Here are a few standouts from the Detroit Red Wings’ prospect matchup with the Dallas Stars.

Sometimes everything goes according to plan.

A fast two-hour automobile ride clears the mind, soothes the nerves, and delivers much-needed independence.

Then there are days like today. Where the drive appears to be in an infinite circle. I feel like I am in a Griswold movie. Although this is nothing new, and I shouldn’t be surprised, it was incredible how long the small road journey took.

The putzing around appeared to continue throughout the game itself.

I can’t fault the Detroit Red Wings; they performed admirably all things considered. Carrying the play throughout the majority of the game (from start to end), and everyone had a positive attitude for a pair of games in Traverse City, Michigan.

A few chants from supporters in the third period affected not only Steve Yzerman’s mindset (after dodging a puck and donating it to an ecstatic fan), but also that of the Detroit Red Wings.

The team seemed to recall how to score and make plays. They did not seem poor at any point, but they may have been less confident or comfortable playing hockey (due to a change in rink size or their first game in a long time).

Who were the top performers on day one of the prospect games?
Amadeus Lombardi

Of all the prospects who played for the Grand Rapids Griffins past season, I’ll admit that Amadeus Lombardi was my top concern.

While I admired his ingenuity, attitude, and hard effort, I questioned whether he might become more effective and make better decisions.

He could occasionally dance the defenders off their skates, but most of the time he played a fluff game. Let me clarify.

His actions appeared entertaining and exhilarating, but they rarely resulted in high-risk or realistic scoring opportunities for himself or his team. He attempted to do too much, be too sophisticated, and at times appeared to be overly focused on his own performance.

I didn’t see any of those worries from Lombardi today.

I saw a player who was confident, disciplined, and full of energy from the moment the puck dropped.

He maintained his dynamic and engaging style of play while focusing on driving to the net and utilizing his teammates. Maybe it’s just a matter of comfort; he seemed to like his linemates, or it may be a sign of his maturation.

Whatever the reason, Lombardi appeared to be the greatest forward on the ice tonight for the Detroit Red Wings. He’s a player the Detroit Red Wings sorely need to develop, and he’s moving in the right direction.

Michael Brandsegg Nygård

Michael Brandsegg-Nygård arrived as stated. A fun, hard-nosed player who enjoys shooting.

It appeared that every time he went on the ice, he was initiating something. Sometimes excellent, sometimes bad, and often a combination of the two.

He looked to become more comfortable and confident as the game progressed. I’m looking forward to seeing more from him tomorrow.

My favorite portions of Brandsegg-Nygård were not what I observed during the game, despite how absurd it may appear.

Instead, before the game, he spent as much time as possible warming up on the ice. It appeared that he and Lombardi would remain on the ice indefinitely.

Despite their lack of interaction, Brandsegg-Nygård passed the puck to Lombardi, who already had one on his stick. Lombardi was perplexed and abandoned his puck in favor of a fast pass and shot workout with Brandsegg-Nygård.

I enjoy witnessing colleagues develop bridges, and this was one of those occasions. We’ll never know how much interaction the two had off the ice, but it’s encouraging to see players making connections.

Brandsegg-Nygård made a successful shot, while Lombardi almost missed. For those interested, Brandsegg-Nygård was the last player to leave the ice.

Brandsegg-Nygård has a tough shot. When he misses the net, he makes a really thunderous shot. Despite its difficulty, it is also fairly accurate. I can see why he’s always excited to shoot.

Dan Watson

I will admit that head coaches and the Detroit Red Wings cause me some concern.

I tend to second-guess every coaching decision. However, Watson has gained my faith.

At times, I forget that he has and I think, “oh no, not another terrible idea. Why would he do that.”

That might be any number of things, but usually it’s the lineup choices or who is currently on the ice. My hesitation came when he went right back to Charlie Paquette’s line.

The line had been my least favorite of the night. They didn’t look great right before the whistle lead to this stoppage in play.

“What in the ever loving heck is Watson thinking…” Only for Paquette and company to respond, “Hold my ginger ale.”

This line validated Watson’s point and reminded me of why he has long been my favorite coach in the Detroit Red Wings organization.

I believe players appreciate playing for Watson. At least that’s how it appears on the ice.

Having a coach that players like, respect, and love being around is really important. He may be a significant pull for players considering their futures with the Grand Rapids Griffins, especially when the prospects move on to the team.

Brandsegg-Nygård is likely to play in either the National Hockey League (NHL) or the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), but Watson may be able to persuade him to play in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I will have more player analysis tomorrow, but I wanted to share some quick comments tonight.

In the meantime, check out George Malik’s expert analysis. As always, he provides an excellent breakdown of each player and the team as a whole, with valuable insights scattered throughout.

I probably have an early start tomorrow with even more traveling in circles, so I’ll sign out for now.