Prospect Roundup: Fresh off DU's National Championship, Shai Buium Signs ELC with Red Wings
The Red Wings signed 2021 second-rounder Shai Buium to an ELC, plus notes on Axel Sandin Pellikka, Marco Kasper, Brady Cleveland, Sam Stange and Sebastian Cossa.
Prospect Roundup: Fresh off DU's National Championship, Shai Buium Signs ELC with Red WingsIf the blue line in Grand Rapids was crowded before, it just got even tighter.
Left-handed defenseman Shai Buium signed his entry-level contract Wednesday, a three-year, $925,000 deal that kicks in next season. In the meantime, the 2021 second-rounder also signed an amateur tryout agreement to play for the Griffins as they enter the Calder Cup Playoffs. The move comes days after Buium won the NCAA National Championship with Denver on Saturday, the second of his three-year college career.
Buium’s path to playing time this season seems a little crowded. Defensemen Albert Johansson, Radim Simek, William Wallinder and Eemil Viro have handled the left side for Grand Rapids in recent weeks, and they just got a big boost when Detroit sent Simon Edvinsson down to the AHL after being eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
But when Buium gets in the lineup, his fluid skating and deceptive hands are both assets to the Griffins — and they eventually could be for Detroit, too. He scored seven goals and 29 assists for 36 points with Denver this season, all career-highs. His plus-33 rating was also his career best, aided by the stellar play of his brother, Zeev Buium, a projected lottery pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Shai Buium also has size to pair with his ability at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds.
Watching Buium play this season, his poise stood out to me. It makes sense that he can play so calm given his skating ability that can work him out of a jam. Confidence like that is crucial to playing professional hockey, as mistakes are bound to be made against better players. Maintaining this mental fortitude will be important to growing and developing, choosing to get better rather than getting discouraged when difficulties arise.
Buium is likely a full year or two away from fighting for a spot on the Red Wings blue line — especially with a lot of veteran depth on the roster, and other prospects ahead of him in their development. But, Buium’s jump to Grand Rapids is a big step toward getting to that point. A playoff run with the Griffins should be a learning experience for him, as will competing for ice time with professionals after three years being leaned on heavily in Denver.
Around the Prospect Pool
Axel Sandin Pellikka
The Red Wings’ blue-chip Swedish defenseman is getting his own playoff experience over in the SHL Playoffs, where his Skellefteå AIK will play a game seven against Frolunda HC (the former home of Simon Edvinsson and Lucas Raymond) tomorrow night. Sandin Pellikka’s team had a 3-1 series lead before dropping the past two. He has five points in 10 playoff games. If he wins, he’ll face Rogle (Marco Kasper’s former club) for the Le Mat Trophy.
Marco Kasper
Speaking of Kasper, he continues to play well for Grand Rapids. He scored two goals Saturday on six shots, the second multi-goal game of his career. Kasper has played as the Griffins’ top line center since Austin Czarnik and Zach Aston-Reese both got called up the Detroit’s main roster. The high workload is a good test for him, as will playoff games next week as the Griffins face Rockford.
Brady Cleveland and Sam Stange
I wrote about Cleveland’s entry to the transfer portal a couple weeks ago, and he 2023 second-rounder made his choice: he’ll play for Colorado College next year. The Tigers have been rebuilding the past few years under NCHC Coach of the Year Kris Mayotte, a former Michigan assistant coach. Playing in the NCHC should bode well for Cleveland’s physical play, and Mayotte can help him polish his offensive zone play.
Stange, meanwhile, will play his fifth year of eligibility for Omaha in the same league. The 2020 fourth-rounder played 106 games for Wisconsin, scoring 29 points in the process. Stange comes off the Red Wings’ reserve list Aug. 15, and this move suggests they aren’t going to sign him. Other players whose draft rights expire Aug. 15 include Providence forward Ryan O’Reilly and Quinnipiac defenseman Cooper Moore.
Sebastian Cossa
Sebastian Cossa’s 19-game streak without a regulation loss finally ended Friday in a 2-0 loss to Rockford, but he got right back on the horse with a win Saturday against the Chicago Wolves. He’s 16-2-6 since Dec. 27, with a 2.03 goals against average and a .923 save percentage.
NHL Central Scouting
The NHL’s Central Scouting office released its final rankings for North American and International skaters. The Red Wings have seven picks in this year’s draft and will pick around 15th if they keep their first round pick. You can find the rankings for North American skaters here and International skaters here.