Red Wings Call Up Carter Mazur for Playoff Push

The Detroit Red Wings announced on Wednesday that prospect Carter Mazur has been called up to the NHL from the Grand Rapids Griffins. A third rounder (70th overall) back in the 2021 Draft, Mazur is poised to make his first appearance of his NHL career due to a few injuries in Detroit’s lineup. The Jackson, Michigan native grew up idolizing the Red Wings and wears no. 43 as an homage to his favorite childhood player, Darren Helm so it won’t take long for Red Wings fans to warm up to him.

Mazur is known as a high-compete type of player with a nose for the net-front area and a very physical play style. He has had success at the junior, collegiate, international, and now professional levels and has looked ready for a greater challenge lately. 

With the Red Wings slumping a bit recently in a hotly contested wild-card race, they can’t afford to give up easy points in the standings, and a proven big-game performer like Mazur could be just the guy this team needs to bring the fight in their bottom-six forward group. Let’s take a look at what Mazur will bring to the Red Wings both now and down the line, as well as how he has performed when the spotlight has been the brightest.

What Does Mazur Bring to the Red Wings’ Lineup?

Mazur is a hard-working winger who gives his all to each and every shift, whether he spends that time jockeying for position in front of the net or pushing up on the forecheck. His two-way play has remained an important piece of his game throughout the many leagues he’s played in over the past few years, and should help him earn a consistent role in the NHL soon.

He’s stronger than you might expect from a 6-foot tall guy who weighs-in around the 180-190 pound mark, and he’s got a great sense for when and where to place his stick around the net to maximize chances. Mazur has a heavy wrist shot that he gets off quickly, and will likely be a good fit on Detroit’s second powerplay unit down the line because of how well suited he is to play in the bumper spot. 

The chances of Mazur becoming a high-end producer in the NHL aren’t particularly high, but I think it’s reasonable to expect he can become a long-term bottom-six player who earns some special teams minutes and can play up the lineup a bit when needed, possibly similar in impact to Michael Rasmussen (though at a less valuable position). 

Collegiate and International Resume

After being passed on in the 2020 Draft, Mazur took a huge step forward in the USHL and went in the third round of the 2021 Draft, which is fairly early for a re-entry player. He was immediately one of the best rookies in the NCAA the following year, scoring 38 points in 41 games for the NCAA Champs the University of Denver. Mazur followed that up with a 22 goal, 27 point season while wearing a letter for Denver.

Mazur was phenomenal for Team USA in the 2022 World Junior Championship, scoring five goals and seven points in just five games, and earned a spot on Team USA’s roster for the Men’s World Championships back in 2023. Not only did he earn a spot, but he made it into the lineup for 10 games, scoring four points along the way as a 21-year-old. 

Immediate AHL Success

After his final NCAA season in 2022-23, Mazur had a six game trial in the AHL, earning three goals and six points in six games with the Griffins. Expectations were high going into the offseason, and his performance in the World Championships only heightened that. He spent the entirety of the 2023-24 season in the AHL, scoring 17 goals and 37 points in 60 games, good enough for second on the Griffins in scoring despite being a rookie.

Mazur’s game leveled up once more for the AHL playoffs where he had eight points in nine games, and was consistently one of the Griffins’ very best players. Unfortunately, a high hit back in October has limited Mazur to just 20 games so far in the 2024-25 season, but he has been excellent ever since his return, with six goals and 10 points in his last 10 games before being called up.

How Long Will He Last in Detroit?

It’s common for prospects to be called up for short stints here and there, before being sent back down to the AHL to get more ice time. Detroit did this with Marco Kasper and Simon Edvinsson recently, however, I do think Mazur has a good chance to earn a full time spot for the remainder of the season. Here’s why.

Detroit has room right now, with the assignment of Sheldon Dries to the AHL after a week or two of practicing with the team, Andrew Copp’s status on the Injury Reserve (out for the remainder of the season), and Christian Fischer being waived by the team. Michael Rasmussen has missed four games following a late and high hit from the Anaheim Ducks’ Trevor Zegras, but is set to return Thursday against the Utah Hockey Club. 

It has been announced that Mazur will officially make his NHL debut tonight against Utah, and head coach Todd McLellan had some nice words about his tenacity and physical play being just what the team may need as they fight for a playoff spot. While Mazur will obviously need to earn a spot long-term, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him grab a spot on the fourth line for the rest of the season.

The Red Wings are looking for a bit more physicality in their lineup, and with the NHL’s Trade Deadline looming, there’s a good chance they’ve found their man from within their system and won’t need to overpay for one on the open market.