| STORIES |
- Monday, October 6, 2008: High hopes for ‘bonus draft picks’
- Monday, January 12, 2009: Not drafted, but no slouch
- Tuesday, January 5, 2010: Scoring sensation Smith shines
- Tuesday, January 12, 2010: Larsson, next in line, learns ropes
- Thursday, September 16, 2010: Lashoff ‘solid as a rock’
- Tuesday, September 21, 2010: Emmerton ‘still a prospect’ but needs big year
- Thursday, June 9, 2011: 2010-11 end-of-season: Smith rules the roost
- Wednesday, March 21, 2012: Lashoff playing through the pain
- Wednesday, January 23, 2013: Productive Sproul shines brightly in CHL
- Wednesday, February 20, 2013: Ferraro rounding into an ‘NHL prospect’
- Wednesday, February 27, 2013: Sheahan thriving with Griffins on the ice
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| AWARDS |
- 2009-10 OHL All-Star Classic (Eastern Conference Team)
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| HISTORY |
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2006-07:
- Drafted by the Barrie Colts in the third round (49th overall) in the 2006 OHL draft.
- Broke into OHL immediately with Barrie (47-2-10-12).
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2007-08:
- Missed 12 games with an ankle injury but finished with good numbers (50-5-15-20).
- Ranked 183rd among North Americans at mid-season by Central Scouting.
- Dropped from Central Scouting’s rankings at season’s end and wasn’t picked 2008 NHL draft.
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2008-09:
- Invited to Red Wings’ prospects tournament and training camp as a free-agent tryout.
- Performed well and signed three-year entry-level contract with Red Wings.
- Started the season in OHL with Barrie and played well (25-1-12-13).
- Traded to Kingston as part of a five-player deal in December.
- Emerged on top pairing in Kingston and earned the team captaincy.
- Starred for a weak team (35-6-13-19, minus-1), logging big minutes in all situations.
- Signed an AHL amateur tryout contract and turned heads in Grand Rapids.
- Finished AHL regular season (6-1-4-5) in impressive fashion and kept it going in playoffs (8-1-4-5).
- Missed final two games of playoffs with a concussion.
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2009-10:
- Returned to the OHL as Kingston’s captain and had another solid year (58-6-21-27, minus-10).
- Served as third pairing and won a gold medal with the U.S. at WJC (7-0-2-2, plus-1, 2 shots).
- Enjoyed another outstanding late-season stint in AHL with Grand Rapids (6-0-2-2).
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2010-11:
- Appeared in three NHL pre-season games with the Red Wings (3-0-0-0, minus-5, three shots).
- Struggled as an AHL rookie, missing significant time with a separated shoulder and an ankle sprain.
- Didn’t make as much of an impact as hoped when he was healthy (37-0-3-3, minus-5, 27 shots).
- Also had a brief ECHL stint with Toledo (3-0-1-1, minus-1, 10 shots).
- Called up to Detroit as a Black Ace (spare who doesn’t play) for the NHL playoff run.
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2011-12:
- Appeared in two NHL pre-season games with Red Wings (2-0-0-0, minus-1, no shots).
- Returned to Grand Rapids for second full season and missed just one game.
- Suffered shoulder injury early on but played through it (76-8-11-19, minus-5, 107 shots).
- Played mostly on third pairing behind Garnet Exelby, Doug Janik, Brendan Smith and Logan Pyett.
- During one 10-game stretch in January, had five goals and three assists and was plus-5.
- Called up for Red Wings’ brief playoff run to serve as a Black Ace (spare who doesn’t play).
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| SCOUT COMMENTS |
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“He has good size, he skates well, he moves the puck well, and we liked his overall game. We think he’s a 4-to-6 guy and we’ll see, maybe he’ll surprise us. We think he has a chance to play.” — Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill (October 2008) … … “To me, he’s just going upward. He’s skating well, he’s moving the puck, making smart decisions. He’s physical, he plays the body, he defends the net well and he finishes checks with authority. It was a great signing. We’re ecstatic with how he’s developed and played.” — Red Wings scout Mark Leach (January 2009) … “He came to camp this year way bigger, way stronger, and he has to do that again next year. If he continues to get bigger and stronger, and keep developing those skills, he’ll be a very good piece for the Red Wings in the future.” — Grand Rapids head coach Curt Fraser (February 2012) … “Actually, I thought he was better here than in the American League, maybe because the game’s more organized. But he made good decisions. He’s a big man, he showed good hands, was great on the penalty kill — four-on-three penalty with him, Pav (Datsyuk) and (Henrik Zetterberg) on it, he did a heck of a job.” — Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock (January 2013, MLive.com) … “Outstanding. He’s just smart, he’s big. He’s big and he’s smart, so because you’re big and you’re smart and you’re competitive, you get to play lots. So good for him.” — Babcock (February 2013, MLive.com) … “He’s very intelligent in the game. He moves the puck well. He shoots the puck well, and he has big size. He’s been a good fit for our team.” — … Babcock (February 2013, MLive.com.
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| STRENGTHS |
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Has all the tools to be a complete defenseman … Good mobility for his size … Hard shot … Good puck-moving ability and decision-making skills … Hard-working and dedicated … Good bloodlines, as brother Matt was a first-round pick of the Boston Bruins … Solid size and strength and willingly plays a physical game … Filled in capably at forward on the left wing during an AHL stint in 2008-09 … Good leader.
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| WEAKNESSES |
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Pieces are coming together, but still a raw project … Needs to put continued work into his skating … Could develop into a shut-down defender with better positioning and consistency … Has struggled with injuries during his pro career and needs to stay healthy.
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| PROJECTION |
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The Red Wings made a good move by signing Lashoff off the free-agent scrap heap following the 2008 draft. He had a solid AHL sophomore season in 2011-12 and could make a impact in a top-four role in Grand Rapids in 2012-13 if he comes to camp healthy. He’s a solid prospect in the mold of a poor-man’s Brad Stuart and has a chance at becoming a third-pairing defenseman. |
Player statistics powered by www.eliteprospects.com
| Season |
Team |
League |
GP |
G |
A |
TP |
PIM |
|
Playoffs |
GP |
G |
A |
TP |
PIM |
| 2006-2007 |
Barrie Colts |
OHL |
47 |
2 |
10 |
12 |
20 |
| |
Playoffs |
5 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| 2007-2008 |
Barrie Colts |
OHL |
50 |
5 |
15 |
20 |
44 |
| |
Playoffs |
8 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
| 2008-2009 |
Barrie Colts |
OHL |
25 |
1 |
12 |
13 |
19 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Kingston Frontenacs |
OHL |
35 |
6 |
13 |
19 |
32 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
6 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
0 |
| |
Playoffs |
8 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
2 |
| 2009-2010 |
Kingston Frontenacs |
OHL |
58 |
6 |
21 |
27 |
71 |
| |
Playoffs |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
| |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
6 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
USA U20 |
WJC-20 |
7 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2010-2011 |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
37 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
25 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Toledo Walleye |
ECHL |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2011-2012 |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
76 |
8 |
11 |
19 |
41 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2012-2013 |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
37 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
23 |
| |
Playoffs |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Detroit Red Wings |
NHL |
31 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
15 |
| |
Playoffs |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Player statistics © www.eliteprospects.com
