Detroit Red Wings agree to entry-level deal with Cross Hanas

The Detroit Red Wings have gone out and signed Cross Hanas to a three-year entry-level contract to add to their group of forwards in the mix. They can get him working with the Grand Rapids Griffins and possibly mix him into the NHL lineup if needed.

Hanas is a 2020 NHL Entry Draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings who was selected in the second round. Touted as someone who could be on the quick path to get into the AHL/NHL levels, he did not disappoint, making it there quickly.

While his 2020-21 season was not the prettiest for him, he has since turned things around and warranted himself a three-year deal with the Red Wings. The team is going to try him out and see if he can’t show off some talent and keep developing to earn a spot with the team in the near-ish future.

Hanas was a high-ceiling draftee who had plenty to live up to, and it seems like he has been able to do so in 2021-22, making him worth giving an entry-level deal. After all, he did pull off the famous “Michigan move” back in 2019 with the Portland Winterhawks.

Detroit Red Wings sign Cross Hanas to an entry-level deal.

The left-handed shooting forward is someone who has some tools in this toolbox but needs more time to work on them and still needs time for them to continue developing and see them translate at the next level.

Red Wings General Manager (GM) must see something and feel like getting Hanas to sign his entry-level deal was smart at this time. With the hope being to keep him developing in the minors. He’s played in 53 games for the Portland Winterhawks in 2021-22, where he has 22 goals and 48 assists for 70 total points on the season, which leads the squad.

He’s coming off the 2020-21 season where he spent the bulk of his time with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL, where he had just three goals and 13 assists for 16 points over 27 games played. This year has been a bounce-back year for Hanas and one that has earned him a professional contract.

Moving forward, the Red Wings are going to hope to see continued development from the 20-year-old. As a high-ceiling prospect, the hope is that he can keep getting better and ultimately become a role player for the Red Wings moving forward.

It will take some time, but the Red Wings have signed him and are going to invest in him as they look to develop him in the minors and start working him in at times.