Final Roster Announced—No Zadina

[SpikeDDS]

The decisions have been made, and Rasmussen and Cholowski made the cut as well as Christopher Ehn. (Ehn wasn’t even on my radar!)

 

Zadina was assigned to GR along with the rest of the young Wings. I am a little disappointed, but I am not at all surprised. There is SUCH a difference in speed going from juniors to the NHL. His first game was his first game—nerves should be expected—but he was really chasing the puck that game. He got a little better as the preseason kept going, but never red hot. Not hot enough to earn a spot.

 

That’s a good thing, keeping him down, methinks. Let him learn the game at the AHL level and gain confidence so when he comes up, he produces nearly-daily.  He seemed to ride the coattails of Vanek and AA, which is almost like playing with Z or Datsyuk—you SHOULD play better when you play with them. Great potential, but not quite ready.

 

I like their choices of Ras and Chow. These are not flashy players, but both should be able to help our PP. and Ras can be a big bet-front man at even strength too.

 

Little z will get his turn to shine soon enough. I have a feeling it won’t be too long before he is called up. 

[yave1964]

@SpikeDDS

 

Like you Ehn was not on my radar, I wasn't even particularly enamored with him in the five preseason games that I watched. I think he played in three of them and was decent but it is eyebrow raising. As the 12th forward playing seven minutes a night, sure, why not, we are better served with a kid who hustles like him and letting Zadina play 18 minutes a game at GR.

 

 Zadina hustled at both ends of the ice but looked raw, he wont be down long and when he comes up it will be for good. As for Rasmussen, great move, we can keep him for 9 games and if he looks lost or not ready return him to juniors for a final year. I think he will stick, I love his big body in front of the net play.

  WOW Cholowski was the best player in camp, not just the best defenseman but the best player (actually either he or AA) he was slated to start the year at GR but between Green going down and his overall play he forced his way onto the team. He was taken with one of the picks we got from the Coyotes in the Datsyuk salary dump (the other was Hronek) in which Arizona moved up and selected Chychrun. Cholo looks like the real deal quality puck mover from the back end that we need.

[SpikeDDS]

@yave1964

 

Drat! I was hoping you had been following Ehn so I could have some context on his game, since his inclusion surprised me so much.

 

Chow/Cholo DID look really good, and I think he only improved even as the preseason continued. Not perfect. A couple of defensive errors here and there, but great puck movement and mostly consistent defensive play.

 

I actually also thought Luke Glendening had a really good preseason as compared to his previous play. I've always kinda scratched my head about when Babcock put him in elite company as far as his competitiveness is concerned. He stepped up his game this preseason IMHO. I think these kids competing for his job motivated him. A good thing.

 

No question AA and Vanek were good. I expect good things from those two, although I suspect that top D pairs will be hanging with that line if those two are kept together.

 

Which should open the door up for a guy like Ras. Maybe he gets matched with those two. If he does, he provides much needed net-front for them. If not, he's a second threat that may see a second-pair D assignment. Maybe put Abby on their line and put Ras on the other one? Either way, Ras' presence adds something that the Wings haven't really had too much in earnest--multiple net-front players. Mantha MIGHT potentially be one, and Abby is one, though not a prolific scorer. I'm hoping Ras does both and creates havoc that opposing D's will have to make hard decisions about how they will match up.

 

Still, the defensive lapses against less-than-NHL-caliber lineups suggests that this could be a tough season to watch. I hope I'm wrong.

[yave1964]

@SpikeDDS

 

  I had three preseason games still recorded two of which Ehn appeared in. Because I had considered him a longshot at best to make the team I hadn't paid much attention to him but I rewatched both games specifically fast forwarding to his shifts to see what the Wings saw that made him beat out Turgeon and Givani smith for the final forward spot.

 

  He won nearly 70 percent of his faceoffs when he was in the midde playing mostly in the defensive zone and cleared the puck nicely, transitioning to offense from the fourth line which would be a breath of fresh air. He seems to be a pass first, shoot only if the passing lanes are clogged which is fine, he and Glendening seem to have an affinity when Ehn plays the wing.

 

  So a fourth liner who plays well with Glendening who is responsible in his own zone who likes to carry the puck and attack offensively. He is a big boy, I had to peek but he is six foot three but a bit thin, I read the reports on him, he is a Jiri fischer find and Fischer simply goes on and on about how Ehn will eventually develop his offense to go with his solid defensive game.

 

 So if Glendening is playing the Draper part Ehn will be playing the Maltby part. Maltby might even be a great comparison. 

[SpikeDDS]

@yave1964 

 

Well if your assessment is right, he seems to be a bit of both Draper and Maltby, as Draper was an excellent faceoff man. but I always thought one of Maltby’s best skills was getting into opposing players’ heads. Not as offensively skilled as Dino Ciccarelli, but as pesky net front and in the corners. 

 

Interesting connection between him and Geldening. I haven’t seen Glendening play as solid a two-way game as he has lately, but hadn’t made that connection. Maybe Ehn has something to do with that. He clearly made an impression with the coaching staff, and the coaches were kind of mum about him. Not much press about him at all.