The Detroit Red Wings signed Dominik Kubalik to a 2-year, $5 million contract on Wednesday, and he spoke with the Wings’ media corps today…But the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope is first to the internet punch with this take on what the 26-year-old Kubalik had to say about leaving the Chicago Blackhawks to come to Detroit:
“It’s a fresh start, it’s a clean table, and I’m very excited about the opportunity,” Kubalik said Thursday. “Hopefully I’ll start like I did in Chicago.”
That’s what the Wings are betting on. Kubalik seemed destined for a long Hawks career after his explosive 2019-20 rookie season, in which he tallied 30 goals and 46 points in 48 games. The past two seasons were never the same, though. Kubalik actually expected to be moved out of Chicago at the trade deadline this past March, then was confused when he wasn’t.
“All the rumors were out [there] and I felt, ‘It’s going to happen,’” he said. “But eventually it didn’t. So I didn’t know what to think… The situation was tough because I didn’t know, until now, what was going to be the plan or what they were going to do with me.”
Closure on his Hawks tenure finally came last week, when he was informed he wouldn’t receive a qualifying offer.
“I got better every year,” he said. “For me, it’s not usually [about] the points or my game. Sometimes it’s even better if you grow like a man, like a human being. … I feel more confident about [myself] and I know what to expect and I know how to play [in the NHL]. I had a great three years [in Chicago]. My hope was that someone still believed in me and would give me a chance, which happened.”
