Top 20 Detroit Red Wings Prospects To Watch In 2019-20
By Tyler Kotila
Oliwer Kaski, Pelicans (Liiga), 51 points in 2018-19
Another one of the Detroit Red Wings newest acquisitions comes in the form of Oliwer Kaski. The Red Wings signed the defenseman to an entry-level contract after an impressive showing in the last year which continued at the World Juniors tournament. Kaski had a few different suitors, but the Red Wings were able to add him to the plethora of defenseman in the minors which create good depth.
Kaski is a 6-foot-3, 187 pounds, right-handed shot who will begin his season with the AHL team, looking to earn his way onto the Detroit Red Wings roster. Kaski is one of the more exciting prospects of recent; he is someone who can be compared to Nick Jensen in that he was a late-bloomer.
After leading the Finnish Liiga in goals and points by a defenseman, he has proven that at twenty-three years old, he is finally starting to click. Kaski was a force for the Pelicans team, being deemed one of the best overall players last season in the league.
Kaski has displayed vision that allows him to command the play, making crisp passes, and creating scoring chances in the offensive zone. Something else to note about Kaski’s success is that he can contribute to the power-play, which is where he shines. Kaski is not very physical for his size, but he still excels offensively, which outweighs the lack of physicality. Joining the rush, tape-to-tape passing, and good shot selection are all things that Kaski excels at.
With all the positives on the offensive side of things, comes to some not so positive things on the other side. In terms of defense, Kaski needs to get better at his reads; if he can tweak these things, it will make him a truly dangerous player for the Red Wings. After watching some video, it seems that his defense needs to be fine-tuned at the AHL level.
Early Expectation: The 2019-20 season will begin at the AHL level for Kaski, but he will be one of the first names to be seen in a roster move. Kaski will be battling for a roster spot, but most likely will find himself with the Griffins, but soon after will be a part of the Detroit Red Wings.
In the future, expect Kaski to surge into the top two pairings for the Red Wings. With a system full of young defenseman, hopefully, he will have some competition for that spot, but he will most likely become a top pairing or top two pairing defenseman.