The Daily: Augustine Eyes Title Before Turning Pro?; ASP Info

Four Detroit Red Wings draft choices, led by Michigan State goalie Trey Augustine, will be playing in the NCAA hockey tournament this week.

The Red Wings’ hope probably would be that Augustine gets the experience of leading the Spartans to the NCAA championship and then turn pro. Detroit drafted the South Lyon native 41st overall in the 2023 draft.

The bracket is HERE! 🤩#NCAAHockey pic.twitter.com/TDzqNGZNJ4

— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) March 23, 2025

Michigan State (26-6-4),  the No. 2 seed behind Boston College, will play Cornell (18-10-6) Thursday in the opening round at Toledo’s Huntington Center (5:30, ESPN+). The winner of that game will play the winner of Ohio State vs. Boston University contest for one of the spots in the Frozen Four at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis (April 10-12).

Detroit draft pick Red Savage (114th, 2021) should be with Augustine in the MSU lineup, but he is out for the season with an injury.

The other Detroit draftees heading to the NCAA tournament: Defenseman Larry Keenan (UMass, 117th overall in 2023), defenseman Cooper Moore (Quinnipiac, 128th in 2019) and center Ethan Phillips (Western Michigan, 97th, 2019).

The Spartans, with Augustine in net, have won back-to-back Big Ten regular-season and playoff championships.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

Detroit’s penalty killing has not improved. The Red Wings projecting to end up with the third-worst penalty killing in NHL history.

Axel Sandin Pellikka and Michael Brandsegg Nygard both contributed offense to Skelleftea’s SHL playoff win on Sunday.

Coach Todd McLellan pulled no punches when he said his team is underachieving.

Red Wings Extra

The Red Wings are five points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Utah Hockey Club is six behind in the West. But the Utah team seems like it is in a better place going into tonight’s game against Detroit (9 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network). Utah is 5-3-2, including a 4-2 win against the Red Wings in Detroit. Meanwhile, Todd McLellan’s team is struggling at 2-8 in it last 10.

Hockey Now Networks

Boston: Officials stop Jeremy Swayman from getting into a goalie fight against the Los Angeles Kings. Andrew Fantucchio has the details. Boston Bruins.

Chicago: The Blackhawks scored a season-high seven goals to end a seven-game losing streak with a 7-4 win against the Philadelphia Flyers. Former Red Wings player Joe Veleno registered his first goal and assist for the Blackhawks. Chicago Blackhawks.

Pittsburgh: Tristan Jarry has earned coach Mike Sullivan’s confidence. Pittsburgh Penguins.