Rookie Tourney Notes: Red Wings Impressed With Dower Nilsson’s Skillset

The Detroit Red Wings got a brief look at Noah Dower Nilsson when the Swedish forward practiced at the end of the season with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. He’s playing in his first NHL Rookie Tournament, and, for the most part, the Wings like what they are seeing.

He’s playing on the top line for the tourney finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Like everyone in this camp, Dower Nilsson is taking his best shot to show he has an NHL future.

The Wings only wish he would do so more often.

“I think he’s extremely skilled,” Griffins coach Dan Watson said. “The one thing we haven’t seen enough out of him is a shot.

He can shoot the puck.

“But what I like is he’s a reliable player. He will create offense, and I think for him, it’s just making sure that he keeps that competitive edge, that intensity all the time.

That’s going to make him a better player.”

Two Red Wings Draft Picks Can’t Go

Defenseman Will Murphy and winger Luka Arkko both have stalls in the Detroit dressing room. However, neither player was able to see any game action during the tournament.

“Yeah, both are injured,” Watson said. “They’ve been skating with our skating coach.

Yeah, they won’t participate in Tuesday’s game either.”

Murphy, Detroit’s 172nd overall pick in the 2025 NHL entry draft, hasn’t played since Feb. 7 due to a lower-body injury.

The 6-foot-4, 211-pound rearguard plays in the QMJHL for the Cape Breton Eagles.

Arkko, selected 176th in the 2026 draft, is dealing with an undisclosed injury. The young Finn is playing this season for the OHL’s Erie Otters.

Center Nate Danielson and defenseman Anton Johansson will both get long looks in the main Red Wings camp. They were back in the lineup for Tuesday’s Rookie Tournament finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Watson was looking to both players to deliver more than just their talent level.

As seasoned pros, the coach is expecting both players to show the younger kids the right way to do things.

“They’ve got to be leaders,” Watson said. “I think that’s the biggest thing.

They’re thrust into these leadership positions now.

“Even Anton, this is his first prospect tournament, but he’s still looked upon as a guy who knows what we as a staff want, what the organization wants, because he’s been around it.

“So these guys are leaned upon heavily to make sure that the guys know the schedule, that they’re on time for everything. They understand the systems.

They understand the structure we want to play with and how we want to play, the sort of mentality side of it.

“And you can already see they’re taking that leadership seriously. And I think it’s good for their growth and their development in those types of roles, besides just putting on weight.”

It may be just a rookie tourney, but for Watson, it’s also a scouting session. Several of these players will be populating the Grand Rapids roster this season.

“I’m in evaluation mode, I will say that for sure,” Watson said. “I’m looking to see what their skill sets are, maybe what roles they can fill.

“Everyone’s got to fill a role in GR, and I’m just trying to see where everyone’s going to fit and what they can bring to our team.”