September 19th Training Camp News and Notes
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Training camp is all about competition for roster spots. This year’s camp is no different than any other year in that department. The Red Wings have lots of young players – both forwards and defensemen who are pushing for roster spots. Unfortunately there is very little room, but a strong training camp and exhibition season might change minds or at the very least help establish the depth chart.
Among the forwards battling for a roster spot are Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha. The duo are some of the organizations top up and coming forwards and with the injury to Darren Helm, one of the two might end up on the opening night roster.
“I want to be on the team but I don’t want it to be because of injuries,” Larkin said. “I want it to be because I earned it by the way I played in the preseason or here. I want to be a dominant NHL player that my teammates look to.”
Larkin, who had the camps first goal, also had a strong prospect tournament for the Red Wings leading them to a second overall finish. The 6-foot-1, 192 pound center played alongside his main competition in Anthony Mantha for all four games of the prospect tournament.
“Anthony and I were on a line together and always hanging out and going to dinner,” he said. “He’s had a big summer and I am excited for what’s to come for him.”
Larkin spent the summer preparing for training camp by working out with Alexei Marchenko and Luke Glendening. As a fellow University of Michigan alum, Glendening served as a mentor for 19 yer-old.
“He’s highly skilled so I don’t know how much help I can be in that department,” Glendening said. “He has a bright future in front of him so if I can help him I will. I want to do whatever I can to help this organization and that includes helping the young guys.”
With all the talk about Larkin, Anthony Mantha is often forgotten. Despite his inconsistent season last year, Mantha still has plenty of NHL talent but admittedly he needs a big year this season.
“I need to have a great season whether it is in Detroit or Grand Rapids,” Mantha said. “I’ve learned a lot last year and it was a learning a process throughout the year. This year I am looking for a fresh start and I need to prove that I can play at that next level.”
Espectations were high for the 6-foot-5, 204 pound forward at the start of last season after he piled up 57 goals and 120 points in his final QMJHL season while also collecting the league’s MVP award. After breaking his leg in training camp, Mantha’s rookie professional season didn’t go as planned and was limited to 15 goals and 33 points in 64 games.
“The one thing with Anthony is a player like him, he has to score,” Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill said. “That’s a confidence thing. I saw this a year before with Jurco, you come in with a ton of confidence and all of the sudden with the injury it was a little bit tougher than he thought it was going to be. The confidence erodes and now you have to build that back up.”
Mantha, who saw a sports psychologist three times this summer, is working hard to view this year as a fresh start.
“Last year I really wanted to play for the Wings,” he said. “Now I learned their mentality and how they want to do things. I learned how hard it is to make the team. It’s just a different path.”
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Another forward who isn’t talked about much, but has a shot at being a midseason call-up is Tomas Nosek. the 6-foot-2, 210 pound forward lead all Red Wings forwards in goals at the 2015 NHL prospect tournament with 3.
“He’s a really really good two-way player,” Blashill said. “He was one of our best players in Grand Rapids last year. I think he just needs to be that great two-way player and execute just a little better than other guys to play in Detroit.”
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Detroit has a long list of defensemen who are also pushing to make the roster. Alexei Marchenko ay be at the top of that list after playing in 13 regular season and 3 playoff games.
“It was a great experience to be in Detroit last year,” Marchenko said. “I got a couple of playoff games and maybe didn’t play my best hockey but I got to experience the atmosphere. It was great.
The Moscow, Russia native is also rooming with first year participant Evgeny Marchenko and helping him learn the ropes.
“I think it’s great to have one more countrymen here,” Marchenko said. “I hope he’s going to make the team one day and we can play together.”
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Another player who didn’t get an NHL look last season but had a very strong exhibition season is Nick Jensen. The 24 year-old is a masterful skater with plenty of offensive potential. Unfortunately for Jensen, he is going to have to push a player like Xavier Ouellet, Alexei Marchenko or Ryan Sproul down on the depth chart to earn an NHL look.
“He’s someone who continues to show he wants to be an NHL player,” Blashill said. “He uses his speed as a defensive weapon. Anytime someone skates like that everyone thing thinks of offense but Nick uses that as defense. His ability to come back and break pucks out and make a strong pass is going to be the big thing for him to be an NHL player.”
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In addition to the battle for roster spots, there are several Red Wings players who need to step their games up in order to match potential. Key among that group is Tomas Jurco who despite skating in 63 NHL games last season was limited to just 3 goals and 18 points.
He’s had an opportunity to play up here a year and a half,” Blashill said. “When he left Gran rapids he was a point per night guy and he was starting to evolve into a real go-to player. I think he’s ready to take the next step but in order to do that he has to earn the ice time and he knows that.”
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Team Lindsay beat Team Delvecchio 4-3 in a shoot out. Jurco picked up a goal and 2 assists leading the way for team Delvecchio