Top Detroit Red Wings prospect Eddie Genborg will be making his AHL debut on Friday with the Grand Rapids Griffins

“I’m very excited, and it’s very nice to be here,” Genborg told Griffins play-by-play voice, Bob Kaser. “I think it’s going to be a hard game, of course. First game here, it’s a lot of new things. For me, I’m just gonna go out there and have fun.”

North American pro debut tonight for @DetroitRedWings 2nd round draft pick Eddie Genborg, 18 year-old, 6’2”, 200 lb. Swede who will be in the lineup for @griffinshockey at Rockford. pic.twitter.com/goxaLRNZoU

— Bob Kaser (@bkaser1) March 20, 2026

The Red Wings organization is anxious to see how the 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-winger’s rugged style of hockey transfers to the smaller North American ice surface. Genborg, still only 18, certainly brings an element that is lacking on the current Detroit roster.

“The thing of my game is to play physical, and tonight I’m gonna show that,” Genborg said.

Genborg recently signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Red Wings that will kick in to start the 2026-27 season. He’s playing the rest of the AHL season on an amateur tryout offer. The plan is for Genborg to play next season in the SHL with Timra. He has one year remaining on his contract with that club. The Red Wings chose Genborg 40th overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

Grand Rapids will also be welcoming center Amadeus Lombardi back from the injured list. And winger John Leonard has been returned to the club from the Red Wings. In a related move, forward Jackson Jutting was released from his PTO.

Red Wings Pick Also Ready For Transition

Anton Johansson is currently helping Leksand stave off relegation in the SHL relegation playoff against HV71. HV71 leads the best-of-seven series 2-0.

Once his commitment to Leksand ends, the defenseman Detroit selected 105th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft will also be on his way across the Atlantic Ocean to join the Red Wings organization. Only his move will be a permanent one.

“Of course it will be fun, but it’s not something I’m thinking about right now,” Johansson told Swedish website Aftonbladet. “It’s nice to get the chance. But I’m here and now, and we’re going to keep Leksand in the SHL. And that’s what I’m focusing on right now.”

Red Wings vice-president of hockey operations Nicklas Lidstrom confirmed that the plan is to get Johansson to Grand Rapids as soon as possible.

“Yes, the plan is for him to go over,” Lidstrom said. “The first step will be the farm team, but it depends a bit on what it looks like up in the NHL team.

“Above all, the idea is to come in and play directly in the farm team and get a good role.”

Anton Johansson(4th round’22 for Leksands if)
-1 2 SOG 20:33 TOI in a 3-2 loss
Leksands down 2-0 in the series.
On the GA Anton got very obviously picked. Thought he played pretty well. #LGRW https://t.co/GOe0Ga2Hxo

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) March 20, 2026

It’s been a rough campaign for Johansson. Along with Leksand’s relegation battle, he also dealt with a concussion, oddly enough, the result of a hit delivered by Genborg in an SHL game. And his father, Thomas Johansson, was fired as sporting director of Leksand.

In one sense, that last development is proving to be a blessing in disguise for Anton Johansson.

“Now it’s more father-and-son talk than boss-and-son talk,” Anton Johansson told Swedish Hockeynews. “It’s actually quite nice.”