Hey there, gang! Long time no see. It’s been quiet around here recently and I wish I could say that will change soon, but that’s how this part of the offseason goes! Let’s get caught up.
Cool news for one of Detroit’s brightest young defensemen — Simon Edvinsson will compete with Team Sweden in the upcoming Men’s IIHF World Championship. This will be Edvinsson’s first time appearing at this level, so kudos to him! Well deserved, and hopefully will get him the recognition he deserves. The Worlds will run from May 9 through May 22, Sweden and Denmark are the hosting nations.
Some other recent and relevant news — Head coach Todd McLellan is shaking up his staff. The team is parting ways with goaltender coach Alex Westlund. That was reported by Sean Shapiro. It’s not clear yet if McLellan will make any other changes. Goaltending was a weak spot for this team, and has been for a while… So this isn’t surprising, but it certainly is welcomed news.
Some quick notes on prospects…
Goaltender Rudy Guimond (6th round selection for Detroit in 2023) made 28 saves in his start over the weekend and improved to 22-0. That’s not a typo — the guy has not lost a game in the QMJHL. He’s been excellent, but it should be noted that he plays for the best team in the league. He also hasn’t been the bonafide starter for the Moncton Wildcats. He’ll be joining Yale in the NCAA next season. The numbers look great, but let’s see how he does at the next level. The QMJHL isn’t exactly a beacon of goaltending.
The Grand Rapids Griffins will begin their postseason journey this week. The division semifinal round against the Texas Stars begins Tuesday night in Grand Rapids. Here’s the schedule:
Game 1: Tuesday, April 29 in Grand Rapids
Game 2: Monday, May 5 in Grand Rapids
Game 3: Friday, May 9 in Texas
Game 4*: Saturday, May 10 in Texas
Game 5*: Monday, May 12 in Texas
*if necessary
Some of Detroit’s best talent will be on display for the Griffins: Axel Sandin Pellikka, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Nate Danielson, Amadeus Lombardi, Sebastian Cossa, Shai Buium, Emmitt Finnie.. The list goes on. Hoping for a good series!
Finally, the Toledo Walleye took care of business in the ECHL Central Division Semifinals — they swept the Indy Fuel in impressive fashion. The Walleye will play either Fort Wayne or Iowa in the next round. Looks like Toledo is poised for a run, so keep an eye on those dudes!
