Mark Spizzirri: Red Wing Prospect Review - Jake Paterson

they have plenty of time since Howard is not even 30,
Hope they find someone out of him an Mrazek.
Remember when we were counting on Larsson and McCollulm


also, can you do a Riley Sheahan prospect review? minus the teletubbies

Mark Spizzirri: Red Wing Prospect Review - Jake Paterson
- spity1

hey Mark this is the only Wings prospects news that matters in my opinion lol :p

http://www.huffingtonpost...eird-news&ir=Weird%20News

Nice report Mark. Nice to see him do well...won't hurt the Wings to have another good goalie prospect.


Hey Mark do you think Sproul has a shot at making Canada's WJ team? From everything i read, he's not being mentionned to make it or even to have a shot. Would love for him and Ouellet to make it.

they have plenty of time since Howard is not even 30,
Hope they find someone out of him an Mrazek.
Remember when we were counting on Larsson and McCollulm


also, can you do a Riley Sheahan prospect review? minus the teletubbies
- wingz4life

I'd be more interested in knowing wtf is going on with Pulkkinen this season.

I'd be more interested in knowing wtf is going on with Pulkkinen this season.
- dcz28

From what I've heard and seen, Pulkkinen is playing very well. He's improved his defense, physicality, and skating. However, he has no chemistry with his line mates. Early on, before Teravainen's injury, they were playing together for the most part on the 3rd line with Lahti, and none of them were producing. Most of Pulu's points have come from when he was playing with the Filppula brothers (before Moses was planted on that line) and on the power play. His efforts have never been better, but his offense is suffering. He would be a PPG player if his coach kept him with Ilari and Valtteri, but for some reason that experiment was short-lived.

Nice report Mark. Nice to see him do well...won't hurt the Wings to have another good goalie prospect.


Hey Mark do you think Sproul has a shot at making Canada's WJ team? From everything i read, he's not being mentionned to make it or even to have a shot. Would love for him and Ouellet to make it.
- dcz28

As for Sproul, I don't expect him to get invited to the evaluation camp when the rosters are announced on Monday. I think his biggest issue has been the amount of time he has missed due to injuries this season and last. He also only returned to action early last week. Ouellet is in contention for a spot but I think it will be dependent on which players currently playing in the AHL are released to play for Canada. If many of them are released (Siemens, Beaulieu, Morrow, etc.), Ouellet might be in tough.

I do know they were pleased with his play during the summer series for Canada vs Russia.

From what I've heard and seen, Pulkkinen is playing very well. He's improved his defense, physicality, and skating. However, he has no chemistry with his line mates. Early on, before Teravainen's injury, they were playing together for the most part on the 3rd line with Lahti, and none of them were producing. Most of Pulu's points have come from when he was playing with the Filppula brothers (before Moses was planted on that line) and on the power play. His efforts have never been better, but his offense is suffering. He would be a PPG player if his coach kept him with Ilari and Valtteri, but for some reason that experiment was short-lived.
- TwoPieceFeed

Thanks for the info. Don't get to see him and haven't read much on him so far but found it odd that his stats were so low with that team. Would have been nice for the coach to stick him with Val for the season so they can get use to playing with each other like Zetterberg and Brunner are doing. Plus Val is a pass first player while Pulkkinen loves to shoot which seems like a good match.

As for Sproul, I don't expect him to get invited to the evaluation camp when the rosters are announced on Monday. I think his biggest issue has been the amount of time he has missed due to injuries this season and last. He also only returned to action early last week. Ouellet is in contention for a spot but I think it will be dependent on which players currently playing in the AHL are released to play for Canada. If many of them are released (Siemens, Beaulieu, Morrow, etc.), Ouellet might be in tough.

I do know they were pleased with his play during the summer series for Canada vs Russia.
- spity1

Thanks Mark. I know he was a long shot because of the injuries but was hoping since he was doing great when playing that it might get his foot in the door so to speak. Would love to see Ouellet make it but wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't because of the number of higher drafted players available with "bigger names".

Good to hear the Wings have another good goalie prospect they can develop.

Mark, do you have any future blogs coming out on the Grand Rapids Griffins ?? Would like to hear your take on them and how the top prospects are doing.

Okay.. and since I'm now on the topic of the GR Griffins.. I'll share what I saw last week when I saw them play the Chicago Wolves (Griffins won 4-3). Griffins are leading the Midwest division.

Mrazek is a keeper. This kid looks like a rock solid goalie. His record since coming to GR is 7-1 last I checked. What rally impressed me most about this guy is his ability to see the puck and make great saves with lots of traffic in front of him (especially when the Griffins were short-handed). His positioning looks very good too and it just seems like the team works a lot harder when this guy is in net. The overall team defense has been pretty solid this year.

So far from what I've seen this is the best team I've seen in GR in about 4 years. I do like their overall balance in terms of scoring. Tatar is on a TEAR.... Nyquist still looks good (leading the team in scoring). This Chad Billins kid has came out of nowhere and he's one heck of a setup / playmaker. And finally... got to see Jurco play. He isn't getting much ice time but he's starting to put points up. Got good size at 6 ft 2". He's the youngest Griffin and he looks very comfortable out there (good skater too).

Should be a fun year to watch the Griffins since I can't watch the Wings. Jim Blashill has done a great job so far and it appears a coaching change with some new blood is exactly what this team needed. Last I checked the Griffins power play is doing well too (4th in the AHL if I remember right). Let's hope they keep it up !

The Red Wings should draft Jake Patterson of the London Knights so that in a few years they can have Jake Patterson backing up Jake Paterson.

Okay.. and since I'm now on the topic of the GR Griffins.. I'll share what I saw last week when I saw them play the Chicago Wolves (Griffins won 4-3). Griffins are leading the Midwest division.

Mrazek is a keeper. This kid looks like a rock solid goalie. His record since coming to GR is 7-1 last I checked. What rally impressed me most about this guy is his ability to see the puck and make great saves with lots of traffic in front of him (especially when the Griffins were short-handed). His positioning looks very good too and it just seems like the team works a lot harder when this guy is in net. The overall team defense has been pretty solid this year.

So far from what I've seen this is the best team I've seen in GR in about 4 years. I do like their overall balance in terms of scoring. Tatar is on a TEAR.... Nyquist still looks good (leading the team in scoring). This Chad Billins kid has came out of nowhere and he's one heck of a setup / playmaker. And finally... got to see Jurco play. He isn't getting much ice time but he's starting to put points up. Got good size at 6 ft 2". He's the youngest Griffin and he looks very comfortable out there (good skater too).

Should be a fun year to watch the Griffins since I can't watch the Wings. Jim Blashill has done a great job so far and it appears a coaching change with some new blood is exactly what this team needed. Last I checked the Griffins power play is doing well too (4th in the AHL if I remember right). Let's hope they keep it up !
- Vladdie_Kon1

To me, tatar-nyquist and smith are all nhl ready. Jurco will be a red wing, just going to take development time.

Okay.. and since I'm now on the topic of the GR Griffins.. I'll share what I saw last week when I saw them play the Chicago Wolves (Griffins won 4-3). Griffins are leading the Midwest division.

Mrazek is a keeper. This kid looks like a rock solid goalie. His record since coming to GR is 7-1 last I checked. What rally impressed me most about this guy is his ability to see the puck and make great saves with lots of traffic in front of him (especially when the Griffins were short-handed). His positioning looks very good too and it just seems like the team works a lot harder when this guy is in net. The overall team defense has been pretty solid this year.

So far from what I've seen this is the best team I've seen in GR in about 4 years. I do like their overall balance in terms of scoring. Tatar is on a TEAR.... Nyquist still looks good (leading the team in scoring). This Chad Billins kid has came out of nowhere and he's one heck of a setup / playmaker. And finally... got to see Jurco play. He isn't getting much ice time but he's starting to put points up. Got good size at 6 ft 2". He's the youngest Griffin and he looks very comfortable out there (good skater too).

Should be a fun year to watch the Griffins since I can't watch the Wings. Jim Blashill has done a great job so far and it appears a coaching change with some new blood is exactly what this team needed. Last I checked the Griffins power play is doing well too (4th in the AHL if I remember right). Let's hope they keep it up !
- Vladdie_Kon1

Thanks for your thoughts since here all they show is AHL games from Canadian farm teams like Hamilton, Marlies or OKC which is sickening. All i can get is highlights from GR games

Liked Mrazek from his time from the 67's and couldn't believe it when they sent him down to Toledo instead of Pearce. GR seems to have good chemistry from their run and i hope they keep it going. Never really liked their former coach and wonder why they didn't make a change before with how bad the team did the last few years.

GR should be even more interesting next year if they add a couple like Sproul, Ouellet, Jarnkrok, Pulkkinen, Frk, Tvrdon ect...they will lose Nyquist, Smith and Tatar but they should still be adding skill with a couple of the rookies now being a year older.

Bonus for the Red Wings as both Jake Paterson and Ryan Sproul will joine Xavier Ouellet at the Team Canada evaluation camp beginning next Monday in Calgary, contrary to my initial hypothesis.

Bonus for the Red Wings as both Jake Paterson and Ryan Sproul will joine Xavier Ouellet at the Team Canada evaluation camp beginning next Monday in Calgary, contrary to my initial hypothesis.
- spity1

Happy to see Sproul get the invite and i hope he makes the team. Lots of people didn't have him getting an invite including Bob McKenzie from TSN. Can't remember the last time the Wings had 3 prospects with a shot at team Canada.

I have not felt this confident in our prospect pool in a few areas like this in a while.

I hope the Wings are getting a better combination of skill and grit. #5 could outskill others to get the puck out, but with him gone.... it's time to get much snottier.

I have not felt this confident in our prospect pool in a few areas like this in a while.

I hope the Wings are getting a better combination of skill and grit. #5 could outskill others to get the puck out, but with him gone.... it's time to get much snottier.
- BooBoo997

Agree with you on both counts. I'm going to try catch as many GR Griffin games as I can this year to see how the farm is doing. So far they've exceeded my expectations. Their new goalie has been outstanding... all the rest of their top prospects in GR are progressing nicely. Nyquist, Tatar, Smith, Jurco, Sheahan, etc... they all have been playing great so far this year. Best Griffins team in 4 years.

The Wings need to finally add some grit and toughness to the forwards and defense (need to add a lot more size too). We've gotten so use to Nick being back there it will be weird without his calming presence and skill out there on the blue line.