{"id":96672,"date":"2025-07-27T12:17:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-27T12:17:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/96672\/"},"modified":"2025-07-27T12:17:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-27T12:17:10","slug":"red-wings-draftee-signs-to-play-in-poland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/96672\/","title":{"rendered":"Red Wings Draftee Signs to Play in Poland"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you require any further evidence that drafting goalies isn\u2019t an exact science, look no further than Detroit<\/a> Red Wings draft pick Jesper Eliasson. The Detroit brass admitted as much when selecting Eliasson 84th overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you look back on goaltenders, it\u2019s a crapshoot a lot of times,\u201d then Red Wings director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright said at the time. \u201cJust get them into the goaltending pool and hopefully somebody\u2019s going to start separating themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eliasson did separate himself from the pack \u2013 in the wrong direction. At first offering plenty of promise, the six-foot-five Swede backstopped his country to a bronze medal at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship. However, he\u2019s traveled a bumpy road as a pro, one with so many twists and turns that it resulted in the Red Wings deciding to pass on offering Eliasson a contract.<\/p>\n

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Jan Mysak (#2020NHLDraft<\/a>) makes a nice move but Jesper Eliasson (#LGRW<\/a>) makes a big save on a penalty shot. Sweden still dominating this game overall. #U20<\/a> #4Nations<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/7MUAg7Bh7j<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Tony Ferrari (@theTonyFerrari) November 8, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In his homeland, Eliasson has played for Almtuna IS in HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden\u2019s second division. He suited up for Vasby IK in HockeyEttan, Sweden\u2019s third division. Eliasson also stopped pucks for IF Troja-Ljungby in both of those leagues. His time in the SHL, Sweden\u2019s top pro league, amounted to one game for Vaxjo Lakers HC in 2019-20.<\/p>\n

Abroad, Eliasson played with EC Salzburg in Austria and Stjernen Hockey in Norway. And now he\u2019ll be adding another destination to his passport. Eliasson has signed with Poland\u2019s GTS Katowice<\/a>. A top team in the Polish league, GTS Katowice has played in the final four years in a row, winning in 2022 and 2023. But it\u2019s a long way off for a netminder once considered a legitimate NHL prospect.<\/p>\n

Red Wings Second Round Pick Finds New Home<\/p>\n

The Red Wings thought so much of forward Robert Mastrosimone<\/a> on draft day that they selected him 54th overall in 2019. That was Steve Yzerman\u2019s first draft class as Detroit GM.<\/p>\n

However, much like Eliasson, Mastrosimone couldn\u2019t convince the Wings that he was worthy of an NHL contract. Cast adrift, he would sign an AHL deal with the Toronto Marlies.<\/p>\n

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Robert Mastrosimone is joining the Checkers on a one-year, one-way AHL deal<\/p>\n

\u27a1\ufe0f https:\/\/t.co\/kzoqQpg6lf<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/5hP1SD0ZvQ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) July 11, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

After two seasons with the Marlies in which he accounted for 14 goals in 95 AHL games, Mastrosimone is on the move again. He\u2019s agreed to terms on an AHL pact with the Charlotte Checkers. That\u2019s the top farm club of the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.<\/p>\n

Ice Chips<\/p>\n

Right-winger Ryan O\u2019Reilly, selected 98th overall by the Red Wings in 2018, is joining Greenville of the ECHL. He played for Orlando in that league last season . . . Defenseman Adam Almquist (210th overall, 2009 NHL entry draft) has been dropped by Germany\u2019s Kolner Haie. Almquist played one game for the Red Wings during the 2013-14 season. He won an AHL Calder Cup title with the Grand Rapids Griffins<\/a> in 2012-13 . . . Left-winger Kirill Tyutyayev<\/a> (190th, 2019) re-signed with Fort Wayne of the ECHL . . . Forward Brady Gilmour (193rd, 2017) is joining the Manchester Storm of the EIHL . . . Defenseman Mattias Backman (146th, 2011) was dropped by Norway\u2019s Frisk Asker . . . Defenseman Gustav Berglund (177th, 2019) signed with Denmark\u2019s Rodovre Red Bulls.<\/p>\n

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