DetroitRedWings.com’s Ethan Sears posted a training camp notebook which discusses the impression that Kirill Tyutyayev has made upon coach Jeff Blashill:
Kirill Tyutyayev got on everyone’s radar with a strong NHL Prospect Tournament. With preseason on the horizon, he’s still impressing.
“He’s been good,” Blashill said. “He’s got a lot of good instincts. He doesn’t totally look the part, he’s a little undersized, he’s not an elite skater. And those guys aren’t flying around the NHL a whole bunch, but some guys do make it.
“He knows how to create space for himself. He’s really slippery. He’s smart. He’s heavy on the puck for a smaller guy. He works his tail off.”
A seventh-round pick in 2019, Tyutyayev is in his first year in North America after playing in Belarus last season. It’s still unlikely he ends up playing for the Red Wings anytime soon, but he’s given reason to start paying attention.
“No aversion to traffic,” Blashill said. “No aversion to holding onto the puck. No aversion to playing extremely hard. … So we’ll see how it goes in exhibition season if he can continue to impress the way he has so far. But he’s done a good job so far.”
