NHL Prospect Watch: Detroit Red Wings
Ahead of the 2025-26 hockey season, we’re diving into the WHL prospect pool for each of the NHL’s 32 teams. This series will highlight current and former WHLers who are signed to an NHL contract, have recently been drafted by an NHL team, or meet the NHL’s definition of a rookie.
You’ve gotta lose your mind for Detroit Rock City’s prospects.
Carter Bear
Bear’s meteoric rise through the hockey ranks has seen the West St. Paul, Man. product go from a sixth-round WHL Draft pick to Detroit’s 13th overall selection in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 6-foot, 177-pound winger led the regular-season champion Everett Silvertips with 40 goals and 42 assists for 82 points and a +33 rating in just 56 games. Bear also tied for second among all WHL skaters in game-winning strikes (nine), finished seventh in goals, and clocked in at 12th in points-per-game (1.46). A partially cut achilles tendon ended Bear’s season early, but the 18-year-old is slated to be a full participant in fall training camps. He’s garnered more recognition nationwide as an invitee to the first-ever CHL USA Prospects Challenge presented by Kubota Canada and was invited to Hockey Canada’s World Junior Summer Showcase, though he was unable to participate. Still, the invite means Bear is on the radar to represent Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. Bear signed his three-year, entry-level deal with the Red Wings in mid-July and looks to continue his march to some of hockey’s biggest stages.
Step 1: Draft Carter Bear.
Step 2: Kick back and relax. @WHLsilvertips | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/KbXOLvvHKG— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) June 9, 2025
Ondřej Becher
Becher made his pro debut with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins in 2024-25, putting up 10 goals (including four powerplay markers) and 10 assists for 20 points in 59 regular-season games, despite missing the first nine games of the season as he worked back from a lower-body injury. His 10 tallies tied for second-most among the Griffins’ rookie contingent and he gained valuable playoff experience by suiting up for two Calder Cup playoff tilts. Detroit selected the 6-foot-1, 190-pound centreman with the 80th overall pick in the third round of the 2024 NHL Draft after a breakout campaign with the Prince George Cougars. Becher bagged 96 points (32G-64A) in 58 games to help the powerhouse Cougars lock up the B.C. Division title and first in the Western Conference. He graduated from the WHL with 48 goals and 86 assists for 134 points in 121 regular-season games, in addition to another 22 playoff points (6G-16A).
BOOM GOES BECHER 🚨 pic.twitter.com/hSlNg4PLDF
— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) April 5, 2025
Sebastian Cossa
Former WHL Champion Sebastian Cossa played his way into the record book with a historic NHL debut for the Red Wings this season. After starting a match against the Buffalo Sabres on the bench, Cossa was called on to start the second period and backstopped Detroit to a 6-5 shootout win. He’s the first goalie in NHL history to win their debut in relief via a shootout. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound netminder also served up an All-Star season in the AHL, going 21-15-5 with a 2.45 goals-against average, a .911 save percentage and one shutout- a 35-save effort against the Milwaukee Admirals in his first start of the season. The Fort McMurray, Alta. product finished 11th among all AHL netminders in GAA and 13th in save percentage and represented the Central Division at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic. Over three seasons with the Edmonton Oil Kings, Cossa compiled a 71-16-7 record with a 2.12 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage, 14 shutouts, and a dominant Ed Chynoweth Cup win in his final campaign in 2021-22. Cossa also stands tall as one of the highest-selected goaltenders in the modern NHL Draft when Detroit chose him with the 15th overall pick in 2021.
Raymond goal ✔️
Cossa save(s) ✔️
Larkin goal ✔️#REDWINGS WIN ✔️✔️✔️ pic.twitter.com/3AbI220yoP— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 10, 2024
Nate Danielson
After making his pro debut in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, Nate Danielson was ready to make a splash in his first full AHL season. The 20-year-old led all Griffins rookies with 12 goals (including two game-winners) and 27 assists for 39 points in 71 tilts. He also tied for second among all AHL skaters in shootout goals with four. Red Wings assistant director of player development Dan Cleary praised Danielson’s work in the postseason, where he scored once in three games, and said that’s the energy he’ll need to bring to training camp if he wants to crack the NHL this season. The 6-foot-2, 188-pound forward made an impact from the jump at the junior level, where he piled up 83 goals and 134 assists for 217 points in 199 career games and captained the Brandon Wheat Kings for parts of two seasons. Danielson was dealt to the Portland Winterhawks for the home stretch of his final WHL run and helped the Hawks reach the 2024 WHL Championship Series with 24 points (7G-17A) in 18 games. Detroit called his name at ninth overall in the 2023 NHL Draft.
A ding from Nate Danielson🛎️@griffinshockey | #LVvsGR pic.twitter.com/reNgXQejj6
— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) February 22, 2025
Emmitt Finnie
Emmitt Finnie stormed through the season with a new letter on his jersey and a plethora of new ways to light the lamp. The 20-year-old led the Kamloops Blazers with 37 goals and 47 assists for 84 points in just 55 games. Finnie ranked 15th in goals among all WHL skaters, fifth in faceoff wins (735, 56.5%) and seventh in points-per-game (1.53). Finnie cracked the 2025 WHL Western Conference Second All-Star Team and was named a finalist for the WHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year. The Lethbridge, Alta. product also went on a 12-game point streak that saw him bury six goals and 15 assists. Upon the conclusion of the rebuilding Blazers’ season, Finnie made the jump to the Griffins to suit up for 10 regular-season games, scoring his first AHL goal on April 5, 2025, tacking on four helpers and suiting up for three postseason matches. Not too shabby for a guy selected with the 201st overall pick in the seventh round of the 2023 NHL Draft! The 6-foot-1, 191-pound centreman signed his ELC with the Red Wings in March of 2024.
Emmitt Finnie doing what Emmitt Finnie does best.@blazerhockey | @DetroitRedWings | #LGRW pic.twitter.com/vtYzbbaVva
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 5, 2025
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