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There will be plenty of eyes on the future of the Detroit Red Wings during training camp and the NHL preseason.

From Nate Danielson to Marco Kasper to Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, there are a number of first-round draft picks to eyeball and assess their NHL readiness.

However, it could be that the Red Wings prospect who’s the closest to being NHL ready isn’t any of them.

It just might be Carter Mazur.

Certainly, Mazur’s work is leaving an impression on Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman. He’s truly excited about the determination Mazur is displaying to do the things he needs to do in order to get better.

Extended highlights of Carter Mazur's pro debut with the Grand Rapids Griffins #GoGRG #LGRW pic.twitter.com/MVJ4aNt6E7

— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) March 30, 2023

“You’ll see if you get a chance to see Carter in training camp,” Yzerman said. “He’s worked very hard physically getting stronger, and that was really an important thing for him.”

Detroit forward Patrick Kane is another whose head has been turned by Mazur’s performance on the ice.

“I was actually on the same team as Mazur in our little three on three tournament, and he was pretty impressive,” Kane said. “Just the way he shoots the puck in, the way he’s able to get his release off so quickly. I think he surprised some goaltenders with his shot.”

Injury Deprived Mazur Of Rookie Red Wings Camp

Last season, his first full one in the pro ranks, got off to an inauspicious beginning for Mazur. A leg injury right off the bat during the club’s rookie tournament put him on the shelf for quite some time.

“Maze gets hurt right away,” Red Wings player development director Dan Cleary recalled. “He looked good. Disappointing. It took a little while to come back.”

When he did come back, Mazur did so with a vengeance. He’d score 17 goals in 60 regular-season games with the Griffins. During the Calder Cup playoffs, he was good for 3-5-8 totals over nine games.

Carter Mazur CTR ALT DELETE #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/iNaQgl1LLy

— Spoked Z (@SpokedZ) December 27, 2021

In the six-foot, 170-pound Mazur, hockey people draw parallels with Boston Bruins star Brad Marchand. Like Marchand, Mazur is an agitating type with a knack for scoring big goals.

“Mazur is a phenomenal player,” said Red Wings defense prospect Shai Buium, who won an NCAA title alongside Mazur at the Univeraty of Denver. “He does everything right.”

Draper Knows Mazur Well

Perhaps no one in the Red Wings organization is as fluent in Mazur’s charge to the top of the hockey world as Kris Draper. Detroit’s assistant GM and director of amateur scouting was Mazur’s youth hockey coach.

“Carter is an incredible kid,” Draper said. “The one thing I knew about Maze was that this kid was always low maintenance. It was just go out and play. You could see at 15, 16 years old he had a good feel for the game. He had the smarts, he had the competitiveness.

“He’s a wiry, strong player. You look at him and everyone says he’s gotta get stronger. But the thing you realize when he goes out and plays the game is No. 1, he has the puck. No. 2, he’s always hard to knock off the puck and that’s something that you don’t teach. It’s just something that’s there.

“He’s got that inner drive. He’s got that competitiveness. Carter was a kid that always wanted to get better. He was always asking the right questions. At practice time, a lot of the little things. The puck protection, the wall play. Understanding PK stick placement.”

That overall package might not get Mazur to the Red Wings out of this camp, but it will get him to the Red Wings. And it will be sooner rather than later.

The post Mazur Could Be Red Wings October Surprise appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

When you listen to GM Steve Yzerman discuss Jonatan Berggren, it’s clear that the Swedish forward’s lack of time in with the Detroit Red Wings last season didn’t reflect a lack of faith in his ability.

“We’re really  pleased with how he played down the stretch,” Yzerman said. “It was a tough year for him. He was up and down a little bit and probably more than he preferred. But he worked hard every time he went back to GR.”

Berggren, 24, generated 24 goals and 56 points in 53 games for the Griffins. That included seven goals and 14 points in his final 13 games of the season. He also totaled five goals and 10 points in nine playoff games.

Last season, the Red Wings took advantage of the fact that Berggren was waiver-exempt. They could send him back and forth to the minors without fear of losing him. They also had enough scoring last season. That’s changes this season.

“Feeling like this is a year for me to prove I belong in this league,” Berggren said. “So yeah, my focus on training camp is just coming with a great attitude and show them what player I am and how big of summer I had.”

It was emotionally challenging for Berggren to stay positive when he couldn’t stick with Detroit.

“It been a little bit tough. I will not lie,” Berggren said on the opening day of training camp in Traverse City.  Going up and down. Basically living in my car, me and my girlfriend. So it was. I think looking back at it, it was a grow a lot and mentally strong and stuff. …But I think it will help me in the long (run).”

The Red Wings aren’t just hoping Berggren will produce this season — they need him to produce, to be a significant offensive contributor. Daniel Sprong (18 goals), Robby Fabbri (18) and David Perron (17) were Detroit’s fifth-, sixth- and seventh-highest scoring  forwards last season. All three are gone through either a trade or free agency.

Vladimir Tarasenko will replace one of those forwards and Berggren needs to replace another.

Berggren’s career NHL numbers say he can certainly accomplish that. Over two seasons, Berggren has played 79 games (the equivalent of close to a full NHL season) and has netted 17 goals.

“He’s a smart hockey player,” Yzerman said. “He’s got good skills and it’s just the ability to do it at the NHL level. And he’s shown in some of the his call ups, brief periods that he’s called up that he has the ability and the hockey sense to play in the NHL.”

Pivotal Season

Yzerman recently reached an agreement with Berggren on a one-year contract for $825,000. Both the team and players were fine with that.

“We talked about one or two years,” Yzerman said. “Ultimately, with one player remaining unsigned, knowing what the salary cap is, probably weren’t in a position at this time to do a two-year deal… And if Jonathan goes out and has a solid season, he’s in a very good spot to renegotiate after one year. So you know what he needs to do? Just be a good hockey player in all areas of the aspects of the game, offensively, defensively.”

Berggren has been working out in Detroit lately.

 “He looks like he’s worked really hard this summer,” Yzerman said. “He’s in good shape… He’s worked hard, he’s been patient and get a good opportunity this year. Pretty confident that he’ll be a positive influence on our team.”

The post Why Berggren is More Important to the Red Wings This Season appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Both the Detroit Red Wings and their top farm club, the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins, are asking the same question entering training camp.

Who’s gonna score the goals this season?

In Detroit, the Red Wings said goodbye to Daniel Sprong (18), David Perron (17), Robby Fabbri (18), Jake Walman (12) and Shayne Gostisbehere (10). That’s 75 goals.

“We’d like to think (free agent addition) Vlad Tarasenko offsets one of those losses,” Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman said. “We think Jonatan Berggren can offset another of those losses.”

Solid weekend pic.twitter.com/IwgbT7H4AK

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 15, 2024

Berggren (24 goals) is among those who will be gone from the Grand Rapids offense. Other key contributors who won’t be returning are Joel L’Esperance (16), Taro Hirose (nine), Zach Aston-Reese (12), Matt Luff (10) and Austin Czarnik (10). That’s 81 goals.

Who replaces those goals? One of the candidates could be left-winger Alexandre Doucet. He was an 19-goal scorer last season as a pro rookie with the ECHL Toledo Walleye. He’s anxious to prove that he can bring that touch to the AHL. During Detroit’s rookie series with the Dallas Stars, Doucet would tally three times in two games.

Doucet Ready To Step Up To Griffins

He believes he’s learned his lessons well and is prepared to make that next step up the hockey ladder.

“I’m working on my strength, getting faster,” the six-foot, 192-pound Doucet said. “I think I’ve got smarter playing the coast last year, so I’m just trying to show that I’ve improved a lot.

“I don’t want to go back in the coast, so I’ve tried to work hard this summer to prove that I belong in Grand Rapids.”

Two games, two dubs!

: Doucet, Johannes, Finnie
: Johannes, Lombardi, Doucet, Rychlovsky, Danielson pic.twitter.com/yXxDgfK98h

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 15, 2024

Griffins coach Dan Watson was behind the bench for those rookie games. He was liking what he was seeing from Doucet.

“What he put in the summertime, I think he’s in better shape,” Watson said. “We know he could score. We know he’s got that energy now.

“It’s being consistent with it, and I think we saw that consistency. He was able to follow up shift after shift with his skating, with his compete level.

“What he did with the puck, that’s what we need to see all the time with him, is just that high energy, but at a consistent level.”

The post Can Doucet Deliver Goals For Griffins? appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

To no one’s surprise, forward Jonatan Berggren is the first of the three Detroit Red Wings restricted free agents to reach agreement on a new contract.

Also not surprising is the AAV – $825,000. It always figured that Berggren’s pact would come in around the neighborhood of $800,000.

It’s a one-year deal and again, that’s not at all surprising. Berggren is getting a prove it contract, much like the deal Joe Veleno was agreeing to a year ago.

Berggren has to play in the NHL this season. He can’t be sent back to the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins without first clearing NHL waivers, and that’s not going to happen.

BERGY IS BACK!

The #RedWings have signed forward Jonatan Berggren to a one-year contract with an AAV of $825,000. pic.twitter.com/bxGkWx8FEF

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 16, 2024

The 24-year-old Swedish right-winger has taken on every challenge the Red Wings have been asking of him. He spent the majority of last season in the AHL following an NHL campaign in which he’d scored 15 goals in 67 games. Berggren would lead the Griffins in scoring with 24-32-56 totals in 53 games.

“He did a really good job in a really tough situation last year,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said. “I’ll never say anyone’s played themselves out of the American Hockey League. It’s just too good of a league. But he’s proven, or maybe more it’s he’s earned this opportunity.”

Money Slots In Nicely For Red Wings

Of course, Detroit must still get key RFAs defenseman Moritz Seider and left-winger Lucas Raymond to agree to new contracts. The Berggren pact is leaving the club with exactly $16,823,194 in available salary cap space.

Dividing up that remaining money into the contracts for these two players is the next task awaiting Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman. Seider, the club’s best defenseman, will get the higher stipend. Figure around an AAV of $8.1-$8.3 million range.

The Detroit Red Wings still have a pair of big RFAs remaining in Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond.

What will their next contracts look like? @JamisonCoyle | @asgrimson | #LGRW | #NHLTonight pic.twitter.com/OOBZyWN5rp

— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 15, 2024

Finishing as Detroit’s leading scorer last season, Raymond will be getting what’s left. That will be somewhere between $7.5-$7.7 million per season.

Everyone in the game has been expecting the money to land somewhere in these ranges. At this juncture, the sticking point is more likely term than it is cash.

The clock is ticking, though. The Red Wings open training camp Thursday in Traverse City.

The post Berggren Gets What Was Expected in Red Wings Pact appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Left wing Taro Hirose, a member of the Detroit Red Wings organization for five years, has signed a deal to play for the Munich Red Bull in the German League.

The Red Wings signed Hirose as a college free agent out of Michigan State after the 2018-19 season. He played 60 games for Detroit over four different seasons. Hirose, 28, didn’t spend any time last season with the Red Wings, but played 54 games (nine goals, 36 points) for the their Grand Rapids Griffins farm team.

Ex-@NHL-Spieler Taro Hirose verstärkt unser Team!
Der gebürtige Kanadier wird die #redbulls als Außenstürmer unterstützen und künftig die Nummer 17 tragen.
Herzlich willkommen in München, Taro!
https://t.co/CEwepbNLLA pic.twitter.com/skqYI7aZF7

— EHC Red Bull München (@RedBullMuenchen) September 13, 2024

The Red Bulls signed Hirose as a replacement for the injured Trevor Parkes who is also a former Griffins player. Smallish forward Hirose is a play-making winger with quality power play instincts. He will wear No. 17 in Munich.

The Winnipeg native was a Hobey Baker candidate in his final season at Michigan State.

Hirose’s best season in Detroit came in 2019-20 when he played in 26 games and logged seven points. He did boast back-to-back 50-plus point seasons for the Griffins in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He is one of a few former Red Wings signing at the last minute. Gustav Lindstrom and Mark Pysyk landed PTOs with Anaheim earlier this week, and Matt Luff is getting a similar tryout with the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

Hirose’s brother Akito, 25, is in the Vancouver Canucks’ organization.

The post Hirose Lands Deal With German Team appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Detroit Red Wings prospect Axel Sandin Pellikka appears ready to answer the bell. That’s music to the ears of his Skelleftea teammates.

The Swedish club is facing a crisis due to injuries along the blueline. Facing Finland’s Lahti Pelicans on Friday in Champions Hockey League play, Skelleftea is showing three defensemen on the shelf. Rearguards Arvid Lundberg, Mans Forsfjall and Frans Haara are out.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka only played 02:38 today before stepping aside, but had time for some trickery all the same: pic.twitter.com/jmjxdysFI7

— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) September 6, 2024

Sandin Pellikka was also on the injury list. He’d been hurt in the club’s opening CHL game. He was missing for the second game, a loss to German’s Straubing Tigers, after aggravating an old injury.

Skelleftea has been using four defensemen from its junior club. Also recruited on loan was defender Fredrik Granberg. He plays for Pitea in HockeyEttan, Sweden’s third division.

However, there appears to be good news. At Thursday’s practice, Sandin Pellikka was no longer wearing the red no-contact jersey.

“Axel Sandin-Pellikka has taken off the red shirt,” Robin Lindgren reported on Swedish website Norran.se. “Looks to be ready again.”

Fast Start For Red Wings Prospect

Russian hockey watchers were projecting big things to happen for Red Wings draftee Dmitri Buchelnikov following his move to Vityaz of the KHL. “Buchelnikov will become the star of the new Vityaz,” predicted KHL.ru following the deal.

Another look at the snipe from Dmitri Buchelnikov pic.twitter.com/9s0Yul5CRj

— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) August 16, 2024

Four games into the KHL regular season, the player chosen 52nd overall by Detroit in the 2022 NHL entry draft is living up to that billing. As Vityaz readies to face Lada on Friday, Buchelnikov’s ledger is showing a goal and three assists. He’s picked up a point in three of the four games played by Vityaz.

Former Griffins Defenseman Eating Well In Russia

The Red Wings signed veteran NHLer Steven Kampfer in 2022. However, the journeyman defenseman never made it into Detroit’s lineup. Kampfer played all his games in the organization with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins. He was dealt to the Arizona Coyotes near the end of the 2022-23 season.

Last year, Kampfer was making the decision to return to the KHL. That’s where he was playing with the Red Wings were signing him in 2022. The 35-year-old defenseman plays for Traktor and he’s finding it to be a tasty experience.

In an interview with Russian website Metaratings.ru, Kampfer was boasting that the food in Russia is far superior to what he was eating in the USA.

“The quality of the products is high, of course,” Kampfer said. “In the US, it is common to shop for at least a week in advance, and, of course, there are also preservatives in the products. Here, if you don’t eat something quickly, it will spoil in a couple of days.

“Both my wife and I appreciate quality products. Even milk tastes different here, fruits and vegetables also taste better. You literally enjoy the food.”

The post Red Wings Prospect Notebook: Sandin Pellikka Back in Action appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

If Jakub Rychlovsky were to pen one of those how I spent my summer vacation essays, the central subject matter would be the Detroit Red Wings.

Among the more prevalent storylines that will be unfolding later this week in the NHL rookie games between Detroit and the Dallas Stars will be to see what kind of impression Rychlovsky can make in his North American bow.

He’s been doing his utmost to prepare to make his arrival impactful.

“I trained for four months. It was probably my longest preparation in my career,” Rychlovsky told Czech website iDnes.cz. “I think I prepared well. Now it’s just up to me to show myself in the best possible light in Detroit and leave a good first impression.

“I’m really looking forward to it, it’s been too long here in the Czech Republic.”

Rychlovsky Seeking Place With Red Wings

The six-foot, 178-pound left-winger is coming off a season in which led led the Czech Extraliga with 26 goals. That was earning him a two-year contract with Detroit.

Jakub Rychlovský : 26 goals in the regular season and another 5 in the playoffs #LGRW

pic.twitter.com/b6mNn8NTM0

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) June 7, 2024

He seems to already succinctly understand the methodology that the Red Wings hockey operations staff likes to undertake with prospects. Generally, rookies will serve their apprenticeship in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

“If you look at the history of how Detroit has handled players, they have mostly sent them to the farm,” Rychlovsky acknowledges. “So my journey will probably lead there too. But anything can happen.

“I will do my best to fight my way into the first team.”

While some of his Czech compatriots were making the move to North America at a young age in order to play Canadian junior hockey, Rychlovsky, 23, believes he was better served by staying home. His resume is already showing five seasons of pro hockey against men.

Simek Counsels Rychlovsky

Rychlovsky was getting his first taste of the NHL lifestyle while attending the Red Wings development camp in July.

“When I came to the main arena in Detroit, that’s probably when it hit me,” Rychlovsky explained. “The background, number and attitude of the people who look after the players in the organization is at an extreme level.”

Here’s Jakub Rychlovsky (No. 81) at development camp, a free agent #RedWings signed this offseason after he led the Czech League in goals. pic.twitter.com/KbgVueZuMZ

— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) July 5, 2024

He’s been working out with his old club Liberec in preparation for his North American debut. That’s been enabling him to pick the brain of defenseman Radim Simek. Simek finished last season with the Griffins before opting to return to play the 2024-25 season back in his homeland.

“We had daily debates about how everything is going on there, so that at the beginning I would have at least some information that would make it easier for me,” Rychlovsky said. “I am very grateful to Radim for that. I value his advice very much and I will certainly draw on it.”

The Red Wings haven’t been enjoying much in the way of success in recent years with European free agents. It doesn’t sound as though Rychlovsky will be giving them much runway to make a determination on whether he has a future in Detroit.

“After the season, it will be seen whether I will continue in America or return to Europe,” Rychlovsky explained. “It’s all in the stars.”

The post Rychlovsky Doing Utmost To Make Red Wings appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Three players who’ve played prominent roles for the Grand Rapids Griffins – two of whom saw duty with the Detroit Red Wings – are still looking for work with just a couple of weeks to go until NHL training camps get underway.

Forwards Taro Hirose, Matt Luff and Joel L’Esperance are all unrestricted free agents who’ve yet to find a new hockey home.

Left-winger Hirose has been an ever-present in the Red Wings organization since 2019. He suited up for 60 games with Detroit, collecting 4-16-20 totals as an NHLer. Hirose also shows 51 goals and 151 assists in 248 AHL games for the Griffins. However, last year he was slumping to 9-27-36 numbers in 54 games and two assists in eight playoff games. He’d gone over 50 points in each of his two previous campaigns with the Griffins.

Injuries hampered right-winger Luff during his two seasons with the Detroit organization. When he did play, he certainly was playing well. Last season with the Griffins, Luff put up 10-8-18 numbers in 26 games. During the 2022-23 season, Luff was good for 25 points in 28 games with Grand Rapids and spent 19 games with the Red Wings, accounting for 2-2-4 numbers.

Center L’Esperance was playing for the Griffins on an AHL contract. He put up 16-12-28 numbers last season. That was down from the solid 25-24-49 totals he was posting in 2022-23.

One member of the 2023-24 Griffins was finding himself a place to play this week. After six seasons with Grand Rapids, forward Tyler Spezia was agreeing to terms on a one-year deal with the ECHL Toledo Walleye. Spezia previously played with the Walleye in 2018-19 and 2019-20.

Finnie Ready To Lead

The Red Wings believe so much in center Emmitt Finnie that they’ve already got their 2023 seventh-round pick’s name on an NHL contract. He’ll be playing in next week’s rookie games in Traverse City. Then he’ll return to play his fourth WHL season with the Kamloops Blazers.

“It feel’s weird,” Finnie said on the Blazers’ social media feed. “The last couple of years I’ve been one of the younger guys on the team.”

Just like that @emmitt_finnie32 entering his 4th season!
cc: @DetroitRedWings pic.twitter.com/SSA90cds8I

— Kamloops Blazers (@blazerhockey) August 29, 2024

He’s looking forward to the opporunity to be a team leader for the younger players.

“Just trying to help them out as much as I can,” Finnie said. “I remember when I was 16 I was looking up to those older guys. I know it’s going to be the same thing for them. I’ll try to help them out as much as possible.”

Last season, Finnie, 19. led the Blazers in goals (19), assists (40) and points (59). He even managed to play three AHL games for the Griffins.

Red Wings Pick Buchelnikov Sets Up Winner

Dmitri Buchelnikov, who turned 21 on Friday, drew the primary assist on the game-winning goal as Vityaz shutout Amur 2-0 in KHL action.

Happy 21st birthday to Dima Buchelnikov pic.twitter.com/pop633dsaN

— KHL (@khl_eng) September 6, 2024

Two games into the season, the player Detroit was choosing 52nd overall in the 2022 NHL entry draft is good for a goal and two assists.

The post Red Wings Notebook: Hirose, Luff Still Looking For Work appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

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