Report: Red Wings to Sign UMass Lowell Captain Jon McDonald

On Wednesday afternoon, ESPN and NHL Network insider, Kevin Weekes, reported that the Red Wings have signed 24-year-old college free-agent defenseman Jon McDonald from the UMass Lowell Riverhawks.

The native of Livonia, Michigan, appeared in 35 games this season, scoring three goals and adding 17 assists. McDonald wore an ‘A” during the 2021-22 season and was named captain of the Riverhawks this season. In 145 NCAA games with UMass Lowell, McDonald scored ten goals and added 52 assists.

It is unclear whether the six-foot, 180-pound, left-handed defenseman will report to Grand Rapids or Detroit this season.

Griffins’ defenseman Albert Johansson recently suffered an injury that has sidelined him over the past few weeks. The Red Wings used an emergency recall to bring up top defensive prospect Simon Edvinsson. With Ben Chiarot being listed week-to-week and the inconsistency on the bottom pair, he may be up longer than expected.

With college seasons wrapping up over the coming weeks, the Red Wings may not be done signing NCAA free agents as they can offer an opportunity to play NHL games this season. McDonald may never become an NHL player, but organizational depth is crucial when developing young prospects.

Who knows? Danny DeKeyser was once a defensive-minded college free agent that panned out to be a top-four defenseman for many seasons.

Stanley Cup Aspirations Cue’ the Duck Boats Pod

The boys are back after a long break but have plenty to talk about as the playoffs are in full swing. We go series by series, looking at how teams have fared so far and who will come out on top. Thanks for listening! Please rate and review our show on your favorite listening platform. Check out our partner's website at www.insidetherink.com for all your latest hockey news.
  1. Stanley Cup Aspirations
  2. The Final Countdown
  3. Here Come the Playoffs
  4. Home Stretch
  5. Kevy Cooks

Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Leave a Reply

NHL Game Preview: New York Islanders at Tampa Bay Lightning with Line Combinations 3/29/2025

NHL Game Preview: New York Islanders at Tampa Bay Lightning with Line Combinations 3/29/2025

Read More

NHL Game Preview: Buffalo Sabres at Philadelphia Flyers with Line Combinations 3/29/2025

NHL Game Preview: Buffalo Sabres at Philadelphia Flyers with Line Combinations 3/29/2025

Read More
Edmonton Oilers Pregame Thoughts

Edmonton Oilers Pregame Thoughts

In 2023, I attended an Oilers game in my home city of Toronto. That is still the longest second period I’ve ever sat through, but Thursday night was pretty close. Put aside the trip to Seattle, this team has actually done a solid job at gutting it out and scoring goals without Connor McDavid or […]

Read More