Detroit Red Wings: Top 3 prospects that will make an impact next season
The Detroit Red Wings are coming off arguably the worst season in the salary cap era, but these three prospects could make an impact as soon as next season.
This season didn’t provide many things for the Detroit Red Wings and their fans to be excited about. Other than the emergence of Tyler Bertuzzi as an All-Star forward, this season was one to forget for the Red Wings. If they’ve played their last regular season game, they’ll end the 2019-20 season with the lowest point percentage of any team in the salary cap era.
However, the future for the Red Wings is bright. They’re guaranteed at least a top-four pick at the 2020 NHL Draft, which is projected to be a very deep one. Additionally, the Red Wings have five more draft picks in the first three rounds of the 2020 draft, including three picks in the second round.
There’s also their prospect pool, which was recently ranked as the ninth-best in the NHL by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. That’s light years better than they’ve ranked in previous years and it shows they’ve made some progress on their rebuild, though they still have to improve there.
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Next season should provide an opportunity for several young Red Wings prospects to make the full-time jump into the NHL. Let’s take a look at which three prospects who could be impact players in the big leagues in the 2020-21 season.
Honorable Mention
I’m still not giving up yet on Evgeny Svechnikov. Maybe it’s because I’m stubborn. Lady Luck has frowned upon him multiple times, as injuries have plagued him throughout his career. He has the skill necessary to be an impact player and the Red Wings need to give him a long look to see what they have in him.
Svechnikov has learned everything he’s going to learn in the AHL. It’s time for him to sink or swim. He has the talent to be an impact player and the Red Wings really don’t have many NHL-ready prospects as offensively gifted as him.
3. Joe Veleno
Joe Veleno fell far in the 2018 NHL Draft. I was floored that he fell all the way to the Red Wings at the 30th pick. Veleno was easily one of the top 20 players in the draft and he proved that with an impressive 2018-19 season.
However, his first professional season wasn’t all sunshines and rainbows. Veleno had 23 points in 54 games in the AHL, though it’s worth pointing out he was one of the league’s youngest players. He was very impressive during the World Juniors, as he was trusted with big minutes and was one of Canada’s most effective players.
Veleno is impressive on offense, but I’ve been quite impressed by his defense. It’s rare to see a forward so well-rounded as his age. But Veleno takes his defensive responsibilities as a center seriously. He proved this at the World Juniors, where he put up a point per game despite being drawing a lot of tough matchups.
Veleno will probably start the season in the AHL. However, I think he’s going to force the Red Wings’ hand by the end of next season. The Red Wings have been looking for a second-line center so they can have a nice one-two punch at the top of their lineup with Dylan Larkin and someone else. I’m willing to bet that “someone else” winds up being Veleno. And it could happen as soon as next season.
2. Michael Rasmussen
Yes, Michael Rasmussen spent a nearly full season in the NHL (2018-19). But in my book, he’s still a prospect. That’s because unfortunately, he missed a huge part of the 2019-20 season due to an injury. Even if the Red Wings play again, it’s hard to imagine he’ll be on the ice.
He spent 35 games in the AHL this season and he looked very good there, putting up 22 points in 35 games. That’s quite encouraging and it makes me confident he’ll bounce back. Rasmussen is a unique player because he’s basically a unicorn – he’s a huge forward who is skilled. I think that’s going to get him another look in the NHL at some point next season.
Because he played so well in the AHL, Rasmussen probably has a shot at making the NHL roster to start next season. Had he struggled, sending him back would have been the right call. But because Rasmussen proved he was healthy and showed that dominance the Red Wings saw in him back in 2017, I think he’ll have a chance to be an impact player next season. He needs to show he can drive a line (and in a limited sample size in the AHL, he did that), but even if he can’t, he has the tools necessary to be a quality forward in the NHL.
1. Moritz Seider
I liked Moritz Seider more than most people did in 2019 and even I was a bit surprised the Detroit Red Wings took him with the sixth overall pick. Seider quieted a lot of his critics by having quite a bit of success in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins last season despite being among the youngest players in the league.
He played huge minutes and showed a strong two-way game. By the end of the season, Seider was getting minutes against opponents’ top lines. That shows how darn good he was. Seider is big at 6’4″, but he skates remarkably well for someone his size. He can keep up with most forwards, though he won’t be confused for Quinn Hughes anytime soon.
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Seider’s probably going back to the AHL to start next season. However, I could see him making the decision very tough for the Red Wings. They could have several spots open on their blue line and it wouldn’t surprise me if Seider’s steady, two-way game is something the Red Wings value. It will likely come down to how many minutes the Red Wings will be able to give him. If they can find minutes for him, he could be a surprising addition to the Opening Night roster.