The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan posted a notebook article whose main thrust is a discussion of Carter Mazur’s status as an up-and-coming prospect, but he offers this regarding Justin Holl as well…
Last season didn’t go as planned for defenseman Justin Holl. Signed to a three-year contract, Holl wound up playing on 38 games as he fell out of the playing rotation, combined with a defensive unit that was mostly healthy kept Holl pinned as a healthy scratch. Holl appears to be in a tight battle for playing time this season, too.
“I can just maintain a narrow focus, that’s all I can do,” Holl said. “As a player you learn control what you can. For me, that’s trying to perform as well as I can every practice and game and let the chips fall as they may.”
Holl is viewing this season as a “clean slate,” a fresh start after last season’s disappointment.
“That’s common theme in the NHL, it’s the best league in the world and every year you have to continue to prove yourself,” Holl said. “I’m definitely highly motivated and want to be a big part of this team, and I know I can be. That’s the focus for me.”
And there are a few more notes of interest from Kulfan:
… Lalonde would like to, and feels it’s likely, the Wings will have a close to an NHL lineup in either of the home games Thursday or Friday.
The Red Wings traditionally have an NHL lineup against the Leafs for their Friday home game, before giving their AHL’ers and prospects one last chance to impress on Saturday night…
… Lalonde has made this one of the more challenging training camps in recent years, and there’s both a physical and mental aspect to it.
“Part of this harder camp, if you will, has been asking the group for a little bit more,” Lalonde said. “We want to push a little more physically, and hopefully it turns into a little more mentally, too.”
