Hockey is back.

After a weekend of prospect showcases around the continent, the long summer is over and we’ve got substantive material to discuss again.

For the Detroit Red Wings, that comes after a two-game set against the Dallas Stars’ prospects in Frisco, Texas, which the two teams split. Detroit won 6-2 on Saturday, and the Stars took Sunday’s contest 6-5.

With those scorelines, you can correctly infer there was a whole lot to dig into — from strong performances from Detroit’s recent first-round picks to a few impressive showings from later-round selections.

Here’s what stood out:

1. Amadeus Lombardi wasn’t supposed to be at this showcase because of his already strong skill set. It certainly looked that way, particularly Saturday night. He hung onto pucks confidently and effectively, and got some shots from the middle of the ice, an important factor for a smaller forward. His goal Saturday night was partly a product of the Dallas goaltender getting stuck trying to come across, leaving the net largely open, but you have to respect Lombardi’s poise to make it all happen. That poise was on display all weekend, consistently regrouping and finding the right play for himself or his teammates.

Lombardi spent his offseason wanting to get stronger and improve his defensive play, both of which will be tested much more this preseason than they were in Frisco. Still, my prediction is that he’ll see NHL action at some point this season. I’ve likened him in the past to a higher-tempo version of Jonatan Berggren, and while Berggren’s sturdier build is an advantage for the Swede, Lombardi’s speed and competitiveness give him a path to breaking through as a bottom-six scorer when the need for a call-up arises.

2. I like what I see from Nate Danielson just about every time I watch him. He’s always in the right place defensively, a testament to his hockey sense. He’s a strong skater, he’s skilled and he shows a real feel for distributing the puck. All of that, at 6-foot-2, is a strong collection of traits for a young center.

The question with him, historically, has tended to be whether his statistical production matches his tools and the visual impact. This weekend it did, as Danielson was on the scoresheet in both games, tallying a goal and an assist while playing in every possible situation for the Red Wings.

“I was hoping that he was going to be one of the best players on the ice tonight, (and) he was,” head coach Dan Watson said after the Saturday game, and Sunday was much of the same.

He transported the puck, showed off an advanced defensive stick and looked noticeably thicker, too, later saying he put on “probably seven or eight pounds.” He measured in at 197 lbs. going into camp. That should be valuable as he tries to translate his strong two-way game against NHL size and strength.

Based on how Detroit has handled top prospects under Steve Yzerman, Danielson will need to be virtually undeniable to break camp with the Red Wings. But in my eyes, their best-case scenario this season involves him being part of the roster for a large portion of the year.

3. Shai Buium scored in both games for the Red Wings, first on a pretty downhill snipe on Saturday and then from the flank on the power play on Sunday. Buium had a quietly strong rookie AHL season in 2024-25, and if this weekend was any indication, he could be set to trend upward in year 2. He played with Axel Sandin-Pellikka during the tournament, and the two fit well together, which isn’t a surprise considering both are high-IQ blueliners. Look for that as a potential pairing in Grand Rapids this season.

The goals were obviously the loudest moments of his showcase, but Buium had a nice weekend altogether, whether it was starting the breakout or working in front of the defensive net.

Buium will compete with William Wallinder for long-term looks in Detroit, and while Wallinder (who is a year older) is viewed as being closer to the NHL, Buium certainly has the size, smarts and hands to become an NHL regular at some point. His path is partly due to the kind of offense he showed in Frisco, and the key, as with most offensively-inclined defenders, will be dialing in the risk versus reward. Consider this a good start to the preseason for him.

Buium & Bantle in the first ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/D3LanKXgKW

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 14, 2025

4. I’ve said it before, but Michael Brandsegg-Nygård is perfectly suited to the North American brand of hockey. The increased physicality is a big part of that, and he finished plenty of hits this weekend, including a big open-ice shot on Saturday. But the fit also has a lot to do with what it does for his offensive game. Namely, bringing his wicked shot that much closer to the net.

Brandsegg-Nygård can certainly score from range, but it’s even tougher to stop him from in tight. That showed up in Game 1 when he ripped one in from the bottom of the left circle. I think he’s going to score 20 goals this year in Grand Rapids off very similar plays.

It wasn’t a perfect weekend for him, as he had a turnover that led to the Stars’ opening goal on the first shift Sunday, but Brandsegg-Nygård showed what you’d want to see from him as he gets ready for his first full season on this side of the Atlantic.

“He’s a competitor,” Watson said. “He was winning a lot of 50-50 battles with his stick, with his body. He’s got that quick-release shot, so anything in tight, you know he’s going to get that off. He got rewarded for that (Saturday). He’s a physical player. He gets right in there.”

5. When Sandin-Pellikka got a few late-season reps in Grand Rapids this spring, I thought he looked like a player very much still figuring out the challenges of the North American game. This weekend, he looked much more comfortable, making poised plays with the puck in all three zones. It was very encouraging for the 2023 first-round pick, perhaps more encouraging even than the goal he scored on a blast from the point Saturday night.

Sandin-Pellikka’s calling card is his hockey sense, and he’s plenty competitive. It’s not a surprise to see him make the adjustment. It is promising to see him make it so quickly, though.

Granted, this Stars prospect contingent wasn’t the most high-end collection of talent, and I still think he’ll benefit from a more significant run in Grand Rapids. But this was a good weekend for Sandin-Pellikka, partly because it showed proof of concept for his ability to hold up in a significant five-on-five role.

6. All Emmitt Finnie has done is impress at every Red Wings prospect event since he was drafted. Really, that’s not even limited to prospect events. He had a huge year in the WHL last season, and then showed some flashes as a 19-year-old in a late-season AHL look as well.

Finnie scored the first goal of the event for the Red Wings, powering his way to the net, and then nearly cloned the goal later that night. He’s not huge, but at 6-foot-1, it’s good to see that power element to his game, mainly because of the fearlessness.

Finnie’s ticketed for Grand Rapids this season, but I’m fascinated to see what his year looks like. I think he can eventually become an NHL regular in the bottom six, which is significant for a seventh-round pick.

7. Finally, there was one notable prospect who did not play this weekend: 2025 first-round pick Carter Bear. Bear, who is coming off an Achilles injury, was originally on the roster for the tournament, but was removed right before it began. Watson chalked that up to precaution, saying the Red Wings “want him ready for main camp.”

It would have been great to see him in a true competitive setting like this, but coming back from an injury like that, it’s easy to understand the safer approach.

(Photo of Nate Danielson: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)