Detroit Red Wings: 5 Prospects to Watch at Traverse City Tournament
By Howard Ward
In a few days time top prospects from Detroit Red Wings and 7 other NHL teams will be suiting up in Traverse City Michigan to compete in the annual prospect Tournament put on by the Detroit Red Wings. While there are bragging rights involved the camp serves as another way for GM’s, coaches and scouts to get another, all though hands off, look at their prospects and free agent try-outs before training camp starts.
The Red Wings recently released their tournament roster and the full list can be found here courtesy of Sarah Lindenau at the LeftWingLock.com. The list includes several free agents and undrafted players looking for a back door into a teams development system. On it are a few of the prerequisite names like Andreas Athanasiou and Ryan Sproul. There was someone else too…hmm..Tony DiNozzo…no…oh yeah this kid you might have heard of him, Anthony Mantha.
More from Prospects
- Detroit Red Wings prospect Noah Dower Nilsson out following surgery
- Detroit Red Wings: Carter Mazur expected to push for roster spot
- Red Wings: Steve Yzerman preaches patience with Elmer Soderblom
- Detroit Red Wings: Amadeus Lombardi deserves a stick tap
- Detroit Red Wings: What’s the future look like for Jared McIsaac?
Lets get this out-of-the-way. This Camp is going to be stop number one in Mantha’s conquest to earn a spot on the Detroit Red Wings roster. He is not aiming for top line minutes on the Griffins or to be the starting net minder for the Walleye. Mantha wants a spot on the Wings roster and he wanted some time last year. However by now we all know the story of Mantha so this listing will feature some other players looking to steal some of the spot light.
Here are 5(ish) players that are going to be looking to help the Red Wings repeat as tournament champs, and impress their respective bosses in the process.
D Mattias Backman- Backman looks to continue his growth after making the jump to the AHL and earning to pairing duties for Coach Jeff Blashill near the end of last season after rising to be one of the top SHL defenseman. Likely to be on the top pairing with Ryan Sproul his ability to play both ends of the ice should form a perfect foil for the offensive minded Sproul in helping shut down teams top offenses while providing an offensive punch of his own. His play making ability should be a perfect fit on the top Power Play unit and if matched up right he could spend the tournament feeding pucks to Mantha and Athanasiou while they terrorize opposing teams goalies.
C Tomas Nosek– The sturdy Czech forward signed with the Red Wings in the 2014 off-season and got his first taste of North American hockey at the prospect orientation camp this year. Nosek should be given a good look as the number 1 center(a job anyone would want)being flanked by Mantha and any combination of Athanasiou, former first round hopeful Blake Clarke or Zach Nastasiuk. Nosek’s willingness to play the grinding game should suite him well next to his line mates as he can play along the boards or in traffic to create screens or jam home rebounds.
G Jake Paterson– Turning pro this year, Paterson has a lot to prove. With more competition in front of him than most Paterson is going to need to shine bright to earn a spot on the Grand Rapids Griffins roster. Between incumbents Jared Coreau, Petr Mrazek, and Thomas McCollum he is going to need to mightily impress Ken Holland otherwise he could find himself in Toledo to start the season as a back-up. Playing for Saginaw in the OHL he Paterson was an absolute work horse being barraged by shots every game. Playing behind Sproul, Backman and the rest of a pretty solid defense should prove to be a welcome reprieve which will allow him to play the game shot by shot and settle into a rhythm. Look for him to share the net equally with the other two goalie invites.
RW Zach Nastasiuk– The Owen Sound Attack Captain comes to this tournament comparatively unheralded. He is the type of player every coach loves to have. Willing to lay down in front of a shot in the defensive zone or take the puck to the net on a rush in the offensive zone he does it all. His leadership skills and on ice sense should prove to be invaluable to the team. Given the teams lack of natural centers it is a possibility he could spend time centering either the second or third line, a spot he took over for a handful of games for the Grand Rapids Griffins near the end of last season. Look for Nastasiuk to be a go to player when the game is on the line.
C Dominic Turgeon– One of the 5 centers taken in the 2014 draft Turgeon is one of only 3 listed centers on the roster. Standing a shade under 6’2 he brings what many scouts term as a “heavy” game. Dominic enters the tournament still looking to prove he is more than a defensive center but would be a perfect fit for the bottom 6 and will be called upon to help shutdown other teams top lines and may have to wait until he returns to the Portland Winterhawks for a chance at a top line roll. If he can find a way to chip in offensively that would go a long way in dispelling those notions. Look for him to take the lead on the penalty kill and take important defensive zone faceoffs.
**BONUS**
LW Blake Clarke– Clarke is a free agent invite to the tournament and has popped up my radar a lot more as the camp closes in. He has had two very forgettable seasons, we are talking Mikael Samuelson levels, since standing out as a rookie in Junior play. He was at one time considered by most scouts a top 15 ranked prospect but injuries and an inability to establish any sort of consistency to his game have plagued him in his rookie year then he for the last few years. He has solid frame and when he takes the puck down low he can cause serious damage. If he can find that gear that saw him rise so high in the rankings in his rookie season he could be a great pick up for the Detroit Red Wings.