Grand Rapids Griffins forward Carter Mazur will be pushing for an NHL job at Red Wings training camp.Nicolas Carrillo
The Detroit Red Wings had only five of their own draft picks on their 2023-24 season-opening roster – Dylan Larkin, Michael Rasmussen, Joe Veleno, Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond. That’s not a recipe for success in a sport where general managers often speak to the importance of building through the draft.
Problem is, the Red Wings went through a rough stretch at the draft table from 2015-2017. Rasmussen, remarkably, is their only pick during that three-year span who’s still in the organization. Three first-round picks from 2015-2018 -- Evgeny Svechnikov, Dennis Cholowski and Filip Zadina -- didn’t pan out. The organization got nothing in return for them.
The Red Wings’ drafting since 2019 has been better, as evidenced by Seider and Raymond. How much better will be determined in the next couple of years as more of general manager Steve Yzerman and his scouting staff’s picks reach the NHL.
On Monday, we projected when six Detroit prospects might make the big club. Here’s a look at six more:
Shai Buium, D (No. 36 in 2021): The Red Wings traded up two spots to get this 6-4, mobile D-man. He earned NCHC second All-Star Team honors after tallying 36 points (seven goals, 29 assists) and a plus-33 rating in 43 games with Denver. He won two NCAA championships in three years before turning pro in April and appeared in one regular season game for the Grand Rapids Griffins. The organization will take time to develop him, perhaps keeping him in the AHL for three years.
Timeline: 2027-28 season.
Carter Mazur, LW (No. 70 in 2021): A scrappy forward with some offensive ability and Buium’s Denver teammate from 2021-2023, Mazur has an opportunity to make the Red Wings roster next season, especially if Christian Fischer doesn’t return and isn’t replaced. Regardless, Mazur could get a look in the NHL at some point during the year after his first full season in Grand Rapids (17 goals, 37 points in 60 regular season games and eight points in nine playoff games).
Timeline: 2025-26 season.
Marco Kasper, C (No. 8 in 2022): Two-way center plays who with an edge had a rough transition to the AHL (one goal, five assists in first 20 games) but got more comfortable and stronger as the season progressed. He finished with 14 goals and 35 points in 71 regular-season games and four goals and seven points in nine playoff games. He’ll need another year of seasoning with the Griffins and might start his NHL career on the wing to get acclimated, as many young centers do.
Timeline: 2025-26 season.
Nate Danielson, C (No. 9 in 2023): Skilled 6-2 center made a good impression at Red Wings training camp and in the preseason (two goals, four points in five games) with his poise in handling the puck and hockey sense. He made his pro debut by appearing in two playoff games with the Griffins. He’ll need a year of development in Grand Rapids, possibly two years.
Timeline: 2026-27 season.
Axel Sandin-Pellikka, D (No, 17 in 2023): The small (5-11, 176), highly skilled defenseman will be running the Red Wings’ power play one day soon. For now, he’ll spend another season in Sweden’s top men’s league with Skelleftea. Yzerman described Sandin-Pellikka’s skillset as “a little different than what we have in a lot of our D prospects.”
Timeline: 2025-26 season.
Trey Augustine, G (No. 41 in 2023): The South Lyon native had a special season. He helped Team USA win the gold medal at the World Junior Championship during a freshman season at Michigan State that earned him all-Big Ten honors and Big Ten Tournament MVP. He even won a game at the World Championship after the Red Wings’ Alex Lyon was injured. He’s only 19, so it’ll be a while before he and Sebastian Cossa form Detroit’s netminding tandem.
Timeline: 2027-28 season.
