Wings lose right to 12 prospects
By not signing 12 prospects by the 5pm Thursday (June 1) deadline, the Wings have lost rights to these players.
These are the players that have become free agents according to Matt at RedWingsCentral.com:
“He’s never going to be a big point-producer. He’s a third- or fourth-line, tenacious, in-your-face type of player. It’s important for him to get stronger and build his body up. He’s a tough, hard player to play against. He’s a pest on the ice.” — Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill (June 2005)
Valtonen had a breakthrough offensive season in Finland in 2003-04, and the Red Wings planned to sign him to play in the American Hockey League in 2004-05. After the NHL lockout halted those plans, Valtonen returned to Finland and has seen his play fall off slightly in recent seasons. He was not signed by the June 1, 2006, deadline and became an unrestricted free agent.
“He’s a third- or fourth-line guy who works very hard and is tenacious on the puck. He has a pretty good touch. He’s not a guy that’s going to skate around and run guys, but he’s not afraid to get in the corners and bang around.” — Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill (May 2004)
Forsander was a highly-touted prospect after breaking into the Swedish Elite League as an 18-year-old. He captained Team Sweden at the 1998 World Junior Championship and seemed poised for an offensive breakthrough in the Swedish Elite League. It never came. Forsander, a swift-skating defensive-minded winger, never recovered from a foot injury that forced him to miss the entire 2000-01 season. He signed in Germany for the 2006-07 season and is no longer property of the Red Wings.
The Red Wings drafted Soderstrom, a long-time linemate of Henrik Zetterberg, as a 21-year-old late in the 2002 entry draft. A good skater with above-average skills and instincts, the Red Wings hoped Soderstrom might be a late-bloomer who would break through offensively. He never did. Soderstrom won a Swedish Elite League championship as a role player with Farjestad in 2005-06, but is no longer Red Wings property.
A stocky forward with good balance, Steen likes to play a physical game and has shown good potential as a playmaker. He was a quiet prospect for many years, but finally made his Swedish Elite League debut at 23 and has since esetablished himself as a regular.
Svensson is a rare breed in Sweden, regularly piling up inordinate penalty-minute totals. A late pick (228th overall) in the 2000 draft, Svensson is a relentless checker who plays with a mean streak and has a big shot. While he has been a top player at Sweden’s second level, he has never made much of an impact in the Swedish Elite League.
Drafted back in 1998 as a 22-year-old, Petrasek attended the Red Wings’ training camp that year and the following season. He has established himself as a solid top-four defenseman in the Swedish Elite League with his solid skating, heavy point shot and willing physical play. But Petrasek doesn’t have particularly good puck skills and is prone to both untimely giveaways and undisciplined penalties.
“Beggren’s just a shy, reserved kid. That might come out in three or four years. We like his size and skating ability and he’s got good skill.” — Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill (May 2004)
“Unless he gets stronger, he’s going to have some trouble (in the pros). He has the attitude where he wants to play, but that might be four or five years down the road.” — Red Wings director of amateur scouting Joe McDonnell (December 2005)
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