Did the Detroit Red Wings find a hidden gem in Amadeus Lombardi?
Over the years, the Detroit Red Wings organization has seemed to find late-round gems in the draft. From Tomas Holmstrom (tenth round, 1994) to Henrik Zetterberg (seventh round, 1999) and Pavel Datsyuk (sixth round, 1998), the Wings have found steady players in the late rounds.
Detroit Red Wings General Manager (GM) Steve Yzerman may have found his first late-round gem in the 2022 draft with forward Amadeus Lombardi.
After somewhat flying under the radar in his draft year, where he put up 18 goals and 41 assists for a total of 59 points for Flint in the OHL, Lombardi was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. But the 2022-23 season caused Lombardi to catch the eye of fans across the state of Michigan and the organization itself.
In the 2022-23 season, Lombardi put up 45 goals (sixth in the OHL), 57 assists (ninth), and 102 points (third) and had a season full of highlights for Flint while becoming a fan-favorite of both Firebirds and Wings fans alike. After the OHL season concluded, Lombardi made the jump to the AHL and put up an assist in two games played and is expected to be back in Grand Rapids this upcoming season.
Size is not everything for Detroit Red Wings prospect Amadeus Lombardi
While only coming in at 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, Lombardi has not allowed that to slow him down as a player. He’s got a smaller frame but can utilize it well, which the Red Wings hope he continues to capitalize on as he builds confidence in the coming years.
“Amadeus… He’s competitive. He likes to do well. You (could) see as the games went along, he got his legs, got more confident…” – Dan Cleary, Red Wings Director of Player Development per The Athletic($)
Looking at successful NHL teams in the past few years, they typically have three lines of forwards that can fully contribute to the success of the team in different aspects and facets of the game. If Lombardi can continue to develop his game and exceed the “expectations” of a fourth-round pick, he could become a player that the Wings can rely on throughout the lineup.
Even if it’s not putting up 60-70 points a season, as he did in the OHL, Lombardi can fill out a role on the third line in the future and fully prove to be a steal and diamond in the rough for Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings organization.
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Keep an eye on Amadeus Lombardi this season in Grand Rapids; he might just give fans some more highlight reel plays.