Of Red Wings-related note on a balmy Friday evening:
- MLive’s Ansar Khan penned an article regarding Filip Zadina’s comments made to the media corps this evening. As Khan notes, a hamstring injury sidelined the young Czech sniper for development camp, but Zadina’s going to put in extra effort to be ready come September:
Zadina said it’s not a long-term injury and that he feels good. He will return home to the Czech Republic for a short time and then come back to Detroit to train the rest of the summer with several other Red Wings at the Barwis Performance Center in Plymouth.
“I’ve been there last year for a week; it was great so hopefully it can just make me a better athlete,” Zadina said. “Then on the ice it’s up to me.
“I’m just trying to be patient and get healthy as soon as possible and then start again and just probably get stronger and quicker and be probably faster on the ice.”
Zadina had 16 goals and 35 points in 59 games for the Griffins and one goal and two assists in a nine-game stint with the Red Wings late in the season.
“Lots of new experiences during the season, ups and downs,” Zadina said. “I enjoyed the time in Detroit. I’ll take it as it was, and I think it was a good season for me. I got to learn something, and I hope, and I believe that next season will be way better.”
Khan continues, and he posted a video of Zadina’s remarks:
2. Hockeybuzz’s Bob Duff also spoke with Wings free agent signings Ryan Kuffner and Taro Hirose, finding that Kuffner doesn’t view the development camp as repetitive…
“First, I think it’s a huge learning experience,” said Kuffner, signed out of Princeton. “I’m here for the whole summer so I know the things that I have to work on and I just take it from my experience being here for a few weeks.
“Here, I think because I’m one of the older guys, you just try to make sure all the younger guys feel comfortable and try to have fun with it, kind of get to know each other, especially the younger guys. As long as they feel comfortable, they’re going to be able to have some fun and not feel as many nerves so that’s all that matters.”
While Taro Hirose was able to hit the re-set button to some extent after suffering a hamstring injury:
“Last week I wasn’t feeling too great, so I didn’t want to push anything too hard, but it felt fine out there today, skating and everything, so it’ll be full go next few days,” Hirose said.
Like Kuffner, Hirose finished last season in the NHL. But unlike Kuffner, Hirose attended a previous Wings development camp as a free agent.
He collected 1-6-7 totals in 10 NHL games last season but Hirose is taking nothing for granted.
“It was huge for my confidence and letting myself know I can sort of play at that level,” Hirose said. “Obviously, there’s a lot of things I need to work on.
