Trey Augustine is one of those types who seems older than he is. Just ask his teammates.
"We call him 'Gramps' sometimes because he’s always waddling around the rink," Red Savage said Wednesday. "It’s hard to get a lot out of him sometimes."
Savage is a Michigan State teammate and fellow Detroit Red Wings prospect of Augustine, a promising young goaltender coming off quite a year.
This week, he's at development camp at Little Caesars Arena — an opportunity to work on skills and learn about all the off-ice practices that lead to being a better performer, like nutrition and sleep habits.
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In May, Augustine (6 feet 1, 179 pounds) was enjoying a bigger stage, selected to represent Team USA at the World Championship in Czechia.
"It was an unreal opportunity for me to go over there and be with a lot of professional players," Augustine said. "I was taking a lot of advice from them and enjoying the moment as well. Being around a team like that and seeing how those individuals prepare on a daily basis was really cool and really special. I’m super thankful for that opportunity."
Wings goalie Alex Lyon was also on the team, but when he suffered a cut to a finger, that cast Augustine into a larger role. The 19-year-old ended up appearing in four games, posting a 1.89 goals-against average and .929 save percentage.
"I was excited," Augustine said. "I played more than I thought I was going to. I wanted to do my best and the team did a good job in front of me when I did get in.
"It’s definitely a longer tournament than what I’ve played in the past. Every game matters and you can’t take anyone lightly — every team has a good squad."
The World Championship is famous for the atmosphere at games, and in hockey-mad Czechia, "it was awesome," Augustine said. "The fans are super-passionate. It kind of felt like going into every game, you were going to a rowdy stadium and you were the underdog. It was a good feeling, for sure."
Being selected was tremendous recognition for Augustine, a 2023 second-round pick (No. 41 overall), and fitting given his freshman year. The South Lyon native posted a 2.96 goals-against average and .915 save percentage in 35 games for the Spartans. He had three shutouts in his first season at MSU, leading the Spartans to their first Big Ten title ever, as well as their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2012 .
"I got to watch Trey play quite a bit at State," Wings assistant director of player development Dan Cleary said. "When I watch Trey, he just gives me a lot of confidence, and I’m not even on his team. He’s got a great demeanor about him. A nice calm, cool demeanor, but competitive — that fire burns within him.
"Tremendous season for him. Going to World Championships was a cool experience for him, playing against NHL caliber players. It’s been a lot for him."
It has been quite a lot for Augustine, which is why he took the previous two weeks off from skating, sort of an opportunity to mentally refresh before bearing down and gearing up for his sophomore year. From being drafted to playing at State to the World stage and back at development camp, it has been a whirlwind.
"I think that’s a good time for me to reflect on the 12-month span I’ve had," Augustine said. "I’ve had some unbelievable opportunities and I’m super thankful to everyone who has helped me get to this position I’m in today. It’s super cool and I’m looking to have some more coolness in the future."
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com . Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames . Her latest book, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” is available from Amazon , Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings goalie prospect Trey Augustine goes from 'Gramps' to the world stage
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