MLive’s Ansar Khan issues a 2019-2020 season outlook for Taro Hirose this morning. Khan suggests that Hirose will crack the Red Wings’ crowded forward lineup while looking to improve upon a strong 10-game stint with the Wings in 2018-2019:
The Red Wings signed the free agent Hirose in March, after Michigan State finished its season, and he made an immediate impact with his playmaking ability and hockey sense. It gives him the inside track to earn a job in training camp over a group of other young forwards that includes former first-round picks Filip Zadina, Joe Veleno and Evgeny Svechnikov.
Hirose could start on the second line, with Andreas Athanasiou and either Frans Nielsen or Valtteri Filppula at center.
He planned on spending most of the off-season in metro Detroit, training and working on his game. He is focused on better puck management – he committed too many turnovers in the last few games – and being shiftier on the ice. He’s not going to outmuscle anyone at his size, so he needs be quick with his first couple of steps to gain separation.
