Dear Red Wings: The prospect tournament roster

The Red Wings released their prospect tournament roster this week. Nothing shocking, but of note is the fact that Moritz Seider is not on it.

The prospect roster

The message we are receiving here is simple: Seider is beyond playing in the prospects tournament. Nothing more, nothing less.

You can read into why Seider isn’t on the roster all you want, but the bottom line is he is trying to make the NHL roster. He still has his work cut out for him at training camp and during the preseason if he wants to win a spot in the Red Wings lineup. There is no other way to know how ready he is at this point. Yes, he’s the most anticipated defensive prospect, perhaps in the league right now, but we’d be foolish to overhype him at this stage. One step at a time.

On the flip side, forward Joe Veleno will be in the prospects tournament. That’s no surprise as it’s expected he’ll start the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins. That could change based on what happens in training camp and the preseason.

You’ll recognize a lot of the names on the list below, but then you’ll wonder who a few of them are. The Red Wings have invited a handful of junior players to join them at the development camp.

Without further delay, here is the 2021 Detroit Red Wings Prospect Tournament Roster:

Forwards:

• Lucas Raymond -- RW -- 19 years old -- 4th overall draft pick in 2020 (signed)
• Chase Pearson -- C -- 24 years old -- 140th overall draft pick in 2015 (signed)
• Hayden Verbeek -- C -- 23 years old -- acquired in April 2021 trade with Montreal
• Jonatan Berggren -- LW/RW -- 21 years old -- 33rd overall draft pick in 2018 (signed)
• Pasquale Zito -- C -- 18 years old -- 166th overall draft pick in 2021 (unsigned)
• Cameron Butler -- RW -- 19 years old -- invited to camp (plays for OHL’s Niagara IceDogs)
• Davis “T-Bone” Codd -- RW -- 18 years old -- invited to camp (plays for OHL’s Saginaw Spirit)
• Cooper Walker -- C -- 19 years old -- invited to camp (plays for OHL’s Guelph Storm)
• Luke Toporowski -- LW -- 20 years old -- invited to camp (plays for WHL’s Spokane Chiefs)
• Cross Hanas -- LW -- 19 years old -- 55th overall draft pick in 2020 (unsigned)
• Patrick Curry -- Forward -- 25 years old -- signed as free agent with Grand Rapids Griffins in 2020
• Kirill Tyutyayev -- LW/C -- 21 years old -- 190th overall draft pick in 2019 (unsigned)
• Joe Veleno -- C -- 21 years old -- 30th overall draft pick in 2018 (signed)

Defense:

• Jared McIsaac -- shoots L -- 21 years old -- 36th overall draft pick in 2018 (signed)
• Donovan Sebrango -- shoots L -- 19 years old -- 63rd overall draft pick in 2020 (signed)
• Wyatt Newpower -- shoots R -- 23 years old -- signed as free agent with Red Wings in May 2021
• Oscar Plandowski -- shoots R -- 18 years old -- 155th overall draft pick in 2021 (unsigned)
• Mason Ward -- shoots R -- 19 years old -- invited to camp (plays for WHL’s Red Deer Rebels)
• Alex Cotton -- shoots R -- 20 years old -- 132nd overall draft pick in 2020 (unsigned)
• Adam Brubacher -- shoots L -- 25 years old -- invited to camp (plays for Manitoba Moose)

Goalies:

• Sebastian Cossa -- 18 years old -- 15th overall draft pick in 2021 (signed)
• Victor Brattstrom -- 24 years old -- 160th overall draft pick in 2018 (signed)
• Jan Bednar -- 19 years old -- 107th overall draft pick in 2020 (unsigned)

Tournament schedule

This prospect tournament will take place at Centre ICE Arena in Traverse City from Thursday, Sept. 16 to Monday, Sept. 20. The Red Wings are joined by the prospects from the Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leafs. They will play a round-robin tournament.

That’s followed by training camp, also in Traverse City, and then the preseason will start Sept. 29 against the Blackhawks in Chicago. The first preseason game at Little Caesars Arena is Sept. 30 against the Buffalo Sabres. I have posted the full preseason schedule here.

Detroit is scheduled to open the 2021-22 regular season Oct. 14 at home against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions Tampa Bay Lightning. You can view the entire schedule here.

Dear Red Wings pre-season fan poll

I’m keeping the poll open for at least another week, so if you haven’t taken it yet:

Previously:

• Filip Hronek signs for 3 years, guessing defensive pairings, Olympic players
• Petruzzelli signs AHL contract with Toronto Marlies
• Filppula goes to Switzerland, Veleno works out
• Nielsen buyout, Svechnikov’s new AHL contract, Verbeek’s second job
• Adam Erne, one of ‘Yzerman’s guys,’ is heart-and-soul player for Detroit
• Vrana and the burgeoning, albeit short-term, offense; awaiting Hronek deal
• Suter joins core; Detroit remains way under cap
• View: Detroit Red Wings 2021 NHL Entry Draft picks
• Kraken grab Cholowski
• Welcome, Nick Leddy
• Ken Holland strikes, Kucherov calls Larionov, and a quiz
• Tanguay joins coaching staff; Chelios to ESPN
• Gallant goes to Rangers; coaches quiz time
• Recalling the magical 2012-13 playoff run with two epic game 7s
• May 31, 2002 -- Red Wings score 7 goals vs. Avalanche in Game 7
• Chris Osgood -- Hall of Famer?
• Jack Eichel -- could Yzerman add him?
• Veleno, Rasmussen showing promise down the middle
• Trading Anthony Mantha was more than Red Wings fans could ask for at deadline

Free agency moves recap:

• Sept. 3: Filip Hronek signs for 3 more years with Red Wings
• Aug. 15: Adam Erne signs 2-year contract with Red Wings
• Aug. 10: Jakub Vrana signs three-year contract with Red Wings
• Aug. 5: Center Chase Pearson stays with Red Wings
• July 31: Red Wings sign Tyler Bertuzzi to two-year contract extension
• July 30: Red Wings acquire Mitchell Stephens in trade with Tampa for 6th-round pick
• July 29: Red Wings bring back Luke Witkowski on two-year deal
• July 29: Red Wings bring back defenseman Dan Renouf on one-year deal
• July 29: Darren Helm leaving Red Wings, signs with Avalanche
• July 28: Red Wings sign center Pius Suter to two-year contract
• July 28: Red Wings sign Michigan native D Jordan Oesterle to two-year contract
• July 28: Red Wings sign D Ryan Murphy to one-year contract extension
• July 28: Report: Luke Glendening leaving Red Wings, signing with Dallas Stars

Pre-free agency moves recap:

• July 28: Red Wings sign goalie Calvin Pickard to one-year contract extension
• July 28: Red Wings sign center Sam Gagner to one-year contract extension
• July 27: Red Wings sign left wing Taro Hirose to contract extension
• July 27: Red Wings sign center Kyle Criscuolo to contract extension
• July 26: Gustav Lindstrom signs two-year deal
• July 25: Marc Staal signs for another season
• July 22: Alex Nedeljkovic signs 2-year contract with Red Wings after trade