Notes: Young Wings look for second Prospect Tournament title

TRAVERSE CITY -- The Detroit Red Wings have been in this situation before, even fairly recently, but have not had much success.
They hope that changes tonight at Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City, Mich., when they make their fourth appearance in the championship game of the NHL Prospect Tournament in the last six years.

Detroit has only won the title once in the 20-year history of the event, in 2013.
They have also appeared in the championship game in 2015 and 2016.
"It's good, it means progress," said Shawn Horcoff, Red Wings director of player development. "We felt coming in here we were going to have a good team on paper. I think guys, they've put a lot of hard work in over the summer and I think you're starting to see that. (Dennis) Cholowski and Ras (Michael Rasmussen) and Gio (Givani Smith). I think a big difference for us is our 18-year-olds. Our young guys have come in and in a very hard tournament, done very well. You see (Joe) Veleno, (Jared) McIsaac, (Alec) Regula, and obviously (Filip) Zadina, speaks for himself.
"I'm happy. It's a good step forward for us. But I'll be even happier if we can win tonight."
Grand Rapids Griffins coach Ben Simon, in his first year as the head coach of the team, knows that a victory would be significant.
"It's great to be in the championship game to have a chance to win something," Simon said. "No matter what it is, if you're on the golf course and you're playing a buddy, you want to beat him. You want to win. If you're playing in your backyard, you want to win. If you're playing pickup basketball, you want to beat the other guy you're playing against. I don't think the philosophy or the mentality changes. If we win this tournament, I think it's great for the organization. All these young prospects that everyone's excited to see have success and hopefully feed off that going into camp, I think is a great thing."
Veleno, the Wings' first-round pick, 30th overall, in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, is second in tournament points with six (2-4-6).
Cholowski, the Wings' first-round pick, 20th overall, in the 2016 draft, leads all defensemen with five points (1-4-5).
"It's gone pretty well," Cholowski said. "Obviously, the power play's been clicking lately. That's helped our team win. I've gotten a few points along the way. I thought I've played well and hopefully I can carry this over into training camp."
Rasmussen, the Wings' first-round pick, ninth overall, in the 2017 draft, is tied for the tournament lead in goals with three among is four points.
"It's been good, the tournament has been going really well, we've played good the last two games here," Rasmussen said. "The finals tonight should be good."
Zadina, the Wings' first-round pick, sixth overall, in the 2018 draft, has three points (1-2-3).
"I think we're playing well as a line so I feel good," Zadina said. "We won two games but we lost one so we got a good record so far. I'll tell you how I will feel after this game if I will be happy or sad. I want to do anything for the team and anything to win this championship."
There were high expectations for this Detroit team with so many first and second-round picks participating.
"I think Cholowski, to me, Zadina, Veleno, McIsaac as 18-year-olds have really stood out for me," Horcoff said. "And Ras, Ras obviously, he's a guy that wants to be in the NHL this year and I think we've seen that. He's hungry."
Those first-timers knew from their experience together at development camp that they could have a good tournament.
"It's so exciting to play so we are so pumped to go on the ice at 7 p.m. today and to fight for the championship," Zadina said. "It's going to be a huge game and we are so excited about it."
One of the keys has been putting Zadina and Rasmussen with a speedy center like Veleno.
"They're definitely two high-end players that I'm playing with, so it's good," Rasmussen said. "We all have different qualities that benefit each other so, whether it's Fil and Joe's speed or Fil's shot or Joe's playmaking, it's great. It's pretty cool to play with them - it's awesome."
Unfortunately, one of those kids won't be available tonight.
McIsaac, the Wings' second-round pick, 36th overall, in the 2018 draft, cannot play in the title game due to injury.
"He hurt his shoulder last game so they're making sure that he's completely healthy before going into camp," Simon said. "Again, it's an opportunity for another guy to come in. Marcus Crawford's going to come in and he's ready to play and I'm sure he's chomping at the bit to prove that he belongs on that ice. It's unfortunate for Mac but again, next guy up and we'll hopefully get some contributions from him."
Regula, the Wings' third-round pick, 67th overall, in the 2018 draft, is a Michigan native and is participating in this tournament for the first time.
"It was incredible, watching the Wings play growing up my whole life and then you never think that would be the logo you'd be wearing when you're playing one day, so it was incredible, surreal feeling," Regula said. "It's unreal, it's something we've kind of looked forward to since day one, when we came in here that was kind of the goal and now here we are. It's a big moment tonight."
The Wings will have their work cut out for them as they face the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are the only undefeated team (3-0) in the tournament.
Kaden Fulcher, who backstopped the Wings to their first win in the tournament against the Dallas Stars, will be the starter against Columbus.
"Anytime you're in for the big game, it's definitely a good sign, it's definitely exciting and you want to go out there and lay it all on the line for the boys," Fulcher said.
The Blue Jackets have also won this event four times - in 2005, 2006, 2015 and 2016.
"There are some guys on their team that were in Cleveland last year that we have a little bit of familiarity with, their goaltender played a little bit in Cleveland last year, a couple of their forwards and some of their defense," Simon said. "They're obviously a good team, haven't seen too much of them play but again, it's not really what they're going to do, it's how we're going to play and we control what we can control."
Since giving up 35 shots in the first game, the Wings have buckled down defensively, allowing the Stars just 17 shots and the Rangers only 14.
"The commitment to defense has been outstanding," Fulcher said. "Every guy is just throwing their body in front of the lanes. You see guys walking out of the rink with ice bags on pretty much after every game, so I think that's something special for sure. It shows a lot of character in this group and I don't think until midseason in junior hockey, so I think they're coming right in trying to earn a spot with the big club right away. Their work in this tournament is pretty amazing to watch."
SMITH MAKING PRESENCE FELT: Smith, the Wings' second-round pick, 46th overall, in the 2016 draft, has made his presence felt in the tournament.
In the 5-0 victory over the New York Rangers Monday, he fought Dawson Leedahl and won convincingly.
But Smith isn't just about fighting.
He's a power forward who can use his size to get to the net and can score once he's there.
"I like Givani Smith's development and maturity," Horcoff said. "I think his game has really come a long ways."

Smith said he owes that in part to Horcoff.
"I've spoken with Horcs since he started working with the team, I've been talking to him a lot, especially last season coming down a lot to see me," Smith said. "I see him in the summertime, we talk, do some things. He's really kind of been mentoring me, being the player I am now so I really appreciate him."
Although Smith knows there are forwards that might be considered ahead of him when it comes to making the Wings, he also knows he has a special set of skills.
But he's keeping his focus on the here and now.
"In my mind right now, I'm on the Red Wings right now, I'm wearing the jersey in games," Smith said. "I'm just worried about this tournament right here and take it a day at a time. After today has passed, go to camp and I just got to do it all over again."
SIMON RECALLS 9/11: For the Wings prospects, they have certainly heard about Sept. 11 but they're too young to have vivid recollections of that day.
But Simon, 40, does have a clear memory of that day.
"I know exactly where I was," Simon said. "I was in a hotel lobby in Atlanta and everyone was kind of standing around the lobby TV staring. No one knew at that point what was going on. So I remember exactly where I was and I called my wife and made sure everything was safe. It was a scary time, the uncertainty of what was going on was crazy."