Agent: Johan Ryno to AIK

Tap on the pads to Matte at Hockey in Swenglish for bringing this story to my attention.

It appears as though I was wrong in thinking Detroit could get Ryno to stay in Grand Rapids, because according to this Aftonbladet article, he’s basically already gone.

Here’s what my Firefox add-on made of the translation:

Lent from the Red Wings to AIK
Ryno returning to Sweden
Johan Ryno, 23, chose to be on loan from the Detroit Red Wings – again.

He continues season of AIK.

- “Johan knows that he is a way to go to the NHL,” said agent Peter Wallen.

AIK get a nice reinforcement for the continuation of the Allsvenskan.

Detroit’s Johan Ryno choose to be loaned to AIK .

- “He can play on Wednesday if he goes into the team,” says Peter Wallen.

Ryno belonged to Detroit in three years, but chose not to play a full season with Detroit or farms team Grand Rapids. He has requested to be loaned to Sweden and now has two seasons in succession belonged to AIK.

Matte tells me that the quote in bold means that he has a ways to go before he gets to the NHL, and not that he has a way to get to the NHL. But I’m sure a few Ryno-bashers will choose to ignore that.

The Ryno saga — is this the chilling end?

Ryno was a true Hakan find — drafted out of the third-tier Swedish league Division-1, a men’s league, opposed to the Swedish Junior league where most 18-year-old Swedes reside. Hakan has never been shy about dipping into it, because it’s not a well-scouted league. That’s where he found Jonathan Ericsson, and most recently, Jesper Samuelsson. Ryno moved to the second-tier Swedish Allsvenskan, the league he’s in now, and posted pretty good numbers his first year. This led to quite the bidding war in the SEL for his services, with Frolunda winning. Ryno saw almost no ice time there on a veteran lineup, no points in 14 games. He ended up being loaned to the Allsvenskan again and transferred to Timra before the season ended. He put up 11 points in 25 games in a league where it’s very hard for a young player to see the ice at all, let alone a raw player two year’s removed from third-tier.

This was enough, and Detroit signed him following the season. He came to camp extremely lanky, as probably one of the worst skaters I’ve ever seen. He led a surge of Detroit prospects into Grand Rapids, putting up 7 points in 12 games. This was a bunch more than anyone else — Ericsson ended up leading Detroit prospects with 34 points, no one was scoring like Ryno as the season started. He had some family issued rumored around his girlfriend, and he went back to Sweden. He rejoined Timra in the SEL, but his spot in the lineup had been filled so he was relegated to the fourth line.

For the second year under his contract, Detroit allowed him to stay in AIK, back in SWE-2 where he was promised more ice time and special teams time. He broke his leg in the fourth game of the season, missing about four months. He scored well when he came back, but missing those four months were just devastating for his development.

They said last season he’d be in Grand Rapids this season, but a few strange news articles suggested he might not. I was thinking the Wings would have a good idea of what he was doing, and they wouldn’t be playing him in all of these exhibition games if he was going back to Sweden. It looks right now like that’s not the case — I’d say his agent has a pretty good idea of where his client is going to play.

I hope it’s clear to Ryno he’s unlikely going to get another contract. If he really has these aspirations he needs to stay in Grand Rapids, and as Keith said in the comments the other day, go through the motions and buy into the system like everyone else. Detroit’s not going to keep wasting a contract on their reserve list on somebody who disobeys their wishes. Supposedly, they’re still really high on Ryno, but I don’t know if they’re high enough (ha!) to keep this guy around any longer.

Ryno looked like an entirely different player this pre-season than he did two years ago — I was really hoping he’d stick around. He has absurdly good hands and pretty good vision on the ice, and he’s an infinitely “cleaner” skater, much better suited to scoot around the ice with his long strides. He is a little more aggressive than he used to be, but he needs to get stronger and meaner. You get that more in North America than Sweden. I’m sure when this story gets out there, there will be a lot of “good riddance,” but I’m bummed because this is a legitimate prospect who has something in his game that people complain Detroit lacks in: size. Ryno’s Swedish endeavors have left him to be a laughingstock on a lot of internet message boards — he’s a baby, he’s a prima donna, he’s useless, etc., but I’ve come to realize a lot of people have never seen him play. I watch a Swedish stream from time to time and it’s really hard to find second-tier Swedish games. But I’ve seen him, and I’ll defend him — the Wings picked a good player. He’s not a prima donna, but he just doesn’t “get” it.

The Wings have had outstanding luck that the only real arsehole they’ve ever uncovered is Sean Avery. The roster right now is a collection of all kinds of talent — first round busts, late round gems, players who were once broken, players who have been given a second chance, etc., — all of whom accept their role, wait their turn, and buy into the system. They haven’t had any young player say “man, I’m definitely an NHL player, but I’m not getting my chance here.” Ryno does not understand that unless you’re a freak superstar, you need to pay your dues in Grand Rapids before you wear the winged wheel. By all accounts, he wants to play in the NHL, and where better to play than Detroit, but he seems to think the Wings will eventually accept him if he plays enough in Sweden. There isn’t much difference between the AHL and Sweden, even tier-2 really, but he needs North American exposure before he makes the jump, not this.

Oh well. This is a stupid decision on his part, so I suppose the ripping he’s going to receive is deserved. My point is he’s a talented player, hardly a dime-a-dozen grinder that teams are able to find in bulk. Size with skill is the hardest thing to draft. Detroit found something along those lines, so “good riddance” is really something I can’t say. He’s still raw, in a year or two I can see him being a force in the SEL. Or maybe he’ll stay lanky and just stay with AIK forever, who knows? I wouldn’t be shocked if another NHL team comes calling for him within a few years, because these players are just that rare. But I understand completely why Detroit will most likely let him go next July, if this article has any merit, and I don’t blame them. It’s a shame though, but on the bright side, this almost ensures that Tomas Tatar will stay on the Griffins all season.

Farewell, Johan. At least you left us with fond memories.

‘09 Preseason Prospect Rankings

The ultimate summer filler — prospect rankings. I always debate how early is too early to put out some rankings after I do my “end of season” rankings in late April, but these are different. In late April, each prospect’s season is coming to a close. Most players are starting to skate again, starting to prepare for a new season. So I wipe the slate clean, in a way. These rankings you could argue are probably more reflective of a player’s potential. The blurbs are much shorter, I focus on what I expect the player needs to accomplish for the season, where they will play, what role they will have, basically where I hope they’ll be in a year’s time.

Then, I read over these paragraphs again in the middle and at the end of the season and their ranking is influenced by how much better or worse they’re doing than what I outlined for them. New this year is going to be a statistical benchmark. Stats are a very poor way to gauge talent, but at the end of the day, scorers need to score, offensive defenseman better be putting up assists. It’s just experimental, I’m not sure how I feel about it. I feel like it might make a review of this more interesting.

Graduated are Ville Leino, Darren Helm, Jonathan Ericsson, and Jimmy Howard — all will be in the NHL. Helm could actually be sent down, but c’mon. That’s cruel. He’s sickeningly good. Leino has refused AHL time (who could blame him?), and will go back to Finland if things don’t work out for some reason with his new contract. Ericsson is stuck — he has to clear waivers. So does Jimmy Howard, he’s in the NHL whether he’s ready or not, and I’ve been under the impression he’s been ready for some time now. Justin Abdelkader is darn close, but I’m leaving him on for now. Also missing are Zack Torquato and Randy Cameron, unsigned after the 2007 signee deadline. For anyone who really, really pays attention to every small detail, I’ve also opted to leave Miroslav Blatak out. His signing deadline would have expired if there was a transfer agreement, and he’s 28. With apologies to Miro and his family, if you don’t like it, tough — my rankings!

So unlike usual where I show movement from the last version of the rankings, the number next to their name will be from the 2008 Preseason Rankings. The number will be a pretty good reflection of exactly the kind of progress the player has made in a year.

The new #1 (not Lebda).

1. Justin Abdelkader, C, Grand Rapids (AHL)/Detroit (NHL) +8
Abdelkader was Grand Rapids’ best rookie last season and really emerged as an NHL talent. His NHL time in the season was brief and unspectacular, but his playoff performance, highlighted by his two Finals goals and hungry play left Detroit fans wanting more. Abdelkader’s status is in limbo and entirely dependent on the salary cap. It seems as though Detroit is going to address their remaining forward holes through free agency, but they’ve also said they wouldn’t be opposed to using Abdelkader. He’ll certainly see NHL time as the first injury callup, but another season in Grand Rapids would be good for him. He’ll get a chance to gain more confidence in his NHL game, as the problem with starting him in the NHL would be limiting him to a checking role, when he has the ability to be more of an offensive threat.
Stats: NHL — 36 GP, 4G 7A | AHL — 40GP, 16G 21A

2. Jakub Kindl, D, Grand Rapids (AHL)/Detroit (NHL) +4
Kindl’s recent three-year, one-way extension solidifies that he is “the next wave” on the Detroit blueline. His year will mostly be in Grand Rapids, but he will see significant NHL time as an injury or late season callup. There won’t be as much pressure on Kindl to play as many minutes in Grand Rapids with Andy Delmore and Doug Janik taking some of the responsibilities, but Kindl will need to build on last season. He was an AHL All-Star before slumping through the second half of his season. He will need to show consistency, and keep his defensive gaffes to a minimum to keep himself away from Detroit’s dreaded #7 hole in 2010-11.
Stats: NHL — 7 GP, 0G 3A | AHL — 72 GP, 12G 39A

3. Daniel Larsson, G, Grand Rapids (AHL) +7
Larsson’s North American debut couldn’t have gone any better. He quickly has many fans looking on and dubbing him Chris Osgood’s heir apparent in the NHL. For now, Jimmy Howard is his backup, and Daniel Larsson will step into the Griffins’ starting job. He will see a bulk of the action, but will face strong competition from two goalies behind him on the depth chart. He needs to improve his endurance and stay healthy for a full season, but other than that, he looks ready for some NHL action. He’ll likely get between 4-5 games in the NHL the way Jimmy Howard did, cap room permitting, and give Detroit and interesting decision to make going forward.
Stats: 45 GP, 2.43 GAA, .919 sv%, 5 SO

4. Brendan Smith, D, Wisconsin (WCHA) +4
Smith has already declared that he would like to turn pro after this, his junior season as a Wisconsin Badger. He’s getting stronger and resembles much more of a defenseman than he did when he entered college. If he stays healthy and out of trouble, he probably will follow the path that Justin Abdelkader took in 2008, and Detroit will sign him when his season concludes, likely in early April. With Hobey Baker candidate and defensive partner Jamie McBain moving on, Smith will get the opportunity to be the #1 offensive defenseman on his club, though there is a slew of NHL picks nipping at his heels.
Stats: 40 GP, 11G 25A

5. Thomas McCollum, G, Grand Rapids (AHL)/Toledo (ECHL) +6
Being a late ‘89-born goalie, Detroit had the option of bringing McCollum out a year earlier than most other 2008 draft picks, and they chose to do so, slating McCollum for likely AHL duty. As a three-year starter in the OHL, there wasn’t much point of him going back another year. His technique will likely help him make a transition, but it isn’t going to be easy. He will need to maintain his composure better than he did on the international stage this past season for Team USA. It’s very possible he will have a short stint in Toledo, due to pressure to give the other goaltending prospect, Jordan Pearce, a chance in the AHL.
Stats: AHL — 30 GP, 2.85 GAA, .901 sv%, 2SO | ECHL — 10 GP, 2.04 GAA, .923 sv%, 2SO

6. Dick Axelsson, LW, Grand Rapids (AHL) -2
Axelsson is a player that draws a lot more scrutiny than most prospects. After being drafted despite a reputation for misconduct penalties, and signed despite an incident where he spent a night in jail, Axelsson was looking to get his head on straight and have a successful season. However, during the middle of the year he was essentially kicked off his SEL team for poor training habits, before joining the eventual league champions. However, no Wing prospect has come close to the offensive totals that Axelsson has put up since Henrik Zetterberg, so I’m expecting him to contribute immediately in Grand Rapids.
Stats: 75 GP, 18G 25A

7. Landon Ferraro, C, Red Deer (WHL) NR
Detroit’s “first round” pick makes his debut at #7 on this list, and it probably won’t be too long until he moves up even higher. Despite his already impressive goal total, Ferraro didn’t have much to work with. This season, he’ll have a slightly better group around him, including one of the best 1993 birthdates in all of Canada, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Being part of the Detroit system, Ferraro has likely learned that his -23 will not fly, and while he did rack this up playing the other team’s top lines, he’ll need to round out his two-way game to fast track himself to the NHL as much as he needs to keep scoring.
Stats: 70 GP, 46G, 38A

8. Joakim Andersson, C, Frolunda (SEL) +5
Andersson could really make an impact in Grand Rapids this offseason, but Detroit elected to not sign him and leave him for one more season in Sweden. For a checking line player, Andersson was very productive as a 20-year-old in a league for men, and he elevated his offensive game for Sweden at the World Junior Championship. This year he’ll likely be in the same role. Modest offensive numbers, but overall he’ll probably be stronger more adjusted for AHL time next season.
Stats: 50 GP, 8G 13A

9. Cory Emmerton, C, Grand Rapids (AHL) -2
Emmerton had a pretty good rookie season, but now faces a battle for ice time in Grand Rapids. With so many young players, it’s tough to say whether the rookies who have played pro hockey in Sweden for a few years (Axelsson/Ryno) will get scoring line spots, or will it go to the now “veteran” Griffins (McGrath/Ritola), or second year players like Emmerton. Emmerton was mostly a 3rd liner last season, and I think he moves up to the 2nd line and sees more powerplay. He came a long way in one season, and he now looks like he could be an effective scorer in the AHL. He will be battling all season long with almost every other Griffin forward to become the second prospect callup after Abdelkader.
Stats: 70GP, 16G 39A

10. Tomas Tatar, LW, Zvolen (SVK)/Kitchener (OHL) NR
Where Tatar will actually be playing is somewhat of a mystery. He very much wants to come to North America, and Kitchener is recruiting him hard, but his contract with Zvolen is preventing that and Detroit is staying neutral in the matter. The latest news suggests he is probably going to stay in Slovakia. This is a good challenge, as he’d most likely be an offensive star in the OHL. In Slovakia, he will play against men and be much more challenged to get stronger and work harder to produce offense. Either way, the highlight of his season is going to be the WJC, where he starred for Slovakia last season.
Stats: 53 GP, 12G 15A

11. Gustav Nyquist, LW, Maine (HE) +5
Nyquist was an absolute offensive stud for Maine as a freshman, one of the top scorers in the nation among freshman. He showed no issues adjusting to the different schedule of college hockey, the more physical style, or college academics. He looks to have some of the best offensive instincts of all Detroit’s prospects. Maine was a very weak team, and with a solid recruiting class comes in, it’s pretty safe to assume Nyquist is going to continue putting up satsifying offensive numbers.
Stats: 35 GP, 21G 27A

12. Brian Lashoff, D, Kingston (OHL) NR
At this time last year, Lashoff was probably a bit bummed, having not been selected in his first NHL draft, preparing to attend Detroit’s prospect camp. At this camp, he earned a contract. He returned to the OHL, and was traded to the bottom-feeding Kingston Frontenacs. Playing upwards of 40 minutes a night, Lashoff’s play really blossomed, and he because Kingston’s top defenseman in all aspects of the game. He wasn’t done there, though, as he even joined the Griffins on a tryout and looked like he could play in the AHL today. Unfortunately, he’s too young, so he’ll play one more season in Kingston (barring a trade to a contender) before starting his pro career.
Stats: 68 GP, 12G 30A

13. Andrej Nestrasil, RW, Victoriaville (QMJHL) NR
Nestrasil debuts at #13 on the list, having made a positive impression at the summer development camp. Nestrasil is a big, powerful forward with a great deal of skill — the kind of combination that leads to big offensive totals in a league like the Q. He’s got another two seasons to develop in major junior, where he can hopefully live up to the “Johan Franzen” comparisons he received based on his playing style. He’s also a pretty good bet to play for the Czech Republic at the WJC in December.
Stats: 65 GP, 29G 42A

14. Mattias Ritola, LW, Grand Rapids (AHL) +9
Ritola was always considered a skill player who was a little bit lazy, but has completely turned his play around, adding a physical element to what is now a two-way game. He had a breakout offensive year that was slowed at the end by some injuries. He didn’t get a look in the NHL after a surprise callup in his first year with Grand Rapids. Still, it’s likely he’ll end up on a scoring line and should get to play in a lot of different situations as a third year pro.
Stats: 73 GP, 14G 25A

15. Evan McGrath, C, Grand Rapids (AHL) +11
McGrath finished his entry-level contract this past season and earned himself a new one-year deal. However, it’s not a guarantee where his career goes from here. He finally found some success scoring in the AHL on a line with Francis Pare. He got a long look at camp last season and could be a dark horse (a cap-friendly one at that) for a 4th line spot this season, and has to be considered one of the top callups at this point. Where he fits in to the lineup remains to be seen. He could end up centering the first line, or he could end up as more of a role player on the third. As a 4th year player, much will be expected of him.
Stats: 66 GP, 20G 28A

16. Johan Ryno, RW, Grand Rapids (AHL) -2
Many have written Ryno off, but I dont’ see a reason to, yet. The guy hasn’t done anything that bad. He got homesick and left during the first year of his current contract, then elected to stay in Sweden for the second, where he played in the second-tier league and broke his leg. I don’t blame him. He just wanted a bigger role, and when he was healthy, he was scoring. Same with his Grand Rapids debut. He had 7 points in 12 games before he left. He’s big and skilled. I think he will be productive and earn his way back onto Detroit’s radar this season.
Stats: 64 GP, 14G 26A

17. Max Nicastro, D, Boston University (HE) +1
Nicastro is still a long-term project, about to enter the first year of his career at Boston University. His work is clearly cut out for him, as the Terriers just won the National Championship and are returning a slew of defensemen that have been drafted into the NHL. The battle for ice time will be fierce, and while Nicastro is a decent two-way defenseman, it’s likely they’ll start him out slow with third-pairing minutes. Nicastro established himself as a decent prospect with two years in the USHL, and is now clearly ready for the next step. Detroit has the luxury of waiting four more seasons before they make a decision on him.
Stats: 35 G, 3G 9A

18. Francis Pare, RW, Grand Rapids (AHL) NR
Pare is one of those players that proves people wrong. Too slow? Becomes the QMJHL MVP. Too small? 24 goals as an AHL rookie en route to earning a contract from Detroit. Pare was just signed this offseason, but did play for the Griffins last year. Repeating last season’s success with more talent in Grand Rapids will not be an easy task, but with Darren Haydar, Darren Helm, Ville Leino, and maybe even Justin Abdelkader out of the way, first line minutes will be available and Pare could be a front runner for that job. He’s a very smart player and a likely NHL callup at some point if he starts this season like he finished the last.
Stats: 70 GP, 19G 33A

19. Stephen Johnston, C, Belleville (OHL) +0
Johnston is the only Wings prospect that will have to sign after this season. Right now, his status is up in the air, but he’s a solid candidate for a breakout season. Buried on a deep OHL team, the Wings drafted Johnston after he played a 4th line role and scored only 9 goals for the Belleville Bulls. Last year, he moved up slightly, but Belleville was still stacked and Johnston didn’t get a lot of offensive time. This season, however, the Bulls are taking a big hit to the NHL and Johnston could end up as a first line player. His offensive instincts aren’t elite, but big guys with good wheels and even decent hands often dominate the OHL. I foresee Johnston being the breakout player on this list.
Stats: 66 GP 27G, 46A

20. Gleason Fournier, D, Rimouski (QMJHL) NR
Detroit’s 4th round pick debuts in the top 20 on this list, but will need to show something to keep his position. He played on the team that hosted the Memorial Cup and saw extremely few minutes all tournament long, going some games with only one or two shifts. However, much of a veteran defense is moving on and over the next two years Fournier is who they are looking to be the go to guy.
Stats: 65 GP, 7G 30A

21. Jan Mursak, RW, Grand Rapids (AHL) -18
Mursak taught me an important lesson about player development; obviously, I had him too high last year. Mursak had a disastrous start to his pro career and found himself a healthy scratch on many occasions. He did not produce much offense and his two-way play is nowhere near the ability it should be to be useful without scoring. However, when I saw him he never truly looked out of place, and I think he could salvage something if he makes it onto a scoring line this season. He will have a lot of competition but he still does have one of the best sets of hands in the organization.
Stats: 60 GP, 12G 20A

22. Sebastien Piche, D, Grand Rapids (AHL)/Toledo (ECHL) NR
Like Fournier above him, Piche played for the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic. Unlike Fournier, Piche played a lot of big minutes, especially on the powerplay and with Rimouski’s scoring lines. He led QMJHL defensemen in scoring during the regular season, and now, with a new contract from Detroit, he’ll turn pro. He should spend most of the season in the AHL, but could see some Toledo time as well. He’ll be brought along slowly, but I think he could probably already play the second powerplay unit. He’s got a big shot and he’s a strong skater.
Stats: 64 GP 4G 16A

23. Jesper Samuelsson, LW, Timra (SEL) -3
I’ve said a few times that it was very impressive that Samuelsson was able to jump from third-tier Sweden to the SEL. However, his 3 points don’t answer a lot of questions about his future. If there were an agreement with Sweden, Samuelsson would need to sign after this coming season, but for now there’s not much pressure on him. He indicated at prospects camp he’s ready to earn himself a bigger role. At 21, he could do some damage, but it’s likely he’ll start out on the 4th line again.
Stats: 51 GP 5G 8A

24. Sergei Kolosov, D, Grand Rapids (AHL) +1
The 2004 pick was signed as an afterthought by recommendation of Griffin coach Curt Fraser, and after a rocky start, Kolosov showed that he has some ability. He earned a callup as a black ace in the playoffs and Detroit likens him a lot to Andreas Lilja. After playing most of the season as a bottom pairing defenseman in the AHL, Kolosov will likely fill out the Griffins’ top four with Kindl, Doug Janik, and Andy Delmore. He still needs to improve on his skating and pick his times to be physical more often.
Stats: 77 GP, 6G 14A

25. Julien Cayer, LW, Clarkson (ECAC) +2
As a freshman on a pretty bad Clarkson team, Cayer was able to contribute immediately, but didn’t hit his stride until the end of the year. Cayer is still pretty raw, and it’s still up in the air as to whether he’s a grinder or a power forward. He’ll get more ice time this season, but Clarkson might be a bottom feeder for another season.
Stats: 35 GP 9G 14A

26. Brent Raedeke, C, Edmonton (WHL) NR
Like Brian Lashoff, Raedeke was signed following an impressive prospects camp last season, and was sent back to the WHL for the year. They compared him to Darren Helm as he’s in the mold of a speedy, smaller grinder. Raedeke didn’t reach the level of offense that Helm did in his time in the WHL. However, he will be the highest scorer returning to Edmonton and will likely center the top line. His AHL debut was less impressive than Lashoff’s, but at this point Raedeke is still a big sleeper who can put himself on the map with a productive final season in the WHL.
Stats: 69GP, 25G 40A

27. Logan Pyett, D, Grand Rapids (AHL) -12
The second biggest faller on this list, Pyett had a pretty poor rookie season in the AHL. He didn’t see big minutes at any point of the season, and when Jonathan Ericsson left for the NHL, Pyett actually saw himself lose a job to a younger Brian Lashoff instead of seeing big minutes. One year isn’t the end of the world, though. I still picture Pyett as the player I saw two seasons ago as a powerplay quarterback and captain of his WHL team, and a contributor on Canada’s gold-winning WJC team. His development might be a year behind where it should be, but he should have the edge on Sebastien Piche and Travis Ehrhardt for ice time this season.
Stats: 65 GP, 5G 21A

28. Nick Jensen, D, Green Bay (USHL) NR
Jensen’s a bit tough to place on this list, so this is likely a very conservative ranking. He drew rave reviews this season as a sleeper for the draft and luckily enough, Detroit landed him. After being an offensive defenseman in high school, Jensen took the first year of his USHL time to concentrate on his defensive game. Detroit has claimed that they’d like to see him get more confident to keep the offensive ability in his game. He’ll have one more year of big minutes in the USHL to do this before he moves to St. Cloud State in 2010-11.
Stats: 60 GP, 8G 22A

29. Jordan Pearce, G, Toledo (ECHL)/Grand Rapids (AHL) NR
A two-year standout goalie at Notre Dame, Jordan Pearce is still probably too low on this list, but he is an unknown at this point. Pearce will battle McCollum for the backup spot to Daniel Larsson in Grand Rapids, but it seems likely that he’ll spend most of the year as the first ever starting goaltender of the Toledo Walleye. He should see some time in Grand Rapids — especially if Larsson gets some NHL or Olympic time — but his one game in Grand Rapids last season indicates that a full season in Toledo might be necessary for him.
Stats: AHL — 5 GP, 3.12 GAA, .886 sv% | ECHL — 50 GP, 2.51 GAA, .915 sv% 5SO

30. Mitchell Callahan, RW, Kelowna (WHL) NR
It wasn’t long after he was drafted that Callahan became a favorite among message board fans everywhere because he’s one of the top middleweight fighters in the WHL and a fan favorite in the WHL for his reckless style of play and “hit everything” mentality. Callahan had some offensive success on the WHL champion Kelowna Rockets, and is looking to add weight and work on his skills to be more of a scorer in with his tough guy skills. He compares his game to Darcy Tucker.
Stats: 65 GP, 17G 25A

31. Ryan Oulahen, C, Grand Rapids (AHL) -9
If this list was based on NHL readiness, Oulahen is in the top 10. However, Oulahen is now entering his third professional contract and has yet to play in the NHL. If Detroit doesn’t end up pulling the trigger on a veteran player for the 4th line, look for Oulahen to compete with a guy like Evan McGrath and younger guys like Justin Abdelkader and Mattias Ritola for that last forward spot. Oulahen is a gritty guy who has scored some goals in the AHL, but doesn’t project as much more than a 4th line player. I’m only going to consider him a prospect for one more season, because Detroit has owned him since he was 18 and he will be 25 at the end of the season. He’s a good bet to take on a big role in Grand Rapids as one of the more veteran players on the roster.
Stats: 70 GP, 15G 17A

32. Bryan Rufenach, D, Clarkson (ECAC) -8
As a sophomore on the same Clarkson team that hosts Julien Cayer, Rufenach was Clarkson’s top scoring defenseman and put up a pretty impressive 9 goals. He’s a great skater, but is still a little bit raw and will probably play his full four seasons in college. Now a junior, Rufenach needs to get stronger and play more physical as he is already in the puck-rushing mold that Detroit likes so much.
Stats: 35 GP, 9G 12A

33. Adam Almqvist, D, HV-71 (J20)/ ??? (SWE-2)
Detroit’s newest Swede, Adam Almqvist, debuts on the list low because it’s hard to make where he’ll end up next season. The leading scorer among defenseman in the Swedish under-20 league, Almqvist clearly won’t have much to gain by returning there for another season. There was a rumor that Almqvist would get a look at the senior team for HV-71, but I’ve been looking at their roster and they seem to have filled all holes with veterans. I feel it’s pretty likely that Almqvist will be loaned to a team in the Swedish Allsvenskan (league under the Elite League). His skill and hockey sense is off the charts, I think playing against men and getting used to truly being an undersized (generously listed at 5′10, 169) defenseman and dealing with that physical element. So his stats are projected on him moving up to a men’s league.
Stats: 40 GP, 4G 14A

34. Travis Ehrhardt, D, Toledo (ECHL)/Grand Rapids (AHL)/Portland (WHL) NR
Ehrhardt is Detroit’s newest prospect, having signed a contract after a second year at Detroit’s prospect development camp. Where he ends up is a bit of a mystery. He’s had a fairly productive career at the junior level, but he could return for an overage season there and a year wouldn’t be burned off his contract. He could just turn pro, but as Detroit has seven defensemen under contract slated for the AHL, Ehrhardt could end up in the ECHL for most of the season.
Stats: AHL — 14 GP, 2G 4A | ECHL — 50 GP, 7G 30A

35. Anton Axelsson, LW, Timra (SEL) -7
Axelsson is another player who is probably in the upper echelon of NHL-ready players, but rumors swirl that he’s not interested in ever coming to North America. He’ll be 24 this season, and he’s slated for the 4th line on Timra on the wing of fellow prospect Jesper Samuelsson. There was some hope that if Detroit signed PJ Axelsson, Anton might reconsider turning pro, but with PJ now in Sweden, I think this might be the last year for Axelsson on the rankings.
Stats: 53 GP, 5G 11A

36. Gennady Stolyarov, RW, HC MVD (KHL) -6
The bottom of the list is truly a strange place, as Stolyarov is another older prospect finding success at a high level of European hockey, but is buried because of doubts that he ever comes over. Nobody in the Wings organization has said anything about Stolyarov for some time, but he had a breakout year in the KHL with 13 goals. He’s now transferred to another KHL club, HC MVD, and I’ll probably remove him at the end of the year unless I hear Detroit might still be interested. They’ve always said he has the skill, just needs to put it all together.
Stats: 40 GP, 13G 10A

37. Jamie Tardif, RW, Grand Rapids (AHL) -5
Entering the second of his two-year deal, the former OHL scoring star still finds himself low on these rankings, but not all hope is lost. Tardif is a useful role player for Grand Rapids who saw his role diminished by the end of the season because of injury and less ice time. However, he did score 17 goals in his first full season with Grand Rapids and will need to repeat something similar to that to get on Detroit’s radar as a callup.
Stats: 60 GP, 8G 18A

38. Nick Oslund, LW, St. Cloud State (WCHA) -9
Oslund is now a junior at SCSU and has still yet to emerge as anything more than a role player. Detroit likes his size and strength, but Oslund will need to assert himself as one of the elder statesmen on a young team. He’s a fan favorite as an energy line player, but will need to jump to that next level to climb up the rankings ladder.
Stats: 36 GP, 8G 6A

39. Nils Backstrom, D, Alaska-Anchorage (WCHA) -6
The only thing I don’t like about ranking prospects is having to put someone last. The past two holders of this position have moved on. Logan Koopmans was injured for 80% of his professional career. Randall Gelech had it last year after being deemed a spare part in Grand Rapids and loaned away to another AHL club. Backstrom takes the spot now, unfortunately, after I had written some nice things about him last go-around. However, he attended Washington’s prospect camp and not Detroit’s, indicating that he’s either not on Detroit’s radar, or they may have outright released him recently. In either case, Backstrom is a senior this season so Detroit will lose his rights next August.
Stats: 32 GP, 4G 10A