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The post Red Wings Look To Give Johansson A True Opportunity (+) appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Detroit Red Wings defense prospect Albert Johansson is the latest player to discover that GM Steve Yzerman is a ruthless contract negotiator.

Granted, with nary an NHL game under his belt, the argument that Johansson wasn’t sitting down at the table across from Yzerman with a lot of ammunition of his side in this latest contract showdown between player and GM is valid. Yet Yzerman has shown us in the past that even when you do have some weapons at your disposal, he can deflect with the best of them.

UPDATE: The Detroit #RedWings today signed defenseman Albert Johansson to a one-year, two-way contract extension.

Details: https://t.co/rd0h5HpV3i pic.twitter.com/SD4yfdXfIh

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 19, 2024

Wednesday, the Red Wings were announcing that the 23-year-old Swedish defenseman was agreeing to terms on a one-year contract. A restricted free agent, Johansson’s pact will pay him $775,000 if he’s playing in the NHL. That’s barely above the NHL minimum salary of $750,000.

On the other hand, should Johansson be back in the American Hockey League with the Grand Rapids Griffins, his annual paycheck plummets to $90,000. That’s quite the haircut for what would amount to a $660,000 bus ticket to GR. It would be a $20,000 raise over what Johansson was earning with the Griffins last season, though.

Johansson Would Need To Clear Waivers

Perhaps Johansson is also rolling the dice. As a player out of options, he’d be needing to clear NHL waivers to return to the Griffins. Are the Red Wings willing to take the risk of losing him to send Johansson back down next season before getting a look at him in NHL action?

Albert Johansson scores for the Griffins – and watch the play by Berggren as well #LGRW pic.twitter.com/sAVsYBXKMX

— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) December 6, 2023

The 60th player chosen in the 2019 NHL entry draft, Johansson is getting good progress reports from Grand Rapids coach Dan Watson.

“(He’s) another guy who’s prepared, another guy who’s a pro and does things the right way,” Watson said.

Yzerman A Hardball Negotiator

Johansson isn’t the first player in the organization to find out that there’s little wiggle room when sitting across the negotiating table from Yzerman. Even veteran Red Wings have found him a tough nut to crack.

Last season, center Joe Veleno, with 152 NHL games and 18 goals under his belt, could only get a one-year deal worth $825,000 out of the Red Wings GM. That made Veleno the lowest-paid regular player on the team.

Even stars find out the Yzerman isn’t going to budge much from his negotiating stance. In 2022-23, following a 30-goal season, forward Tyler Bertuzzi was seeking a huge raise and significant term as an impending UFA. Instead, Yzerman dealt Bertuzzi to the Boston Bruins.

Based on Bertuzzi’s output in the two seasons since, it would appear that Yzerman’s hard stance was the correct approach.

That same season, captain Dylan Larkin was also on the brink of becoming a UFA. After a long, drawn-out negoitating process, the captain would ultimately agree to an eight-year pact worth $8.7 million. Larkin’s camp had been seeking an AAV in the $9-10 million range.

The post Red Wings Yzerman Plays Hardball With Johansson appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Bob Duff’s latest article explains there are multiple reasons why the Detroit Red Wings could regress next season. The expected infusion of prospects is chief among those reasons.

Detroit draft picks Simon Edvinsson, Albert Johansson and Jonatan Berggren are likely going to be on the team. Marco Kasper could be on the roster. Elmer Soderblom is also in the mix to be on the parent club.

Younger players make more mistakes, and the margin of error for Detroit to qualify for the post season is small. While Detroit’s team is improving, the rosters in Montreal, Ottawa and Buffalo are also improving.

Duff also points out the Detroit power play may not be as strong if Patrick Kane and Shayne Gostisbehere are lost to free agency. The team’s place among the top 10 NHL power play is a primary reason why Detroit challenge for the playoffs in 2023-24. Check out Duff’s insightful article.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

Bob Duff offers five reasons why the Red Wings could regress next season. One reason is the Red Wings plan to use some younger players such as Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson on defense.

The Grand Rapids Griffins signed college free agent Gabriel Seger, a Swedish player from Cornell.

The Red Wings have swung and missed on some draft picks in the first and second rounds in recent years. Tim Robinson looks at some of the players they should have drafted including Alex DeBrincat. 

JONATAN BERGGREN DOES IT AGAIN IN OVERTIME@griffinshockey | #GRvsRFD | #CalderCup pic.twitter.com/IvxI7FwG6B

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) May 4, 2024

Red Wings Offseason

Former Detroit Red Wings’ first round pick Tom McCollum, 34, is transferring from Eisbaren Regensburg of the German second division to the Belfast Giants. The Red Wings drafted him 30th overall in 2008. In Sweden, former Detroit player Mathias Brome is leaving Orebo and moving to Lulea

Hockey Now Network

Buffalo: Jason Moser offers three free agents the Sabres should avoid at all costs. Buffalo Sabres.

Chicago: Nate Brown explains why drafting Michigan State defenseman defenseman Artyom Levshunov would make some sense for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Florida: Sasha Barkov “feels good” after Draisaitl blow to the heard. Florida Panthers.

Montreal: Marc Dumont explains why the Habs could move Carey Price’s contact in July. What would the Tampa Bay Lightning to use Price’s LTIR to help their salary cap outlook? Montreal Canadiens.

The post The Daily: Red Wings Rookies May Stumble; ‘Hawks Eye MSU D Man appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

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The post Red Wings Slow-Cooked Quality Defensive Prospect (+) appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

If you are looking to solve the case of the Grand Rapids Griffins’ five-game winning streak, the evidence shows that the fingerprints of Detroit Red Wings prospects are all over it.

The Contributors

• Jonatan Berggren (drafted 33rd in 2018) registered a goal and an assist Saturday night to help the Griffins down the Iowa Wild 4-1 for their fifth consecutive win.  The Swedish forward has two goals, three multiple games and seven points during the streak.
• Carter Mazur (drafted 70th in 2021) also tallied his sixth goal in the past eight games in that win against Iowa. Mazur totals four goals, five points and 18 shots on goal in the five victories.
• Marco Kasper (drafted eighth overall in 2022) assisted on Joel L’Esperance’s goal to give him six points in the five games. After a slow start, he now has 14 points in 31 games.
• Amadeus Lombardi (drafted 113th in 2022) assisted on Berggren’s goal. He has three assists in the streak. Lombardi now has 12 points.

Tuomisto Rising

• After an injury undermined the start of his first season in North American pro hockey, defenseman Antti Tuomisto  (drafted 35th overall) has established himself as a significant contributor on Grand Rapids’ defense. The 6-foot-5 Finland native has two goals and three points in the five games. If count the time he spent with the Toledo Walleye as part of his rehabilitation stint, Tuomisto has launched his North American pro career with seven goals and 10 points in his first 17 games.
• Defenseman Albert Johansson (drafted 60th overall in 2019) picked up an assist to give him two goals and three points in the streak. He’s also +6. Johansson may not be a top pairing defenseman at the NHL level, but he’s going to play and be a dependable player. He’s +13 this season for the Griffins.
• Prize prospect Simon Edvinsson (drafted sixth overall in 2021) is +4 during the streak and boasts three points.
•  Goalie Sebastian Cossa (drafted 15th overall in 2021) is 2-0 during the Grand Rapids run. One of his wins was an impressive 29-save effort to best Jesper Wallstedt who was rated ahead of him in the 2021 draft year.

pic.twitter.com/sv3K1b7ZYY

— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) January 7, 2024

Last summer, Detroit GM Steve Yzerman made it point to say he wanted to make Grand Rapids a more competitive team. The Red Wings will continue to have top prospects playing for the Griffins. He wants to make sure their AHL experience includes playoff action.

With their recent run, the Griffins are 14-3-3-1, good enough for third place in the AHL’s Central Division.  One of Yzerman’s goals was to solidify the Griffins’ goaltending. The signing of veteran Michael Hutchinson, 33, has helped in that regard. He has given up only five goals in three wins during the streak.

The post Red Wings’ Prospects Carrying Their Weight in Griffins Win Streak appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

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The post Johansson Making Good Impression in Grand Rapids (+) appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The Grand Rapids Griffins are doing what their parent team hasn’t been able to do since early December. The Griffins are climbing in the standings.

Some of Detroit’s top prospects delivered in the Griffins’ 5-1 win against the Cleveland Monsters on New Year’s Eve.  Defenseman Albert Johansson (drafted 60th in 2019) scored a pair of goals and Carter Mazur (drafted 70th in 2021) scored for the fourth consecutive game to help Grand Rapids win its third consecutive win. That allowed the Griffins to move into a tie for third place in the American Hockey League’s Central Division.

“Getting momentum back for us after the Christmas break is huge for  us,” Mazur said. “It shows we are headed in the right direction, especially as a young team, to get those wins under our belt early, to keep it going.

Jonatan Berggren (drafted 33rd in 2018) also had a pair of assists and Simon Edvinsson (Drafted sixth in 2021) had one. Mazur boasts five goals and six points in his past six games.

NEW YEAR'S EVE W!!
Griffins – 5 Monsters – 1#GoGRG pic.twitter.com/jPEmlYS4YS

— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) January 1, 2024

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• Red Wings were better defensively, but not good enough in loss to the Boston Bruins.
• You have to see the video of Tomas Jurco being manhandled by his coach on the bench at the Spengler Cup.
• Are Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat better off with J.T. Compher as their center?
• Jake Walman is now among the NHL leaders in goals by a defenseman. Red Wings D Men are contributing significantly to the offense.

Red Wings Next Game

Detroit begins a three-game western road trip with a game Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks have lost eight games in a row, and hold the league’s worst record of 9-25-3. But the Sharks erased a four-goal deficit and downed Detroit 6-5 in overtime in their last meeting on Dec. 7. They will be facing former Red Wings player Filip Zadina. He has four goals and 10 points in 32 games for the Sharks. He is -7 in his past three games. After facing San Jose, the Red Wings play the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday and the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.

Hockey Now Network

Boston: BHN’s Mick Colageo’s take: Boston Bruins are at a crossroads with forward Jake DeBrusk.

Chicago: Nate Brown writes that draft pick Frank Nazar is playing well enough at the University of Michigan to believe he will be playing for the Chicago Blackhawks next fall.

Philadelphia: Former Flyers player Dave Poulin, who succeeded Bobby Clarke as captain, was named Senior Vice President of Hockey operations for the Ottawa Senators. Philadelphia Flyers.

Pittsburgh: Ex-Red Wings goalie Alex Nedeljkovic takes down the Islanders to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 7-1-1 record for their last nine games.  The Penguins are now one of three teams between Detroit and the last wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

San Jose: The San Jose Sharks lost their eighth game in a row and defenseman Mario Ferraro was injured.

The post The Daily: Mazur, Johansson Key Griffins Win; Red Wings Go West appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Under the tutelage of GM Steve Yzerman, the Detroit Red Wings have made 12 selections in the NHL entry draft. That’s good news from a rebuilding standpoint. On the other hand, there’s also worrisome news. There isn’t one among those 12 players who’ve suited up for an NHL game.

Granted, three of those players – goaltender Trey Augustine and defensemen Andrew Gibson and Brady Cleveland – were only recently selected in the 2023 draft. It’s far too early to write any of them out of the future.

And, it’s also worth noting that for the most part, Yzerman and his scouting staff are opting to be selecting players who are heading to play U.S. college hockey, or who are playing in Europe. They are certainly specializing in players that they can afford time and patience to while they are developing.

That being said, the team has now gone through five drafts under Yzerman. And really, beyond first rounders like defenseman Moritz Seider (2019) and winger Lucas Raymond (2020), the Red Wings haven’t come up with another NHL regular from that draft pool.

Red Wings 2019 Draft Class Under Scrutiny

Alarm bells certainly went off earlier this week when winger Robert Mastrosimone was signing an AHL deal with the Toronto Marlies. He was part of Yzerman’s first draft class, chosen 54th overall in 2019 and wasn’t considered even worthy of a contract offer.

“At some point we hope to have a really good nucleus, but the reality is that somewhere along the way they don’t all play,” Yzerman said of NHL draftees. “Maybe you don’t have room for them all. One player hasn’t developed the way you hoped, so you take another at that position, or trade and acquire to fill that void.”

That being the case, it’s also abundantly true that in a salary cap world, the fastest way to climb up the standings is by drafting effectively.

“If you don’t have a good team, you better have a lot of draft picks, because how are you gonna get better?” Yzerman asked.

Playing in an exhibition game with Färjestad+NHLers fostered there Albert Johansson scores on a penalty shot. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/poy89Agbtu

— Lars Thorsell (@LarsThorsell) August 2, 2023

Of Detroit’s other two second rounders, defenseman Albert Johansson (60th) spent last season with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins. Word within the organization was were it not for a late-season injury, Johansson likely would’ve been getting an NHL look.

The first second rounder ever chosen by the Yzerman regime, Finnish defenseman Antti Tuomisto (32nd) will be making his North American pro debut with the Griffins this fall. Considering that forward Elmer Soderblom (159th overall) was also seeing duty in 21 NHL games for Detroit last season, there’s still a chance that the club could be producing three NHLers from the 2019 crop, which in hockey circles is considered a good draft.

Red Wings 2nd Round Picks Under Steve Yzerman

It’s going to be a big year for Detroit draftees in terms of turning corners. Defenseman William Wallinder (32nd, 2020) is also going to be debuting in Grand Rapids. Left-winger Cross Hanas (55-2020) is beginning his second campaign with the Griffins. He’ll be looking to rebound from season-ending shoulder surgery.

Right-winger Theodor Neiderbach (51-2020) needs a breakthrough year with MoDo of the SHL. Otherwise it’s unlikely he’ll be earning a Detroit contract. Scouts are offering mixed reviews of Denver defenseman Shai Buium (36-2021).

First goal in KHL for 19-year-old Dmitry Buchelnikov! pic.twitter.com/REPZdikyra

— KHL (@khl_eng) September 28, 2022

It’ll be another two years at least before left-winger Dmitri Buchelnikov’s Russian commitments are complete. He remains an international man of mystery. Left-winger Dylan James enters his sophomore year at North Dakota after finishing strongly in 2022-23.

Still Too Early To Write Off Detroit’s Second Rounders

It will take another year or two before anyone will be penning an epitaph regarding Yzerman’s first two draft classes. That doesn’t mean there isn’t justifiable cause for concern.

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When Yzerman was building a Stanley Cup contender in Tampa Bay, he and his staff unearthed several gems in the later rounds of the draft. Nikita Kucherov (58th) and Ondrej Palat (208th) were selections in 2011. Brayden Point (79-2014) was another steal.

If the Red Wings want to get better, they’d better start finding some players of this ilk.

The post On Draft Day, Red Wings Aren’t Second Best appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Detroit Red Wings prospect defenseman Albert Johansson says he needs to be patient waiting for his NHL opportunity. But if you are fluent in reading between the lines, you can translate that as champing at the bit.

“There’s some new players that have come in, and several who had good seasons last year, but I think I had a good season too,” Johansson told the Swedish media outlet, nwt.se. “When I’ve talked to the coaches it hasn’t sounded like (I’ve) been that far off, an NHL-debut.”

IcehockeyGifs translated some of Johansson’s quotes. It sounds as if Johansson has an insightful understanding of his place among Detroit prospects.  The Red Wings liked how he playing last season in Grand Rapids and probably would have given him an NHL shot had he not been injured.

Some excerpts from an article on Albert Johansson.

"Johansson ready for the toughest year of his career – that's how the dream comes true."https://t.co/ub0PgQbSUO

— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) August 21, 2023

Where Johansson ranks

The Red Wings defense is improved this season, and Ontario sports betting is giving them much-improved odds to make the playoffs.

In terms of skill and potential impact, Simon Edvinsson and Axel Sandin Pellikka are Detroit’s top two  prospect defensemen. But Johansson is way ahead of the Sandin Pellikka in terms of NHL readiness. He is four years older than Sandin Pellikka and Johannson has used the last four seasons becoming an effective all-around player. Johansson is not on any Top 50 lists, but the Red Wings believe he will be a consistent performer.

Based on how Johansson played last season, the Red Wings would probably feel confident bringing him up if their defense is beset by injuries. The Red Wings currently have 15 defensemen between Detroit and Grand Rapids.

The new players Johansson was talking about include Antti Tuomisto and William Wallinder. They are both getting their first taste of the American Hockey League. Tuomisto was drafted ahead of Johansson in the second round of the 2019 draft, but Johannson is ahead of now because he has one season in the AHL. Tuomisto played in Finland last season, while Wallinder was in the Swedish Hockey League.

“I’m definitely going there to realize my childhood dream,” Johansson said in the Swedish story. “A new season, the second season who they say is one of the toughest, it’s going to be important to handle that in a good way and stay patient.”

The post Red Wings Prospect Johansson Eager For NHL Shot appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Any Detroit Red Wings fan who wants to see what the team will look like when the rebuild is completed only needs to make the 157-mile drive to watch the Grand Rapids Griffins play this season.

Depending on who makes the Red Wings roster this season, it’s possible, on some nights, 55 percent (11 players) of the Griffins’ lineup could be Steve Yzerman draft picks.  That doesn’t include Yzerman undrafted prospect free agent signings, such as Wyatt Newpower, Alexandre Doucet and John Lethemon. It also doesn’t include prospect Jared McIsaac, 23, who was a Ken Holland draftee.

Since taking over as GM in 2019, Yzerman has participated in five drafts and selected seven first round picks. Two of the first round picks (Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond) are in Detroit, and three (Sebastian Cossa, Simon Edvinsson and Marco Kasper) could start in Grand Rapids. The 2023 first rounders (Nate Danielson and Axel Sandin Pellikka) will return to their teams from last season.

Dan Watson, the highly successful Toledo Walleye coach from last season, is the Griffins’ new coach this season. This is the Yzerman draft picks he might have this season:

First-Rounders

They start with goalie Sebastian Cossa, considered by many to be the Red Wings’ goalie of the near future. The team’s top draft pick in 2021 had a strong season Toledo.

Defenseman Simon Edvinsson (No. 5 in 2021) is recovering from surgery and it’s hard to say with certainty whether he will be ready for the start of the season. He could start in Detroit or Grand Rapids.

Forward Marco Kasper, taken in the first round in 2022, played in one game for the Red Wings last year. In theory, he could win a Detroit roster spot in training camp.

Second-Rounders

Defenseman Antti Tuomisto is a 2019 pick who played in Finland after two years at the University of Denver.  Defenseman Albert Johansson, the third of the three second-round picks that year, spent last season in Grand Rapids.

Another defenseman, William Wallinder, a 2020 second-rounder  who played in a single game at Grand Rapids last year, spent most of last winter playing in Sweden.

Forward Cross Hanas, the third of three second-round picks in 2020, returns to Grand Rapids after scoring nine goals in 30 games last season.

Third-Rounders

Defenseman Eemil Viro spent most of his first pro season with Grand Rapids last winter.  He was taken in the third round in 2020. Forward Carter Mazur, a third-round pick in 2021, played in six games with the Griffins last year after leaving the University of Denver, scoring three goals.

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Other notables

Amadeus Lombardi, a fourth-round pick in 2022, is highly touted in his first full pro season after scoring 45 goals for the Flint Firebirds of the OHL last season.

Elmer Soderblom, a sixth-round pick in 2019, played in 21 games for Detroit and 20 for Grand Rapids, recording the same scoring line (5-3—8) at both levels. There’s certainly a chance he will start the season in Detroit.

The post The Griffins Will Mostly Be Yzerman Players in 2023-24 appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.