Wow, that couldn't have gone much better for the Detroit Red Wings. We knew there'd be some urgency here, considering the positions that are up for grabs, but wow. Did a few Wings pick up where they left off from the Rookie Showcase, or what?
Emmitt Finnie's showing us he more than wants to wear the Winged Wheel when the puck drops to kick off the regular season next month. Give him two points, a goal, two hits, and a plus-2 on the stat sheet. A few more games like that, and Steve Yzerman will have no choice but to give Finnie some serious consideration.
Or what about Nate Danielson? Danielson was gonna show up and threaten some vets' jobs, and he didn't disappoint. He skated for just under 15 minutes, but made the most of it with a goal, a plus-2, and a 71.4 face-off win percentage.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard impressed me more than anyone else at forward. He landed four body checks throughout 16:40 of ice time, blocked one shot, and recorded two assists. That's the kind of effort you dream of from someone who should be a solid middle-six player in the coming seasons. Maybe he'll end up getting a look regardless.
Then, there's Carter Mazur, someone who I said earlier needed a big preseason and stay healthy if he wanted to make the team. Give him a power play goal, 16:26 of ice time, and a couple of hits, and he's making his case.
Detroit Red Wings prospects are showing they wanna be in Hockeytown
At the blue line, William Wallinder stood out, recording an assist, a block, and a hit throughout 16:36 of ice time. Third-pairing minutes, but talk about grinding it out and making the most of things.
For the most part, the rooks impressed me. But with only so many spots available on the big club, not everyone listed above will make the cut come October. Heck, there's a chance every player I mentioned will be spending more time in Grand Rapids than Detroit.
Even if that's the case here, it doesn't mean it's doom and gloom. The Red Wings don't have a great lineup, but it's good enough that nobody should lose sleep if there's not a single player who looked good tonight in that 23-man unit, especially if they'd be destined for limited ice time as it is.
Still, it doesn't mean they won't make things difficult for Yzerman and the front office. And at the absolute least, expect Yzerman and the coaching staff to give these overachievers, and I say that in a complimentary way, a long look.