The Athletic’s Max Bultman filed a notebook from today’s press conference by Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman, with Bultman focusing on the team’s decision to waive Filip Zadina at the player’s request:
“A couple weeks prior to the draft, through his agent, he had asked if he could potentially go somewhere else looking for more opportunity, a fresh start,” Yzerman said. “So, I’ve tried to do that. I’ve tried to find a place for him to play, somebody who’s interested in Filip, would maybe give him that opportunity. I haven’t been able to do that. So in putting him on waivers today, I’m trying to give him an opportunity to go somewhere to an organization if he wants to play more. We’ll see if that happens.”
That Zadina might want a fresh start is not, in itself, surprising. The idea of trading him elsewhere has been bandied about for a couple of seasons now, always with the logic that a change of scenery might help him capture his potential.
But Monday’s move should not be read as the Red Wings simply giving up on the chance it might happen in Detroit. In fact, Yzerman is still hopeful it will happen in Detroit — and said he saw progress in that direction at times last season, even in an injury-plagued campaign.
“I don’t write his career off by any means,” Yzerman said. “I thought he made significant steps. It’s been a challenge for him, he’s had some injuries playing in Detroit, I think he’s got upside. I think he still can become a valuable player in the NHL. Last year was cut short, or held back, due to injury. There’s nothing he or I or anybody can do about it. It happens. Generally guys persevere, I look at Eeli Tolvanen last year … (the) guy was having a tough time in Nashville for whatever reason and gets claimed by Seattle and really took off. Does that happen for Filip if he goes somewhere? Maybe. It could happen here. I would like it to happen here. I still think there’s something there as a player.”
Continued (paywall)
