Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff took note of the Red Wings’ desire to address their needs for size and strength in the lineup over the course of the free agent period:
Defenseman Justin Holl is 6-foot-3 and 197 pounds. Right-winger Christian Fischer is 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds. Even right-winger Daniel Sprong, thought not known first and foremost for his physicality, is 6-foot and 202 pounds. Klim Kostin, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound center, was added from Edmonton via trade.
“They make us a bigger team,” Yzerman said. “Klim adds a bit of a dimension of not only shooting the puck in the net but hardness. Christian is a real good checker, a straight up and down right winger. He can kill penalties. I think each player has more room to grow, but they make us a little bigger for sure.”
Kostin led the Oilers with 157 hits. Fischer dished out 126 hits last season for the Arizona Coyotes. Holl was second on the Maple Leafs in both hits (151) and blocked shots (139).
“I’m a pretty big body,” Fischer said. “I like to use the word being a power forward. With that, I take a lot of pride in being a 200-foot player. It’s very cliche to say and an easy answer but I value playing the D side of the puck.
“I’d like to say I do a lot of those dirty things. They’re not goals and assists but I know the boys and the team, everyone knows that’s how you win hockey games. I would just say I’m a simple, 200-foot power forward.”
