Youth and the next wave of talent has been a theme for the Detroit Red Wings throughout the 2025-26 season. Four rookie skaters have played games for the franchise this season, and three of them will lose rookie status after crossing the games played threshold this season. This, along with the continued growth of younger players like Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson, is why youth is being served this season in Detroit.
It’s an exciting time to be a Red Wings fan as the lineup is trending younger while the organization’s prospect pool is still rife with talent. With the halfway point of the season in the rearview mirror, it’s time to take stock of the prospects that are making noise this season and could factor into the Red Wings’ plans soon, starting with the forwards.
NCAA
Much like football, college hockey has been transformed thanks to recent developments with NIL (name, image and likeness) and how collegiate athletes are compensated for their services. The NCAA has become a more attractive option for prospects that are looking to futher their development while also getting a head start on making the kind of money professional hockey can sometimes provide.
The NCAA’s talent pool is increasing, and that means that it has become even more impressive when a player stands out at that level. While the pro-level is still a significant leap forward from college, there is much to be gained from playing against the talent that programs/universities like Western Michigan and Michigan State have to offer.
With that in mind, the most impressive collegiate campaign going on in the Red Wings’ prospect pool this season belongs to Max Plante, currently in his second season with the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Plante, who was the 47th pick of the 2024 draft, has blossomed into a potent offensive player capable of burning the opposition in a variety of ways. His playmaking ability was a trademark of his game going back to before he was drafted, but he seems to have added an element of “he’s involved with everything” into his game.
Plante has excelled this season with 16 goals and 30 points in just 20 points. He has been at or near the top of the leaderboard of both goals and points since the start of the NCAA season. When you consider that he had nine goals and 28 points in 23 games last season, it’s clear that the 19-year-old (who turns 20 in February) has found another level to his offensive game.
It will be interesting to see what Plante does when he season concludes. Right now it feels like he could be a legitimate offensive threat in the American Hockey League (AHL), and I wouldn’t even write off the possibility that he gets a look in Detroit if his season continues on its current trajectory. He’s enjoying a Hobey Baker-type of season, and players that have those types of seasons are usually pretty close to being NHL-ready.
Just west of Minnesota, you’ll find another elite collegiate hockey program at the University of North Dakota. That’s where Dylan James, a second round draft selection back in 2022, practices his trade in his fourth season with the Fighting Hawks.
James has developed his game over the course of his time with North Dakota. While his game has always been one of high-effort and opportunistic offense, he really seems to have hit his stride since the start of his Junior season.
Related: Red Wings Top 25 Prospects: Post-2025 NHL Draft
James is a threat to score when he has the puck in scoring areas. He recently became just the third UND player since 2018 to score a hat trick, achieving the feat on Jan. 3 against Mercyhurst University. He plays a heavy style of game and isn’t afraid to go to the net.
Right now James probably projects as a two-way, bottom six forward with the ability to chip in on offense here and there. While his offense has never popped at the collegiate level, I feel he has done enough to warrant a look at the AHL level. If he can be a Sheldon Dries-caliber of player at that level, there is certainly value in that – especially when there is still a chance he develops his game beyond its current state.
SHL
The most significant development among Red Wings forward prospects playing over in Sweden is Eddie Genborg winning a gold medal while representing the Swedes in the World Junior Championship. Genborg, a second-round pick in the 2025 draft, was a terror for the opposition, collecting three goals and eight points in seven games.
Genborg’s trademark is his relentless physical play, coupled with his ability to contribute to his team’s attack. He possesses a dangerous shot, but he is content to be a “cog in the machine” in regards to his team’s offensive strategy; he is a quality supporting player and could one day bring energy to a scoring line in the NHL the same way Tyler Bertuzzi or even Tomas Holmström did for the Red Wings in the past.
In 26 games with his club in the Swedish Hockey League, Genborg has eight goals and 15 points. He was an intriguing prospect before he entered the Red Wings organization, but his success this season so far has really put him on the map in the grand scheme of Detroit’s prospect pool.
WHL
Speaking of the World Junior Championship, the Red Wings’ top pick in the 2025 draft, Carter Bear, was a bronze medalist with Team Canada. He only suited up for two games with the Canadians, however, and he was held pointless in those appearances.
Bear continues to be a key member of the Everett Silvertips, wearing an ‘A’ on his sweater as an alternate captain. While his offensive totals haven’t been as impressive as they were last season, his trademark high-intensity style remains intact. He’s another player that will receive AHL consideration once his season ends.
AHL
To some extent, a look at what’s going on in the AHL is as much about who isn’t playing as it is who is. For example, Carter Mazur has been limited to just five games this season due to a lower-body injury. He has been at the precipice of the NHL roster for almost a year now, but untimely injuries last season and now this one have forced him to miss a lot of hockey.
Additionally, Amadeus Lombardi has appeared in just 14 games for the Grand Rapids Griffins this season, registering 15 points along the way. While injuries do not dominate his story the way they’re dominating Mazur’s right now, there was hope that Lombardi would be pushing for NHL minutes sometime this season. That possibility still exists, but it has been a bummer not seeing his speed and tenacity in the Griffins’ lineup.
The most notable forward prospect actually playing games for the Griffins is Michael Brandsegg-Nygård. Detroit’s top pick in the 2024 draft joined the Griffins after beginning the season with the Red Wings. In nine games in the NHL, he had just one point; in 26 AHL games, the Norwegian winger has eight goals and 21 points.
It will be interesting to see how the rest of Brandsegg-Nygård’s season plays out. He brings a lot of what the Red Wings are missing – raw physicality and scoring touch – but he obviously had difficulty translating it at the NHL level. When he was sent to Grand Rapids to work on his game and regain his confidence, Todd McLellan and the Red Wings’ coaching staff seemed confident that “MBN” would return eventually.
With the recent news that center Nate Danielson has been returned to the Griffins, there is an opportunity for Brandsegg-Nygård to build chemistry with him in Grand Rapids – or perhaps an opportunity to take his place in Detroit.
More to Come…
The Red Wings’ prospect pool contains several forwards capable of making a difference in different facets of the game. The ones listed here have enjoyed varying levels of success, and each of them brings something a little different to the table.
These aren’t all of the Red Wings’ forward prospects, though. In fact, a couple significant ones were purposely ommitted here. You’ll find out who they are and how they stack up against their peers when our updated Red Wings prospect rankings drops later this month.
