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The post Red Wings Prospects Know How To Win appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.
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If knowing how to win is a prerequisite to winning again, then the future of the Detroit Red Wings is in good hands.
The Grand Rapids Griffins, top farm club of the Red Wings, took care of business on Friday. They beat the Manitoba Moose 5-2 in Game 4 of their AHL Central Division semifinal. Wrapping up the best-of-five series by a 3-1 count, the Griffins are moving on in the Calder Cup playoffs.
It’s a route that several Grand Rapids players have journeyed before. While it’s true that no Griffins player has a Calder Cup title on their resume, winning championships is something many on the Grand Rapids roster are familiar with achieving.
“It’s so fun to win,” Griffins defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka said. “I’ve been in a winning team before and know it’s hard.”
Sandin-Pellikka and GR teammate Michael Brandsegg-Nygard were also teammates on Skelleftea’s 2023-24 Swedish Hockey League championship squad. They are among 10 Grand Rapids players who’ve won a title at the junior level or higher.
For the most part, hockey players will tell you they live in the moment. In this instance, past as a pretext is the preferable approach.
“Oh, big value, big value,” Grand Rapids coach Dan Watson said of having a championship pedigree. “If you’ve won anywhere, you can bring something to the table and experience on the ice, off the ice, in the locker room, leadership-wise.
“If you’ve won anywhere, you can bring it.”
Red Wings Future Well-Stocked With Winners
Among the champions in the Grand Rapids dressing room, both forward Austin Watson [Memorial Cups with Windsor in 2009 and London in 2012] and defenseman Shai Buium [NCAA championships with Denver in 2022 and 2024] own multiple championship rings.
Defenseman Antti Tuomisto and winger Carter Mazur were also key contributors on Denver’s 2022 title team. Goalie Michal Postava backstopped Kometa Brno to the Czech Extraliga title last spring. Forward Tyler Angle won a Memorial Cup in Windsor in 2017.
In the junior ranks, forwards Eduards Tralmaks [2017 Chicago Steel] and Sheldon Dries [2012 Green Bay Gamblers] were USHL Clark Cup champions.
Add to this list four players with recent World Junior gold medals. Goalie Trey Augustine was golden twice with USA Hockey. Netminder Sebastian Cossa won with Canada. This year, forward Eddie Genborg was golden with Sweden.
“It’s a very fun ride when you win,” Sandin-Pellikka said. “We can do it all the way.”
Watson also believes that close counts when it comes to making this journey. Last spring, Grand Rapids forward John Leonard was on the losing side when Abbotsford beat Charlotte in the Calder Cup final.
“Even you didn’t win a championship like Lenny, if you get to the finals, maybe you didn’t get over the hump,” Watson said. “Now you know how hard it is, and you can share those experiences with everybody.”
Knowing how to win is valued in all sports. And at all levels.
“Regardless if you’re a leader, regardless if you’re a first-year player, our guys are open to sharing those moments,” Watson said. “And it’s only to make our team better.”
The post Red Wings Prospects Know How To Win appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.
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