The Detroit Red Wings are taking steps to bring some of that young talent closer to the professional game. The NHL Draft is a lot different than a lot of professional leagues out there - many of the guys never see the NHL, but you generally do expect the first-round pick to pan out in some form or another. In 2010, the Detroit Red Wings made Riley Sheahan their first-round pick, taking him 21st overall.
Now, Sheahan is getting closer and closer to the big game. Ansar Khan reported on Twitter that Sheahan has signed an amateur tryout contract with the Grand Rapid Griffins. Sheahan was very, very raw for a first-round pick when the Red Wings claimed him in the draft, with just six goals that season, but he was a freshman and has definitely improved since then.
His biggest assets are his skills on the power play, an area the Red Wings have been off and on with in recent years, though that's somewhat irrelevant because Sheahan has a long way to go with the Griffins. Still, it's definitely a good sign that he's making progress.
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