DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills spoke with Red Wings free agent signing and St. Clair, MI native Tyler Motte on Monday:
The 29-year-old forward describes himself as a 200-foot player, and said he has a clear understanding of what his role will be with Detroit this season.
“I’ve been in roles where I’ve played against teams’ top couple lines, a little bit more of a shutdown-matchup role,” Motte said. “I love killing penalties, that’s my favorite part of the game. I just appreciate that challenge and what that does for the group. Just talking with Steve before I signed, it was a lot of that: being on the same page, knowing what you are expected to do and me feeling confident because I’ve done it for several years. I know I can step in and do it.”
Motte said he’s excited to reunite with former Wolverines teammates J.T. Compher, Andrew Copp and Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin.
“We’re all going to have different roles and opportunities, but to be able to do it together again is super special,” Motte said. “There are also guys who I’ve played with at different stops in my career too, so it’ll be good to have a lot of familiar faces coming into a locker room that will be new to me.”
Motte joins a contingent of Red Wings players and prospects — Larkin (Waterford), Copp and Jeff Petry (Ann Arbor), Alex DeBrincat (Farmington Hills), goalie Jack Campbell (Port Huron), Sheldon Dries (Macomb), Carter Mazur (Jackson), Austin Baker (White Lake), Kienan Draper (Royal Oak) and netminder Trey Augustine (South Lyon) — who have Michigan roots.
