Detroit Red Wings: Eemil Viro signs entry-level deal adding prospect depth
By Tyler Kotila
The Detroit Red Wings have reached an agreement with defenseman Eemil Viro on his three-year, entry-level contract. Viro was one of the team’s selections from the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, where Steve Yzerman pulled strings on trades to maximize the draft capital and grow the draft class.
Viro, a 19-year-old defenseman from Finland, will be making his debut in North America after signing this deal. He could very well continue playing for TPS in Liiga on a loan, but he has officially signed his deal after being selected in the third round of the 2020 draft.
He is the third prospect joining the team on a contract this season. With Donovan Sebrango signing his entry-level deal prior to the 2020-21 season, where he winded up playing for the Grand Rapids Griffins and Lucas Raymond, who signed his deal a few weeks back.
Viro just adds some more prospect depth where there are a good amount of prospects still on their entry-level contracts. Viro joins Albert Johansson, Jared McIsaac, and Moritz Seider as players who have already signed their entry-level deals on the defensive side of things.
Detroit Red Wings prospect Eemil Viro has signed his entry-level contract ahead of the 2021-22 season.
More from Detroit Jock City
- Tigers Sign Manager A.J. Hinch to Long-Term Extension
- Lions vs. Bears Week 14 Opening Odds Disrespect Detroit
- Former Tigers Celebrate Jim Leyland Hall of Fame Call
- This Pistons Team Could be the Worst in Detroit Sports History
- 4 Free Agents Tigers Should Sign During Winter Meetings
Viro is a 6-foot, 165-pound defenseman who is more of a defensive asset than an offensive one.
He is not going to light up the scoresheet as an offensive defenseman, but Viro will play clean defense and be sound in the defensive zone. That, of course, is in an ideal world.
In 2020-21, Viro played 53 games for TPS, where he had four goals and ten assists for 14 total points.
He was still a plus-12 for TPS as well, so he may not always be grabbing assist or scoring but tends to be on the ice when his team finds the back of the net.
Viro is physical and not afraid to throw the body around. He is no 6-foot-4 defenseman like Seider, but Viro is not afraid to lay the body to knock someone off the puck.
This past season Viro also played for the Finnish national team in the World Junior Championships this season.
He did not register a point but was a plus-seven for the tournament. Viro may not be a jump-off-the-page prospect, but he adds some depth to the prospect pool that is starting to work its way toward the Red Wings roster.
Must Read. Detroit Red Wings have sixth-best 2021 NHL Draft Lottery odds. light
Congratulations to Eemil Viro; hopefully, the Red Wings will bring him over to the Grand Rapids Griffins at some point in 2021-22 to see what he can do in the North American leagues!