It’s not the first time in his pro hockey career that Detroit Red Wings prospect Eduards Tralmaks has found himself one step away from the NHL.
They say that the dream never dies, just the dreamer. Tralmaks would appear to be living proof of that analogy.
“The ultimate goal is to play in the NHL at least once,” Tralmaks, 28, told Czech website iSport Blesk. “When you look at the Latvian players who have been in the NHL, I have a lot to learn from.
“Even at this age and at this stage of my career, there is still a chance.”
Tralmaks previously played in the AHL with the Providence Bruins, Boston’s top farm club, from 2020 to 2023. He scored 14 goals in 2021-22, so he’s just two tallies away from equaling that mark.
🚨🚨🚨🇱🇻 Eduards Tralmaks AHL izceļas ar hat-trick.
15. sekundē izdodas pielabot komandas biedra metienu no zilās līnijas, trešajā periodā vārti vairākumā ar šķēlienu no zilās līnijas un precīzs metiens pretuzbrukumā.
Komandai uzvara izbraukumā ar 10:1 pic.twitter.com/PmZcLm1R4K
— Ulvis Brože (@UlvisBrozhe) November 26, 2025
Last season, Tralmaks led the Czech Extraliga in scoring with 23-28-51 totals. That prompted the Red Wings to sign him as a free agent.
Red Wings Farm Club Dominating AHL
The Latvian left-winger is third on the Griffins in goals and seventh on the club with 15 points. Grand Rapids leads the AHL with just one regulation-time loss through 26 games (24-1-0-1).
Tralmaks is loving his time in GR and not just because of the team’s winning ways.
“Great city,” Tralmaks said. “So are the fans and the stadium.”
As the Griffins assemble their impressive success story, Tralmaks senses the confidence bubbling over within the ranks of the team.
🚨TRALMAKS!!!🚨
Just 10 seconds into the third period Eduards Tralmaks gives the Griffins a 3-0 lead!
What a play by Jakub Rychlovsky to get the puck out front
Tralmaks 12th of the season assisted by Rychlovsky and Lagesson!#GoGRG #LGRW pic.twitter.com/7CdaTJlce1
— Hockeytown West Podcast (@HockeytownWpod) December 7, 2025
“When you have self-confidence, it’s like a superpower,” Tralmaks said. “It’s not just about hockey, it’s about life itself.
“You can work in a store and sell everything if you believe in yourself. You can do things you never thought you could do.”
There are plenty of familiar faces in the Grand Rapids lineup to help Tralmaks in his transition into the new club. Czech players Jakub Rychlovsky and Michal Postava also played in the Extraliga. Ondrej Becher is a Czech who was playing in the WHL when the Red Wings drafted him.
“We are definitely the closest to each other,” Tralmaks said. “Even though I am Latvian, they treat me as if I were Czech. I understand them, even though I can’t answer.
“We know what it was like in Europe, which unites us.”