Detroit Red Wings: NHL Prospect Tournament Roundup
By Tyler Kotila
With Seider and Veleno being the two players that probably had the most eyes on them in this tournament, some other players shined in various areas. It wasn’t just the “top” prospects; there were other players who had a great tournament and should be recognized.
Givani Smith was one of the players who played his style of hockey in this tournament, and he played it well. Smith totaled seven penalty minutes in the course of the competition and probably could have been handed more. He played physical, he played tough, and he scored goals too. Smith tied for the second-highest amount of points, scoring six points in the form of three goals and three assists for the Detroit Red Wings.
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Besides Smith, Chase Pearson also netted six points in the form of four goals and two assists. The former fifth-round draft pick played exceptionally well throughout the tournament, which may have been a little surprise as he was one of the players not as talked about compared to some of the other names on the roster. Pearson could surprise the Red Wings during camp and could earn a call-up to the NHL roster.
The Detroit Red Wings also got a pleasant surprise from Ryan Kuffner who scored eight points, tying Veleno for most of any player throughout the tournament. Kuffner signed an entry-level contract last season for the Red Wings but did not show a ton of game translation in his quick stint with the Red Wings as Taro Hirose did. During the NHL Prospect Tournament, Hirose managed a goal and three assists for four points which were not record-shattering but still shows his talent development.
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Other notable players who had solid performances at the tournament in terms of points were Jarid Lukosevicius (2G 3A), Filip Zadina (0G 5A), and Charle-Edouard Dastous (0G 4A). Goaltender Sean Romeo from Ohio State University who was brought in as a free agent invite had three wins with a .840 save percentage. Romeo was not a top goalie, and neither was Kaden Fulcher, but Romeo made some tough saves to close out the championship game and preserve the lead for the Detroit Red Wings.