Carter Bear is going to be another home run hit from Steve Yzerman. That's my guarantee. And when Yzerman made the pick, it seemed like everyone was on board.
Yeah, an injury slowed Bear last season, and it ultimately hampered what was a near-picture-perfect 56-game stretch that saw him end the year with 40 goals and 82 points. Still, it didn't deter the Wings, who ultimately signed Bear to his entry-level contract.
This will give Bear a chance to compete for a roster spot in camp, but the likelier approach is that he'll go back to the WHL for another season, crush it, and push a few veterans in camp again next year. But, just because he could be teetering on snagging a spot with the big club, it don't mean the Wings need to rush him.
Carter Bear is a talent who found himself in the ideal situation with the Detroit Red Wings
You look at a few prospects ahead of Bear at forward, like Dmitri Buchelnikov, Nate Danielson, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, and you'll realize there's no need to rush Bear into NHL action. If he outplays that crop in 2026 camp and the preseason, that's one thing, but players like Buchelnikov will hit the ground running.
This shouldn't be an obstacle for Bear, who can end 2025-26 with 100-plus points for the Everett Silvertips this year, then spend two seasons in Grand Rapids refining his game while Buchelnikov, Danielson, and Brandsegg-Nygard go to the big club.
Buchelnikov is one player I see making an immediate impact in the top six, and Danielson could end up enjoying a Marco Kasper type of campaign when he's playing full-time in Hockeytown. It could be this year, but 2026-27 is the likelier outcome.
As for Brandsegg-Nygard, I see him as a middle-six forward who could sidle in on the third line and play a solid, three-zone game. But there's a chance he can move up alongside Bear sometime in 2027-28, if we're forecasting this out a few seasons. This is also assuming the Wings stick with the Yzerplan.
What to watch for with Carter Bear in 2025-26
Expect a future top-six forward here, and one who'll show off his playmaking skills this season and when he's ultimately in Grand Rapids. He'll also make room and a living in front of the net, so look for him to deflect plenty of would-be shots on goal into twine.
Throw in some energizing, physical play, and you have a versatile forward sure to give you optimism that he'll debut at some point after 2025-26. Maybe he'll earn that cameo appearance in 2026-27, then fight for a full-time spot in 2027-28, or shortly after.
Either way, count on him to be a fun prospect to watch until he's wearing the Winged Wheel full time. And it won't be just Bear, but the prospects who are ahead of him right now.