Red Wings Notebook: Postava Wins Preseason Debut; Can Finnie Make Roster?

DETROIT – Red Wings Coach Todd McLellan liked the word “excited” to describe how Czech Michal Postava was in his first NHL preseason game.

“He was really excited about getting in there,” McLellan said after Postava stopped 10 of 10 shots in two periods of a 5-2 relief win against the Buffalo Sabres. “You could feel it and see it. And I thought when he first went in, that net was about six feet wide. He was even going to stop pucks that were going wide. He was so anxious to get going. And then he really settled in, made some really good saves.”

The excitement is mutual. The Red Wings are willing and happy to add him to their stable of goaltending prospects. Postava, 23, is only nine months older than Sebastian Cossa.  Those two players project to be the Grand Rapids Griffins goalies and be the No. 3 and No. 4 goalies in the organization this season.   If either John Gibson or Cam Talbot is injured, Cossa and Postava are the possible replacements.

Postava describes his situation as a “fast progress for him,” but is happy with his level of play.

“(Postava) is got to be anxious in that situation,” McLellan said. “Brand new for him, but he’s had a really good training camp…we are excited to see what type of year he is going to have.”

Finnie’s Chances

While it’s too early to do serious analysis about Emmitt Finnie’s chances of making the team, it doesn’t mean we can’t talk about it. The 2023 seventh round draft pick looks comfortable playing with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond.

He came within an inch of netting a highlight reel goal Thursday, only to be thwarted by a slick pad save. Finnie also posted five hits in the game, and showed he had the skating skill to play with Larkin and Raymond.

“We’ve talked about him a lot lately,” McLellan said. “My opinion hasn’t changed. I thought he was a factor both sides of the puck. I thought his pace fit well with Larkin and Raymond. Pretty trusting player. It’s not just about going out and trying to score a goal. He plays the game with an awareness of what’s going on around him, the score. Very mature.