AHL: Grand Larsson-y

Being an annual Stanley Cup contender has not prevented the Detroit Red Wings from comprising a development system chalked full of promising prospects. Leading the way is Daniel Larsson, who could be the future in goal for the Detroit Red Wings. McKeen's correspondent Max Giese has notes on Larsson as well as his teammates Jonathan Ericsson, Ville Leino, Justin Abdelkader, and Jakub Kindl.

Daniel Larsson (Det), G, Grand Rapids

A true technician in the crease, Larsson is one of the best goaltenders in the AHL and deserved the honor of being named to the All-Star Game .. utilizes a low stance in which his knees almost overlap one another and this allows him to collapse instantly into his compact butterfly that conceals the lower portion of the net .. keeps his stick home to guard the five-hole and admirably uses it to steer pucks away from the crease .. patient and forces shooters into committing the first move .. makes difficult saves look easy by maintaining form and holding his ground .. stays upright in his butterfly and safeguards the upper half of the net .. strong skater that accelerates quickly and closes all holes while moving laterally by suctioning his extremities into his body .. tracks the puck well into his athletic glove hand and he angles his skilled blocker to deflect pucks into the corners .. controls all of his movements and never beats himself .. gets low and finds pucks through traffic .. always focused and his body language lets it be known that he hates being scored on .. inconsistent in controlling rebounds, especially up high .. helpful handling the puck behind his net, although this is a skill that is in need of more polish .. still adjusting to the North American ice surfaces and subsequently plays too deep in his crease.

Jonathan Ericsson (Det), D, Grand Rapids

An athletic 6-foot-5, 220-pound defenseman that boasts tantalizing finesse capabilities and skates remarkably well for a player of his size .. smooth and sporty skater that is nimble and quick on his feet with miraculous acceleration for a player of his size .. maneuvers the puck fluently with his soft hands and colossal reach, all the while building a wall between opponents and the puck with his gigantic frame .. remains poised under pressure and executes crisp, tape-to-tape passes .. keeps his head on a swivel while retrieving pucks in his own end and this allows him to evade the oncoming forecheck .. playing on the first powerplay unit and can disguise his intentions while working the puck on the point, although he is guilty of dead-ending himself at times .. an outstanding penalty killer that makes hard plays on the puck and never fails at clearing the zone .. blessed with an engulfing reach and he wields his enormous stick like an axe .. disciplined in his crease coverage and while he isn't soft, you do wish he was more physical at times.

Justin Abdelkader (Det), C, Grand Rapids

A strong skating centerman with healthy strength and polished defensive play .. skating is his most notable attribute, as he boasts a powerful first step that precedes his swift and long strides in the open ice .. struggles corralling pucks in close around his body and his passes don't always connect accurately, as he needs to work on his finesse skills .. mature in the defensive aspects of the game and his superb positional sense allows him to flawlessly station himself in all-three zones .. a valued penalty killer that activates a great stick in his own zone .. at a strapping 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Abdelkader is asked to occupy the front of the net on the powerplay and his persistence on the puck while seizing lose change makes him a capable garbage goal scorer .. displays an intense work-ethic and he comes to play every game, although he does get out-muscled at times and most of his struggles stem from him still learning how to play against men that are now just as big and strong as he is.

Jakub Kindl (Det), D, Grand Rapids

On paper, Kindl is an exciting prospect that boasts impressive statistics and was named to the AHL All-Star Game, however his on-ice performance does not mirror the accolades .. can be forced into committing mistakes and must begin to exude more poise when feeling the heat of a stiff forecheck .. lacked the ability to make plays under pressure and gave up the puck with helpless chips off the boards .. foolishly becomes comfortable and stagnates in his own zone, which leads to him losing positioning and being walked by opponents to the net .. must begin to compete harder and toughen up, as he loses the majority of one-on-one puck battles he takes on and doesn't appear willing to take a hit to make the play .. sees plenty of time on the penalty kill and makes adequate use of his long stick .. utilized on the secondary powerplay unit and he does a nice job straddling the line to open up lanes so he can get his fast shot through and on net .. a graceful skater with terrific lateral mobility, Kindl is agile and quick on his feet .. his skill level is not in question and it's undeniable that all of the finesse tools are in place.

Ville Leino (Det), LW, Grand Rapids

Possessing arguably the silkiest hands in the AHL, Leino is more of a playmaker than a scorer and leads the Griffins in both points and assists .. an agile and skilled skater that is shifty in tight confinements, although he lacks dynamic speed .. supremely skilled with an arsenal of highlight-reel moves and ridiculous hands .. uses a short stick and his in-close puck control is outstanding .. his escape ability is top-notch and it allows him to utilize every inch of the ice .. ever patient and clever with the puck, Leino boasts extraordinary vision and keeps his head on a swivel while executing creative plays from both sides of his stick .. adjusts the position of his blade at the last minute to gain an angular advantage over the goaltender .. playing on the penalty kill, although he must make sure he keeps his feet moving away from the puck and needs to work on his puck management skills, as currently he is guilty of throwing the puck away up the middle of the ice .. competes well enough, although he isn't a naturally physical player and would rather use his stick instead of his body to win battles for the puck.