Red Wings youngsters eager to ‘show what we’re capable of’ at 2025 NHL Prospect Games

DETROIT -- Before their annual Training Camp kicks off next week in Traverse City, Mich., the Detroit Red Wings are sending a group of recent draft picks, free-agent signees and tryouts to face off against prospects from the Dallas Stars for the 2025 NHL Prospect Games, which will be held at Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas, on Saturday and Sunday.

And not only is Grand Rapids Griffins head coach Dan Watson, who will be leading the Red Wings’ up-and-coming talent in Texas, excited for this weekend, but he believes the experience will be valuable for everyone involved.

“We want to see players on a team that competes and works really hard,” Watson told DetroitRedWings.com on Friday afternoon. “We gave them a ton of information, so we’re going to see how much that sticks. Sometimes, you can see how a player understands the information given, so that’s another part of it. We just want them to go out and play. They’re all here for a reason, so go be the best version of yourself and show why you are here. It’s also the first impression for management to see what the guys’ summers looked like. And for us as a staff, it’s a great opportunity to get back to presenting to teams and coaching on the bench. There’s a lot that goes into this weekend versus just seeing it as two games.

All the action from Comerica Center will be streamed live on DetroitRedWings.com and the Detroit Red Wings App. A full roster and schedule can also be viewed here.

“Everybody is going to be competing this weekend,” forward prospect Alexandre Doucet said. “There’s going to be a lot of eyes on us. It’s a good way to show what we’re capable of.”

Parallel to Doucet’s approach heading into the two-game series, helping the players continue to grow their game is important to Watson.

“There’s going to be some guys playing different positions so we can see how they perform, whether it’s a center playing wing or wing having to play center,” Watson said. “The same goes with the defensemen too - some guys are going to be playing their off hand. It’s giving guys opportunities to play different roles within the lineup that maybe they aren’t going to play this winter and to keep developing them.”

Another forward prospect who is eager to show the strides he took this offseason is Nate Danielson. The former first-round pick (No. 9 overall in 2023 NHL Entry Draft) said that because “nothing really compares to playing an actual hockey game,” this quick tournament is an ideal ramp-up for the players.

“Just go there, play hard and get your legs under you,” Danielson said. “It’s a little different to start when you haven’t played competitively all summer, and you want to feel good going into Training Camp.”

Excitedly, it’s time to start getting back into the swing of things – on and off the ice.

“All of this is great,” Watson said. “Whether it’s going north to Traverse City or south to Frisco, it’s an opportunity for these guys to be together. Whether it’s at the hotel or on the flight, they’re all going to be together. Hopefully, they’re playing together at some point in time too, whether it’s in Grand Rapids or in Detroit. They can really gel…And for the staff, this is a great opportunity for us to come back together. We can see each other face-to-face, meet face-to-face and really talk about what we want to do and how we want to achieve a successful weekend.”