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Prospects Watch Wings' next-generation Grind Liners look sharp at WJC ... The Detroit Red Wings have been looking for next-generation Grind Liners for the better part of a decade, without much luck. The performances of Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader at the world junior championship in Sweden give hope their fortunes might change. Helm, a 6-foot, 182-pound forward, showed off impressive speed and energy as he helped Canada win a gold medal. He finished the tournament with two goals, 14 shots and 10 penalty minutes in six games. The Red Wings describe him as a “gritty up-and-down” player who is “not afraid to play in traffic,” but they want to see him bulk up more. Abdelkader, a sturdy 6-foot-1, 195-pound forward, played a shut-down role for the bronze-medal winning American team. He had two assists, nine shots and 10 penalty minutes and was a plus-1 in seven contests. The Red Wings have described Abdelkader as a “really intense guy” who “bangs and crashes” and is a “great puck-chaser.” With Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby aging, further development of Helm and Abdelkader will be paramount in the next few seasons. Joining Helm and Abdelkader at the top of the list of potential Grind Liners are Shawn Matthias (Belleville, Ontario Hockey League) and Anton Axelsson (Frolunda, Swedish Elite League). Both are enjoying excellent seasons and could sign with the Wings in the next couple of years. Among the picks in the Grind Line mold that haven’t worked out for the Wings recently are Andreas Jamtin, Aaron Van Leusen, Jari Tolsa, Ryan Barnes, Tomek Valtonen, Yuri Butsayev and Johan Forsander. Defenseman Jakub Kindl was the only other Red Wings prospect at the WJC. He captained the Czech Republic to a fifth-place finish with four assists in six games. He had a team-best 32 shots and was a team-worst minus-6. HOT: Forward Johan Ryno (Timra, Swedish Elite League) had two goals and an assist in two games this week. Since a transfer from Frolunda, he’s been red-hot, with four goals and two assists in eight games ... Forward Matt Ellis (Grand Rapids, American Hockey League), fresh off an NHL call-up, had a goal and four assists in three games ... Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson (Grand Rapids, AHL) had four points in three games ... Forward Mikael Johansson (Farjestad, Swedish Elite League) had a goal and two assists in three games this week and has four goals and four assists in his last 23 games. COLD: Defenseman Logan Pyett (Regina, Western Hockey League) has no points in his last two games... Forward Gennady Stolyarov (Dynamo Moscow, Russian Elite League) has one assist in six games ... Forward Andreas Sundin (Jukurit, Finnish Elite League) is without a point in four games. The following is this season’s statistical report to date:
The following is this season's statistical report for goaltenders to date:
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