Prospect Ranking Update Grigorenko regains status as organization's top prospect ... 999 By Matthew Wuest - RedWingsCentral.com January 11, 2006 Igor Grigorenko at “85 or 90 percent” is still enough to get the Russian forward to the top of RedWingsCentral.com’s latest prospect ranking. With the graduation of defenseman Niklas Kronwall to the NHL, Grigorenko has climbed into the No. 1 spot, regaining the title he held for more than a year prior to a serious car accident in May, 2003. The 5-foot-10 winger, who tips the scales at 200-plus pounds, continues to find his game this year with Severstal Cherepovets of the Russian Elite League. He has 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points in 34 games, tied for 10th in league scoring. “I’d say he’s 85 to 90 percent of what he was, from the reports I’ve heard,” said Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill, who is headed to Russia next month to scout Grigorenko. “We’ve heard his hands are back, and he’s got great hockey sense, but now it’s if his skating can come back to the level it was. His whole thing is skating.” Grigorenko was considered ready for the NHL in 2003-04 before suffering a broken left femur and two fractures in his left tibia in the crash. The Red Wings are hoping Grigorenko can recover the remaining 10 to 15 percent of his skating stride over the next eight months. The 22-year-old’s signing rights belong to the Red Wings until June 1, 2007, but the organization doesn’t want to wait that long. “We’d really like to bring him over for next year,” said Nill. “The game plan was to bring him over this year, but we couldn’t the way the rules were with the new CBA (collective bargaining agreement).” Grigorenko was a second-round pick (62nd overall) in the 2001 draft. RISING: Forward Tomas Kopecky (Grand Rapids, American Hockey League) has added strength and is asserting himself physically, which has reestablished him as a prospect ... Defenseman Kyle Quincey (Grand Rapids, AHL) has made a smooth adjustment to the pros and has the makings of a solid top-six defender ... Winger Anton Axelsson (Frolunda, Swedish Elite League) is a speedy puck-chaser who could develop into a strong checking-line presence ... FALLING: Defenseman Derek Meech (Grand Rapids, AHL) has been surpassed on the depth chart by both Kyle Quincey and Brett Lebda ... Goaltender Joey MacDonald (Grand Rapids, AHL) is under contract until 2007, but is 25 and the Red Wings haven’t shown any sign of handing him the backup duties in Detroit just yet ... The following is Red Wings Central’s updated ranking. 1. Igor Grigorenko (+1) Cherepovets (Rus) Grigorenko has 21 goals and 22 assists for 43 points in his past 59 games. Those numbers are better (pro-rated) than those he posted in his last full season prior to the accident (29 points in 47 games). The hard-driving winger is expected to play in North America next season. 2. Jimmy Howard (+1) Grand Rapids (AHL) Howard got a chance to play in the NHL at age 21 because of injuries to Manny Legace and Joey MacDonald. The 6-foot-1 goaltender has shown flashes of marvelous potential, but some seasoning is necessary. In the next few years, Howard could challenge for starting duties in Detroit. 3. Jiri Hudler (+1) Grand Rapids (AHL) Hudler is an offensive machine in the American Hockey League. His lack of size and inconsistent effort are concerns, while his puck savvy and playmaking skill are cause for excitement. He is still younger than Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk were when they made their NHL debuts. 4. Valtteri Filppula (+1) Grand Rapids (AHL) Filppula has steadily developed since being drafted in the third round in 2002. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound center has enjoyed a seamless transition from Finland to the American Hockey League, where he is a point-per-game producer. A full-time job in Detroit could be his as early as next season. 5. Jakub Kindl (NR) Kitchener (OHL) Kindl is an exciting package -- big, mobile and talented. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound defenseman also struggles with his decision-making and his game is not yet the sum of its individual parts. Averaging a point-per-game in the Ontario Hockey League, Kindl is a skilled blueliner with a great deal of upside. 6. Kyle Quincey (+4) Grand Rapids (AHL) Quincey has far exceeded expectations with his quick adjustment from major junior to the American Hockey League. The 6-foot-2, 206-pound blueliner is one of the Grand Rapids Griffins' top defensemen. He needs some seasoning, but should become a quality complement player in Detroit's top-six. 7. Evan McGrath (-) Kitchener (OHL) McGrath is a high-scoring major junior player who collects a lot of his points on the power play. He was passed over for the captaincy with the Kitchener Rangers and didn't make Canada's world junior team, so he has plenty to prove. It's scoring line or bust, however, for the playmaking pivot. 8. Justin Abdelkader (NR) Mich. State (NCAA) The 6-foot-2, 195-pound forward's offensive totals aren't going to wow anyone just yet, but Abdelkader is getting exposure in all situations as a freshman at Michigan State. He is a speedy, two-way energy forward who plays with an edge. In four years, he could be a real force. 9. Andreas Jamtin (-) TPS Turku (Fin) Jamtin has deceiving strength and plays an abrasive, irritating style. While it would be nice to see him produce more in Finland, the 5-foot-11, 187-pound winger has a good set of skills. Jamtin has developed steadily since being drafted and has future grind-liner written all over him. 10. Brett Lebda (NR) Grand Rapids (AHL) Brett who? Few were familiar Lebda prior to this season, but the speedy, 5-foot-11, 194-pound defenseman has enjoyed a meteoric rise from depth minor-leaguer to NHL regular in 12 months. With Jiri Fischer ailing, Lebda is averaging 13 minutes in Detroit and is on a 30-point pace pro-rated. 11. Tomas Kopecky (NR) — The big Slovak forward is back on the radar, and could get the call to Detroit soon, if injuries strike. 12. Joey MacDonald (-6) — While he hasn’t done anything wrong, others have passed him as he recovers from back surgery. 13. Stefan Liv (-2) — It’s starting to sound like a broken record, but here it is again: It’s time for Liv to bring his game overseas. 14. Miroslav Blatak (-2) — Blatak is a highly-skilled defenseman who could open some eyes once he gets to North America. 15. Anton Axelsson (+5) — It’s looking more and more like Axelsson will follow in the footsteps of Boston Bruins winger P.J., his older brother. 16. Darren Helm (NR) — The Red Wings went off the charts to pick Helm, and so far his production has been off the charts. A future checker. 17. Darryl Bootland (-1) — The physical winger is playing hard, intense hockey on a consistent basis in a bounce-back season. 18. Johan Ryno (NR) — A towering 6-foot-5 forward with good hands and great two-way smarts, Ryno is showing the right stuff. 19. Ryan Oulahen (-1) — A future depth forward, Oulahen has made a solid adjustment to the pros and is worth keeping an eye on. 20. Christofer Lofberg (NR) — While he is a great skater with highly-regarded skills, Lofberg doesn’t bring it every game. 21. Derek Meech (-8) — Surpassed on the depth chart, Meech needs to assert himself before he is lost in the shuffle. 22. Siarhei Kolasau (-3) — A bruiser who plays with a chip on his shoulder, the Red Wings like what the Belarusian brings to the table. 23. Mattias Ritola (NR) — The Red Wings hope Ritola becomes a offense-generating winger. He’s already seeing Swedish Elite League time. 24. Jeff May (NR) — May is a no-frills stay-at-homer who is putting up decent numbers in major junior. He could earn a contract in 2007. 25. Juho Mielonen (NR) — Mielonen, a great skater who is good in his own zone, patrols the blue line in the Finnish Elite League at age 18. NOT RANKED: Forward Matt Ellis has fallen behind several others in the pecking order for an NHL call-up, though he continues to play a strong, hard-working game ... Center Tyler Haskins is producing like mad, but the Red Wings have not been enamored with his strength development ... Longtime European prospects Jari Tolsa and Tomek Valtonen must be signed by June 1, but that looks increasingly less likely ... Forward Eric Himelfarb has impressive offensive talent, but has battled injuries this season and is not yet carrying the load in Grand Rapids ... Todd Jackson is 24 and still hasn’t established himself as an AHL regular ... Matthew Wuest is a freelance hockey writer. You can contact him by email at wuest@redwingscentral.com.