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Red Wings Report: Rankings Update
Written by: Zoran Manojlovic on 02/03/2003 
It has been a while since the team rankings were updated. Many of the Red Wings prospects have made positive strides and opened many eyes in the hockey community, especially those who participted at the WJC in Halifax, Canada earlier this year. The brightest one is Igor Grigorenko who has been the most impressive prospect so far. He has been playng extremely well in the Russian Superleague and was a key member of the Russian Gold winning WJC team. But you can`t expect all the prospect to develop as well as Grigorenko. During the first half of the season some have also gone in the other direction, such as Dmitri Semenov whom the Red Wings selected in the 4th round, 127th overall in the 2000 NHL entry draft. He has had trouble establishing himself in the Russian top league and is now a longshot of becoming an NHL player. The time has also come when I had to move the previously No. 1 ranked prospect, Henrik Zetterberg to the "graduated" list and name the new No.1 prospect in the Detroit Red Wings organisation.
Now let`s take a look at the Top 10 Detroit Red Wings Prospect with NEW: Rank, Grades, Scouting Reports and Future.
| Name | Born | Team | League | Height | Weight | Position | Shots | Rank | Grade |
| Igor Grigorenko | 1983-09-04 | HC Lada | Superleague | 6-0 | 189 | C/W | L | 1 | 8.0 |
NOTES: Has been the MVP with Lada in the Superleague scoring 15 goals and 9 assists in 37 games and providing tons of offense... matured and plays a solid two-way game as center... made his senior national team debut in Czech Republic last year scoring two goals in three games... senior national team totals: 1g + 2a in 6 games... member of the Russian gold medal winning team at the U-20 WJC where he was the leading scorer with 6g and 4a in 6 games... voted Top Forward at the tournament and was named to the first All Stars team... will be a contender for a spot on the Russian senior national team that will play at the WC later this year in Finland.
SCOUTING REPORT: Grigorenko is a very gifted young player who possesses impressive offensive talent and likes to go on solo rushes and challange the defensemen. He has great overall speed and is very quick on the skates and loves to make shifty moves at high speed. He is a very smart and creative player with the puck, although he sometimes tries to be to fancy instead of taking the simple pass. Although not possessing a rocket of a shot he still likes to use it in all possible and impossible situations which is a good sign for a future scorer. He is aggressive and has a bit of a mean streak which his penalty minutes over the last two years indicate. He still needs to get bigger and stronger to become more effective in his game.
FUTURE: Igor has made big strides since the 2001 draft where he was selected 62nd overall in the second round. After the draft Red Wings brass stated that they were surprised (and pleased) that Grigorenko was available late in the second round and that they had him ranked 15th overall. This statement made some wonder if they really were telling the thruth. Well, now two years after the draft we all know that Håkan Andersson and the other scouts once again have done a magnificant job in findig a gem. Grigorenko has said in an interview with a Russian magazine that he belives that he`ll be ready to play in the NHL after another year in the Superleague and that it`s his dream to play for such a great organisation.
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
| 2002/03 | HC Lada | Superleague | 37 | 15 | 9 | 24 | 78 |
|
Name |
Born |
Team |
League |
Height |
Weight |
Position |
Shots |
Rank |
Grade |
|
Jiri Hudler |
1984-01-04 |
HC Vsetin |
Extraliga |
5-10 |
176 |
C |
L |
2 |
8.0 |
NOTES: One of the best players in the Extraliga and is currentley 4th in league scoring with 19g and 27a although playing in only 30 games... has been a scoring sensation in the league over the last two years scoring 34g and 58a in 76 games as a 17 and 18 year old... has made his senior national team debut where he picked up an assist... will fight for a spot with the Czech senior nat. team that will play at the WC in Finland... if he makes it he`ll be there as a young pupil that will see and learn... played in his second U-20 WJC where he led the Czech team in scoring with 3g and 4a in 6 games, finishing tied for 11th in tournament scoring... earning player of the game awards in four of the 6 games... has made a surprise move to the Russian Superleague to play with the AK Bars Kazan for the reminder of the season...
SCOUTING REPORT: Jiri is a dazzling puckhandler who has a phenomenal offensive arsenal. He is a good skater with great foot-speed which he uses to avoid opponents in the corners effectively. His god-given hockey sense, on-ice-vision and playmaking ability make him an offensive threath on every shift. He has good scoring instincts and a quick accurate shot that he is willing to use in all situations. He is a great leader and hard worker which he showed at the U-18 WJC where he was captain. The downside is that he sometimes tends to shy away from physical contact and is a bit of a liability defensively. Hudler will never be a big player, but he will sure add some inches and pounds.
FUTURE: The small Czech prodigy has been progressing as a player since the day he put on his skates for the first time. His size has been a huge question mark and is probably the reason that he fell all the way to late second round before the Wings made him their first pick in the 2002 draft. So far he has been overcoming his size with smartness and skill, but will he be able to translate to the NHL style? I believe that we will have to wait for another two years before we can draw that conclusion.
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
| 2002/03 | HC Vsetin | Extraliga | 30 | 19 | 27 | 46 | 22 |
| 2002/03 | AK Bars Kazan | Superleague | 6 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Name | Born | Team | League | Height | Weight | Position | Shots | Rank | Grade |
| Niklas Kronwall | 1981-01-12 | Djurgården | Elitserien | 6-0 | 184 | D | L | 3 | 7.0 |
NOTES: Plays in his fourth season in the Elitserien with Djurgården... has bulked up during the pre-season and is playing a more two-way sounded game... is more agressive and more physicly abel to control the defensive zone... has been playing as an extra forward and is makeing end-to-end rushes and contributing offensively... has scored 5g and 11a in 42 games so far and is third on the team in shots with 87... has been absent from the national team...
SCOUTING REPORT: Kronwall is a small-sized defenseman with exeptional offensive skills. He is very smart and possesses great hockey sense which compensates for his small frame. He is a great skater with good leteral movement and phenomenal speed. He carries the puck with confidence and is very offensive minded. His offensive arsenal includes a great point-shot which is hard and accurate. He can log on tons of minutes and is used in all situations. He playes with a lot of heart and is agressive in the corners. He needs to work on his positioning as he sometimes looks lost in the defensive zone. He will also need to work on his consistancy in order to become more effective.
FUTURE: Kronwall`s absence from the national team and his "low" offensive numbers have made some people to question his future as an NHL defenseman. But Niklas hasn`t been that bad, he started the year at a slow pace but has been among the best defensemen in the league in the past 15 games. Although some reports have indicated that Kronwall might come over next season, Kronwall himself has stated that he isn`t ready yet and will need another year of devalopment, probably in Sweden.
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
| 2002/03 | Djurgården | Elitserien | 43 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 44 |
| Name | Born | Team | League | Height | Weight | Position | Catches | Rank | Grade |
| Stefan Liv | 1980-12-21 | HV 71 | Elitserien | 6-0 | 178 | G | L | 4 | 7.0 |
NOTES: Plays in his fourth season in the Elitserien with HV 71... has been among the top netminders in the league for the last three years and the clear cut MVP on his team... was voted top netminder in Elitserien and finished second for the MVP title behind his close friend and fellow Wings prospect, Henrik Zetterberg... has also played a key role with the national team where he captured a bronze medal at last years WC... could be the starter at this years WC if Johan Hedberg of the Pittsburgh Penguins isn`t avaliable...
SCOUTING REPORT: Liv is a good sized butterfly type of goalie who likes to challange the shooters. He covers the net well and is very agile. His main assets are his exeptionaly quick glovehand and pads which allow him to make jaw-dropping saves. He is also a great personality who has his own style and likes to kid around. This makes him one of the most (if not the most) favorite players in the country. He is also very calm and has tons of confidance which he has shown on manny ocassions with both HV-71 and the national team. Over the last years he has showed some weeknesses in his puckhandling both with the stick and his glove. But he has improved in both areas and looked more confidant during the 2001-02 season.
FUTURE: Liv hasn`t been playing at his best this year, he has allowed far to manny rebounds on soft shots and has looked average in some games. He dosn`t seem to be very sharp and focused as he has been in the previous two years. But nevertheless, Liv is a great goaltender who can win games on his own and win`em in a spectacular way. The Red Wings should sign him after this season and let him play in the AHL for a year or two to adjust to the faster hockey.
| Season | Team | League | GP | GAA | SV% | SO |
| 2002/03 | HV 71 | Elitserien | 43 | 2.77 | 90.0 | 3 |
| Name | Born | Team | League | Height | Weight | Position | Shots | Rank | Grade |
| Tomas Kopecky | 1982-02-02 | Grand Rapids | AHL | 6-3 | 192 | C/W | L | 5 | 6.5 |
NOTES: Had a slow start to his pro-career going scoreless in his first 6 games... has picked up his game and is now one of the better forwards on the team... has 12 goals and 10 assists in his first 45 games... has devaloped his two-way game and is getting ice time on both the PP- and PK-units... he has also devaloped his biggest weakness, skateing... works hard and is playing a physical type of game which he mixex with tremendous offensive skills...
SCOUTING REPORT: Tomas is a big center that combines great size and reach with phenomenal hockey sense. He is a very good stickhandler and likes to do unexpected things with the puck. He is a very smart and creative player with the puck and allways looks to generate offense. He is very usefull on the special teams and can play the go-to-guy on the powerplay. His time in the WHL has been very progressive as he has devaloped good work-ethic, leadership qualities and a strong two-way game. Kopecky is strong and likes to play a gritty game while not being afraid of dropping the gloves when needed. He has become a better skater since the draft but he still needs to continue his progress to fully reach his potential.
FUTURE: The big Slovak center is haveing a good first pro year and is devaloping nicely. He has pleased the Red Wings staff with his physical presense and his high level of skills. Tomas is an important prospect in the Red Wings organisation with his great size, power and skills. He is he only prospect whom could translate into a future scoring power forward as the Wings lack these type of players in theire system. The 21 year old forward is also one of the best hidden secrets in the organisation as he isn`t getting the same amout of attention as Grigorenko, Hudler, Kronwall. I belive that we can expect Kopecy to make the jump to the NHL after another year in the minors.
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
| 2002/03 | Grand Rapids | AHL | 45 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 22 |
| Name | Born | Team | League | Height | Weight | Position | Shots | Rank | Grade |
| Tomas Fleischmann | 1984-05-16 | Moose Jaw | WHL | 6-0 | 178 | LW | L | 6 | 6.5 |
NOTES: Has made a nice transition to the north american style and is haveing a strong rookie year... has 51 points in 48 games and is second in the rookie and team scoring... known as a sniper he has been displaying great playmaking skills and has 36 assists in 48 games... member of the Czech WJC team where he scored 2 goals in 6 games and was among the better performers throughout the tournament...
SCOUTING REPORT: Tomas Fleischmann is an flashy winger with great offensive tools. He playes a high speed game with a lot of skill involved and is exciting to watch. His great hockey sense and hands allow him to create quality chances for both himself and his linemates. Although being a good playemaker, Tomas is more of a scorer and he uses his shot often to prove that. Has a good, hard wrist shot with a quick realease. His downside is his lack of defensive involvment and he needs to gain more strenght in order to take his game to the next level.
FUTURE: The young Czech sniper has been a pleasent surprise so far. He has made a good transition to the north american style and is putting up good numbers for a rookie. He has also been abel to play his own game which includes a lot of speen and skill. The move to the WHL has been a very good one for his devalopment. instead of getting 4th line minutes in the Czech Extraliga on a strong team Tomas is now getting tons of ice time while adjusting to the more physicla hockey. Tomas is allready one of the best offensive players in the WHL and should put up that kind of numbers next season. He is at least three years away from the NHL.
|
Season |
Team |
League |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
|
2002/03 |
Moose Jaw |
WHL |
48 |
15 |
36 |
51 |
26 |
|
Name |
Born |
Team |
League |
Height |
Weight |
Position |
Catches |
Rank |
Grade |
|
Drew MacIntyre |
1983-06-24 |
Sherbrooke |
QMJHL |
6-1 |
192 |
G |
L |
7 |
6.5 |
NOTES: Is among the best goalies in the QMJHL...has the 4th best SV% with 91.3, 3rd in GAA with 2.54... was named to the QMJHL All Star team... has been the MVP on his team in the past three seasons... playing in his 4th season in the QMJHL...
SCOUTING REPORT: Drew is highly talanted netminder who has good skating ability and great work-ethic. He possesses an excellent left hand glove and is able to make great close-range saves. Drew likes to challange the shooters and is a good puckhandler, not allowing manny rebounds. He posseses a good frame which allowes him to cover the net effectively. Drew is a solid stickhandler who is capable of clearing the puck out of the zone. He is still very young needs more experience in order to take his game to the next level.
FUTURE: Drew has been signed by the Red Wings and should turn pro next season after four years of junior hockey. He will have a tough time of cracking the Red Wings farm team, Grand Rapids as they allready have two excellent goalies in AHL All Star, Marc Lamothe and young rookie Joey MacDonald. This may force him to start his pro career in the ECHL, but Drew is a goalie who has great size, speed, talent and the will to make it to the NHL. But if the Wings are going to stay as Stanley Cup contenders in the future Drew may have a hard time of getting a staring job in the with the Wings. He is still three-four years away from pushing for a NHL job.
|
Season |
Team |
League |
GP |
GAA |
SV% |
SO |
|
2002/03 |
Sherbrooke |
QMJHL |
47 |
2.54 |
91.3 |
2 |
|
Name |
Born |
Team |
League |
Height |
Weight |
Position |
Shots |
Rank |
Grade |
|
Andreas Jämtin |
1983-05-05 |
AIK |
Allsvenskan |
6-0 |
188 |
C/RW |
L |
8 |
6.0 |
NOTES: Has been one of the best players in Allsvenskan... scored 14 goals and 15 assists for 29 points in 28 regular season games... has 4 goals and 5 points in 8 playoff games so far... has bulked up and grown a bit... has been playing a physical in-your-face type of game... deavloped his two-way game and is more reliable in the defensive zone... played in his second WJC for team Sweden where he notched only 1 goal and 5 points in 6 games... had a strong tournament although not putting up impressive numbers...
SCOUTING REPORT: Jämtin is a very good skater who has great speed and quickness. He is a very agressive forechecker who likes to get under the skin of his opponents. Although not being overly big Jämtin is a capable hitter who enjoys this aspect of the game. He posseses very soft hands and is abel to make things happend offensively. Jämtin is also a smart player who has very good on-ice vison which makes him a dangerous offensive threat. Jämtin has devaloped his defensive game and is now a reliable two-way player who plays with an edge. He posseses a good arsenal of shots where his wrister is his main weapon becose of it`s accuracy and hardness..
FUTURE: Jämtin is another prospect that has had a positive devalopments so far. With the departure to the second-tier league Jämtin and the rest of the young players on the team were give more responsibilities as the older ones left. Jämtin took the inceased ice-time and ran with it as he was the teams scoring leader in the regular season and is also currently leading the team in scoring in the playoffs. Jämtin didn`t only devalop his offensive game, he has also matured and is using his head a lot more that he used to do in the past. Manny teams tryed to get him out of balance by playing a tough game against him, but in most of the situations he didn`t answer theire call. But don`t get me wrong, Jämtin hasn`t become an angel all of a sudden, he is still one of the best and most agressive players in the league. Jämtin`s contract expires with AIK after this season and I don`t think that the Wings will allow him to play another season in the Allsvenskan as he is clearly to good. He will most likely play in the Elitserien. Although making big strides in this season Jämtin is still at least two-three years away from the NHL.
|
Season |
Team |
League |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
|
2002/03 |
AIK |
Allsvenskan |
28 |
14 |
15 |
29 |
62 |
|
2002/03 |
AIK |
Superallsvenskan |
8 |
4 |
1 |
5 |
26 |
|
Name |
Born |
Team |
League |
Height |
Weight |
Position |
Shots |
Rank |
Grade |
|
Miroslav Blatak |
1982-05-25 |
HC Zlin |
Extraliga |
6-0 |
178 |
D |
L |
9 |
6.0 |
NOTES: Has continued to devalop nicely... plays a very sound two-way game where he has taken more offensive responsibilities... has set new career highs in points with 15, assists with 11 and penalty minutes with 28... is the only one on his team who is plus in the plus/minus rating with +1... plays in his third season in the Czech Extraliga... has played 89 games over the three year span where he has recorded 8 goals and 20 assists...
SCOUTING REPORT: Mioslav is a typical small sized defenseman who compensates for his size by playing a smart game. He is a good skater who has quick feet and good overall speed. He is very mobile and has good letheral movement. Blatak is a very smart defenseman who plays with his head. He reads the play well and is very calm with the puck. He carries the puck with confidence and isn`t affraid of joining the rush. Although adding some weight in the off-season Blatak is still a bit soft and easly pushed around. In order to take his game to the next level he will have to add strenght and play more agressive in the defensive zone.
FUTURE: The 20-year old defenseman has continued to devalop at a good pace since being drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2001 NHL Entry draft, 4th round, 129th overall. He is a reliable two-way defnseman who has a bright future ahead of him. Red Wings will give him another year or two before bringing him over as he has to add some more muscle and get some more experince. He projects a top-5 defenseman who can be used on the special teams as well.
|
Season |
Team |
League |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
|
2002/03 |
HC Zlin |
Extraliga |
42 |
4 |
11 |
15 |
28 |
|
Name |
Born |
Team |
League |
Height |
Weight |
Position |
Shots |
Rank |
Grade |
|
Jari Tolsa |
1981-04-20 |
Frölunda |
Elitserien |
6-1 |
195 |
LW |
L |
10 |
6.0 |
NOTES: Started the year on fire as he picked up 7 goals and 9 assists in his first 16 games before getting injured... the injury has shattered his hopes of a big season as he hasn`t been abel to find his game since the injury... has only 1 goal and 4 assists in 14 games since the injury... has been playing on the best line and one of the most productive this season with two other youngsters, Dallas draftee, Joel Lundquist and Carolina draftee Magnus Kahnberg...
SCOUTING REPORT: Jari is a great team player who has great work ethic. He gives you 110% every time he steps out on the ice. He is an agressive forechecker and capable hitter although not being big framed. He is a good skater who has quick feet and a big stride. Jari is a smart player who has very good hockey sense and great playmaking ability. He posseses soft hands and is capable of beating the defensemen in 1-on-1 situations. Since his draft year Tolsa has devaloped in all areas and is now a solid two-way player who is being used in both the PP- and the PK-units. Tolsa has worked a lot on his shot but it still requires devalopment in order to become more effective in the offensive plays.
FUTURE: The 21-year old winger has been one of the most underrated Red Wings prospects over the last couple of years. Although playing a very smart and effective two-way game Tolsa hasn`t gotten much attention from the Red Wings brass. But this year he has truly opened manny eyes with his gritty two-way game. He has been a regular member of the Swedish national team during the whole season and will fight for a spot on the team that will play at the WC later this year in Finland. Tolsa projects a solid hard working third line winger who can be used on the special teams. Tolsa will probably stay in Sweden for another year of devalpment before moving over. I belive that he will have to spend some time in the minors to adjust to the faster and tougher north american style.
|
Season |
Team |
League |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
|
2002/03 |
Frölunda |
Elitserien |
37 |
8 |
13 |
21 |
18 |
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