August 23, 2023

Lucas Raymond, Marco Kasper, Elmer Soderblom, Simon Edvinsson and William Wallinder all saw two full years of SHL duty prior to moving across the Atlantic Ocean. Albert Johansson and Jonatan Berggen were both allowed three years of experience in Sweden’s top league. In Berggren’s case, he lost much of one campaign to a back injury.

Anton Johansson has been part of the Leksands hockey program since 2019. Leksands GM Thomas Johansson, who also happens to be Anton’s dad, is expecting a big step forward from his son in 2023-24.

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“He is big but still very athletic out on the ice,” Thomas Johansson said of Anton on the Leksands website. “He possesses many good qualities and in Anton’s case it is very much about continuing to build experience and physique.

“He’s extremely skilled, moves well, is fearless and can break a pattern to create offensive chances.”

The post Red Wings Prospect Johansson Locked Into Leksands Until 2025 appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Under the tutelage of GM Steve Yzerman, the Detroit Red Wings have made 12 selections in the NHL entry draft. That’s good news from a rebuilding standpoint. On the other hand, there’s also worrisome news. There isn’t one among those 12 players who’ve suited up for an NHL game.

Granted, three of those players – goaltender Trey Augustine and defensemen Andrew Gibson and Brady Cleveland – were only recently selected in the 2023 draft. It’s far too early to write any of them out of the future.

And, it’s also worth noting that for the most part, Yzerman and his scouting staff are opting to be selecting players who are heading to play U.S. college hockey, or who are playing in Europe. They are certainly specializing in players that they can afford time and patience to while they are developing.

That being said, the team has now gone through five drafts under Yzerman. And really, beyond first rounders like defenseman Moritz Seider (2019) and winger Lucas Raymond (2020), the Red Wings haven’t come up with another NHL regular from that draft pool.

Red Wings 2019 Draft Class Under Scrutiny

Alarm bells certainly went off earlier this week when winger Robert Mastrosimone was signing an AHL deal with the Toronto Marlies. He was part of Yzerman’s first draft class, chosen 54th overall in 2019 and wasn’t considered even worthy of a contract offer.

“At some point we hope to have a really good nucleus, but the reality is that somewhere along the way they don’t all play,” Yzerman said of NHL draftees. “Maybe you don’t have room for them all. One player hasn’t developed the way you hoped, so you take another at that position, or trade and acquire to fill that void.”

That being the case, it’s also abundantly true that in a salary cap world, the fastest way to climb up the standings is by drafting effectively.

“If you don’t have a good team, you better have a lot of draft picks, because how are you gonna get better?” Yzerman asked.

Playing in an exhibition game with Färjestad+NHLers fostered there Albert Johansson scores on a penalty shot. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/poy89Agbtu

— Lars Thorsell (@LarsThorsell) August 2, 2023

Of Detroit’s other two second rounders, defenseman Albert Johansson (60th) spent last season with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins. Word within the organization was were it not for a late-season injury, Johansson likely would’ve been getting an NHL look.

The first second rounder ever chosen by the Yzerman regime, Finnish defenseman Antti Tuomisto (32nd) will be making his North American pro debut with the Griffins this fall. Considering that forward Elmer Soderblom (159th overall) was also seeing duty in 21 NHL games for Detroit last season, there’s still a chance that the club could be producing three NHLers from the 2019 crop, which in hockey circles is considered a good draft.

Red Wings 2nd Round Picks Under Steve Yzerman

It’s going to be a big year for Detroit draftees in terms of turning corners. Defenseman William Wallinder (32nd, 2020) is also going to be debuting in Grand Rapids. Left-winger Cross Hanas (55-2020) is beginning his second campaign with the Griffins. He’ll be looking to rebound from season-ending shoulder surgery.

Right-winger Theodor Neiderbach (51-2020) needs a breakthrough year with MoDo of the SHL. Otherwise it’s unlikely he’ll be earning a Detroit contract. Scouts are offering mixed reviews of Denver defenseman Shai Buium (36-2021).

First goal in KHL for 19-year-old Dmitry Buchelnikov! pic.twitter.com/REPZdikyra

— KHL (@khl_eng) September 28, 2022

It’ll be another two years at least before left-winger Dmitri Buchelnikov’s Russian commitments are complete. He remains an international man of mystery. Left-winger Dylan James enters his sophomore year at North Dakota after finishing strongly in 2022-23.

Still Too Early To Write Off Detroit’s Second Rounders

It will take another year or two before anyone will be penning an epitaph regarding Yzerman’s first two draft classes. That doesn’t mean there isn’t justifiable cause for concern.

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When Yzerman was building a Stanley Cup contender in Tampa Bay, he and his staff unearthed several gems in the later rounds of the draft. Nikita Kucherov (58th) and Ondrej Palat (208th) were selections in 2011. Brayden Point (79-2014) was another steal.

If the Red Wings want to get better, they’d better start finding some players of this ilk.

The post On Draft Day, Red Wings Aren’t Second Best appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.