Detroit Red Wings Prospects Check-In: Defensemen and Goalies

Left Defenceman

Shai Buium: Buium is kind of the thesis of the Red Wings blue line prospects; a big body with solid defensive IQ and offensive potential, but still needs refinements. Buium is capable of quarterbacking the offense at an AHL level and controls the play quite well. His skating and defensive play are sound, but don’t often wow me in the same way Edvinsson did. I think Buium will be a steady 4 or 5. Big frame, good IQ and sound skill all both ends give Buium a real shot. 

• AHL stats (D+4): 67gp 2g 23a 25p, 6’3” 220lbs
• Player Comparison, Connor Murphy NHL stats (D+4): 73gp 4g 3a 7p

William Wallinder: If anyone is knocking on the door, it’s probably Wallinder right now. He checks all the physical boxes; skating, frame, strength etc. but some of the IQ elements could use a little refinements. It’s not uncommon to see Wallinder take a hair too long to make a play or play the puck to a poor area. Generally, Wallinder can also fill out a bottom pair quite well and maybe NHL role models will help him with the rest. 

• AHL stats (D+5): 62gp 2g 17a 19p, 6’4” 190lbs
• Player Comparison, Calvin de Hann NHL stats (D+5): 51gp 3g 13a 16p

Nikita Tyurin: Every team has a guy like Tyurin. An undersized puck-moving defenceman with some offensive upside is a staple of just about every NHL blueline nowadays. Admittedly, I think Tyurin has a lot to do to make the NHL. The offence and speed need to be great to compensate for the pretty bland defensive game, not to mention offensive defencemen can struggle on American ice. Tyurin has a chance to beat the odds as a fifth-rounder, but he certainly has some work to do. 

• MHL stats (D): 50gp 4g 16a 20p, 6’0” 174lbs
• Player Comparison, T.J. Brodie OHL stats (D): 68gp 4g 26a 30p

Tnias Mathurin: Remember the thesis? Mathruin is another big defenceman who leans a little bit more towards being a shut-down guy. There are some concerns about him still playing in the OHL at his age and his injury history. Mathurin moves to the NCAA next year, hopefully getting healthier and making a pro push sooner rather than later. 

• OHL stats (D+3): 49gp 7g 16a 23p, 6’3” 200lbs
• Player Comparison, Jon Merrill AHL stats (D+3): 12gp 1g 7a 8p

Eemil Viro: Unfortunately, it feels like Viro has hit some sort of a peak in his American career. Even at the AHL level, nothing stands out to me. This late in his development as a more undersized guy, you want him to have at least one NHL-ready skill, and I’m not sure he does. If he stays in North America, it’s likely as an AHL guy. 

• AHL stats (D+5): 62gp 1g 4a 5p, 6’0” 183lbs
• Player Comparison, Chris Wideman AHL stats (D+5): 73gp 9g 42a 51p

Larry Keenan: Keenan strikes me as a guy who has more of a shot than people give him credit for. His first NCAA year saw him take on a big role. Insert another comment about that thesis I mentioned as well. Keenen can be solid, and I think he will take on an AHL role before too much longer.

• H-East stats (D+2): 40gp 4g 7a 11p, 6’4” 196lbs
• Player Comparison, Marcus Pettersson SweHL stats (D+2): 46gp 2g 5a 7p

John Whipple: In a pipeline of puck movers, Whipple is a rock. He’s a defensive specialist who could use some better offensive instincts and skating. Generally, Whipple has the most important tool a defenceman can have: good defence. He’s far from a sure thing, but if he pans out, all 32 teams would want a guy like Whipple, even if he isn’t huge. 

• Big-10 stats (D+1): 29gp 0g 3a 3p, 6’1” 195lbs
• Player Comparison, Matt Roy WCHA stats (D+1): 37gp 7g 13a 20p

Will Murphy: Insert the thesis jokes I keep repeating. Murphy leans very defensively compared to the others and throws his weight around better than the rest of them. There’s a lot to like with Murphy, he’s another guy you’d love to see pan out. With all the physical tools minus a bit of speed, the question isn’t can Murphy, the question is will Murphy? 

• QMJHL stats (D): 54gp 2g 2a 4p, 6’4” 209lbs
• Player Comparison, Jacob Trouba USHL stats (D): 37gp 12g 17a 29p

Right Defenceman 

Axel Sandin-Pellikka: The guy might as well be the antithesis. ASP might as well be a god in the Detroit hockey space. The Swedish defenceman has dazzled offensively all year. He took home awards from the SHL as well as Sweden’s player of the WJC tournament. ASP is different from his contemporaries in Hughes, Makar, and Hutson. While the other offensive defencemen are a little more pass-dependent, ASP relies on his shot. Of the three, ASP most resembles Makar as he is slightly more physical and shoots more, but those are still sky-high bars. Don’t be disappointed if he isn’t a world beater right away, 

• SHL stats (D+2): 46gp 12g 17a 29p, 5’11” 176lbs
• Player Comparison, 80% of Cale Makar NHL stats (D+2): 57gp 12g 38a 50p

Anton Johansson: Not to be confused with Albert Johansson, AntJo is much larger and also has legit upside. If ASP pans out, AntJo, Seider, and ASP could be one of the best right sides in the NHL. Big frame, great skater, and legit offensive talent, AntJo could be a revelation for the Red Wings’ future bottom 4. 

• SHL stats (D+3): 46gp 5g 5a 10p, 6’4” 197lbs
• Player Comparison, Nick Perbix NCHC stats (D+3): 39gp 5g 10a 15p 

Antti Tuomisto: Repeat the thesis joke one last time before this is all over. Tuomisto is what happens when these guys don’t reach their potential. Tuomisto will likely end up with a career as a minor leaguer and a warning sign to Steve Yzerman.

• AHL stats (D+6): 67gp 3g 24a 27p, 6’4” 194lbs
• Player Comparison, An older version of everyone else who doesn’t pan out: N/A

Goalies

Sebastian Cossa: I stand on my case that Cossa is the best goalie prospect in hockey. Not only is he the Red Wings’ goalie with the biggest upside given his massive stature, but he’s also the Red Wings’ prospect in general with the highest upside. The massive, athletic goalie just needs to get a little more consistent before being dominant in the NHL. 

• AHL stats (D+4): 41gp .911% 2.67GAA, 6’6” 229lbs
• Player Comparison, Ben Bishop AHL stats (D+4): 33gp .897% 2.81GAA

Trey Augustine: Augustine has this narrative that his size is the problem, and while 6’1 isn’t ideal, it isn’t the end of the world. Augustine is a fundamentals-based goalie, and he is very sound in the net. The Michigan State goaltender has also stepped in for the USA at the World Championship in prior years. His ceiling is around the same as Cossa’s, but the size makes me lean away from him. Not to mention Cossa impressed at the pro level, while Augustine has spent most of his time in the NCAA. It will be interesting to see how the future of the Red Wings’ goaltending plays out. 

• Big-10 stats (D+2): 30gp .917% 2.52GAA, 6’1” 179lbs
• Player Comparison, Jeremy Swayman H-East stats (D+2): 35gp .919% 2.77GAA

Michal Pradel: Almost the complete opposite of Augustine, Pradel has a big frame but lacks some of the fundamentals you want to see from a pro goalie. Pradel certainly seems like he can be another solid addition to the NHL’s best goalie pipeline, and fortunately, you can teach size the fundamentals, but you can’t teach the fundamentals size. 

• USHL stats (D): 14gp .899% 2.41GAA, 6’5” 198lbs
• Player Comparison, Petr Mrazek OHL stats (D): 30gp .905% 3.00GAA

Michal Postava: The undrafted Czech goaltender has impressed in the top league in Czechia. Currently, he is used as an organizational piece that doesn’t seem likely to be in NHL consideration. I believe the Red Wings are more interested in Cossa, Augustine, and Pradel, while Postava will serve as, at best, a spot starter for the foreseeable future. 

• Czechia stats (undrafted, 23 years old): 43gp .921% 2.39GAA, 6’2” 205lbs
• Player Comparison, Jake Allen NHL stats (23 years old): 15gp .905% 2.46GAA

Rudy Guimond: Getting out of the USHL was big for Guimond. Being in the QMJHL really upped his performance; he didn’t lose a single game. He has an NHL frame and a decent talent ceiling. The biggest problem for Guimond is the names in front of him. 

• QMJHL stats (D+2): 16gp .940% 1.73GAA, 6’3” 172lbs
• Player Comparison, Kevin Lankinen SM-liiga stats (undrafted): 24gp .911% 2.99GAA

Landon Miller: In terms of physical traits, Miller and Guimond are pretty similar. Miller leans a little bit more on the positional side of the game. Miller did struggle with the Soo Greyhounds this season, which isn’t doing him any favours. 

• OHL stats (D+1): 37gp .877% 4.07GAA, 6’3” 203lbs
• Player Comparison, Samuel Montembault QMJHL stats (D+1): 47gp .901% 2.63GAA

That concludes my series of Red Wings prospects. The other post can be found on my profile, so check it out if you haven’t already. Questions, concerns, thoughts, or others will all be read in the box below, and links to my sources will be down below as well. Thanks for reading. 

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