Red Wings Open Prospect Tournament With Shootout Win Over Dallas

Detroit's prospects started the 2026 NHL Prospect Tournament with a 4-3 shootout win over the Dallas Stars on Sept. 12, the opening day of the round robin at the BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena.

Goalie Trey Augustine, one of the recent draft picks, free agent signings and tryouts on Detroit's tournament roster, said the value is simply being back between the pipes.

"I felt a lot better throughout the game, but I think that's just because you're playing hockey again," Augustine said. "There's nothing like playing games. It's good to get a couple games before we get to Training Camp in about a week."

Detroit also faced the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday and closes the round robin against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday at 2 p.m.

Behind the bench for a fourth straight prospect tournament is Grand Rapids Griffins head coach Dan Watson, who said he is in "evaluation mode," watching for skill sets and roles. He pointed to Dylan James and Kienan Draper being first over the boards on the penalty kill as the kind of detail he is tracking.

Watson is leaning on defenseman Anton Johansson and forward Nate Danielson, two players with professional experience, to set the tone. "They got to be leaders," Watson said. "They're thrust into these leadership positions now."

For Danielson, the reps carry extra weight. He suffered a season-ending injury with the Griffins in February and had not played a competitive game in seven months.

"He needs this," Watson said. "We want to give him the best chance heading into Camp."

Watson also singled out forward Carter Bear, who scored from below the goal line against Dallas. "He has no problem going to the hard areas," Watson said. "Whether it's digging along the wall, in the corners, around the net front."

The timing matters more than usual. With the NHL moving to an 84-game regular season in 2026-27 and only four preseason games on the calendar, there is less runway for young players to make an impression.

All Detroit games in the tournament are streaming free on DetroitRedWings.com for fans in the club's television territory.