Many Detroit Red Wings prospects will begin the 2025-26 hockey season next week, skating in rookie games against the Dallas Stars.
By that time, other future Red Wings hopefuls will already have regular-season games under their belts.
Regular-season play in the European leagues gets underway on Saturday, and Detroit draftees are populating the rosters of several teams. Tracking their progress can be a full-time job, and if you’ve already got a full-time job that doesn’t involve hockey, maybe you don’t have the time to do all that sleuthing.
Not to worry. Here at DHN, that’s part of our job, to keep tabs on the future of the Red Wings. So without further ado, let’s break down where you can find Detroit prospects who are playing in Europe this season.
Sweden Loaded With Red Wings Hopefuls
Detroit vice president of hockey operations Nicklas Lidstrom and European player development director Niklas Kronwall make their home in Sweden, where there’s plenty of work to keep them busy. Five Red Wings draftees are playing in Sweden this season.
Defenseman Anton Johansson (105th overall, 2022 NHL entry draft) is already signed to an entry-level contract with the Red Wings. However, he’s playing on loan with Leksands of the SHL this season. Johansson has been skating in the club’s top defense pairing. He scored a highlight-reel goal in Leksand’s final preseason game,
Anton Johansson 🚨 #leksandsif
🎥 TV4 Play pic.twitter.com/bJI0PbnGXi
— SwehockeyGIFs (@swehockeygifs) September 4, 2025
Also playing in the SHL are a pair of 2025 draftees. Right-wing Eddie Genborg (44th) is with Timra. He’s scored three goals during the preseason. Left-winger Michal Svrcek (119th) of Brynas has collected one assist in two Champions Hockey League games.
Another player already featuring in CHL action, left-winger Noah Dower Nilsson (73rd, 2023) of Frolunda, has accounted for a pair of assists in three games.
“He has played great,” Frolunda coach Robert Ohlsson told Goteborgs-Posten about Dower Nilsson. “It’s fun to see him play with security and self-confidence.”
In the lower divisions, left-winger Charlie Forslund (176th, 2024) is gearing up for his second season with Mora IK of the Allsvenskan, the Swedish second division. Only 19, he’s still eligible to play for Mora in the Swedish J20 league.
It’s decision time for the Red Wings and center Maxmilian Kilpinen (19th, 2022). He must sign an NHL contract by season’s end, or Detroit will relinquish all rights to the player. It doesn’t bode well for Kilpinen’s future that he’s toiling with Hudiksvalls HC in HockeyEttan, the Swedish third division.
Buchelnikov Off To Fast Start
If he can carry over his preseason work into the real games, the immediate looks bright for right-winger Dmitri Buchelnikov (52nd, 2022) as he embarks upon his first campaign with KHL powerhouse CSKA Moscow. He’s put up 3-4-7 total in the exhibition season.
Like Kilpinen, the Wings must sign Buchelnikov by June 1, 2026, or relinquish his rights. Based on Buchelnikov’s performance, it’s hard to imagine that it’s not going to happen.
#LGRW Nikita Tyurin with a well placed shot to increase the lead to 3. Looking much better this period. pic.twitter.com/U3bjQYgXHh
— Medved Prospekt (@MedvedProspekt) September 3, 2025
Defenseman Nikolai Tyurin (140th, 2025) is beginning his second season in the Russian junior ranks with Moscow Spartak. He scored a goal in the club’s season-opening win.
Bicker Was Germany’s Top Rookie
Left-winger Kevin Bicker (147th, 2023) will be hoping for more ice time this season with Lowen-Franfurt of Germany’s DEL. Even though he produced just five assists in 20 games, he was voted the league’s top rookie last season.
He’ll be putting the start to his European season on hold. Bicker is joining the Red Wings prospects for the rookie games against Dallas.