Red Wings prospect Emmitt Finnie is flying up prospect rankings with Detroit AHL coach Dan Watson labelling him as a player to watch in 2025.
One of the greatest draft steals in NHL history came when the Detroit Red Wings selected Henrik Zetterberg in the seventh round, a pick that would become a key piece of their 2008 Stanley Cup championship and 2009 Finals run. Zetterberg, taken 210th overall, became a fixture of Detroit’s core for over a decade. Now, with another seventh-rounder starting to show promise, the Red Wings’ scouting department might just be setting the stage for another late-round success story.
We recently spoke with Dan Watson, the head coach of the Red Wings' AHL affiliate in the Grand Rapids Griffins, and he mentioned one player that has been quickly rising across prospect watch lists. The Hockey News recently released their anticipated yearbook issue on August 8th and the same name rose into the Red Wings top ten prospect rankings.
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The player is 2023 seventh round pick Emmitt Finnie, who Watson has commended for his work ethic and labelled him as a player to watch on the Griffins heading into next season.
"I think Emmitt Finnie is a guy, he's a seventh round pick, but every time I see him, he continually gets better and better, he gets bigger, he gets stronger," Watson explained "[Finnie] had a great Western Hockey League career, stepped in two years ago with us and played three games and wasn't expected to play any games but did quite well during his playing time."
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Finnie, 20, has played a limited number of games with the Griffins over the past two seasons but has made the most of his opportunities, recording a goal and four assists for five points in 13 appearances. He spent his junior career in the WHL with the Kamloops Blazers, showing steady development from a slow start in his rookie year, when he couldn't find the back of the net but recorded six assists through his first 48 games.
He would go on to take a big step forward in his sophomore season, posting 35 points in 64 games and adding four goals and three assists for seven points in 14 playoff games, where he began to stand out as a clutch performer. His breakout came in 2023–24 when he was named an assistant captain and nearly hit a point-per-game average with 59 points through 62 games.
He capped off his junior career in 2024–25 with a true leadership role, wearing the captain’s "C" for the Blazers and leading by example. Finnie exploded offensively, putting up an impressive 37 goals and 47 assists for 84 points in just 55 games, cementing his status as a key prospect in the Red Wings' system.
Watson noted that Finnie has been used in multiple roles and with versatility, that could open the door to more opportunities higher in the lineup. He added that he’s eager to see how the hardworking Finnie has developed over the offseason as he prepares for his first full season under Watson’s guidance.
"He adds the ability to skate and play both wing and center so I'm excited to see how his summer went and to see what he looks like," Watson commented "[Finnie] puts in the work he's driven to get better and so I'm really looking forward to see what he has this year."
Next season will be his next big test as he is expected to be join the AHL Griffins and make the jump to pro hockey on a full-time basis. The Hockey News' Bob Duff predicted in his yearbook piece that Finnie will likely continue his steady development and could reach the NHL in two years during the 2027-28 season.
Duff described Finnie's game in the piece as "no single star-quality attribute but is total package with high IQ" while adding that he continues to keep kicking down doors and will be a well-known player by Red Wings fans in no time.
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