How Red Wings prospects performed in October

You might be forgiven if you've lost track of the Detroit Red Wings' incredible crop of young talent waiting in the wings Luckily, there’s plenty to talk about in that regard as the prospect pool is brimming with players eager to push the organization forward.

From the AHL to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and beyond, here’s a look at some notable Red Wings prospects through the first month of the season.

Carter Bear acclimating to the AHL

The Red Wings’ top pick in the 2025 draft is already making it hard to overlook him as a potential late-season addition to the NHL lineup.

Carter Bear is already an early standout for the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate. As of November 4, the young forward has three goals and six assists through nine games while primarily playing left wing on the team’s top line.

While Bear’s production is obviously a welcome sight, the grittiness of his game is what has really stood out. To this point in the season, he hasn’t been the type of player that creates highlight reel moments. Instead, he’s made a difference by playing a man’s game as a 19 (now 20) year old.

Bear joins board battles and creates chaos near the crease. His style is reminiscent of former Red Wings forward Tyler Bertuzzi in that he’s as relentless off the puck as he is on it – and he battles for his teammates during and after the play.

While watching him in Grand Rapids, I was particularly impressed by how active his stick was and how alert he always seemed. It’s a small thing, but there was a moment when the puck was loose in the Griffins’ zone, and he gave a little extra effort to whack it out of the zone despite falling down.

Even if it’s not this season, Bear already looks like a clear fit with the Red Wings and the identity they’re forming this season. In the meantime, he’ll continue to be a big part of the Griffins’ forward group.

Levac asserting himself in OHL

When the Red Wings traded forward Amadeus Lombardi to the New Jersey Devils, they acquired the 108th pick in return. With that pick, they selected forward Adam Levac from the Peterborough Petes of the OHL. The immediate report on him was that he is a feisty forward with strong two-way ability, and that has proven itself to be true in his first season since being drafted.

Levac was suspended eight games last season for slew-footing. On October 15, he was suspended four games for intent to injure with a dangerous hit from behind. This is also a player that dropped the gloves last season, something you rarely see at the junior level.

Despite all of that, he’s at a point per-game pace with 11 points in 11 games. Name a way that a player can frustrate his opponents and Levac is doing it.

It is a little awkward to highlight a player’s willingness to do things that get them suspended. You never want your players to be serving suspensions, and you especially don’t want to see your players doing things that are downright dangerous and have no place in the game.

However, I don’t blame Red Wings fans if they perk up at the idea of having a player like that in the system. The Florida Panthers won back-to-back championships by having a roster filled with players that are willing to walk the line between what is acceptable and what isn’t. Furthermore, the Red Wings have been easy to push around over the last decade largely because they haven’t had someone like Levac in their lineup.

Levac still has a long way to go before we’re seriously talking about him in a Red Wings uniform. His strong start to the season is worth noting though, especially when you combine it with Bear’s strong start in Grand Rapids and the Red Wings’ overall commitment to playing a heavier game this season.

Genborg still punishing the SHL

Eddie Genborg, a second-round pick in the 2025 draft, plays a scrappy but powerful game. He has a little nasty in his game, but he also can’t be left alone because he can convert on any quality chances that come his way. Because of this, I’ve taken to calling him “The Punisher” because if he’s not punishing you with his physicality, he’s probably punishing you by putting the puck in the back of your net.

Last season was Genborg’s first as a full-time player in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), and it was rousing success as he played steady minutes and recorded 25 points in 43 games in a league that is notoriously hard to score in, especially for younger players. He capped off last season with 11 regular season games with the Griffins in which he had a goal and three points (he also got into one playoff game with Grand Rapids.)

This season, Genborg has seemingly picked up where he left off. With eight points in 13 games, he is on pace to improve on his offensive numbers from last season. He often positions himself in Tomas Holmstrom’s old office: right in front of the opposing goaltender. In that spot, he disrupts the goalie’s eyesight and allows the puck to deflect off him and, hopefully, behind the goaltender.

Genborg utilizes his teammates just as well as they utilize him. He jumps up in the play to create odd-man rushes, and he’ll defer to his teammates if they have a better look at the net. As much as his game is mostly characterized by its bruising nature, his ability to contribute to a high-pace attack shouldn’t be overlooked.

How things look one month in

Clearly all those years of the Red Wings focusing on drafting players with high-compete and are hard to play against is starting to bear fruit. The NHL roster’s most defining feature is their tenacity all over the ice, and their prospect pool suddenly contains several players that could one day add to that identity.

November is often when teams and players really begin to hit their stride as the rust of the offseason is gone and players become more comfortable with their roles and linemates. With that in mind, we should see a good push from more of the Red Wings’ prospects this month – especially with roster announcements for the World Juniors just around the corner.

Until then, the Red Wings and their fans have much to be excited about, both on the ice at Little Caesars Arena and throughout their system.

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