Newly-acquired Red Wings foward Keegan Kolesar spoke with the Detroit media corps today from his offseason home, and the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan noted that Kolesar discussed having to leave the Vegas Golden Knights after having been traded to Detroit yesterday:
“I don’t know if I was expecting it, but it’s always in the back of your mind because it’s hockey, it’s how the game works, and people can be in and out,” Kolesar said. “I didn’t expect it, but you’re always prepared for it. It’s the business of it.”
The hard-hitting, hard-charging Kolesar was credited with 270 hits, ranking seventh in the NHL. He brings a physical element, a toughness, the Wings have been missing from their lineup for many years. Kolesar is eager to fill that void.
“You can call me an old-school type of player,” Kolesar said. “Forecheck, backcheck, paycheck. I just want to help the team win. I’ve always felt the team comes first in every scenario. If there is any way I can help the team win, that’s what I’ll do.”
Kolesar believes that the Red Wings are far from mincemeat…
“They have a tremendous amount of skill and talent in their lineup,” Kolesar said. “They’re going in the right direction and have a lot of studs that I’ve felt have been good for years and are tough to play against. I just want to bring more of an identity to the team. Toughness, being hard to play against, and a veteran presence on the front end, bringing guys into the fight.”
Kolesar talked briefly with coach Todd McLellan but plans to meeting McLellan face-to-face later in the summer when Kolesar attends a wedding in Kelowna, British Columbia, where McLellan spends the summer. But it will take some time for the shock of the last day or two to wind down.
“It’s a whirlwind,” Kolesar said. “You play your entire career in one spot, it’s very rare. It’ll take some time to get over it because I’ve made so many great relationships in that city. It’ll take some time to turn the page but that’s just the human side of it. But there’s a lot of excitement too.”
Continued (paywall)
