NHL
Detroit’s rebuild has probably been slower than fans would have hoped, but brick by brick the Red Wings have assembled a promising group of young players in their farm system and on the big club. The star power is likely already at the NHL level, with their system being more of a great group of supporting cast types. There’s enough legit talent they’ve drafted in the first round in recent years, though, that odds are one of them becomes a premier NHL player.
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2024 ranking: 14
2025 NHL Draft grade: B
1. Nate Danielson, C
Sept. 27, 2004 | 6-foot-2 | 187 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 9 in 2023
Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Danielson’s production in Grand Rapids wasn’t amazing this season, but he played huge minutes and was often highly noticeable, a trend that’s followed him the last few years. He has excellent one-on-one skills, he skates well and his ability to create chances in transition will make him dangerous in the NHL. He’s a strong passer and shooter who can make a lot of things happen inside the offensive zone. Danielson is also a diligent two-way center. I get the concerns about his production, and at some point he’s going to need to produce points consistently, but when I’ve watched him, I think his skill is legit and that he can be a top-six forward.
2. Simon Edvinsson, D
Feb. 5, 2003 | 6-foot-6 | 209 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 6 in 2021
Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Analysis: Edvinsson took a step forward, becoming a top-four defenseman for Detroit all season. He is a rare package of size, mobility and skill. You don’t find big men who can take opponents one-on-one often like he can. He’s huge and competes well, showing the ability to close on checks with his length and body and make a lot of stops. He skates pucks up ice well and retrieves them well. Edvinsson’s hockey sense is a minor issue and may keep him from putting up major point totals in his career. He could still be a great two-way top-four defender with a unique profile.
3. Marco Kasper, C
April 8, 2004 | 6-foot-1 | 203 pounds | Shoots left
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Drafted: No. 8 in 2022
Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: High-end
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Kasper’s season was a major positive for Detroit as he became an integral part of the Red Wings’ lineup. Kasper is a very likable player due to how hard he works. He has offensive talent, with quality speed, puck skills, vision and finishing ability, but the pure offense in his game is not what gets you excited about him. His motor is outstanding, he plays in traffic, throws his body around and has a legit edge in his game. He projects as a two-way, top-six forward, potentially a second-line center who may not score a ton in the NHL, but his coach will be able to trust him in any situation.
4. Axel Sandin Pellikka, D
March 11, 2005 | 5-foot-11 | 185 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 17 in 2023
Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: High-end
Analysis: Sandin Pellikka had an excellent season, posting huge numbers in the SHL for a teenage defenseman, and was the best defenseman at the World Juniors. ASP is a highly skilled and poised defenseman. He looks calm and intelligent with the puck, making a lot of great plays, and has the soft touch of a power-play quarterback. ASP can beat teams with his skill, but also his shot, as he has a bullet one-timer from the left circle that projects to be a legit weapon versus NHL goalies. He’s not that big, but he’s mobile and wins a surprising number of battles for a guy his size. He projects as a top-four defenseman who should be OK defensively in the NHL while being able to run a first power-play unit.
5. Carter Bear, LW
Nov. 4, 2006 | 6-feet | 179 pounds | Shoots left
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Drafted: No. 13 in 2025
Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Bear was a leading player on a top team in the WHL this season before an injury knocked him out for the remainder of the year. He’s a very skilled forward with the quick-twitch hands and high-end creativity to create offense at the NHL level. He makes a lot of plays through defenders and to his teammates. Bear’s skill stands out and the way he creates offense should likely translate to higher levels. He gets to the net to generate chances, plays fast and is a good enough skater. He’s also a highly physical winger who creates a lot of chances in traffic. He projects as a top-six winger who coaches will feel comfortable using in any situation.
6. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, RW
Oct. 5, 2005 | 6-foot-1 | 207 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 15 in 2024
Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: High-end
Analysis: Brandsegg-Nygård didn’t have a standout season in the SHL, but he played a regular shift on a good team. He’s a well-rounded forward and a good skater. He has strong puck skills and a great shot, which makes him often a threat to score from mid-distance. He has average size, but he’s strong on pucks, plays hard and has physicality in his game. He thinks the game well and sees plays develop, but I don’t think his playmaking is his main asset. Even if he’s not very dynamic, Brandsegg-Nygård has a game that should lend itself to success versus men, and he could be a top-six winger in the NHL.
7. Sebastian Cossa, G
Nov. 21, 2002 | 6-foot-6 | 209 pounds | Catches left
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Drafted: No. 15 in 2021
Tier: Middle of the lineup player
Skating: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Analysis: Cossa came out of the gates flying this season to dominate the AHL level, but he fell off in the second half. He has very good athletic tools as a huge goalie who moves very well for his size. He can make a lot of difficult lateral saves and has highlight-reel potential. I’ve found that at times his game can be busy and chaotic, which can lead to inconsistent play. If you see Cossa in his best games, he looks like a starting NHL goalie, but those off games can be quite concerning. At the moment, I see him as a tandem type.
8. Eddie Genborg, LW
April 20, 2007 | 6-foot-1 | 205 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 44 in 2025
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: High-end
Analysis: Genborg took positive steps this season in his development into an important player on Linköping’s junior team and Sweden’s U18 team. He did get a good chunk of games up with the SHL club, too. Genborg plays a likable style. He’s a decent-sized winger who skates well and plays hard. He’s quite physical, wins a lot of pucks and creates offense at the net. He uses his speed and skill well to drive wide and get pucks to the middle. Genborg has a decent finishing touch, but doesn’t see the ice very well and can fight the puck at times. His style gives him a real chance if he can show some offense versus men.
9. Trey Augustine, G
Feb. 23, 2005 | 6-foot-1 | 194 pounds | Catches left
Drafted: No. 41 in 2023
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Analysis: Augustine was one of the best goalies in college this season and at the World Juniors. Augustine’s hockey sense is excellent. He rarely seems out of position and tracks pucks like a pro. His side-to-side quickness isn’t incredible for a 6-foot-1 goalie, but it’s strong. He can make difficult stops and use his lower half to get to tough pucks. He checks a lot of boxes with his quickness, technique, brain and consistency, but his frame will be the major question, and whether he’s a special enough athlete at that size to be a legit starting goalie. Augustine projects as a reliable backup goalie who could spot-start.
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10. Shai Buium, D
March 26, 2003 | 6-foot-3 | 220 pounds | Shoots left
Drafted: No. 36 in 2021
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Below NHL average
Shot: Below NHL average
Analysis: Buium was fine as a rookie pro. He didn’t stand out, but he held his own in the AHL. Buium’s talent is very intriguing. He’s a huge defenseman with legit offensive skills. He has the hands and brain to make plays and move pucks at higher levels, with the ability to break open a shift. His issues come when he doesn’t have the puck. He’s a so-so skater who doesn’t play overly physical and can be exposed defensively. The size/skill combo should get him games, but he will need to round out his play to actually stick in the league.
11. Anton Johansson, D
June 10, 2004 | 6-foot-4 | 196 pounds | Shoots right
Drafted: No. 105 in 2022
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average
Analysis: Johansson looked solid between the SHL and AHL this season. He’s a little inconsistent with his play, but he has a lot of NHL traits. He’s a big defenseman who moves quite well for his size, he’s physical, and he has decent flashes of offense, especially from his point shot. He’s not the most natural puck-mover, and he can be a bit wild with his pinches and hits. With more consistency, he has the potential to be a regular NHL defenseman.
12. Michal Pradel, G
March 10, 2007 | 6-foot-5 | 194 pounds | Catches left
Drafted: No. 75 in 2025
Tier: Projected to play NHL games
Skating: Below NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Analysis: Pradel came over to North America midseason from Slovakia, where he looked solid in the USHL and at the international U18 level. He’s a tall goaltender who shows strong poise and sense in the net. Pradel is an efficient goalie who tracks the puck well and often seems in the right spot. He competes well enough for second chances, but can struggle to get to pucks that require him to move a lot. Without that premier quickness, he could struggle at the NHL level, but he has a chance to make it in a backup role.
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Max Plante is a very likable player. He’s got great skill, he works hard and skates well. There’s a path for him to become a bottom-six winger, even with average size. Dmitri Buchelnikov has put up great numbers in the KHL. He’s very creative, has high-end puck skills and a great shot. He isn’t a great skater, though, for his size, and I don’t know how that will translate to the NHL. Jesse Kiiskinen put up good numbers in Liiga but I don’t view him as a major scorer at the next level. He’s a worker with good speed and hands who could be a bottom-six type.
Ondrej Becher, C
Feb. 22, 2004 | 6-foot-1 | 187 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 80 in 2024
Dmitri Buchelnikov, LW
Sept. 6, 2003 | 5-foot-10 | 170 pounds | Shoots right | Drafted: No. 52 in 2022
Emmitt Finnie, C
June 27, 2005 | 6-foot-1 | 190 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 201 in 2023
Jesse Kiiskinen, RW
Aug. 23, 2005 | 6-foot-1 | 190 pounds | Shoots right | Drafted: No. 68 in 2023
Amadeus Lombardi, C
June 5, 2003 | 5-foot-10 | 165 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 113 in 2022
Landon Miller, G
Jan. 3, 2006 | 6-foot-5 | 203 pounds | Catches left | Drafted: No. 126 in 2024
Max Plante, C
Feb. 20, 2006 | 5-foot-11 | 176 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 47 in 2024
Michal Svrcek, C
Jan. 26, 2007 | 5-foot-10 | 176 pounds | Shoots left | Drafted: No. 119 in 2025
* Listed in alphabetical order
Player eligibility: All skaters who are 22 years old or younger as of Sept. 15, 2025, regardless of how many NHL games they’ve played, are eligible. Player heights and weights are taken from the NHL.
Tool grades: Tool grades are based on a scale with six separate levels, with an eye toward how this attribute would grade in the NHL (poor, below-average, average, above-average, high-end and elite). “Average” on this scale means the tool projects as NHL average, which is meant as a positive, not a criticism. Skating, puck skills, hockey sense and compete for every projected NHL player are graded. Shot grades are only included if a shot is notably good or poor.
Tier definitions: Tiers are meant to show roughly where in an average NHL lineup a player projects to slot in.
(Illustration: Will Tullos / The Athletic. Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
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Corey Pronman is the senior NHL prospects writer for The Athletic. Previously, Corey worked in a similar role at ESPN. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreypronman
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