Thoughts on Red Wings prospects

[yave1964]

I am 48, have followed the Wings for 40 years thru good and bad. I love the AHL as well as the NHL and gotta say, the Wings are loaded with NHL ready or near ready prospects for the first time since the early nineties when guys like Federov, Lidstrom and Primeau broke thru.

  I am not saying the kids on the farm and in the OHL are as good as the bunch above, but there are so many ready to jump in right now or next year, they push each other knowing that their chance is right around the corner.

  Flyercanuck mentioned Adam Athanasiou, a solid prospect playing at Barrie who is going to be a Griffin next season, getting his feet wet at the NHL level. so i thought i would mention some of the players who are coming soon.

  CALLE JARNKROK, a Swede (naturally) projects easily as a top six forward, perhaps next season. I view him as better than Nyquist, but like Nyquist size issues are a problem. He is adangler and explosive, look for at least top six minutes very soon.

  PETR MRAZEK is a young cocky arrogant goalie who won the Calder cup with the Griffins at the age of 20 and had a NHL shutout this year filling in for an injured Howard. He is having a great year this year and will be demanding playing time soon in the nhl.

  TOMAS JURCO has developed nicely in an all around game, he will be a regular third or fourth liner next season with the Wings with potential to move up.

  RILEY SHEAHAN Telly Tubby has taken a step back and is in danger of falling in the ranks with all of the prospects around him, he projects as a Guastad type, a big guy who kills penalties and wins faceoffs, doing the dirty work.

  MITCH CALLAHAN To me he is Darren Mccarty revisited, a tough guy who hits and bangs and can score a little third or fourth liner with some scoring ability and heart. Out of options, must stick next year.

  MARTIN FRK is having a tough time developing but has huge offensive upside.

   TEEMI PULKKINEN Remember the name, he will likely be in GR next season as well but the kid can play and has huge offensive skills.

LANDON FERRARO also out of options has a chance for a bottom six role but time is running out.

ALEXEY MARCHENKO   Has done an admirable job coming over from Russia and looks strong all ove rthe ice, in his first 23 games in North America he has 13 points and is a plus 14.

 ADAM ALMQUIST My personal favorite, an offensive defenseman, a bit small and gets pushed around defensively, reminds me of a Nick Kronwall type, can score, great hands and instincts, needs to improve in his own zone. Played two games for the Wings so far, was absolutely putrid in one and great in the other, that is kind of where he is right now, obvious consistency issues.

  RTAN SPOUL AND XAVIER OULLET are real prospects, 2nd or 3rd pair types and nearly ready. Oullet filled in this year for two games in the NHL and didnt embarrass himself.

LUKE GLENDENING is ready, i guess, sort of a Cory emmerton type.

 

   I didnt even mention guys like Adam Athanasiou, Mattias Bachman and Anthony Mantha who will be playing North American pro likely at Grand Rapids next season and are all solid prospects for down the line.

  If you consider the Wings have added Nyquist, Tatar, Dekeyser and Lashoff, and think about next season with Callahan, Almquist, Sproul, Oullet, Jarnkrok, Jurco and Mrazek all pushing hard for spots, not to mention lesser players like Ferraro and Sheahan being out of options and the top tier Pulkkinen trying to get into the mix, i think it is fair to say it will be a different mix, by a lot that we see in Detroit enxt season.

  Veterans like Cleary, Bertuzzi, Samuelsson, Quincey, emmerton and Alfredsson are gone, bank on it. Others such as Drew Miller and Joakim Andersson will be pushed and will have to earn spots. With these guys moving on and the talent we have moving up it will be the biggest change i have seen in the Wings roster in a quarter of a century, pretty much bank on it. We will have huge cap flexibility next season, i look for the Wings to sign an aging puck moving blue liner (Dan Boyle?) and maybe add a veteran bottom six forward to go with the kids coming up, but this team is due for its biggest change in forever. Not all will develop, but there are so many of them that the ones who dont will be replaced. And agai, right behind this bunch is Athanasiou and Mantha. I am very, very thrilled with the Wings future. There have been times that i fretted, wondering where the next player is coming from as the minors were in bad shape, but right now the future is so bright i gotta wear shades.