Red Wings prospect Carter Mazur is 24 now, and the 6,’ 196-pound winger would have to clear waivers to be sent down to Grand Rapids, so this is the year that might “make or break” his hockey career.
That’s easier said than done given the numerous injuries that Mazur has sustained over the past couple of seasons in the NHL and AHL. Mazur suffered a broken elbow during his NHL debut, and he spent most of this past season on the IR in Grand Rapids. The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan notes as much in profiling the physical forward from Jackson, MI:
Mazur plays a gritty, abrasive style that fits well into a fourth-line role, but he also the ability to supply offense. Mazur has shown the ability to score goals, getting to the net and knocking in pucks, and the Wings have been desperate for increased goals from anywhere in the lineup.
Though not getting on the scoresheet in his [10-game] NHL appearance in April, Mazur felt it was crucial experience.
“It’s been night and day,” Mazur said when the season ended. “Learned a lot, a lot more comfortable. Invaluable for development. Every game I kind of felt a lot more comfortable and started to get back to my game.”
Coach Todd McLellan wasn’t familiar with Mazur, other than what others in the organization said. But watching Mazur up close, McLellan has consistently felt Mazur possesses an element the Wings need.
“He’s had some serious injuries that have kept him out of hockey for a real long time, (but) we think he can bring an element of tenacity to the club, that ‘hunt’ mentality that we (preach),” McLellan said last season.
The Wings, on paper, have a group of players who will be in the mix for those bottom two lines and how McLellan sorts them will be fascinating to watch.
Mazur, newly acquired Keegan Kolesar, Michael Rasmussen, Mason Appleton, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, possibly J.T. Compher or Marco Kasper, even Emmitt Finnie, all could figure into checking roles. Who plays where and who sits all is to be determined.
Continued; Mazur doesn’t have much runway ahead of him developmentally given his age, but the Red Wings are definitely hoping that he can earn a spot on their team as the Wings could use his grit and tenacity.
