DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji filed a locker room clean-out day article regarding Danny DeKeyser, who missed 17 games with a fractured ankle in October and November. DeKeyser feels that he played solidly this past season:
In the end, DeKeyser finished with six goals, six assists and was plus-2, one of five plus players on the team.
“I definitely felt a lot better in the second half,” DeKeyser said. “I felt I was playing a lot better, being more active, skating better and moving better out there. I thought it took me a little bit to get going after that injury. Once I got going, once I got my feet under me, I thought I was a lot better.”
DeKeyser, who turned 28 last month, is a lean 6-foot-3, 192 pounds. When he first came to the Wings, they wanted him to gain some weight. But now, DeKeyser isn’t focused on gaining weight.
“I’m pretty comfortable with where I’m at,” he said. “For me it’s mostly strength-wise. Just being strong, games when I’m out there and I’m feeling strong, that’s when I have my best games. Just taking care of my body over the course of the season. Not so much about weight. More concerned with strength.”
Wakiji continues, speaking with DeKeyser regarding the possibility of playing in the World Championship and addressing the Wings’ youth movement…
And I would argue that DeKeyser still needs to work on his strength, especially his core strength and upper-leg strength.
This might just be lost in translation but it almost reads like this:
1) The Wings wanted me to gain weight
2) I was young and impressionable so I tried
3) I didn’t really succeed at that
4) Now I’m 28 and have a massive contract. So I do my own thing. I don’t care about gaining weight anymore. It’s about strength or whatever he was going on about
I don’t know. I feel like whether you are 22 or 28 or 37…you should be adhering to the teams instructions. If they ask you to gain weight, then do that instead of dismissing it. That’s what happened to Almquist. They told him to bulk up…he never did…so they never called him up to the NHL and he moved on. What if this quote from Dekeyser was said by a 22-year old rookie? Yeah the Wings wanted me to gain weight but, nah, not focussed on that. I have other plans.
wow. what and extrapolation.
Here’s what the article says about Danny and gaining weight, incase anyone missed it,
“When he first came to the Wings, they wanted him to gain some weight.
But now, DeKeyser isn’t focused on gaining weight.”
There’s absolutely nothing about his feelings about gaining weight. Here’s what he said about his weight,
“I’m pretty comfortable with where I’m at,” he said. “For me it’s mostly strength-wise. Just being strong, games when I’m out there and I’m feeling strong, that’s when I have my best games. Just taking care of my body over the course of the season. Not so much about weight. More concerned with strength.”
I’m so glad we have Fatty around to “read between the lines”….err….lie…
Part of me is tired of calling out fatty’s bull, but this is actually pretty obvious trolling. He feeds off the attention.
I’d like him to be a little more able (willing?) to knock over an opponent in front of his goalie. That’s a defensive trait that hasn’t
lost its usefulness in the newer, faster NHL.
Dekeyser’s injury was not an easy one to bounce back from.
But he did gradually get better.
I was encouraged that he showed some awareness and willingness to step up into the offensive zone was rewarded with some goals. How a top-four defenseman only finishes with six assists, though….
Some guys have very lean builds and have a hard time putting on, let alone keeping on weight, especially given what NHLers go through. If Dekeyser was filling out much with age it would’ve happened by the time we signed him.
He’ll be paid 5M/year through his prime. If he can stay healthy and play a whole season the way he finished this one, be mobile, pick his spots offensively, and take care of his own zone and moving the puck up quickly, I’m OK with him as a fixture in the top-four.
There was an interview earlier in the season with the team dietician. She said something like never seeing someone lose as much weight during a game and eat anything he wants without gaining weight.
“I’d like him to be a little more able (willing?) to knock over an opponent in front of his goalie. That’s a defensive trait that hasn’t
lost its usefulness in the newer, faster NHL.”
YES PLEASE x 13. Also call Ericsson.