Red Wings Prospect Nearing Return after Extended Absence

The Grand Rapids Griffins are on the brink of a significant return from injury

Carter Mazur's Upside

Last night, the Grand Rapids Griffins dropped a 5–4 shootout decision on home ice against the visiting Cleveland Monsters. It was a tempestuous night, featuring a spirited fight between the Griffins Austin Watson and Cleveland's Cole Clayton. Despite the end result, there was some good news to come out of the evening for Red Wings, courtesy of broadcaster Bob Kaser.

Kaser revealed that Griffins forward Carter Mazur—out since Oct. 18 with injury—is on the brink of returning to action, with that return coming potentially as soon as next week.

Mazur, whom Detroit selected in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft, has struggled with injury in the early days of his professional career. A year ago, an injury at the Traverse City Prospects Tournament derailed the start to his season, limiting him to just 60 games. This year, he has played in just three of Grand Rapids' 37 games to date, picking up a goal and an assist.

To state the obvious, it's unfortunate that injuries have unsettled each of Mazur's first two professional seasons, but that shouldn't dampen the optimism around the former University of Denver Pioneer's potential. Mazur's game—physical, industrious, and pugnacious with enough skill to wind up just shy of a point-a-game pace at the NCAA level—features lots of qualities that should serve him well in the NHL.

He has been open about his need to get his weight (officially 188 pounds, per the Griffins' roster). At Red Wings Development Camp in 2023, Mazur (then just listed at 177 pounds) joked that eating was "like a second job to me. My first job's hockey, my second job's eating food. That's something that I need to do."

Presumably, one reason for that desired weight gain was durability for the grind of a professional hockey season. Hopefully, Mazur can get back to health in short order and remain that way in an eventual springboard out of Grand Rapids and into a role with the Red Wings.