Editor’s Note: This is the 17th installment of a Detroit Hockey Now series assessing the Detroit Red Wings’ prospects’ path to the NHL. The emphasis will be on what their chances are of playing regularly in the NHL and when we can expect to see them wearing the Winged Wheel.
Larry Keenan
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft status: 117th, 2023
Detroit Hockey Now Ranking: No. 17 Red Wings prospect
Hgt./Wgt: 6-4 206 pounds
Age/Experience: 21, playing his third season of college hockey at UMass-Amherst.
When Larry Keenan contributed a goal and an assist in UMass-Amherst’s 3-2 win against Northeastern last January, his coach Greg Carvel got everyone’s attention by saying this about his big defenseman:
“Quietly and unassumingly, he’s an unbelievable college hockey player,” Carvel said.
If you were a Red Wings fan who hadn’t been tracking Keenan’s trajectory, Carvel’s high praise should’ve been enough to put Keenan on your radar. He also has NHL DNA because his grandfather, also named Larry, played 234 NHL games for the Toronto Maple Leafs, St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, and Philadelphia Flyers.
Larry Keenan(4th round’23)
Every goal and assist 25-26
•Booming slapshot+One-T
•heavy wrist shot
•pins opponents on the cycle
•Good 1st pass
•skates well for his size
•carries the puck through d-zone+neutral zone well
•Big+reach+ transition D#LGRW https://t.co/VaqBqBb873
— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) July 19, 2026
Last Season
Keenan was named to the All-Hockey East Second Team after doubling his goal production from four to eight goals in 2025-26. He was plus-eight on the season. He demonstrated a sharper offensive vision last season compared to his freshman campaign.
Three Reasons Why Keenan Will Play in the NHL
Possesses a toolbox that will allow him to be a three-zone defenseman in the pro game. He can have impact all over the ice. He has NHL-caliber skating.
His offensive game is improving. He can skate the puck out of his zone and can shoot the puck.
Gets his team out of trouble in the defensive zone. Can play heavy. Can kill plays
What May Hold Him Back
The Red Wings boast a collection of quality young defensemen looking to climb onto the roster. He must continue to improve both offensively and defensively if he wants to compete for playing time against the likes of Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Anton Johansson.
ETA
Keenan is playing his junior season, and then we would expect he would sign with the Red Wings and finish the upcoming season with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
In the Steve Yzerman regime, he would be looking at spending 2027-28 in Grand Rapids and then be competing for a spot on the Detroit roster the following season.
That’s likely to happen with the Yzerman replacement as well. But maybe the new guy will be more open-minded about younger players. Only time will tell.