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Friday Prospects — Two new Griffins

The Red Wings have always been a team that’s not afraid to make a splash at the trade deadline. I mean, don’t you remember the year they added Bill Ranford, Wendel Clark, Ulf Samuelsson, and Chris Chelios at the same deadline? That was pretty weird, wasn’t it?

This year, Detroit’s moves likely won’t be remembered fondly the way the 1999 trade deadline was. But the two players they did pick up are technically young enough to be considered prospects. Both of them are in a good position this season on a Grand Rapids team that’s essentially just auditioning young players for next season. As two players with a couple of AHL seasons under each of their belts, it’s not at all a stretch to think that either could turn some heads in the Detroit front office.

The first trade that Detroit made was trading Kris Newbury to the New York Rangers for forward Jordan Owens. Owens does have a very good chance to make a splash for Detroit — considering he’s already under contract for next season. Owens is a product of the OHL, having played three seasons for the Mississauga IceDogs. His best season came in his last, his overaged season, where he put up 74 points in 60 games, including 32 goals.

His first professional season consisted of a split between Hartford (AHL) and Charlotte (ECHL), with 14 points in 41 games and 13 in 20, respectively. He put up 37 in 67 last year, his first full season in the AHL, and was a +17 on the season — good for 4th on the team. He played in 50 games for Hartford this season before being acquired by Detroit.

Owens got a long look in the pre-season for a regular roster spot in New York. He’s praised for his honest two-way style of play, and the fearlessness he plays the game with despite average size (6’0, 189). He plays a physical game and isn’t afraid to drop the gloves. While still a long shot, there’s a chance Owens gets a long look from Detroit next season as a possible injury callup.

Later in the day, Detroit got together with the Calgary Flames to swap Andy Delmore for Riley Armstrong. Armstrong is not under contract for next season, but at 25, he’s still young enough to have some potential. The brother of Atlanta’s Colby Armstrong, Riley got his start through two years in the WHL, his best season coming with 44 points in 69 games in 03-04. He spent the next five seasons in the San Jose system, even getting two games in with the big club last year.

He signed with Calgary in the offseason, but was limited to just 38 games due to some injuries. He had produced 11 goals and 19 points in that time, close to his career best pace the he set last year when he had 42 points with Worcester. Like Owens, Armstrong is known for being equally fearless, playing the agitator/energy role. He’s a good skater who will never be accused of taking a shift off. He’s got a good shot, but doesn’t have the vision or creativity to ever be a big point producer. However, he’s proven to be a late bloomer, and he’ll have every chance of earning a new contract with a strong finish in Grand Rapids.

Statistical report after the jump.

American Hockey League

# Name Team GP G A P +/- PIM Last week Notes
3 Logan Pyett Grand Rapids 65 9 18 27 +3 27
1G in 2GP
4 Travis Ehrhardt Grand Rapids 38 0 5 5 -10 34 2PIM in 1GP
5 Jakub Kindl Grand Rapids 58 3 21 24 -9 55 2PIM in 2GP
7 Sebastien Piche Grand Rapids 9 0 0 0 -1 4 Playing in Toledo (ECHL)
8 Cory Emmerton Grand Rapids 61 9 19 28
-1 16 1GP
9 Evan McGrath Grand Rapids 56 8
11 19 -18 25 1GP Loaned to Syracuse (AHL)
12 Dick Axelsson Grand Rapids 17 2 3 5 +1 6 Playing in Farjestad (SEL)
13 Jan Mursak Grand Rapids 64 20 14 34 +11 38 2A, +1 in 2GP
17 Francis Pare Grand Rapids 63 13 18 31 +16 14
2PIM in 2GP
18 Mattias Ritola Grand Rapids 58 15 18 33 -7 46 2A, -1 in 2GP
25 Jamie Tardif Grand Rapids 62 13 11 24 -12 70 5PIM in 1GP
27 Tomas Tatar Grand Rapids 48 13 14 27 +8 10 1GP
28 Sergei Kolosov Grand Rapids 51 1 3 4 -8 17 2GP
31 Daniel Larsson Grand Rapids 43 18 21 1 2.87
.903 1-1, GAA down, sv% up
35 Thomas McCollum Grand Rapids 26 7 14
1 3.61 .874 DNP Hasn’t won since Dec.13
36 Jordan Pearce Grand Rapids 5 1 2 0 3.82 .875
Playing in Toledo (ECHL)


ECHL

# Name Team GP G A PTS +/- PIM Last Week Notes
20 Travis Ehrhardt Toledo 3 1 1 2 +4 0 Playing in Grand Rapids
25 Sebastien Piche Toledo 38 5 18 23 +2 51 2A, -2, 7PIM in 4GP
30 Thomas McCollum Toledo 4 2 1 0 4.48 .864
Playing in Grand Rapids
35 Jordan Pearce Toledo 30 12 13 1 3.72 .887 1-0, GAA up, sv% down


NCAA

# Name Team GP G A PTS PIM Last Week Notes
7 Brendan Smith Wisconsin 32 15 25 40 56 2PIM in 2GP Only D in NCAA top 50 scoring
7 Max Nicastro Boston U. 34 3 12 15 26 2GP
16 Nick Oslund St. Cloud St. 34 4 5 9 22
2GP One point since 1/9
81 Julien Cayer Clarkson 22
2 3 5 16
DNP
Injured
89 Bryan Rufenach Clarkson 34 5 15 20 53 2A, 6PIM in 3GP 5th in team scoring
89 Gustav Nyquist Maine 32 17 37 54 14 1G, 1A in 2GP

Leads nation in scoring by 4 points


Swedish Eliteserien

# Name Team GP G A PTS +/- PIM Last Week Notes
31 Dick Axelsson Farjestad 14 6 4 10 +2
22 1G, 2PIM in 3GP
16 Anton Axelsson Timra 50 5 6 11 -19 6 3GP
18 Joakim Andersson Frolunda 54 6 12 18 +6 40 1G, -2 in 3GP
24 Jesper Samuelsson Timra 23 0 1 1 +0 8
Playing in SWE-2
28 Adam Almqvist HV71 27 2 6 8 +11 10
3GP Back after missing ~1 month w/ knee injury


Swedish Allsvenskan — Regular season completed

# Name Team GP G A PTS +/- PIM Last Week Notes
3 Jesper Samuelsson Sundsvall 35 3 13 16
-12 36 1GP

16 Johan Ryno AIK 47 9 11 20 +7 34 4PIM in 2GP
Adam Almqvist Troja/Ljungby 0 0 0 0 0 0 Playing with HV71 (SEL)


Swedish J20 League

# Name Team GP G A PTS +/- PIM Last Week Notes
4 Adam Almqvist HV71 15 5 29 34 +14 14 Playing with HV71 (SEL)


Kontinental Hockey League

# Name Team GP G A PTS +/- PIM Last Week Notes
21 Gennady Stolyarov HC MVD 1 0 0 0 0
Finally made season debut
26 Jiri Hudler Moscow Dynamo 51 19 32 51 16 In playoffs


Ontario Hockey League

# Name Team GP G A PTS +/- PIM Last Week Notes
10 Stephen Johnston Windsor 16 4 4 8 -2 17 -1 in 2GP
11 Stephen Johnston Belleville 18
6
4
10
-3
16

Traded to Windsor
18 Brian Lashoff Kingston 55 6 21 27 -9 71 1A, -3, 4PIM in 3GP


Western Hockey League

# Name Team GP G A PTS +/- PIM Last Week Notes
9 Brent Raedeke Edmonton 39 17 14 31 +4 60 Traded to Brandon
9 Brent Raedeke Brandon 31 6 18
24 +10 31 1G, 3A, +1 in 3GP

13 Landon Ferraro Red Deer 51 16
30 46 -13 51 1G, 2A, -5, 2PIM in 4GP

19 Willie Coetzee Red Deer 70 29 51 80 +10 32 1G, 1A, -1, 2PIM in 4GP
24 Mitchell Callahan Kelowna 70 19 27 46 +2 165 +3, 9PIM in 3GP



Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

# Name Team GP G A PTS +/- PIM Last Week Notes
11 Andrej Nestrasil Victoriaville 48 15 34 48 +2 38 4A, +4, 4PIM in 2GP Best week in over two months
14 Gleason Fournier Rimouski 56 13 36 49 +4 76 1G, +1, 4PIM in 2GP


United States Hockey League

# Name Team GP G A PTS +/- PIM Last Week Notes
6 Nick Jensen Green Bay 45 6 18 24 +27 33 1G, 2A, +3 in 3GP 14 of 24 points since I interviewed him

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