While the Detroit Red Wings rest in preparation for their four-game road trip over the next week, their prospects have been busy at work. The Grand Rapids Griffins swept their weekend series against the Rockford IceHogs, while 2026 first round draft pick JP Hurlbert helped the University of Michigan supplant the no. 1 ranked University of Denver in their own weekend sweep.
The Griffins still stand at the top of the central division after Trey Augustine won his first professional game Saturday, while starter Michal Postava continued his excellent start to the season stopping 27 of 28 shots from the IceHogs on Sunday in their 5-1 victory. The Griffins are undefeated with Postava in net and are atop the AHL standings to start the season at 5-1-1.
Far to the west, Hurlbert and the Wolverines took on the Denver Pioneers at Magness Arena, with the Red Wings’ prospect getting his first assist of the year over the weekend. The young forward has been playing on Michigan’s fourth line in a somewhat limited role but has managed two points in six games as a freshman on a talented roster in Ann Arbor.
JP Hurlbert(1st round’26)
— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) October 17, 2026
1 Assist +1 2PIM in a 4-1 win#LGRWpic.twitter.com/HwE6WM96nm
The Red Wings could definitely use some of that scoring touch for their road trip, though Hurlbert is a far ways away from contributing to the Red Wings, or Griffins’ roster.
For the meanwhile, Detroit will be gearing up for revenge as they open their road trip tomorrow against a Seattle Kraken squad that put up six goals in their home barn earlier this month and a high-scoring Edmonton Oilers team led by Connor McDavid under former Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock later this week.
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The Grand Rapids Griffins victory over the IceHogs on Sunday was thanks in no small part to veteran forward John Leonard, who netted a hat trick in the team’s 5-1 victory. Leonard signed with Detroit last year as a free agent and led the AHL scoring race for much of the year, before a couple of call up stints to the Red Wings let the rest of the American League catch up and overtake the savvy winger.
So far this year Leonard has five goals and six points in just three games.
Gangsta ish 😤 pic.twitter.com/kE06ixLpgc
— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) October 18, 2026
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