Last off-season, it seemed that the Detroit Red Wings didn’t analyze their depth effectively.
Although this statement could be true for their big club alone, it’s not the only shortcoming in their depth. The Grand Rapids Griffins suffered the biggest step back in their path to the Calder Cup this season.
Plenty of blame can go around from the coaching staff to individual players not performing up to snuff, but I think the biggest blame is on the Detroit Red Wings and Grand Rapids Griffins management staff. Hindsight is always 20/20. However, Marco Kasper was a stud to close out his American Hockey League (AHL) campaign. In my write-up on round one of last year’s playoffs, Kasper was the clear-cut most valuable player in my eyes.
I get that we can’t ink a player into Detroit’s opening night lineup in May when he hasn’t played but a game in the National Hockey League (NHL), but all signs pointed toward Kasper being finished in his AHL career. However, it was clear even outside of Kasper’s outgrowing the AHL that the players exiting the Griffins weren’t sufficiently replaced. This is a topic for a different discussion, though.
Instead, let’s focus on positive matters. Next season, there will be plenty of opportunities for Red Wings prospects to steal a spot in the opening night lineup. There are a couple of more obvious choices, but let’s take a look at a dark horse or two that might make their debuts in Hockeytown in game one of the season.
Here are the Detroit Red Wings prospects who will steal a spot in Hockeytown
Please keep in mind that Elmer Söderblom has graduated, in my opinion, so he’s not part of this exercise.
1 Amadeus Lombardi
Here me out, I know everybody’s looking for the flashy names like the ones coming up in this list. Yet, there’s something about Amadeus Lombardi that brings me back to him.
Sean Shapiro published an article posted to Shap Shots on May 17, 2024. There is a discussion with someone close to the Red Wings who said that Lombardi needs to improve his defensive play to be promoted to the National Hockey League (NHL).
For context, Lombardi jumped on the scene in the AHL, and he was flashy. One of those Trevor Zegras-style players, and I just rolled my eyes. Lombardi would make these fancy plays to nowhere and no one.
In his best shifts, he brought a little Dylan Larkin to his game where he’s blazing up the ice, dancing in the offensive zone all alone, only to get murdered and have his beloved puck stolen. As fun as he could be, it was more frustrating to watch. I love dekes and skilled players as much as anyone, with the caveat that the play is with purpose (not being fancy to be fancy).
I wrote Lombardi off as another failed prospect. Just like so many skilled players before his time in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
In the playoffs last season, though, I saw a sparkle of something special in Lombardi’s play that gave me pause on that idea. He seemed to increase his effectiveness and ability to play with his teammates rather than trying to do it all himself.
This season was his breakout for the Griffins.
Lombardi had a stellar 2024-25 campaign. Per Elite Prospects, Lombardi played in 70 games in 2023-24, finishing with five goals and 21 assists for 26 total points with a +5 rating. In 2024-25, Lombardi nearly doubled his point total in just 44 games played (scoring 19 goals and assisting on 21 of them), but had a -13 rating on his scoresheet. When I watched Lombardi, his game mirrored his stats, although I didn’t view his defense as bad. Could it be improved on? Sure, every young center’s defensive game has room to grow. In just his second full year in a professional hockey league, Lombardi showed he’s a guy to watch.
In fact, he was so good that in late November, I started counting the days until he was in the NHL. A day that just didn’t come for some reason or another. Likely a defensive play like Shapiro shared. Another important note, Lombardi was injured midway through the season. The injury started as just a short-term thing that went on longer than anyone could have anticipated. For months, Lombardi couldn’t play hockey. This pause likely caused delays in his development path as well.
I don’t think the injury changes Lombardi’s overall trajectory. He’s an incredible player who will be in the Detroit lineup sooner rather than later. I’m not sure that he projects as a full-time center in the NHL, but he will be a valuable middle-six forward who will help ignite the Red Wings to their former glory (or infamy, depending on who you ask).
The Detroit Red Wings are lacking offensive depth (among many other things). Lombardi would help with providing offense in a sheltered role in the NHL. Likely on the third or fourth line, opposite the line where number three is on this list, will start.
Honestly, Lombardi just needs a line with some wheels, someone who can help with any hiccups, and can help with dirty work. Lombardi isn't shy about getting his hands dirty. When there's a player with as much skill as Lombardi has, though, it can be a bit of a waste to have him not playmaking.
Andrew Copp and/or Michael Rasmussen come to mind as a possible duo to join Lombardi. On the other flank, I think Söderblom is a great option. Any of these three would help in those above areas and add their own skill sets to the line that will complement Lombardi.
Lombardi would help on the second unit power play as well, with breaking pucks into the offensive zone, along with setting up effective plays for scoring chances.
Lombardi's shot isn't bad, either. Hopefully, he uses it more often.
2 Axel Sandin-Pellikka
Stepping down from my soap box that is Lombardi’s campaign for the opening night roster, the regularly scheduled program includes the Detroit Red Wings’ blue-chip, record-breaking defensive prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka.
(Fun fact, Pellikka essentially translates to pelican.)
There was plenty of concern on my part. One of the public scouts whom I respect most, Will Scouch, published a video last November where Sandin-Pellikka was the subject. I so looked forward to hearing him gush about our shiny new prospect. Instead, he brought Red Wings fans a dose of reality (something Scouch does well, and I really appreciate as I get my head too high in the clouds sometimes). Scouch suggested concerns with pacing and possibly a need for Sandin-Pellikka’s skating to improve.
As a North American-based fan, I was able to catch a handful of Sandin-Pellikka’s games for his Swedish Hockey League (SHL) team, Skellefteå AIK, but I couldn’t watch him as closely as I would have liked to. The highlights were great, but they’re just that—the best parts of a player’s game. Without being able to see him play consistently, there’s always that cloud of doubt. Throw the transition to the smaller ice and the increase in physicality, those doubts only grew.
Fast forward to his first taste of North American professional ice hockey, Sandin-Pellikka shattered those doubts.
There were times when Sandin-Pellikka was caught out of position or doing the wrong things. It wasn’t anything crazy for a new-to-North-America player. As the games progressed, so did Sandin-Pellikka’s game. It’s the most important part of any prospect’s development.
We always want a prospect to come guns blazing like Lucas Raymond, but that’s not the bar. It’s shooting for the moon.
Based on my viewings of Sandin-Pellikka, I can say that I’m comfortable with Sandin-Pellikka’s game moving forward. So comfortable, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him as the third defensive pairing on the Detroit Red Wings’ opening night.
The only problem with this theory is that Erik Gustafsson exists in the Red Wings lineup. It’s not a slight against the man showing off at the 2025 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Men’s World Championship in his home country. He just fills a similar role to Sandin-Pellikka. Both are offensively-minded defensemen.
Typically, NHL teams carry one offensive-minded defensemen who play a more sheltered role five-on-five, but pops off on the power play. It’s challenging enough to shelter one defenseman in a league with such parity. Any given night, almost any team can burn you with their top-six forwards and top-four defensemen. One wrong or slow change spells disaster in an instant.
Carrying two isn’t impossible, but not realistic--especially when one of them is a newcomer to North American professional hockey.
In almost every scenario that I play in my mind, it only makes sense that Sandin-Pellikka starts in Grand Rapids. Anyone who thinks that is likely right. If that’s where Sandin-Pellikka is destined to begin next season, it will not be a blemish on his development path or even a setback. It would be a typical development path.
When I saw him in Beer City, Sandin-Pellikka only drove the point home. He’s not typical. Sandin-Pellikka is as unique a player as I have witnessed. As such, I suspect The Pelican’s path to be as peculiar as he is on the ice.
There’s an inner drive in Sandin-Pellikka that is on par with Moritz Seider, Dylan Larkin, Kasper, and Raymond. They’re all hungry for success. Sandin-Pellikka requires direction, but has the attitude and discipline to follow through. The Detroit Red Wings dressing room would be wise to guide him through this transition process as easily and quickly as possible.
There’s no rush for Sandin-Pellikka to debut in the NHL. If he has a big summer, good showing in the prospect games (wherever and however those will be set up), follows it up with a strong training camp, and demands a seat at the table in the preseason games, Sandin-Pellikka is capable of taking a roster spot. I just think it would result in somebody in the existing roster (even if Jeff Petry doesn’t return). Though I could easily see Justin Holl sitting. This new coach hasn’t been keen on sitting Holl, but the supporting cast hasn’t given head coach Todd McLellan a reason to swap Holl.
Sandin-Pellikka, at the very least, will push veterans to be better than they were last season. If these veterans are too comfortable or shy, Sandin-Pellikka will happily take their spot in the lineup, run with it, and won’t look back—he’ll be off to the western sky (even if just one gets this reference, it’s well worth it).
If he makes the NHL and Gustafsson stays in the lineup (in Gustafsson’s case, he ran the power play better than anyone the Red Wings trotted out on the first power play unit to end the season when Gustafsson was recovering from injury, though they didn’t try Simon Edvinsson much on the power play much to my chagrin), then I think that things could get interesting for the Red Wings (good and bad).
For Sandin-Pellikka in this type of scenario, I reckon he is paired with Edinsson. Edvinsson, the wild and untamed stallion, coupled with Sandin-Pellikka, is either a match made in Heaven or the other place. There will not be an in between.
Edvinsson would provide the size and help keep Sandin-Pellikka out of too much trouble (at least after the whistle stuff). He’s also a very intuitive player who, when paired with the right partner, can create magic on the ice. When he’s paired with someone who isn’t s patient or on the same wavelength, things get out of hand very quickly.
In an ideal world, a player like Albert Johansson would be my preferred partner for Sandin-Pellikka or another consistent, reliable defender. However, the Red Wings only have that option with Seider. Our Team Germany captain is another right-handed defenseman who plays the toughest minutes of almost any defender in the NHL. Sandin-Pellikka isn’t likely to play in that kind of role, and NHL teams don’t typically pair two right-handed defensemen together. Whether it’s a principal thing or a lack of right-handed shot defensemen remains to be seen, but I’m almost certain we don’t see this pairing. Ever. As fun as it might be.
If we could hand-pick anybody, I would still go back to Olli Määttä. I know everyone’s tired of hearing me complain about it, but Määttä is like training wheels for a new defenseman in the NHL. He’s no longer an option, so the point remains either Johansson or Edvinsson as the likely defensive partner for Sandin-Pellikka next season in the NHL.
3 Michael Brandsegg-Nygård
Yes, I hear the people with their megaphones when discussing Michael Brandsegg-Nygård or Sandin-Pellikka making the NHL after their performance in the AHL playoffs.
“Neither made an impact on the Griffins, they surely won’t be effective in the NHL to start next season.”
I hear you. While I appreciate the feedback and the colorful word choice used in the megaphone that’s not included above, I must say that I disagree.
These players took a bit of time to warm up to the AHL, but the Griffins were bounced before either could really show their good stuff. They gave fans glimpses of who they are and what they will do in Detroit, possibly as soon as next October.
Brandsegg-Nygård spent the entire 2024-25 season in Sweden bottling up his emotions and physical play. The highest drafted Norwegian player in history wasn’t built (or programmed) for the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).
Along with the normal transition to North America and its crazy culture shock, Brandsegg-Nygård had a steeper climb than most prospects.
Instead of just attempting to speak English constantly, eat weird food that just doesn’t taste quite right, and get used to Michigan lefts, Brandsegg-Nygård had to learn to let himself out of his cage.
The more physical, the better. Meaner? Nastier? North American ice hockey will love you back. Once Brandsegg-Nygård grew confident in these attributes that come naturally to him, his game reflected the increased confidence.
It almost reminds me of the bliss of unbuttoning one’s pants after filling up the double tanker, a second chamber in the stomach as described by uncle before I was even born.
The Griffins getting bounced so early in the playoffs was disappointing on multiple levels, but none more so than for witnessing Brandsegg-Nygård continue to build his confidence. He seemed to really come out of his shell for the final game and a half. We’ll never know if he would have continued that path. At any rate, he was almost as good as I remember him being in the prospect games for the Detroit Red Wings last summer.
Brutal. Effective. Relentless. Wicked shot.
Those were the five descriptions I remembered him being, and that’s exactly what I expect from him come this summer’s prospect games. When he attends training camp and plays in preseason games, he will demand another close look and leave fans speculating where he is destined to start the season.
When he makes the opening night lineup, Brandsegg-Nygård likely starts on line three or four. I’ve seen the Jonatan Berggren trade talks, but I’ll go based on Steve Yzerman’s comments in his media availability at the end of the season. When he mentioned players of the future for the Red Wings, he included Berggren by name (he might have given him an “H,” but same difference). Additionally, I believe that even though Berggren sat out throughout last season, McLellan and Yzerman still appreciate Berggren’s potential.
McLellan has mentioned liking forward pairings. He has Larkin and Raymond, then Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane. Vladimir Tarasenko and Berggren were likely considered a hopeful pair that didn’t click this past season. If Berggren and Brandsegg-Nygård are paired together, I think Detroit Red Wings fans will have a treat. Regardless of the line they’re on (likely third or fourth), I think the duo would cause havoc for Detroit’s opponents.
Brandsegg-Nygård draws so much attention to himself that Berggren can easily fade into the background to orchestrate his plays, then have Brandsegg-Nygård at the net waiting to clean up any leftovers. Or, even in a sweet spot where Brandsegg-Nygård lets his wicked shot rip. Berggren has always needed a physical player on his line and a shooter. For some reason, the Red Wings have chosen to give him minimal time with either. For what reason, I’m not sure, but that’s the way they’d get the most out of Berggren, and likely Brandsegg-Nygård.
Their center wouldn’t be too much of a concern. Rasmussen could do the job just fine, as could J.T. Compher, Copp, or Craig Smith (if he’s brought back). Their center just needs to play a supportive role to let the other two shine.
All I know is that the Red Wings struggled with depth scoring this season. They lacked bite. There was minimal fight in their game throughout most of the season. Brandsegg-Nygård brings those qualities in spades. To me, the Red Wings would be a better team with Brandsegg-Nygård on it.
The pipe dreams of bringing a star free agent to Detroit are a lovely fantasy, but it’s just that. Fantasy.
Instead of hoping for the what-ifs that aren’t meant to be, it’s nice to prop up the guys already within the Detroit Red Wings season. Whether it’s Lombardi, Sandin-Pellikka, Brandsegg-Nygård, or somebody else not named to this list, there are plenty of options that fans can get hyped to watch. I hope you’re one of them.