Who Are These Guys On Red Wings Rookie Roster?

Perparation are ongoing for this weekend’s Detroit Red Wings rookie games against the Dallas Stars in Traverse City. Meanwhile, you might be finding yourself with some questions on your mind.

Such as, who are these guys?

It’s a fair point to make.

Of the 24 players on the Detroit roster, just seven are Red Wings draft picks. At the other end of the spectrum there are 11 free agents. They’ll be hoping to make enough of an impression during the two games to garner an invite to the club’s main training camp.

Among this group are right-wingers Borya Valis (Prince George, WHL), Charlie Paquette (Guelph, OHL) and Dylan Edwards (Erie, OHL), centers Chase Lefebvre (Peterborough, OHL) and Brayden Edwards (Lethbridge, WHL). Defensemen Matthew Virgilio (Sault Ste. Marie, OHL), Bauer Dumanski (Prince George, WHL) John Van Mulligen (Medicine Hat, WHL), Blake Smith (Flint, OHL), Marcus Kearsey (Charlottetown, QMJHL) and Zack Sandhu (Oshawa, OHL) are other free agents coming to rookie camp.

If you’ve got an eagle eye and a sharp memory, you’ll recall that Lefebvre, Paquette, Valis, Kearsey, Smith and both of the Edwards boys were participating in the Red Wings July development camp.

Teammates Of Red Wings Picks

Both Valis and Dumanski were WHL teammates of Red Wings 2024 third-round draftee Ondrej Becher last season with the Prince George Cougars.

Los Angeles-born Denver resident Valis was acquired last season in a trade with the Regina Pats. “Valis is an offensive player that has a nose for the net,” former Red Wings forward Mark Lamb, coach/GM of the Cougars, told the Prince George Citizen.

Dumanski is the type of defender with the necessary skills to work the back end in the current pro game. “His puck movement skills are what you need to be effective in today’s game,” Cougars scouting director Bob Simmonds told the Prince George Citizen.

Virgilio worked in front of another 2024 Red Wings pick, goalie Landon Miller. They were teammates with the OHL Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Over the summer, Virgilio was dealt to the Niagara IceDogs. Original, Vigilio was leaning toward the college route and was a verbal commitment to the Michigan Wolverines.

“Virgilio took good strides with his game,” Greyhounds GM Kyle Raftis told The Sault Star. “Obviously, he was a big part of our playoff run this year, played some big minutes for us”

Paquette Familiar With NHLers

Paquette was weaned on hockey. His father Andy Paquette runs PowerTech Hockey. It’s a high-end training service for elite players based in Windsor, Ontario, across the boder from Detroit. Among Andy Paquette’s clients over the years have been NHLers such as Steve Ott, Zack Kassian, Mike Weber, Aaron Ekblad and former Red Wings and Grand Rapids Griffins winger Matt Puempel.

Dylan Edwards was an eighth round OHL pick of the Erie Otters. Cut in training camp last season he was battling his way back onto the roster by midseason.

“The way in which Dylan has dealt with adversity is exactly what you would describe to other players in how to handle this type of situation,”  Otters general manager Dave Brown told CHL.ca.

Lefebvre From Yzerman’s Junior Club

Likewise, Chase Lefebvre was a 15th round OHL draft pick who found a way to make the Peterborough Petes, the OHL team for which Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman played. “I forecheck and backcheck hard, I have good vision and I’m a fast skater,” Lefebvre said.

Brayden Edwards of the WHL Lethbridge Hurricanes feels he was gaining much from attending the Red Wings summer development camp. “I was able to take in a lot that I can hopefully put into next season,” he said.

Medicine Hat Tigers defenseman Josh Van Mulligen is getting his second shot with an NHL team. He was an attendee of the Edmonton Oilers development camp in 2023. “Just seeing my name on the jersey and everything, it’s pretty cool and it’s something I’m really grateful for,” Van Mulligen told the Medicine Hat News

Blake Smith of the OHL Flint Firebirds is a shutdown defenseman. He’s building a reputation as a shot blocker and a physical presence. “He has a long reach and takes pride in defending,” former Flint coach Ted Dent told CHL.ca.

Splitting last season between Guelph and Oshawa of the OHL, scouts are viewing Sandhu as a steady, reliable, low-risk style of defender.

Kearsey was winning the QMJHL top defensive rookie award with the Charlottetown Islanders following the 2022-23 season. “He’s a fun guy to coach, always a smile on his face,” Charlottetown coach Jim Hulton said. “He’s an energetic guy who’s always going to be a positive leader.”