What I'm seeing from Red Wings' top prospects in AHL playoffs

New York Times

07-05-2025

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The AHL playoffs are not off to a good start for the Detroit Red Wings' top affiliate.
Two games into a best-of-five series against the Texas Stars, the Grand Rapids Griffins find themselves in a 2-0 hole, and it has looked like it sounds. The Stars took Game 1 by way of a 4-0 shutout. Texas raced out to another 4-0 lead in Game 2, as well, before the Griffins found some spark and cut it to a 4-2 final.
In other words, it's getting late pretty early for Detroit's top prospects, and they're going to need to dig deep to get back into the series and keep their playoff run alive as the series shifts to Texas.
So, what's gone wrong, and what can the series tell us about some of the Red Wings' prospects (including four recent first-round picks)? Here's what I'm seeing so far, after attending Game 2 in person and watching Game 1 on video. The turnovers
Three of the eight goals Texas has scored in this series have come on entirely avoidable turnovers.
In Game 1, it was Elmer Söderblom bobbling a pass in the neutral zone that quickly went the other way in transition for a goal. With Grand Rapids already down a goal at the time, it put the Griffins down 2-0 less than seven minutes into the game.
In Game 2, Amadeus Lombardi made a similar mistake in the same part of the ice, trying to skate the puck into the zone despite back pressure, losing his handle on it, and seeing it go the other way for the first goal of the game. And minutes later, Anton Johansson had an attempted rim pass picked off below the defensive goal line, leading to a scramble at the net and another early 2-0 deficit.
'We cannot give that team the puck,' Griffins coach Dan Watson said. 'They don't need it. And to give it to them for free, we're just playing right into their hands.'
Texas has done very well to force those turnovers, both with their forechecking and the pressure they've given on the backcheck, as with Lombardi's goal. The Griffins aren't getting hardly any free ice to skate or pass into, and as a result, Texas has been able to extend possessions and wear them down — which only compounds the problem, as decision-making rarely gets better when players are tired.
'We've got to get out of our zone,' Watson said. 'I mean, we killed a couple plays, we had it, and then we turn it over and now they're spending a minute in our zone. And all of the sudden — you guys can see — (it's) five guys standing around because they're tired. So we have to make sure that pucks get past their pressure, responsibly. With possession, hopefully — but if not, we have to make sure we manage those in our D-zone.'
Even accounting for the very significant credit Texas is due here in causing that chaos, the Griffins have to cut back on the mental lapses if they're going to keep their season alive. The top prospects
As you can guess by the score lines, there hasn't been a ton of offense to speak of from Detroit's top prospects.
The one big exception to that would be 2024 first-round pick Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, who had a goal and an assist in Monday's Game 2, first picking up an assist on Sheldon Dries' power-play goal, and then later adding a goal of his own — his first as a Griffin. He finished the night with three shots on goal in total.
Presenting the first North American goal for Michael Brandsegg-Nygård.@griffinshockey | @DetroitRedWings pic.twitter.com/ZPECTcskgR
— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) May 6, 2025
The goal was encouraging because of how repeatable it was. With his linemates battling for the puck down low, Brandsegg-Nygård got himself open just above the crease and then ripped home the goal on his first touch. His shot is his bread and butter, and it'll be particularly effective on exactly that kind of play, where the goalie has minimal time to prepare for it, and even less time to stop it from in tight. It's easy to imagine him scoring a lot of goals just like that.
'I thought he was more comfortable in his play tonight,' Watson said. 'I thought he played really well. Obviously moved him up the lineup as the game went along. Just thought he was physical, thought he had some good shots on net — which obviously that's a weapon for him.'
Keep in mind, Brandsegg-Nygård has only played four AHL games to this point (two regular season, and two playoffs). His ice time has steadily ticked up each game, though, starting out at 13 minutes in his debut and reaching 17 minutes on Monday. He said he's talked a lot with the Grand Rapids coaches and development staff to figure out what he needs to do to be successful in this new league, and said he feels like he's getting better and has the 'American mindset.'
'Just get the puck North and get it to the net,' he said.
That's a great place to start, and as Watson alluded, his physicality is certainly going to fit right in, too. He's certainly not shy to use his body to win a battle.
It will take him time, like it does all players, to fully adjust. But he's a player who only needs an instant to make his impact felt.
Fellow recent addition Axel Sandin Pellikka hasn't had a real signature moment in the series yet, though Watson did say Monday was 'one of his better games, for sure.'
Certainly, Sandin Pellikka is a natural puck-mover who looks very fluid transitioning a first pass up ice, and Watson noted that he 'walks the blue line with confidence.' I've also felt he's competed hard, which is crucial for a smaller defenseman.
But it will probably take him some time to really get a feel for the AHL game, where there's simply less time and space than in Sweden. He's a good skater, but more so with his edges and change of direction than pure speed, so a lot of his damage will be done with his brain, as he learns to dissect AHL penalty kills and defensive coverages. That's a process, and it's why these late-season games in Grand Rapids are important for him. He's on the top power play, and he's been over 21 minutes in both playoff games so far.
He's got more playoff games ahead, plus a big offseason, so a lot can change between now and September. But from what I've seen so far, I think starting in Grand Rapids next year could be good for him as he continues to make those adjustments.
I am more curious about Nate Danielson when it comes to the Detroit roster conversation. Danielson hasn't been on the board in the series so far, but I did notice him making slick, mature plays in the defensive zone late in the game, and the way he finds the middle with passes after using his speed outside is usually a good recipe for offense.
It's a familiar story with Danielson, though, whose tools — skating, size, smarts — tend to stand out, but you're still left wanting to see it lead to actual goals.
Now, this has not been a high-scoring Griffins team all year (their leading scorer, AHL veteran Joe Snively, had 47 points in 72 games). That obviously affects how many points there are to go around, and in this series, the turnovers and breakout issues have only compounded that. You can't go play in the offensive end if you're hemmed in your own.
There is one school of thought that for a player like Danielson, simply playing with NHL teammates — who can be more predictable in their actions — could lead to more production. But if Danielson were to be on the NHL roster next fall, it's also true that he'd likely be in a third-line role. I'm not sure if the Red Wings will be inclined to do that, or if they'll prefer for him to play a top-line, top power-play role to try and coax out more of that offense. What's up with Sebastian Cossa?
There was one notable absence from the Griffins' lineup Monday: 2021 first-round pick goaltender Sebastian Cossa, who was pulled after allowing four goals on 19 shots in the first 29 minutes of Game 1, and then sat in favor of veteran Jack Campbell in Game 2.
'I thought (Campbell) played well when he came in (in Game 1),' Watson said. 'I know he only had 11 shots, but still, I thought he was solid, played well. He played well for us (in) our last game (of the regular season) in Iowa, that we had to win, kind of stole that game for us. So that was basically the decision.'
That comes on the heels of Steve Yzerman's end-of-season press conference, when he said of Cossa, 'We're looking for him to take another step. I'm not prepared today to put him in the NHL. He had a very good first two-thirds of the season, his play dipped a little bit after the (AHL) All-Star break, and this is a big playoff for him.'
It's a tricky balance for Watson to walk, between giving Cossa — a key piece of the organization's future in goal — the chance to work things out and have that 'big playoff' Yzerman spoke of, and needing to make the game-to-game decisions that give Grand Rapids the best chance to stay alive in those playoffs. And clearly, he leaned Campbell's way in that regard in Game 2.
After Campbell also gave up four goals on Monday — two off those turnovers, one on the power play, and one on a rush chance — we'll see which way the Griffins go for Game 3 on Friday. But frankly, given Cossa's significance to the future, it's a bit concerning that it's a legitimate debate right now. The surprise bright spot
The Griffins player who might have caught my eye most often Monday night was not one of the first-round picks, nor one of the longtime AHL veterans in the lineup.
It was 2022 fourth-round pick Anton Johansson, a right-shot defenseman who played North of 20 minutes for the Griffins. He had one of those turnovers that led to a goal in Game 2, so it wasn't all pretty, but Johansson's skating really pops — especially at 6-foot-4. He plays hard and sometimes mean, he has a big shot, and he can cover a lot of ground. That's a very appealing package for a 20-year-old defenseman, even if he's still raw.
'He's got that snarl to his game when he wants it,' Watson said. 'He plays long, he's got a good stick. I've liked everything I've seen about him, to be honest with you. He's a mature kid, but in this locker room, he does bring the spirits high. He likes to have fun. He enjoys coming to the rink and he loves the game. So he's going to continue to develop, and he's a really good prospect.'
(Photo of Nate Danielson: Courtesy of Nicolas Carrillo / Griffins)