The Detroit Red Wings have invested heavily in first-round forwards, but a former second-round goaltender just earned a distinction that none of them received.
The Athletic placed Trey Augustine in its low-end future-star tier in a new NHL prospect evaluation. Axel Sandin-Pellikka was the only other Detroit player to reach a star tier.
Marco Kasper, Carter Bear, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, J.P. Hurlbert, and Nate Danielson—all first-round selections—landed in various support-player tiers. That does not guarantee Augustine will have a better NHL career. It does show how highly outside evaluators regard the 2023 No. 41 pick.
Augustine Has Become Detroit’s Goalie of the Future
Augustine strengthened his reputation during his junior season at Michigan State. He produced a 24-9-1 record with a 2.11 goals-against average, a .929 save percentage, and three shutouts in 34 games. He also became a Hobey Baker Award finalist and won his second consecutive Big Ten Goaltender of the Year award.
The 21-year-old finished the season with two appearances for the Grand Rapids Griffins. That brief audition marked the beginning of his professional transition, not proof that he is ready to start NHL games.
His organizational importance increased when Detroit traded Sebastian Cossa to the Utah Mammoth during the 2026 NHL draft. John Gibson can become an unrestricted free agent next summer, while Daniil Tarasov signed for only one season. Augustine now represents Detroit’s clearest internal path to a long-term starter.
The Athletic’s evaluators praised his consistency, composure, and control. They also noted that he lacks the elite size or explosive athleticism some teams prefer in top goaltending prospects. His professional results must eventually settle that debate.
The First Test Arrives in Detroit
The Red Wings named Augustine to their 24-player prospect-tournament roster. Detroit will face Dallas on September 12, Pittsburgh on September 13, and Columbus on September 15 at the BELFOR Training Center.
Those games will not determine Augustine’s NHL ceiling, but they provide his first sustained public test since turning professional. He will face peers fighting for contracts, roster positions, and attention before training camps open.
Detroit fans have already debated his place within the system. A recent community prospect poll placed Augustine third behind Brandsegg-Nygard and Bear. The new expert tiers reverse that order by giving Augustine the higher projected role.
Goaltending development rarely follows a straight line. Augustine may need a full AHL season—or longer—before Detroit considers him ready. His ranking carries no guarantee and should not create an artificial deadline.
It does create a revealing contrast. Detroit used five first-round picks on forwards expected to drive its rebuild, yet a second-round goalie currently owns the stronger external projection. The prospect tournament offers Augustine his next opportunity to show why.
For an organization still searching for difference-makers, that reversal matters because it suggests Detroit’s most valuable developing player may occupy the position where long-term certainty remains hardest to find.
Red Wings Second-Round Pick Lands Above 5 First-Rounders