Detroit Red Wings prospect loaned overseas to Swiss National League

When the Detroit Red Wings selected Jared McIsaac with the 36th overall pick in the second round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, there was a lot of promise around the Canadian defenseman. He had enticing stats and an exciting profile from his days with the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL.

The Detroit Red Wings prospect has sputtered a bit during his time with the organization. Injuries have plagued his career and forced him to take a longer road to the NHL, and he has still yet to make the jump from Grand Rapids. It seems as though that wait will continue for Jared McIsaac after it was recently announced that he was being assigned to HC Ambri-Piotta of the Swiss National League.

McIsaac will join his new team overseas as they look to make a run in the Swiss League playoffs. McIsaac leaves the Griffins, who have a prospect-filled defense core as it is. The lack of production from McIsaac has likely fueled this move, and maybe the change of scenery serves as a reset for the gold medalist from the Canadian World Junior Team.

With Grand Rapids in 2023-24, McIsaac played in just 15 games with one goal and three assists for four points. He's been with the Griffins for the last three seasons and parts of the previous four years, but he will now be headed overseas after the latest announcement.

Detroit Red Wings prospect Jared McIsaac loaned to HC Ambri-Piotta.

The 23-year-old is no stranger to playing overseas. As the world started to rebound from COVID-19 and the hockey world was starting back up, McIsaac was sent to Finland to join HPK in the Finnish league, Liiga. He spent time there on loan before being recalled to join the Griffins in the 2020-21 season.

He finds himself overseas once again, certainly not in the direction that he was hoping to go. But, with the Griffins relying on their stars at the top, like Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson or even Antti Tuomisto and William Wallinder, McIsaac's chances slipped through the cracks.

Plus, it's not like McIsaac was making the most of his chances, with a lack of production taking away from his performance. It's got to bring about some concern for McIsaac's future with the Red Wings organization. There must be signs of improvement, and each level of hockey gets considerably harder, but McIsaac has yet to make that final leap.

There's something to be said about being drafted and having the ability to climb through the ranks, whether it's coming to North America from overseas and advancing through the AHL to the NHL. Or a prospect from the QMJHL pushing through the ranks into the AHL and NHL.

Each level brings new challenges and a new caliber of play, which weeds out the competition, and some players cannot hack it. McIsaac had such promise and excitement when he was drafted. Hopefully, Detroit can try to salvage some value out of him.

The assignment to the NL in Switzerland cannot be fun, but it could also motivate him to step things up and prove he can bounce back. If not, sadly, the grains of sand in the hourglass will keep falling.