2 Detroit Red Wings Prospects Who Could Get Called Up This Season

As the season gets underway, players will begin to suffer injuries as they sacrifice their bodies for the sake of their team, not to mention the ever-present concern of a positive Covid diagnosis. Eventually, there will be players who will need to miss games, and others will need to be called in to replace them in the lineup. Here are two such prospects who could see some playing time on the Detroit Red Wings this season.

Chase Pearson

Selected in the 5th round way back in 2015, Pearson has had a long road to the NHL. Opting to play hockey through college following his draft selection, Pearson played three seasons with the University of Maine, two of them as the team's captain, before making the jump to the AHL. His first full pro season was shortened by the Covid-19 pandemic but saw him put up 8 goals and 22 points in 59 games. The next season, he put up identical numbers, but it only took him 28 games to do so, and so far this season he has 1 goal and 3 points in 5 games. That marks yet another increase in the pace of his point production and suggests that, despite being 24-years old, Pearson's game is still growing. He brings with him a journeyman quality that any NHL team would like to have mixed into their bottom 6. While Pearson hasn't had a shot at the NHL yet, but if his game continues to improve it's only a matter of time.

Joe Veleno

Most Red Wings fans probably saw this pick coming. The 30th-overall selection from 2018, Veleno decimated the QMJHL following his draft, putting up 104 points in 59 games. Since arriving in the AHL, that production has dropped off significantly. That's to be expected given the jump in skill level between the leagues, but the astounding offensive ability he showed in junior has not fully translated to pro hockey just yet. At 21-years old, the kid still has plenty of room to grow, and he managed to earn a cup of coffee with the Red Wings last season that saw him score his first NHL goal. If it wasn't for the emergence of Lucas Raymond, Veleno would probably be playing on the Red Wings right now. He has a deadly shot, and once he can put it together in the NHL he'll be a steady contributor for the Wings going forward. He currently has 3 goals in 5 games with the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins.