Detroit — If it seems like Antti Tuomisto has been considered a Red Wings prospect for a long time, you’re partly correct.
The right-shot defenseman was drafted 35th overall, in the second round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Tuomisto, 22, played two seasons of college hockey at Denver, winning an NCAA championship along with Wings prospects Carter Mazur and Shai Buium.
Tuomisto made a career decision to return to his native Finland last season and play for TPS in Finland’s top pro league.
The Wings signed Tuomisto to a two-year, entry-level contract in March. He’ll begin his North American pro career in Grand Rapids this season, with the Wings interested to see how Tuomisto develops on a roster with top defensive prospects such as Simon Edvinsson, William Wallinder and Albert Johansson.
“After playing two years in college, it’s not going to be a completely new thing for me playing in North America,” Tuomisto said. “It’s going to be higher (caliber) than college, so I have to see what that’s going to be like.”
The move from Denver to Finland seemed to help Tuomisto’s development. More of a defensive defenseman in the NCAA, Tuomisto was able to broaden his offensive game, posting 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 60 games with TPS.
Tuomisto makes a good first pass and worked on his shot last season with former Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall, now head of the Wings’ European development, and former NHL defenseman Sammy Salo, a TPS assistant coach who possessed one of the NHL’s hardest shots during his playing career.
“I got more ice time (in Finland), and that really helped me getting those reps,” Tuomisto said. “I want to use my shot. That’s something I worked on a lot. I got a lot better in that last season.
Still, at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, Tuomisto already has NHL-ready size, and his ability to defend stands out in his game.
“Try to defend good, that’s my first priority and also, I take pride in the first pass and getting the puck to the forwards,” Tuomisto said. “There’s a lot of skating in Finland, too, a bigger sheet (of ice), and puck battles and stuff like that, with bigger guys; it’s harder. That helped me a lot.
“Skating is a big thing for me as a big guy. I have to be able to skate, and if I want to defend good, I have to be good in the battles, harder.”
Tuomisto felt the move into a pro league in Finland, in all, was a success.
“I thought about it for a long time, for months, what is the right decision for my future,” Tuomisto said. “I made a good choice. I got a bigger role maybe than I had in Denver and also played with older guys, bigger guys, in Finland.”
The Wings are excited about putting Tuomisto in Grand Rapids and beginning his pro career.
“Antti’s a guy who’s maybe taken a little bit longer to get over here than some, but not in a negative capacity,” said Shawn Horcoff, a Wings assistant general manager and Grand Rapids Griffins GM. “I just think he’s a big kid who was underdeveloped. He needed some time. Last year, we saw him take a step forward in his development. He played meaningful minutes and did very well in that league.
“We signed him with the idea of stepping into Grand Rapids next season. We’re all hoping he can come in and step in right away and win a position on that back end and be good for us right away.”
Said Daniel Cleary, the Wings’ assistant director of player development: “Antti is a smart player, a cerebral player. He makes a good first pass. This is going to be a big test for him coming over for his first year of pro in North America. We have to be patient and see how he goes.”
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