Three things: Praise for Z’s smarts, the chicken or the egg (that is AA’s ice time), and Zadina’s re-set

Of Red Wings-related note this evening:

1. The Toronto Sun’s Steve Simmons lauded Henrik Zetterberg:

Statistics can’t measure what Henrik Zetterberg did for the Detroit Red Wings. They are only part of the package. A player like Zetterberg, getting 18 minutes a night, was 16 minutes of a clinic on how to play without the puck. There have been few players smarter than him in his time in the NHL. He’s in my Hall of Fame, every single day.

2. The Traverse City Record-Eagle’s James Cook noted that there’s a chicken-vs-egg sort of thing going on between Andreas Athanasiou, who believes that ice time merits successful scoring, and coach Jeff Blashill, who believes that successful scoring merits ice time:

“I think any player would argue more minutes will equal more production,” Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill said. “I don’t know that’s necessarily always true. I’d also argue there’s lots of players in the league that have found ways to be very, very good without lots of minutes, and then what generally happens then is more minutes follow.”

Athanasiou could be in line for more ice time anyway, with Friday’s retirement announcement by Henrik Zetterberg at training camp.

Athanasiou has been working on a line with Thomas Vanek, who Detroit re-signed this off-season after dealing the forward to Florida at the 2017 trade deadline.

“I think playing with a player that’s so highly skilled like him, it makes the game so much easier,” Athanasiou said. “When the puck is on his stick, I don’t have to worry too much, I know it’s going to be in the right spot — as long as I put myself in the right position, I have a good feeling it’s going to be right on my tape. He’s so good with the puck, and I think my speed opens up a lot of ice for him. I think we both have that mindset where we know how to use each other and have those give-and-gos and find that open ice and create the offense.”

Continued

3. DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji and Arthur J. Regner noted that Filip Zadina has taken the disappointment of the prospect tournament and put it behind him as training camp serves as a hard re-set:

“Prospect Tournament was tough because everyone was trying to show other people they’re good. I got a couple hits. I get up. It was a new experience for myself because it was actually my first tournament against rookies and AHL players,” Zadina said. “It was such a good time. We tried our best, but we ended up in second place. We played well. New experience for myself. I’m trying to improve on the ice.

“I want to win so bad the game, win this tournament, but I didn’t score three games in a row, I was kind of disappointing in myself, but I said it was start of the season, preseason, whatever, just trying to be a better player right now and I think I’m doing well. On the ice I’m feeling way better than I felt during the tournament. It’s just going to take some time. Feel better. Hopefully I will do better in the preseason.”

Zadina was a refreshed player during day two of training camp with a lot of energy and a swagger, scoring two goals in the Wings scrimmage.

“I was glad could score the goals. We (his team) felt a little bit better than yesterday because we didn’t have a practice before the game, so we played well. Finally won, so that was good,” Zadina said. “It was so tough, but we were battling, trying to get through. We did our best the other day (Friday’s scrimmage, a 5-1 loss) but it was so hard. Today was way easier because we didn’t have practice before.”

Wakiji and Regner continue, noting that Zadina will play with Andreas Athanasiou and Thomas Vanek during the Red vs. White Game.