{"id":370633,"date":"2025-12-26T05:29:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T05:29:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/370633\/"},"modified":"2025-12-26T05:29:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-26T05:29:08","slug":"ex-red-wings-prospect-working-whistle-at-world-juniors-dhn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/370633\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-Red Wings Prospect Working Whistle at World Juniors \/ DHN"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the IIHF World Junior Championship gets underway on December 26, there will be five Detroit<\/a> Red Wings draft picks in action.<\/p>\n

Forward Max Plante (47th overall, 2024 NHL entry draft) is looking to gain a second straight gold medal with the USA. He\u2019s been named an alternate captain on the team.<\/p>\n

Your 2026 #WorldJuniors<\/a> leadership group!<\/p>\n

Brodie Ziemer will lead Team USA as Captain \ud83e\udee1 with alternate captains James Hagens, Cole Hutson, Max Plante and Teddy Stiga by his side! \ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4f pic.twitter.com\/WFcsff4DPN<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 USA Hockey (@usahockey) December 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Winger Eddie Genborg<\/a> (40th, 2025) is skating on Sweden\u2019s top forward line. Forward Carter Bear<\/a> (13th, 2025) is suiting up for Canada.<\/p>\n

Slovakia goes two-deep in Detroit draftees. There\u2019s goalie Michal Pradel<\/a> (75th, 2025) and forward Michal Svrcek (119th, 2025).<\/p>\n

There\u2019s another one-time Red Wings prospect performing in the tournament who remains an NHL prospect, albeit on a new and different path.<\/p>\n

Hayden Verbeek is among the officials who will be working the tournament. He\u2019s one of two Canadians who are among the 12 referees who will be working the tournament.<\/p>\n

Verbeek, 28, is an Ontario Hockey League referee. He was previously working as a linesman. Last season, Verbeek worked the whistle as a referee during the ECHL Kelly Cup final, which involved one of his former teams, the Toledo Walleye. He\u2019s considered to be an NHL prospect as an official.<\/p>\n

Nephew of Former Red Wings Player<\/p>\n

Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Montreal Canadiens, Verbeek, a center, became part of the Red Wings organization via the April 11, 2021, trade that sent defenseman Jon Merrill from Detroit to Montreal.<\/p>\n

Verbeek played eight games with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins in 2020-21 and with both the Griffins (21 games) and Walleye (six games) in 2021-22. Among his teammates during Verbeek\u2019s time in the Detroit system were Michael Rasmussen, Joe Veleno, Dominik Shine, Jonatan Berggren, and Joe Veleno.<\/p>\n

His uncle Pat Verbeek was a Red Wings forward from 1999 to 2001, who scored his 500th NHL goal in a Detroit uniform. Pat Verbeek later would serve as assistant GM of the Red Wings under GM Steve Yzerman. Today, Pat Verbeek<\/a> is GM of the Anaheim Ducks.<\/p>\n

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