The Left Wing Lock

Follow

The Minnesota Wild have announced their 2013 roster for the NHL prospect tournament at Centre I.C.E. arena in Traverse City, MI. The team features  First round draft choices Mathew Dumba (2012) and Zack Phillips (2011) . Also on the roster are Harvard standout Marshall Everson and high scoring Raphael Bussieres. This year’s Tournament is scheduled from September 5 – 9 and will feature teams from Dallas, Detroit, Columbus, Buffalo, Carolina, Minnesota, New York, and St. Louis. For details on the tournament and ticket information please click … Continue Reading

Follow

The NHL prospect tournment has produced 400 NHL alumni from the 13 teams that have participated since its inception in 1998. The St. Louis Blues have produced the most NHL players using the tournament to develop a total of 56 skaters. As hosts, the Red Wings are the only team that has played in every tournament and they have also produced the second most NHL players. Detroit prospect tournament alumni have played in the most NHL games leading the 12 other teams by more than 3,000 games. Outlined below is a breakdown of the tournaments productive past … Continue Reading

Follow

Disappointment doesn’t begin to describe how Ryan Sproul felt to be one ot the last players cut from the Canadian world junior selection camp. After returning to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound defenseman had new drive and determination.

“Going in I didn’t have any expectations, but of course I wanted to make the team,” he said. “Once I got cut, I used it as motivation to keep pushing. It was one of those things in the back of my head all the time. I just decided to do as well as I … Continue Reading

Follow

The 2013 NHL Prospects tournament schedule has been finalized. This years tournament will run September 5 – 9 at Centre I.C.E. Arena in Traverse City, MI. Participating teams include Buffalo, Carolina, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Minnesota, New York and St. Louis. The tournament, which began in 1998, has 400 alumni who have or are currently playing in the NHL for a total of nearly 60,000 NHL games played. The highest scoring alumni include Ilya Kovalchuk, Pavel Datsyuk, Dany Heatley, Henrik Zetterberg, David Legwand, Scott Hartnell, Martin Erat, Alexander Semin … Continue Reading

Follow

Andreas Athanasiou believes he is NHL ready. The 18-year-old understands that the Red Wings take thier time with prospect development and he’s willing to wait for his opportunity.

“I know I have the ability to skate with the guys in the NHL,” Athanasiou said. “I have the quickness and speed and I know I can think the game pretty well.  I think I am NHL ready, but obviously they take their time with players.

The 6-foot, 179 pound forward spent the past week in Traverse City, MI at the Red Wings development camp. … Continue Reading

Follow

Marc McNulty wasn’t sure he would even get drafted. So when the Red Wings made him the 169th overall selection in the June entry draft, the 18 year-old was thrilled.

“It was pretty special for me and my family,” he said. “We sat and watched the first round and a the draft went on I tried to take my mind off of it. To hear my name called by Detroit was incredible because I didn’t know where or if I was going to go.”

McNulty is a raw package of size and mobility, … Continue Reading

Follow

Xavier Ouellet can hardly contain his excitement about starting his professional hockey career. The 6-foot, 187 pound defenseman finished his final season with the Blainsville-Boisbriand Armada scoring 10 goals and 41 points in 50 QMJHL games.

“Overall it was a good season,” he said. “It was kind of hard because there was a lot of adversity for the team and for myself. I’ve had a high ankle sprain on and off throughout the season. It’s part of hockey and I am better for going through that.”

The 19 year-old also represented Canada at … Continue Reading

Follow

Alexei Marchenko had no idea what to expect from his first Red Wings development camp. The Moscow, Russia native had planned to make the transition to North America after his contract with CSKA of the KHL expired, but the experience of the past week are far different than what he imagined.

“When you speak of coming to North America it is one thing, but when you feel it on the ice it’s another,” Marchenko said. “This camp just gives something to think about and something to work on. Now I know what to … Continue Reading