Before
I get into the meat of what I want to talk about this week, I just wanted to
mention a few things.
First, I do not plan on having a blog next week. With the
summer comes a lull in hockey news. However, there are a few things I want to
share with you even with a lack of news, so I plan on having a new blog posted
in 2 weeks.
Also,
sorry for not getting this blog posted until Thursday, but I was out of town
earlier in the week, and this post is my longest yet. Hopefully this blog is
long enough to hold everyone for two weeks.
There is some news on the free agent front as
well. The Red Wings have signed Brendan Smith to a 2 year contract worth a
total of $2.525 million. That is a cap hit of roughly $1.26 million. I like the
signing because it is a low risk signing that will give Smith a chance to prove
himself as the highly touted prospect he has been.
There
are still no contracts for Gustav Nyquist or Joakim Andersson, but Ken Holland
said they will be signed by September. There is no real rush for them to sign,
and in case something else happens with this team over the summer it will give
the Red Wings flexibility in terms of how much money they can commit to them.
The
last thing I wanted to mention is that Stephen Weiss has announced that he will
wear the number 90 for the Red Wings. He has worn number 9 during his career in
Florida, and needed to make the change since Gordie Howe's number 9 is retired
in Detroit. Weiss is the 2nd player to wear number 90 for the Red
Wings, the other being Mike Modano.
Now
on to what I wanted to get into this week. I have talked a lot about the Red
Wings’ prospect system being a good one. Now that the draft and free agency is
over, the Red Wings shifted their focus to their annual prospect development
camp in Traverse City. In the spirit of the development camp, I think it’s a good
time to review some of the prospects in the system.
This list is based on which prospects I am most excited to
see playing on the Red Wings in the future. It is not solely based on talent or
how NHL ready a prospect is. Those are factors, but the main factor is what my
excitement level would be if I were watching them play in their first NHL game.
1.
Calle Jarnkrok – C 5’11” 174 lbs Drafted: 2nd Round
(51st) 2010 draft
- A dynamic playmaker that could be fighting for a
roster spot next season, but will likely start the year in the AHL. He has the
most potential to become an all-star caliber player for the Red Wings out of
any in this entire list. He played in the Swedish Hockey League (Formerly known
as the Swedish Elite League) for the past few seasons, and he is someone who is
a good skater, makes good passes, can beat a defender 1 on 1, and has a scoring
touch. He is often compared to the player he idolizes, Henrik Zetterberg, but
Jarnkrok is probably a quicker skater and stick-handler, and less of a shooter
than Zetterberg was. The work ethic is there however. Expect Jarnkrok to become
a top 6 center in the league for a long time to come. Do not be surprised to
see him in a Red Wings uniform as early as this year if there are injuries.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 Brynäs SHL 49 11 16 27 4 Playoffs 3 3 0 3 2
2012-2013 Brynäs SHL 53 13 29 42 12 Playoffs 4 0 0 0 6
2.
Tomas Tatar – LW 5’10” 186 lbs Drafted: 2nd
Round (60th) 2009 draft
- Tatar is often compared to a better skating
version of Jiri Hudler, and it is accurate. Tatar simply loves to score goals.
He is a solid player, who will be on the team at the start of the regular
season likely as a 2nd or 3rd liner. He boasts a good
shot, slick hands, a good work ethic, and a true love of the game. He
completely tore it up in the AHL playoffs this past year, scoring 16 goals in
24 games en route to capturing the Calder Cup, and the MVP of the AHL
playoffs. Although slightly undersized, he doesn’t shy away from physical play.
He has the tools to be a 1st or 2nd line winger in the
future.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 GR Griffins AHL 76 24 34 58 45 Playoffs N/A
2012-2013 GR Griffins AHL 61 23 26 49 50 Playoffs 24 16 5 21 23
2012-2013 Red Wings NHL 18 4 3 7 4 Playoffs N/A
3.
Ryan Sproul – D 6’4” 200 lbs Drafted: 2nd
Round (55th) 2011 draft
- Although he is not known for his defensive game,
it is something he has become much better at in the past few years. His real
assets are his very powerful shot, good skating, ability to lead the rush, and
ability to produce points. A potential top pairing defenseman with the ability
to quarterback a power play is an important prospect to have. Oh yeah, did I
mention that he’s also 6’4”? He has the potential to be a Sheldon Souray type
of defender. The 2012-2013 season for Sproul was a breakout type season. He was
already putting up solid numbers, but he took it to a whole new level this
season. He won the OHL defenseman of the year, and the CHL defenseman of the
year awards. He also put up 66 points with 20 goals in 50 games, outscoring
many forwards in the same league. He could stand to be more physical, but that
is a minor concern. He doesn't shy away from contact, but he is not known as a
big hitter. He will be fighting for a spot on the Grand Rapids Griffins AHL
roster for the 2013-2014 season.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 Sault Ste. Marie OHL 61 23 31 54 53 Playoffs N/A
2012-2013 Sault Ste. Marie OHL 50 20 46 66 45 Playoffs 6 2 3 5 0
2012-2013 GR Griffins AHL 2 0 0 0 2 Playoffs N/A
4.
Tomas Jurco – RW 6’2” 193 lbs Drafted: 2nd
Round (35th) 2011 draft
- Boasting a good skating stride, and world class
stick handling, Jurco put up huge point totals in junior hockey. However, it
took him a while to adjust to the professional game in his first AHL season. He
finished the season strong though, and played very well in the playoffs. He was
one of the youngest players in the whole AHL this past season, so the
adjustment period is a non-issue to me. Hopefully by next year he will be able
to start out the season like he finished this past season. Losing Tomas Tatar to
the Red Wings will force Jurco to be a leader on this team, and he will be
relied on to be a big time point producer this upcoming season alongside Calle
Jarnkrok and Martin Frk who I discuss later. He has been compared by scouts to
a Marian Hossa with better stickhandling skills. The only knocks on him have
been inconsistency and the fact that he tends to be more of a perimeter player
and doesn’t go into the tough areas to get the puck. He has been working on
that though, and has gotten better. There is potential for Jurco to be a top
six forward in the future.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 Saint John QMJHL 48 30 38 68 37 Playoffs 16 13 16 29 12
2012-2013 GR Griffins AHL 74 14 14 28 22 Playoffs 24 8 6 14 21
5.
Martin
Frk – RW 6’0” 203 lbs Drafted:2nd
Round (49th) 2012 draft
- A solid forward with perhaps the best shot in
this entire group (just in front of Ryan Sproul who is just ahead of Teemu
Pulkkinen), Frk is young, but trending quickly toward the NHL. After putting on
a show with the Halifax Mooseheads en route to a Memorial Cup victory, he has
nothing left to prove in junior hockey and will join the Grand Rapids Griffins
next season. People will knock him for the numbers he put up in juniors because
he played on a line with Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin who were both
picked in the top 3 of the 2013 NHL draft. However, he earned his spot on that
line, and it can be argued that he helped MacKinnon and Drouin look better as
much as they made Frk look better. He is not the best skater, but he is not a
bad skater either. He can play the point on the power play, and has some grit
to his game. He will go to the tough areas, and stand up for a teammate. The
Red Wings were able to acquire him in the 2nd round after suffering
a concussion during his draft year, but before that he was considered a top 15
pick. He has put the concussion behind him, just as the Red Wings had hoped,
and they are hopeful his concussion will not become a recurring issue. This prospect
has a lot of upside as a top 6 winger who is a threat on the powerplay, but he
needs to show that he can continue his production in the pros.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 Halifax QMJHL 34 16 13 29 41 Playoffs 17 5 6 11 26
2012-2013 Halifax QMJHL 56 35 49 84 84 Playoffs 17 13 20 33 32
6.
Xavier Ouellet – D 6’1” 190 lbs Drafted: 2nd Round
(48th) 2011 draft
- An all-around solid defender. It’s really hard
to find anything wrong with his game at this point. He skates well, makes good
decisions, has offensive flair, is paired against the top lines of other teams,
and he is a natural leader. He should be a very good defenseman for the Wings
within the next two years. He is planning on playing in the AHL this upcoming
season, and he needs to continue to improve his overall game as the competition
improves around him. He has the skill and the smarts to be an effective two-way
top 4 rearguard in the NHL, and the leadership ability to be a captain or an
assistant captain in the future.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 B-B Armada QMJHL 63 21 39 60 67 Playoffs 11 3 7 10 14
2012-2013 B-B Armada QMJHL 50 10 31 41 44 Playoffs 17 7 9 16 22
7. Teemu
Pulkkinen – LW 5’11” 183lbs Drafted:
4th Round (111st) 2010 draft
- Finally, a player who wasn’t drafted in the 2nd
round makes the list, and it turns out to be a 4th rounder. Teemu
Pulkkinen is a pure sniper. The problem is, there isn’t much else to his game.
He loves to score, wants to score, and he does score. Possessing a deadly slap
shot, he scores in a way similar to Brett Hull or Steven Stamkos. He is not the
best skater, and is not very responsible defensively. He is also undersized,
but is ready to begin adjusting to the North American style game. He does
actually have a good passing ability, as his assist totals are always high. In
fact, he broke Teemu Selanne’s single season rookie assist record that stood
for 20 years in the Finnish SM-Liiga (Finland’s top hockey league). He is still
developing, and is working hard at rounding out his game. Whenever a prospect
can score like Pulkkinen can, it’s something to keep an eye on. He will play in
the AHL this upcoming season and if he pans out, he could end up being a
prolific scoring top 6 winger in the NHL.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 Jokerit SM-Liiga 56 16 21 37 41 Playoffs 4 0 1 1 2
2012-2013 Jokerit SM-Liiga 50 14 20 34 49 Playoffs 6 2 3 5 22
2012-2013 GR Griffins AHL 2 0 1 1 2 Playoffs 14 3 2 5 10
8.
Petr Mrazek – G 6’1” 184 lbs Drafted: 5th
Round (141st) 2010 draft
- One of the best prospects on this list, Mrazek
made his NHL debut this season. He is a confident winner who fights to make
every save. The only reason he is lower on this list is because the Wings
already have a solid goalie locked up in Jimmy Howard, and it is not as much a
position of need right now. Mrazek relies on his athleticism, quickness, and
very high compete level. He was the backstop to the Grand Rapids Griffins
Calder Cup victory as a rookie, so he has shown he can perform under pressure.
Expect him to spend another year in the AHL, and then during the 2014-2015
season he should be in place to back-up Howard. The Red Wings will have a
decision to make at that time with two top goalies on their roster, although
it’s a good problem to have. Mrazek has potential to be a franchise goaltender
in the NHL.
Statistics:
GP GAA SV% GP GAA SV%
2011-2012 Ottawa 67’s OHL 50 2.84 .917 Playoffs 17 2.59 .926
2012-2013 GR Griffins AHL 42 2.33 .916 Playoffs 24 2.31 .916
2012-2013 Red Wings NHL 2 2.02 .944 Playoffs N/A
9.
Nick Jensen – D 6’1” 193 lbs Drafted: 5th
Round (150th) 2009 draft
- Nick Jensen has quietly made a name for himself
as a very good Red Wings prospect as a defenseman at St. Cloud State
University. He can skate extremely well, and is capable of joining and leading
a rush up the ice. His biggest weakness is his defensive game, but it’s
something he has put work into and improved on recently. In fact, he was named
the 2013 WCHA Defenseman of the Year. He wants to get better, and he continues
to improve as a result. He likes to make big hits, and he does have a physical
element to his game, but that is not what he’s known for. He is known as a good
skating offensive defenseman who should play in the NHL someday even as high as
a second pairing guy. He will fight for a job in the AHL next year and learn to
adjust to the pro game.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 St. Cloud State NCAA 39 6 26 32 4 Playoffs N/A
2012-2013 St. Cloud State NCAA 41 4 27 31 14 Playoffs N/A
10.
Mattias Backman – D 6’2” 176 lbs Drafted: 5th Round (146th)
2011 draft
- Mattias Backman is another later round draft
choice who has really started playing well lately. He never will be a player
that wows anyone, in fact, sometimes he can be invisible on the ice. However,
for a defenseman that can be a good thing. He is very responsible defensively,
makes the right decisions, skates well, and can flat out shut down the
opponents. His offense did pick up significantly this past year in the SHL as
he piled up 26 points. He also was playing top pairing minutes which is an
impressive feat for a 20 year old in the SHL. The biggest knock on Backman is
his lack of physicality, however he makes up for it with his outstanding smarts
and decision making ability. There was another Swedish defenseman we all know
in Detroit who was smart and didn’t play a physical game. Although Backman does
not project to be a Hall of Fame defenseman even near the caliber of Nicklas
Lidstrom, he does have a bit of a similar style in the sense that he is a
cerebral defenseman who has good mobility, and can chip in on offense without
being a bruiser. He will play in the SHL
for one more year before heading to North America in 2014-2015. Backman has the
ability to be a top 4 defenseman for the Red Wings in the future.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 Linköping SHL 42 1 7 8 14 Playoffs N/A
2012-2013 Linköping SHL 52 2 24 26 34 Playoffs 10 2 4 6 4
11.
Riley Sheahan – C 6’2” 212 lbs Drafted: 1st
Round (21st) 2010 draft
- A solid forward prospect with size that could
develop into a top 9 player. He is very responsible defensively, and has some
scoring touch. He was actually drafted with the intention of being a top six
point producing center, but since playing at Notre Dame his scoring has
declined and his defense has excelled. He is probably NHL ready right now because
he plays a solid all round game and he has NHL size. He is similar to Joakim
Andersson, but is more skilled and has more potential scoring ability. It
remains to be seen if the scoring potential will be found. Last year was his
first year in the pros, and he had a solid season. As far as point producing,
it wasn’t great, but he did have a very good playoff run. He needs to continue
to mature, because he has had some issues off the ice including drunk driving
which have some people questioning his character. He has played two NHL games
in his career, but has not gotten his first NHL point yet. Expect him to spend
another year in Grand Rapids simply due to a lack of room on the NHL roster,
and expect him to take a leadership role in Grand Rapids. If there are injuries
on the Red Wings, Sheahan will be one of the first players that will be called
up.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 Notre Dame NCAA 37 9 16 25 24 Playoffs N/A
2012-2013 GR Griffins AHL 72 16 20 36 33 Playoffs 24 3 13 16 10
12.
Andreas Athanasiou – LW 6’0” 179 lbs Drafted: 4th Round (110th)
2012 draft
- Athanasiou is fastest prospect on this list, and
it has been said that his speed alone will earn him playing time in the NHL.
Combining his world class speed with good hands and the ability to score,
Athanasiou is an intriguing prospect. However, he needs to be a little more
disciplined. He is confident, but it can be his downfall as he was actually a
healthy scratch on his junior team during the playoffs two years ago. That is one
of the things that hurt his draft stock, because he was regarded as a top 20
pick at one time. His play this past season reminded people why he was once
regarded as such a talent. Not only did his point totals go up, but he also
developed more of a willingness to battle for the puck in the corners. In the
past, he was knocked for floating a bit too much. The Red Wings may have gotten
a steal in the 4th round with Athanasiou. Expect him to play in the
OHL again this upcoming season, and then he will plan on making the jump to the
AHL in the 2014-2015 season. If all things fall into place, he could become a
top 9 forward in the mold of a less physical Darren Helm with a little more
scoring touch.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 London Knights OHL 63 22 15 37 22 Playoffs 11 1 4 5 0
2012-2013 Barrie Colts OHL 66 29 38 67 30 Playoffs 22 12 13 25 11
13.
Alexei Marchenko – D 6’2” 183 lbs Drafted: 7th Round (205th)
2011 draft
- The Red Wings may have found a hidden gem in
this 7th round pick who has played in the KHL, but is planning on
making the leap to North American hockey for the 2013-2014 season. He will be
battling for a spot on the AHL roster, but there are limited spots. Marchenko
is definitely capable of claiming one of those spots, but it is not a
guarantee. He is a solid two way defender with some leadership abilities. He
has been injured a few times in his career already, but they have been
unrelated so it is thought to have been a simple string of bad luck as opposed
to a reoccurring problem. Playing in the KHL has given him a lot of very good
experience, but he will need to adjust to the smaller North American ice. He
reminds me a bit of Danny DeKeyser in the sense that he has good size, he is a
very good skater, he is a smart and solid defender, and a good puck mover, but
he might not end up being a top point producer from the blue line. He does have
top 4 potential however. Another thing Marchenko has going in his favor is his
right handed shot. There are not many right-handed shooting NHL defensemen, and
the Red Wings currently have no right handed shooting defensemen on their
roster. So Marchenko joins Sproul and Jensen as the only promising right handed
defensemen on this list and in their system. Mitchell Wheaton is another right-handed
shot and still may pan out, but since he was drafted this past year I left him
off this list. Expect Marchenko to adapt to the North American style game this
next year and be a player that is NHL ready by the 2014-2015 season at the
earliest.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 CSKA Moskva KHL 6 0 0 0 2 Playoffs 11 1 4 5 0
2011-2012 CSKA-Krasnaja MHL 5 2 4 6 10 Playoffs 19 4 14 18 18
2012-2013 CSKA Moskva KHL 44 4 5 9 6 Playoffs 7 0 0 0 0
14.
Landon Ferraro – C 6’0” 174 lbs Drafted: 2nd Round
(32nd) 2009 draft
- The son of an excellent player in Ray Ferraro,
Landon is a forward with a lot of speed. He was drafted to be a scorer, but Ferraro
took a few steps back after being drafted. In fact, no one knew if he would
ever make it to the NHL. He has reemerged in the AHL this year however, and
looks to be back on a path to the NHL. He is not scoring at the pace that was
hoped, but he has scored more than he has been and he has also developed into a
speedy player 3-zone player not unlike Darren Helm. He does not have quite as
much speed as Helm or Athanasiou for that matter, but he has the same work
ethic Helm possesses. It would be great to see him playing on a line with Helm
in the future because they are similar, and teams would not be able to keep up
with them. Although he is listed as a center, he can play any forward position
if needed. He is very good at faceoffs though. Expect him to end up being a
bottom 6 grinding type of player with the ability to chip in offensively.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 GR Griffins AHL 56 9 11 20 47 Playoffs N/A
2012-2013 GR Griffins AHL 72 24 23 47 44 Playoffs 24 5 11 16 11
15.
Adam Almquist – D 5’11” 174 lbs Drafted: 7th Round
(210th) 2009 draft
- Almquist is another defenseman that was picked
in the 7th round. He is on
the smaller side, but has outstanding hockey sense. In fact, it was said that
if the draft was based on hockey sense alone, he would’ve been a first round
pick. He is a decent skater who makes good passes and has a good shot from the
point. The biggest knock on him is his small size, but it does not deter him
from the physical side of the game. However, he does have the tendency to get
punished by big hits as well. Almquist played in the AHL this past year, and
enjoyed some success there. He has the mind to play in the NHL, but it remains
to be seen if he will be able to make the physical jump. If he does play in the
NHL, expect him to be a bottom pairing defenseman with the ability to produce
offensively. He could become a powerplay specialist at the next level.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 HV71 SHL 42 3 8 11 26 Playoffs 3 0 1 1 4
2012-2013 GR Griffins AHL 68 10 21 31 34 Playoffs 21 3 7 10 12
16.
Marek Tvrdon – LW 6’2” 217 lbs Drafted: 4th Round
(115th) 2011 draft
- As a candidate for the most “under the radar”
prospect in the Red Wings system, Tvrdon would probably be higher on this list
if he were healthy more often. He suffered a season ending injury (an arm
infection) that should not affect him in the future, but no one knows for
certain. He also had an unrelated shoulder injury during his draft year. This
injury limited his exposure to scouts, and allowed the Red Wings to take him in
the 4th round. Tvrdon is a big forward who can rack up points with
his excellent shot and skating ability. It is expected that being off the ice
for so long will set him back a little bit as far as conditioning and comfort
on the ice goes, so if he does not make a significant impact at the beginning
of next season I won’t be worried. He has been compared to Tomas Jurco as a big
Slovak winger with speed and stickhandling ability. Jurco probably has the
better stickhandling, but Tvrdon probably has the better shot. He does need to
stay healthy though, and he also has to play the game with more consistency. If
he plays up to his potential, the Red Wings have a very talented top 6 winger
on their hands, but he has a long way to go still. He did show off in the
2011-2012 season while he was healthy with some big point totals. He needs to
find that form, and continue to improve on it as he will be battling for an AHL
job this season. He is a player I will be keeping a close eye on this year,
because if he has a big second half it could be a positive sign of things to
come.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 Vancouver WHL 60 31 43 74 62 Playoffs 6 3 3 6 0
2012-2013 Vancouver WHL 18 8 14 22 16 Playoffs N/A
17.
Jake Paterson – G 6’1” 183 lbs Drafted: 3rd
Round (80th) 2012 draft
- Paterson is the most recent goalie drafted by
the Red Wings, and all signs point to the fact that they made a solid
selection. Paterson played for the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL last year, and he
expects to play there again this upcoming season because he is still young. His
stats will not jump out at you, but he had an excellent season regardless.
Saginaw was just a mediocre team this past year which leads to his mediocre
stats. He was a backup for Team Canada in the World Junior Championships this
past year, and he is considered to be a top candidate as the starter for Team
Canada for this upcoming year’s tournament. Paterson is unlike Mrazek in the
sense that Mrazek is a make the save at all costs type of goalie which
regularly means getting himself out of position and scrambling. The style that
Mrazek has is a bit more like Dominik Hasek's style, however Hasek is an
extreme example. Paterson is much steadier when he plays and although he is
good at making the second or even third saves, he makes it look easier by not
scrambling, and keeping good balance and positioning. He does need to play more
consistently however, because he can look great at times, and average at
others. He is calm under pressure as well, which is an attribute very important
for goalies. Paterson still has work to do before getting to the NHL, but it
looks like he will be at the very least a strong backup in the NHL. It will not
surprise me to see him as a starter for an NHL team in the future, however with
Mrazek and Howard hogging the net in front of him likely for years to come,
that starting job may not be with the Red Wings.
Statistics:
GP GAA SV% GP GAA SV%
2011-2012 Saginaw Spirit OHL 42 3.42 .904 Playoffs 12 3.05 .903
2012-2013 Saginaw Spirit OHL 50 3.53 .901 Playoffs 4 5.36 .860
18.
Mike McKee – D 6’4” 245 lbs Drafted: 5th
Round (140th) 2012 draft
- McKee is a different type of player than anyone
on this list. He is huge and he is flat out scary to play against. He is not
afraid to drop the gloves one bit. He is a decent skater, and has a good shot,
but he is definitely the toughest prospect the Wings have. He is still a young
and a raw project, but McKee has the potential to play in the NHL. Although he
was drafted as a defenseman, and is listed here as such, he may make the
conversion to winger in the future. This would allow him to fight with more
freedom because it’s easier for a team to lose a bottom line forward for 5
minutes or a game than a defenseman. He needs to learn to control himself when
it comes to fighting however, because there are times when he gets a little out
of hand. Especially next year, McKee is expecting to play at Western Michigan
University in the NCAA where fighting leads to an instant game misconduct and
potentially a greater suspension depending on how frequently that player
fights. It will be a good chance for McKee to round out his overall game and
take a big step towards one day playing in the NHL. He will have some time to
develop at Western as well, under the coaching of ex-NHL coach Andy Murray. If
he does make it to the NHL, he will be a bottom pairing defenseman or a 4th
line winger. He is the type of player NHL teams love to have, but he needs to
prove he is more than just a one trick pony in order to make it there.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 Lincoln
Stars USHL 59 2 17 19 237 Playoffs 8 0 0 0 44
2012-2013 Lincoln Stars USHL 42 3 18 21 292 Playoffs 5 0 4 4 18
19.
Richard Nedomlel 6’5” 231 lbs Drafted: 6th
Round (175th) 2011 draft
- Nedomlel is a prospect who I have personally
overlooked since we drafted him in 2011. However, he has proven that he is the
real deal and will be fighting for a spot on the Grand Rapids Griffins roster this
upcoming season. He was a bit of a late bloomer in the sense that his play
improved substantially the season following when he was drafted. Going into the
draft, he was looked at as a big stay at home defenseman who was mobile,
physical, and had the ability to drop the gloves. However, he was never thought
of as a top talent, hence his draft position. In the following season, became a
much better puck mover and point producer jumping from 10 points with 0 goals
in 2010-2011 to 46 points with 10 goals in 2011-2012. Now, Nedomlel looks to be
a massive two way defenseman with offensive capabilities and a nasty edge. I am
not convinced he will ever be more than a bottom pairing guy in the NHL, but he
may continue to surprise me.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 Swift
Current WHL 72 10 36 46 83 Playoffs N/A
2012-2013 Swift Current WHL 72 7 21 28 105 Playoffs 5 0 1 1 2
20.
Mitch Callahan – RW 6’0” 190 lbs Drafted: 6th Round
(180th) 2009 draft
- Callahan is a feisty, physical, agitating
forward. He plays hard all the time, and will not hesitate to fight. He is not
the best skater, but he is not a poor skater either. He needs to prove he can
be more than an agitator at a lower level to prove he can play the NHL game. If
he develops his hands and his skating, he could be a bottom line fan favorite
for reasons similar to why Darren McCarty was beloved in
Detroit. Callahan will likely never produce as much as even McCarty did though.
Not only that, but Callahan is only 6’ tall. That’s not small for an NHL player
necessarily, but it is for a player in an agitating role. He is currently
playing in the AHL with the Griffins, and time will tell if he can make the
jump to the NHL, and to be clear, he is not very far from being NHL ready. It’s
just a matter of taking that final step. He will end up as no more than a 4th
liner at the NHL level, but if he does play he will make an impact. That impact
just won’t be on the score sheet.
Statistics:
GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2011-2012 GR
Griffins AHL 48 6 3 9 103 Playoffs N/A
2012-2013 GR Griffins AHL 71 11 9 20 93 Playoffs 24 6 5 11 33
Keep in mind that when I list a projection for
these prospects, that usually means it is the best case scenario. I would not
be surprised if half of these prospects never ended up playing in the NHL, but
at the same time there is potential for every one of them to make it.
I also left off all the players from the 2013
NHL draft. They are still new to the system, and I want to take some time to
follow their progress for a while before putting them into a list like this. I
don't know enough about them yet. It wouldn't surprise me if a player like
Anthony Mantha shoots into the top 10 on this list by the end of the year.
Are there any prospects that excite you? What
position still needs to be filled in the Red Wings' system?
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