Petes2424
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- Aug 4, 2005
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Some notes from first preseason game.
First thing’s first. The pace of the game really did match NHL pace for the most part. A lot of the games so far, have been AHL pace. That says a lot about the young players for both Chicago and Detroit. It’s also a better way to judge the kids rather than like Montreal fans thinking their Dmen are ready for prime time, after playing against ECHL and junior players at AHL pace.
So you always have to be careful making judgments on young players in preseason games.
Thought Elmer looked really good last weekend and he followed that up tonight. Yea, he made the one bad pass, but that happens with all young players. Big deal.
His skating is much, much better, and he looks much stronger. On the puck as well. Like I said, we were commenting about it last weekend and again tonight. He’s noticeably quicker. He’s playing at NHL pace too, which was the knock against him the last two years.. He looks much more comfortable. Those passes are always gonna happen with younger players, until they mature in the NHL. His overall game looks like it’s taken a step towards the NHL.
If Elmer makes the team, I’d tend to say that’s trouble for Austin Watson making it. He’s the only one I think that applies to. If other youngsters make it, think that means they’ll move a Top 9 player and still sign Watson. With Elmer, I think it means, Watson is likely released from his PTO. He played fine tonight in the exact role he’ll play if they sign him. I’m obviously rooting for Austin, as I’ve known him since he was a kid.
We’ll see on that. It just makes a lot of sense having a Watson because of the dirty players in the division, and they have to send messages at times this year too. Especially having Kane, Larkin and Debrincat.
Couple of big deal type things from tonight?
The way Edvinsson is taking control of his pairing. That was expected as that’s how the season ended, but looks like he’s found his confidence at the NHL level and that’s not the easiest thing to do, when you’re 21 playing with long time NHL veterans.
He was the best Dman on the ice tonight. Both teams. He’s just so smooth, and his insane reach gives him such an advantage. He kept the puck in the zone 3-4 times tonight using his reach. Whether pinching down and using it, or at the line a couple times. That’s hundreds of times during a season, instead of the puck in your zone. It’s so important. He was also very active in the O-Zone. He’s likely gonna get burned doing this too much, but a few times, his aggressiveness in the zone, kept them on the attack. He’ll have to find that happy spot, being aggressive but not being too aggressive. Great to see though, because they’re gonna need more offense from their blue line.
The other thing that was a big deal in this game?
How quick Albert Johansson moves the puck.
His retrieval skills are really, really quick and smart, and he gets rid of the puck, just as quick as he tracks it down. He’s a really smart dman. There was a play late in the 3rd where he was near the sideboards, half circle, because he knew the puck was coming there. That’s been a big problem for the Wings recently. They’d go too deep. Especially Walman. He’d always come too far down, and make his life so much harder. So many turnovers happened because of how NOT smart some of their Dmen played recently.
Anyway. Johansson played the puck, had to make one move to lose a forechecker, and the puck was at the opposing blue line in like 1.5 seconds total. Whoever the forward was, mishandled the pass, but whatever. That’s how you’re taught to get the puck up these days. Read the ice, retrieve, lose forecheckers and get the puck to your forwards. All very quickly.
He does it really well. That too will save them from the puck being in their zone too much..
That’s gonna be such a big thing as he earns his spot moving forward. He’s never gonna put up points because of how he plays the game, but hands down, he chases the puck down quickly, and it’s in the neutral zone a second later.
That is exactly what Seider needs in a partner. Someone who doesn’t mess around with it. Someone Seider doesn’t have to bail out constantly, like he did Walman.
I’m gonna go out on a limb and say they end up partners for a long time. Might not be this season, but I bet that’s who he ends up being remembered as. Mo Seider’s long time partner.
Other young players?
Kasper played with NHL pace every shift. He’s getting closer. In fact he’s ready, but I think half a season in GR putting up points, might be the best thing for him right this second. They’re not in a hurry.
Lombardi had some really good shifts tonight, then not so much. He sees the ice really well and settles things down a lot I’ve noticed. At pace too. He might just end up being something interesting for the Wings. Much stronger than last year too btw. Even during the AHL playoffs. He used his summer wisely.
MBN did some good things. So did Mazur at times.
MBN read the smaller ice just fine. Didn’t notice any uncomfortableness from him. Think he should start the year in GR. I wouldn’t send him back. Depending on who would be injured, he could get that call. If he’s in Sweden, it won’t be him. There are some roster concerns in GR though. They have a ton of young players on NHL ELC contracts already. Think if he’s mentally ready for an 18 year old, they should keep him here though, and figure the roster out.
Thought Gustavsson was dreadful from the very first shift, till the last shift. At least he was consistent.
Literally the first shift I sent a text to someone saying God help Maatta..
Hopefully that was a fluke.
Oh yea. Finnie had some really good shifts too. He’s gonna be an interesting player. If he gets stronger, he might be able to be a little bit of a pest (who can score) in the NHL, cause he does get his nose dirty. Look for a big season in Kamloops. Might get traded to another WHL team I’m told, but either way, he’s gonna have a great year. Hopefully he gets a Team Canada call come late November btw.
Cossa was very cool and collected as well. He’s becoming a very professional goalie. Likely ready next year. At least as the backup and see where that goes. Don’t be surprised if he gets 2-3 NHL games this season.
Thought Husso looked pretty good. He had the one mishap but he seemed to have his quickness recovering back. Something he just didn’t have since December of 2022.
Biggest difference with all the young guys? They are much stronger as a whole, and play with much more confidence, and pace. than a year ago. Like to see Kasper and Lombardi play a lot of big minutes the first half of the season, and take that big offensive step, we see from skilled, young players in the AHL.
Like to see Wallinder, Tuomisto and Danielson playing with vets next game. Tuomisto is having a real good camp from what I’m hearing, as is Nate. I wanna see where Wallinder is too. He took some nice steps late last season, and in the playoffs. Now he’ll get every chance to be one of the leaders on that blue line this year. Exactly where they thought he’d be development wise. Then next year at this time, he should be pushing for a spot. If he’s still here….
I’ve heard teams ask about him, because they know Detroit has too many Dmen. It’s pretty rare that a team would trade a kid like that, but teams think maybe Detroit will. So look for teams asking about him, if trade situations come up. I don’t think they’d include him in a Fowler trade though. For what that’s worth anyway. Just a good chance if they trade for a core type player, good bet he’s the prospect going.
As for Fowler, I think I there’s a good chance he ends up in Nashville. If he’s coming to Detroit, it’s gonna be as Edvinsson’s partner. Cam can play the right side, no problem.
Hearing the Wings are concerned about Petry being able to play the minutes it looks like Edvinsson will. Right now that’s the plan though. All Petry has to do, is support Edvinsson. It was the best games he played last year, so they did build some chemistry. Just think, as the Wings supposedly do, he may wear down.
It’s the Wings biggest question this year, roster wise. Edvinsson’s partner. I’d like to see them take a run at Shea Theodore to fill that spot, but we’ll see. He still doesn’t have a contract in Vegas, after this season. So good bet he’s traded unless they wanna keep him for the playoffs themselves, then lose him for nothing.
He’d also solve their need for more offense from the backend btw. Right now, if Gustavsson plays like that this season, they’re gonna have a major issue.
First thing’s first. The pace of the game really did match NHL pace for the most part. A lot of the games so far, have been AHL pace. That says a lot about the young players for both Chicago and Detroit. It’s also a better way to judge the kids rather than like Montreal fans thinking their Dmen are ready for prime time, after playing against ECHL and junior players at AHL pace.
So you always have to be careful making judgments on young players in preseason games.
Thought Elmer looked really good last weekend and he followed that up tonight. Yea, he made the one bad pass, but that happens with all young players. Big deal.
His skating is much, much better, and he looks much stronger. On the puck as well. Like I said, we were commenting about it last weekend and again tonight. He’s noticeably quicker. He’s playing at NHL pace too, which was the knock against him the last two years.. He looks much more comfortable. Those passes are always gonna happen with younger players, until they mature in the NHL. His overall game looks like it’s taken a step towards the NHL.
If Elmer makes the team, I’d tend to say that’s trouble for Austin Watson making it. He’s the only one I think that applies to. If other youngsters make it, think that means they’ll move a Top 9 player and still sign Watson. With Elmer, I think it means, Watson is likely released from his PTO. He played fine tonight in the exact role he’ll play if they sign him. I’m obviously rooting for Austin, as I’ve known him since he was a kid.
We’ll see on that. It just makes a lot of sense having a Watson because of the dirty players in the division, and they have to send messages at times this year too. Especially having Kane, Larkin and Debrincat.
Couple of big deal type things from tonight?
The way Edvinsson is taking control of his pairing. That was expected as that’s how the season ended, but looks like he’s found his confidence at the NHL level and that’s not the easiest thing to do, when you’re 21 playing with long time NHL veterans.
He was the best Dman on the ice tonight. Both teams. He’s just so smooth, and his insane reach gives him such an advantage. He kept the puck in the zone 3-4 times tonight using his reach. Whether pinching down and using it, or at the line a couple times. That’s hundreds of times during a season, instead of the puck in your zone. It’s so important. He was also very active in the O-Zone. He’s likely gonna get burned doing this too much, but a few times, his aggressiveness in the zone, kept them on the attack. He’ll have to find that happy spot, being aggressive but not being too aggressive. Great to see though, because they’re gonna need more offense from their blue line.
The other thing that was a big deal in this game?
How quick Albert Johansson moves the puck.
His retrieval skills are really, really quick and smart, and he gets rid of the puck, just as quick as he tracks it down. He’s a really smart dman. There was a play late in the 3rd where he was near the sideboards, half circle, because he knew the puck was coming there. That’s been a big problem for the Wings recently. They’d go too deep. Especially Walman. He’d always come too far down, and make his life so much harder. So many turnovers happened because of how NOT smart some of their Dmen played recently.
Anyway. Johansson played the puck, had to make one move to lose a forechecker, and the puck was at the opposing blue line in like 1.5 seconds total. Whoever the forward was, mishandled the pass, but whatever. That’s how you’re taught to get the puck up these days. Read the ice, retrieve, lose forecheckers and get the puck to your forwards. All very quickly.
He does it really well. That too will save them from the puck being in their zone too much..
That’s gonna be such a big thing as he earns his spot moving forward. He’s never gonna put up points because of how he plays the game, but hands down, he chases the puck down quickly, and it’s in the neutral zone a second later.
That is exactly what Seider needs in a partner. Someone who doesn’t mess around with it. Someone Seider doesn’t have to bail out constantly, like he did Walman.
I’m gonna go out on a limb and say they end up partners for a long time. Might not be this season, but I bet that’s who he ends up being remembered as. Mo Seider’s long time partner.
Other young players?
Kasper played with NHL pace every shift. He’s getting closer. In fact he’s ready, but I think half a season in GR putting up points, might be the best thing for him right this second. They’re not in a hurry.
Lombardi had some really good shifts tonight, then not so much. He sees the ice really well and settles things down a lot I’ve noticed. At pace too. He might just end up being something interesting for the Wings. Much stronger than last year too btw. Even during the AHL playoffs. He used his summer wisely.
MBN did some good things. So did Mazur at times.
MBN read the smaller ice just fine. Didn’t notice any uncomfortableness from him. Think he should start the year in GR. I wouldn’t send him back. Depending on who would be injured, he could get that call. If he’s in Sweden, it won’t be him. There are some roster concerns in GR though. They have a ton of young players on NHL ELC contracts already. Think if he’s mentally ready for an 18 year old, they should keep him here though, and figure the roster out.
Thought Gustavsson was dreadful from the very first shift, till the last shift. At least he was consistent.
Literally the first shift I sent a text to someone saying God help Maatta.. Hopefully that was a fluke.
Oh yea. Finnie had some really good shifts too. He’s gonna be an interesting player. If he gets stronger, he might be able to be a little bit of a pest (who can score) in the NHL, cause he does get his nose dirty. Look for a big season in Kamloops. Might get traded to another WHL team I’m told, but either way, he’s gonna have a great year. Hopefully he gets a Team Canada call come late November btw.
Cossa was very cool and collected as well. He’s becoming a very professional goalie. Likely ready next year. At least as the backup and see where that goes. Don’t be surprised if he gets 2-3 NHL games this season.
Thought Husso looked pretty good. He had the one mishap but he seemed to have his quickness recovering back. Something he just didn’t have since December of 2022.
Biggest difference with all the young guys? They are much stronger as a whole, and play with much more confidence, and pace. than a year ago. Like to see Kasper and Lombardi play a lot of big minutes the first half of the season, and take that big offensive step, we see from skilled, young players in the AHL.
Like to see Wallinder, Tuomisto and Danielson playing with vets next game. Tuomisto is having a real good camp from what I’m hearing, as is Nate. I wanna see where Wallinder is too. He took some nice steps late last season, and in the playoffs. Now he’ll get every chance to be one of the leaders on that blue line this year. Exactly where they thought he’d be development wise. Then next year at this time, he should be pushing for a spot. If he’s still here….
I’ve heard teams ask about him, because they know Detroit has too many Dmen. It’s pretty rare that a team would trade a kid like that, but teams think maybe Detroit will. So look for teams asking about him, if trade situations come up. I don’t think they’d include him in a Fowler trade though. For what that’s worth anyway. Just a good chance if they trade for a core type player, good bet he’s the prospect going.
As for Fowler, I think I there’s a good chance he ends up in Nashville. If he’s coming to Detroit, it’s gonna be as Edvinsson’s partner. Cam can play the right side, no problem.
Hearing the Wings are concerned about Petry being able to play the minutes it looks like Edvinsson will. Right now that’s the plan though. All Petry has to do, is support Edvinsson. It was the best games he played last year, so they did build some chemistry. Just think, as the Wings supposedly do, he may wear down.
It’s the Wings biggest question this year, roster wise. Edvinsson’s partner. I’d like to see them take a run at Shea Theodore to fill that spot, but we’ll see. He still doesn’t have a contract in Vegas, after this season. So good bet he’s traded unless they wanna keep him for the playoffs themselves, then lose him for nothing.
He’d also solve their need for more offense from the backend btw. Right now, if Gustavsson plays like that this season, they’re gonna have a major issue.
