Moritz Seider dominates the spotlight as the Detroit Red Wings’ top prospect, a potential future star.
He is among a group of at least a dozen defensemen throughout the Red Wings organization age 23 or under who have various degrees of potential.
Most are prospects, some of whom might not ascend to Detroit. One (Filip Hronek) is fully established at the highest level and others (Dennis Cholowski, Gustav Lindstrom) have NHL experience.
Defense is a position of depth and strength in the system.
So, while general manager Steve Yzerman said the team will take the best player available with the sixth overall selection in the first round of the draft on July 23, regardless of position, perhaps the stockpile of blue line prospects will prompt the Red Wings to select a forward, or maybe a goaltender.
Here is a rundown of the Red Wings’ most promising defensemen/defense prospects age 23 and under (in alphabetical order):
Seth Barton
Height/Weight: 6-2/185
Shoots: Right
Age: 21
2020-21: UMass-Lowell (Hockey East)/Grand Rapids (AHL)
A good-sized, mobile, puck-mover who was described as a late bloomer when the Red Wings drafted him 81st overall in 2018, Barton made his pro debut, appearing in four games for the Griffins in 2021 after three seasons at UMass-Lowell.
Dennis Cholowski
Height/Weight: 6-2/197
Shoots: Left
Age: 23
2020-21: Grand Rapids (AHL)/Detroit
After splitting the past three seasons between Grand Rapids and Detroit, Cholowski needs to show he is good enough defensively to maintain an NHL job in 2021-22, when he no longer is waiver-exempt. The club’s top pick in 2016 (20th) has offensive skills and the ability to man the point on the power play. He likely will be protected for the July 21 Seattle expansion draft.
Filip Hronek
Height/Weight: 6-0/183
Shoots: Right
Age: 23
2020-21: Detroit
He earned the coaching staff’s trust at a young age, leading the team in ice time each of the past two seasons, playing in all situations. He was better defensively this past season, but there is much room for improvement. Both of his goals were empty-netters, but he led the team with 26 points, playing all 56 games.
Albert Johansson
Height/Weight: 6-0/168
Shoots: Left
Age: 20
2020-21: Farjestad BK (Sweden)
He has impressed in Sweden’s top men’s league the past two seasons (10 goals, 22 assists in 86 games). The Red Wings are high on their 60th pick in 2019, who has been described as a fluid skater and good puck-handler with good vision and a hard shot. He played for Sweden’s World Junior team and earned a spot on the World Championship team (didn’t appear in any games) in the same season.
Gustav Lindstrom
Height/Weight: 6-2/190
Shoots: Right
Age: 22
2020-21: Almtuna (Sweden)/Grand Rapids (AHL)/Detroit
He won’t contribute much offense or make many flashy plays, but he can be a steady, puck-moving, third-pair NHL defender. After starting the season on loan to Almtuna in Sweden’s second division, Lindstrom joined the Griffins and then played the final 13 games with Detroit, where he was a plus player (plus-1). He seems likely to be protected for the expansion draft.
Jared McIsaac
Height/Weight: 6-1/191
Shoots: Left
Age: 21
2020-21: Grand Rapids (AHL)
His development has been slowed by surgery on each of his shoulders the past two years. After missing most of 2020-21 following left shoulder surgery, McIsaac, who played one game for HPK (Finland), made his AHL debut, appearing in 10 games for the Griffins (no goals, two assists). The 36th overall pick in 2018 is a two-way player who moves the puck well and has a high compete level, playing a physical game. He played for Canada’s 2020 World Junior Championship gold medal-winning team.
Wyatt Newpower
Height/Weight: 6-4/205
Shoots: Right
Age: 23
2020-21: Cleveland (AHL)
After four years at UConn, the undrafted Newpower signed an AHL contract with Cleveland last year and made his pro debut. He played only 24 games (three goals, seven assists), but nine were against Grand Rapids and the Red Wings liked what they saw, signing him to a two-year entry-level contract on May 31. He has been likened to Boston’s Brandon Carlo.
Donovan Sebrango
Height/Weight: 6-1/190
Shoots: Left
Age: 19
2020-21: HK Levice (Slovakia)/Grand Rapids (AHL)
With the OHL season on hiatus due to COVID, Sebrango signed an amateur tryout contract with the Griffins and impressed as a teenager in a men’s league (31 games). He was the fifth pick from the Red Wings’ 2020 draft class (63rd overall) but the first signed to an entry-level deal. Sebrango described himself as “tough, gritty, a little bit of the old-age hockey in me and a kind of new-era offensive defenseman.”
Moritz Seider
Height/Weight: 6-4/207
Shoots: Right
Age: 20
2020-21: Rogle BK (Sweden)
His decision to play in Sweden’s top men’s league after the start of the AHL and German League seasons were delayed due to COVID paid huge dividends. The Red Wings’ top pick in 2019 (sixth overall) took a huge step in his development, which will have him better-prepared for his NHL debut next season. He was named the top defenseman in the Swedish Hockey League (seven goals, 21 assists in 41 games) and the best defenseman at the World Championship (five assists in 10 games), where he led Germany to a spot in the bronze medal game, losing to the U.S.
Antti Tuomisto
Height/Weight: 6-4/194
Shoots: Right
Age: 20
2020-21: University of Denver (NCHC)
2020-21: A high-scoring defenseman in Finland’s junior ranks with a tremendous shot and good hands, he transitioned to North American hockey at the University of Denver this past season, playing in 24 games (two goals, nine assists). Detroit’s second pick in 2019 (35th), Red Wings director of player development Shawn Horcoff described him as “a big body who can play both sides of the puck.”
Eemil Viro
Height/Weight: 6-0/171
Shoots: Left
Age: 19
2020-21: TPS Turku (Finland)
Viro was the sixth player the Red Wings drafted in 2020 (70th overall), but they signed him to a three-year entry-level contract fairly quickly last month, showing what they think of him. Red Wings director of amateur scouting Kris Draper, after drafting Viro, described him as a “character kid with real leadership qualities who plays the game the right way.”
William Wallinder
Height/Weight: 6-4/191
Shoots: Left
Age: 18
2020-21: Modo (Sweden)
The Red Wings used the first pick in the second round of the 2020 draft on this big, mobile, puck-moving defender. He is coming off his first full season in a men’s league, playing in Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second division, where he had a goal and five assists in 43 games. Yzerman described him as someone who projects as two-way defenseman who can log a lot of minutes.
More: Should Red Wings select a goalie with the No. 6 pick?
The Link LonkJune 15, 2021 at 05:03PM
https://www.mlive.com/redwings/2021/06/why-red-wings-feel-good-about-young-core-of-defensemen.html
Why Red Wings feel good about young core of defensemen - MLive.com
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