The Daily: Red Wings Prospects Advance At WJC; Where’s Vlasic?

The Detroit Red Wings are 4-for-4 when it comes to having their prospects reach the quarterfinals at the ongoing World Junior Champions ongoing in Ottawa.

Defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka, Detroit’s top prospect, leads the WJC scoring race with four goals and four assists for eight points. He’s Sweden’s captain and he has led that team to a 4-0 record in pool play. The Swedes, who won the silver medal last season, outscored opponents 24-10 in those four games.

The Swedes play Latvia in their quarterfinal matchup (noon, NHL Network)

Jesse Kiiskinen GOAL🚨 really nice tip from him. Finland lead 2-1. #LGRW #WorldJuniors2025 pic.twitter.com/RgbQl3XLyW

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) December 29, 2024

Meanwhile, Detroit prospect goalie Trey Augustine and Max Plante are on a U.S. team that meets Switzerland (2:30, NHL Network. Augustine is trying to become one of only a handful of goalies who have won medals in three consecutive WJC. He won a bronze in 2003, a gold last year and is looking to win a gold this season. Plante, meanwhile, has a goal and an assist in the tourmant.

The Red Wings acquired prospect Jesse Kiiskinen from the Nashville Predators this summer in the Andrew Gibson trade. He was named captain of team Finland. He has three goals in the tournament. His team meets Slovakia (5 p.m., NHL Network.)

Click here for the IIHF.com’s quarterfinal preview

Red Wings in Case You Missed

Any talk about the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings making a trade has cooled off.

A Finnish hockey star gives his blessing to Patrick Kane using the “Showtime” nickname. In Finland, he’s “Showtime.”

Former Red Wings goalie Michael Hutchinson improved his game thanks to help from another former Red Wings goalie.

Red Wings Extra

Tonight is the wrong time for the Red Wings to be taking on the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets have found their game of late, posting a 4-1-1 record in their last six. The good news for Detroit fans is the Blue Jackets have still been surrendering too many goals even while they have been winning. They have given up four or more goals in half of those six games and surrended three goals in another of those games.

Hockey Now Network

Colorado: Casey Mittelstadt scores his first goal in 19 games, and ends up back on Colorado’s second line. Valeri Nichushkin is injured. Colorado Avalanche.

New Jersey: James Nichols offers three New Year’s resolutions to get the Devils back on track. New Jersey Devils 

Pittsburgh: Sidney Crosby and Ryan Graves played it rough in practice Wednesday. They did laugh about it later. Pittsburgh Penguins.

San Jose: Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic has been practicing for more than a month. Sheng Peng weighs in about when he might play again. San Jose Sharks.