from Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe,

The Red Wings wanted to slide Teemu Pulkkinen through waivers and back to Grand Rapids, their AHL affiliate, where the right-shot forward torched opposing goalies for 34 goals in 46 games in 2014-15. Pulkkinen did not make it to Grand Rapids, as Minnesota claimed the 24-year-old on Wednesday. Pulkkinen was just the latest in waivers casualties who were once Detroit property.

Just three days earlier, Carolina claimed Martin Frk. Last year, the Bruins nabbed Landon Ferraro before he cleared and could report to Grand Rapids. In 2014, Carolina claimed Andrej Nestrasil from the Wings on waivers.

Detroit GM Ken Holland’s philosophy is to bake his prospects, so to speak, in the AHL until they are ready for consumption in the NHL. One of the drawbacks is that it sometimes takes more than three years of AHL apprenticeship before Holland and his colleagues feel their prospects are ready. By then, they have to clear waivers to return to the AHL. Sometimes they don’t make it through.

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