Red Wings prospect Carter Bear making case for NHL call-up

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Early in the second period on a power play, Carter Bear collected a pass down low, picked his spot and rifled a wrister over the left shoulder of the Rockford IceHogs goalie Stanislav Berezhnoy.

It’s the quintessential goal-scorer’s goal, and it’s a big reason why the Detroit Red Wings selected the Manitoba native with the 13th overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft.

The Red Wings have struggled to score goals in the past few seasons, and they’re hoping Bear can be a big offensive contributor.

But it’s not his goal-scoring ability that has been on display early in his first professional season with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Bear has five goals and 13 assists in 13 games, including two goals and two assists Wednesday in a 6-3 win against the Rockford IceHogs.

It's early, and it's not unusual for young players to go through dry spells after finding early success in the AHL. But Bear has impressed.

“I feel good,” he said. “The guys have been unreal in this locker room. We’re pretty tight, I would say. We’re always there for each other. I think we just have a tight group, and it just goes onto the ice in how we play.”

As noted, Bear is better known for scoring goals, with 102 in 175 career games for the WHL’s Everett Silvertips before turning pro. But the 20-year-old has racked up the assists early.

As of Wednesday afternoon, his 13 assists lead all Griffins and are second in the league behind Coachella’s Tyson Jugnauth (14). His 18 points are tied for first in the AHL with teammate Dominik Shine, Rochester’s Matthew Peca and Laval’s Luke Mittelstadt.

“He’s a really smart player,” forward John Leonard said of Bear. “Fun to be around, joking around the room. Obviously, a really special player, and it’s fun working on the power play.”

It was Leonard who found Bear down low to set up the power-play goal that gave the Griffins a 3-1 lead.

Earning the trust of coach Dan Watson, Bear has seen plenty of power-play time this season on the first unit, scoring a goal and adding six assists with the man advantage.

Watson said he isn’t surprised by the abundance of assists Bear has notched, calling him a playmaker.

“He can shoot, he can make plays, he’s good along the walls, good around the nets, those hard-to-play areas,” Watson said. “He’s outstanding. I really feel like he’s been outstanding for us over the past eight to 10 games. He’s really come on strong.”

The Griffins veterans have benefitted from some Red Wings injuries early this season, with both Leonard and Sheldon Dries receiving call-ups to the NHL.

However, if Bear continues to contribute offensively, we could see him in a Red Wings uniform for a handful of games. He won’t automatically solve Detroit’s scoring issues, but it’ll be a nice reward for a player who has put in the work to succeed at the next level.

Making the jump from Juniors to the AHL

Players and coaches always talk about the big jump in speed and physicality when graduating from juniors to the AHL.

Prospects go from playing fellow teenagers to playing grown men, many of whom have been playing professional hockey for several years.

It’s an adjustment that often gets overlooked.

Some players initially struggle and wonder why points don't come as easily as they did in juniors.

“It’s more physical and bigger guys and older players,” Bear said. “You just got to get used to the physicality.”

But others, like Bear, have found ways to contribute so far. He acknowledged the skill difference but has committed himself to improving every game and helping the team win when he can.

“You don’t get that many scoring chances in the league,” Bear said. “It’s definitely hard to find a shot on net or pretty plays. But obviously, I’m still learning, still a young guy.

“I’m still finding my way.”

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