The Detroit Red Wings are trying to figure out what the next version of this roster looks like. Three prospects have drawn the most buzz through training camp and the preseason: defenseman Anton Johansson, winger Carter Bear and goaltender Trey Augustine. All three expect to be a major part of the Red Wings future at some point.
Anton Johansson Owned Tuesday Night in Pittsburgh
Johansson recorded four assists Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins and was named the first star of a 7-4 Detroit win. He is expected to dress again Thursday night, when the Red Wings host the Buffalo Sabres at Little Caesars Arena in the next preseason game. Johansson could have a chance to make the Red Wings roster out of camp. If not, he will most likely begin the 2026-27 season with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL.
The Hockey Writers Call Anton Johansson Detroit’s Most Underrated Prospect
Owen Hillman of The Hockey Writers picked one underrated prospect for every NHL team in a piece published Wednesday. For Detroit, he went with Johansson. Hillman wrote:
The Red Wings were infamously good at finding international steals, and Anton Johansson might be the next one. Drafted 105th overall in 2022, Johansson has come a long way, and his final destination could be as an NHL regular.
Over the past two seasons, he’s split time between the SHL and AHL. In 2024-25, he racked up 10 points in 46 SHL games for Leksands IF and five points in 11 games for the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Last season, he upped the ante. He had 17 points in 42 games for Leksands IF and six points in eight games for Grand Rapids. He uses his 6-foot-4 frame well to take up space, and he’s improved his decision-making with the puck recently. I think he could compete for a roster spot this preseason.
Johansson is competing for one of the top-six defense spots on the opening night roster. It is very possible he does not make it out of camp, but he should play in Detroit at some point during the 2026-27 NHL season.
Why He’s Underrated
Detroit took Bear 13th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, then added forward J.P. Hurlbert at No. 23 in 2026 on a pick acquired from Utah. The organization is counting on both to play a major role in its future. But it isn’t always about the first-round picks. It is about the later ones.
What the Grand Rapids Numbers Say
Johansson was a fourth-round selection, 105th overall, in the 2022 NHL Draft. He is 22 years old and has a lot of upside. Finding defensive talent in the later rounds is always a bonus for NHL teams. In eight AHL games with Grand Rapids during the 2025-26 season, he scored two goals and added four assists with a plus-6 rating.
In eight postseason games with the Griffins, he recorded one assist and a minus-2 rating. Johansson might be better off starting the season in Grand Rapids and polishing his game before he becomes an effective player at the NHL level with the Red Wings.
