While the present Detroit Red Wings can oftentimes be frustrating, the future, as they say, is quite bright.
Scott Wheeler of The Athletic recently published his NHL prospect pool rankings. The Red Wings earned heaps of praise from Wheeler, placing them at the number-four spot in the NHL in his rankings. "The Red Wings have seven legit prospects, and there are a dozen or so on their list who I expect to play NHL games," Wheeler writes, "plus a few others with some traits or intrigue."
He praises the Red Wings for their variety of prospects, but does point out one key factor: the Red Wings don't have a game-breaking forward prospect in the pool. The sheer depth and breadth of the pool, however, makes Detroit's farm system one of the best in the NHL.
Last season, Wheeler gave the Red Wings the number five spot on his list. Recent drafting and development have moved the team up a spot. The other top-three teams, for reference, are the Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames.
Goaltending, defense earn high marks
The biggest benefits to the prospect pool, per Wheeler, are the goaltending duo of Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine. Both, he writes, have the potential to be long-term NHL netminders. Cossa earns the number one spot on the list, followed by Augustine, who recently signed an entry-level deal.
Goaltending prospect | Wheeler's rank |
|---|---|
Sebastian Cossa | Tier 1 (1) |
Trey Augustine | Tier 1 (2) |
Michal Pradel | Tier 3 (13) |
Rudy Guimond | Tier 3 (14) |
The number three spot, however, is occupied by Axel Sandin-Pellikka.
While he spent the majority of this season with the Red Wings, his recent move to Grand Rapids makes him eligible for Wheeler's list. "He projects as a high-end offensive defenseman and a defensively capable one at five-on-five. When he’s on, he can control the game in all three zones and really drive shot creation."
Wheeler's only concern for Sandin-Pellikka relies on his height. It isn't often that a 5'11" defenseman of his play style can make his way to the NHL. Having said that, he still believes ASP is capable of making that leap.
Defensive prospect | Wheeler's rank |
|---|---|
Axel Sandin-Pellikka | Tier 1 (3) |
Anton Johansson | Tier 3 (11) |
Shai Buium | Tier 3 (12) |
Red Wings' forward group praised for variety
On the forward front, Wheeler speaks highly of the different types of forwards in Detroit's pool. Carter Bear, ranked fourth on the list, is projected to be either the best player on the third line or a consistent force on the top line. His versatility as a player makes him a match made in heaven for the Red Wings, who need a plug-and-play guy like Bear.
Forward prospect | Wheeler's rank |
|---|---|
Carter Bear | Tier 1 (4) |
Nate Danielson | Tier 1 (5) |
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard | Tier 1 (6) |
Emmitt Finnie | Tier 1 (7) |
Max Plante | Tier 2 (8) |
Eddie Genborg | Tier 2 (9) |
Amadeus Lombardi | Tier 2 (10) |
Jesse Kiiskinen | Tier 3 (15) |
Other forwards like Michael Brandsegg-Nygard project as middle-six players with scoring and physicality. Emmitt Finnie is seen as an all-you-can-do player capable of moving around the lineup. Max Plante, a Hobey Baker finalist, has a chance to become an NHL regular, but his height may hinder him at the NHL level. If Eddie Genborg can work on his speed a little, he'll become a force of nature for the roster as well.
A notable omission from this list, however, is Noah Dower-Nilsson. The Red Wings just signed Dower-Nilsson to an entry-level contract this last week. He earned an honorable mention, but was seen more by Wheeler as an AHL-tier prospect than a forward with NHL potential.
All in all, while things look a little bleak now, the future is bright in Hockeytown. The Red Wings will need to rely on one (or all) of these players to build the contending team they deserve.