The Red Wings have signed highly-touted prospect Gustav Nyquist to a two-year entry level contract with the club. Nyquist was assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League and made his professional debut on Saturday.
↵Nyquist was taken in the fourth round (121st overall) in the 2008 entry draft by the Red Wings. He played three years at the University of Maine (Jimmy Howard's alma mater) and became one of the most prolific players in the country. Nyquist is up for the Hobey Baker award this year as the nation's best player, an honor he was also nominated for last season.
↵Nyquist didn't waste any time fitting in with his new club, scoring the lone goal in a 5-1 Griffins loss to the Texas Stars. Hopefully it's a sight Griffins and Red Wings fans will get accustomed to for a long time. The Red Wings have a good recent history in converting NCAA prospects into solid NHL players with Michigan State's Drew Miller and Justin Abdelkader and, of course, Howard. Miller wasn't drafted by the club, but he's flourished in the Red Wings system and has become a solid role player in Hockeytown.