Every few seasons, there are a handful of prospects that make their way to the NHL and make their mark. It may take a few years or it may happen right away, but there are always young players making the jump. The Detroit Red Wings have not been any different the past few years, with players such as Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond and Simon Edvinsson all making their NHL debuts since 2021 and playing at least a handful of games.
With the success that general manager Steve Yzerman has had in the draft since returning to Detroit, the organization has built up one of the best prospect pools in the NHL and fans should expect to see more players like those mentioned above to make their way to Little Caesar’s Arena here in the upcoming seasons. So, what prospects should fans watch in 2023-24 who could be making that jump?
Forward Prospects to Look Out For
Center Nate Danielson (2023, 9th overall)
Coming off of a season where Nate Danielson put up 33 goals, 45 assists and 71 points for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), the Red Wings picked the 18-year-old with their top first-round selection. Seen as a player who has very high-level leadership qualities and is known as one of the toughest players to play against by the first-overall pick of the draft, Connor Bedard, there is plenty of excitement surrounding Danielson.
It will be a season to keep an eye on development-wise, where Danielson will be returning to Brandon. If he can build off a successful individual season in 2022-23, he could be knocking on the door of professional hockey in the not-so-distant future.
Center Marco Kasper (2022, 8th overall)
A physical yet skilled player that the Red Wings took in the first round of the 2022 Draft, Marco Kasper signed his entry-level contract with the organization on July 13, 2022, and finished out his season in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) with the Rogle BK organization, putting up eight goals and 15 assists for a total of 23 points, while also registering 72 penalty minutes.
Once he finished his season in the SHL, Kasper joined the Red Wings in April and made his NHL debut on April 2 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He registered just under 15 minutes of ice time but that was his only game of the season after suffering a season-ending injury. He broke his kneecap and surgery shut him down for the rest of the season, but he is expected to at least start the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL). If he can bounce back from the injury and have a good start to his 2023-24 season, he could find himself pushing for a spot in the NHL lineup if and when injuries occur.
Center Amadeus Lombardi (2022, 113th overall)
As an overage player in the OHL with the Flint Firebirds, Amadeus Lombardi opened a lot of eyes in the Red Wings organization and the fans as well with his season following his draft selection. In the 2022-23 season, he put up a total of 45 goals and 57 assists for 102 points in 67 games played. Once his OHL season concluded, he made the jump to Grand Rapids and appeared in two games with the Griffins.
A player that is known for his speed and shiftiness, Lombardi is expected to be back in Grand Rapids this season and will be a player to watch coming off a 2022-23 season full of highlight-reel plays. If he can continue his development, he could possibly carve himself a spot in at least the bottom six of the Red Wings forwards in the near future.
Others to Keep An Eye On:
Overall, the Red Wings have a solid group of young forwards in their prospect pool, with a few of them hopefully impacting the NHL roster in the not-so-distant future.
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