Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen attempts to discern how the Red Wings could add a more physical edge to their team game this upcoming season:
The [Keegan] Kolesar addition was big because [outgoing GM Steve] Yzerman understood what he had coming this season. Last year, Marco Kasper (186) and Ben Chiarot (171) were the only two Red Wings with 150 more hits.
With Kolesar’s arrival and the anticipated increase in Emmitt Finnie’s 131 hits, plus the possibility that Carter Mazur and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard will play regularly, the Red Wings could have six players with 150 or more hits. MBN and Mazur have both shown in the AHL they like to hit.
It could easily be seven if Moritz Seider chooses to dial up his physical play it could easily be seven players with 150 more hits. He had 121 hits last season as he concentrated on being a more complete defender.
The Red Wings may not be done adding hitters. Reportedly, the Red Wings are still interested in unrestricted free agent Eeli Tolvanen who has averaged 200 or more hits for Seattle over the past
If the Red Wings decide to embrace a physical theme, we all know Seider will be one of the leaders.
How much could all of this help the Red Wings who finished 29th in the NHL with 17.83 hits per 60 minutes last season?
The New York Rangers (25.47 hits per game), Florida Panthers (24.42), Ottawa Senators (23.59) and Philadelphia Flyers (22.46) were the NHL’s most frequent hitting teams last season. In that group, only the Ottawa Senators had as many as four players with 150 hits. And one of those players was Brady Tkachuk who is now with the Florida Panthers.
Continued; any amount of increased physicality that makes Detroit “tougher to play against” would be welcomed.
