Michigan State hockey lands former Red Wings draft pick Red Savage

Michigan State hockey acquired Red Wings draft pick Redmond Savage via the transfer portal this week.

The Detroit Red Wings’ 2021 fourth-round draft pick and “all-time names team” member Red Savage has reportedly transferred to Michigan State hockey to continue his college career.

In a sport that does it backwards where you get drafted and then play, the Scottsdale native has elected to come to the banks of the Red Cedar to continue his college hockey career.

Red Savage (DET) is heading to Michigan State out of the transfer portal from Miami

— Ryan Kennedy (@THNRyanKennedy) March 22, 2023

After a quarterfinal bounce ended Miami-Ohio’s Frozen Four hopes, the 2021 mid-round pick’s season fell just a little short of expectations, tallying seven goals and seven assists this 23-game season but found a silver lining in his impressive three-goal, three-assist outing at the 2023 U-20 tournament (seven games).

Savage is the son of longtime NHL player Brian Savage who notched over 350 combined points in a 650-plus game career. 

A forward like Savage could be exactly what Michigan State hockey needs after having its best season in years. This could as well be a huge moment for head coach Adam Nightingale. If he can show Red as a transfer success story like the ones of the football and basketball teams, it could propel him to center stage in the college hockey community. Other teams may have more first-round draft picks and talent, but one could argue no team has momentum like the Spartans.

Expect Red to come out firing for the Spartans this season. Fourth-round draft picks can sometimes be long shots to make it to the NHL, but Red quite literally has what it takes in his now green blood. He’ll be giving it all being on the back-nine of his college hockey career so he can prove worthy of his NHL contract.