Detroit Hockey Now’s Max Smith posted “Two Truths and a Lie” about Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman and the so-called “Yzerplan,” and I want to emphasize point #1:
Truth: This Red Wings roster should look different by the trade deadline
Marco Kasper put on a show in the Red Wings’ preseason. Many people in the media were wondering how Kasper didn’t make the opening night roster. In the preseason game against Ottawa, Kasper had two goals and nearly pulled off a hat trick in the first period. He was also solid defensively.
Albert Johansson is currently the seventh defenseman on the team. But GM Steve Yzerman has praised his capacity for adjustment and improvement in his time in the AHL. The Red Wings are keeping their top lines close to what they were last season, which leaves some room for Kasper in to appear sooner rather than later in the case of injury or if someone isn’t performing up to expectations.
Said Lalonde, “Grand Rapids is two hours away. We’ll have played 33 players by Christmas.”
Kasper is just as likely to be getting someone on the forecheck as he is to be breaking away with the puck for a one timer and his skillset makes it so that those moments often happen together.
Carter Mazur and Nate Danielson made some plays in the preseason. If they can become more physical and play a little bigger in the AHL, there won’t be a reason to keep them down. If Yzerman thinks they’re playing better than the likes of Tyler Motte (on a one-year deal) and could be dealt away for the replacement is needed in the AHL if Danielson or Mazur is called up.
Continued; the Red Wings are going to suffer more injuries, and I fully believe that some of their young players are going to “steal jobs” if they are afforded opportunities to impress over the second half of the regular season.
I wouldn’t be spotlighting Motte, a hard-working grinder, as the candidate to be traded or waived if the Wings bring up a youngster, but I do believe that a veteran or two might be moved in some fashion if Kasper, Danielson, Mazur or Johansson “steal a job.” That’s a very realistic expectation.
