Red Wings Prospect Headed Overseas After Three-Years in the AHL
Photo credit: Detroit Hockey Now
Detroit Red Wings prospect Eemil Viro is headed to play in the SHL with Malmö after spending three years in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
It's been reported by hockeynews.se that former 3rd-round draft pick, and Detroit Red Wings prospect, Eemil Viro is headed to Europe.
He'll be joining the SHL's Malmö organization after his three-year stint in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Viro was originally a 3rd-round draft pick (70th overall) by GM Steve Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings in 2020.
The Red Wings took the Finnish defenseman after playing two and a half years of professional hockey with TPS Turku in Finland's top-tier hockey league.
The 23-year-old played 62 games in Grand Rapids, scoring only 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists) and one playoff game with the Griffins.
The Finnish defenseman wasn't able to crack the NHL lineup and spent some time in Toledo with the ECHL's Walleye during his time in North America.
The mobile defenseman wasn't known primarily for his physical play, but his passing ability, along with his stick-handling, was helpful in starting a breakout.
While it's difficult to tell what GMs see in players right away, reading his 2020 Scouting Report by The Hockey Writers, Josh Bell gives us an idea that there may have been some Nicklas Lidstrom in his game.
But it never came to fruition, as he'd remain in the AHL and never crack an NHL lineup.
«Viro's rise is reminiscent of Ville Heinola last year and there are some similarities between the Finnish blueliners. Viro has that same poise with the puck and also possesses legit offensive skill that I had been underrating. Viro is gaining on Topi Niemela (No. 36) in the battle to be my top Finnish defenceman for 2020.» - Larry Fisher, The Hockey Writers
Tough luck.
| POLL | ||
MAI 27 | 96 ANSWERS Red Wings Prospect Headed Overseas After Three-Years in the AHL Did you think defenseman Eemil Viro, a Detroit Red Wings prospect, had what it takes to make the cut in the NHL? | ||
| Yes | 28 | 29.2 % |
| No | 68 | 70.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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