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Sunday’s cuts offered few surprises from the Detroit Red Wings.
As anticipated, center Michael Rasmussen, the club’s top pick in the 2017 NHL entry draft, was returned to WHL Tri-City, where he will play another season of junior. Forwards Dominic Turgeon, Axel Holmstrom, and Dylan Sadowy, defensemen Dan Renouf, Joe Hicketts and Vili Saarijarvi and goalie Tom McCollum were all assigned to AHL Grand Rapids. Forwards Colin Campbell, Matthew Ford and Dominik Shine were released from tryout contracts, as was NHL veteran forward P.A. Parenteau, who showed little evidence in preseason play that he could make an impact on the Detroit power play, an area in which he was completely outshined by Martin Frk.
Placed on waivers were goalie Jared Coreau, defensemen Brian Lashoff and Dylan McIlrath and forwards Ben Street and Matt Lorito. All have until noon EST Monday to clear, and there’s been plenty of speculation that several NHL teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames, might put in a claim Coreau.
Booth Awaits Decision
The Wings plan to meet with forward David Booth, like Parenteau an NHL veteran forward in camp on a pro tryout, on Monday to discuss options. That could include offering Booth an AHL deal with Grand Rapids.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Booth said. “I’m fine with whatever happens. I don’t think this determines my self-worth, so I can be happy and satisfied with whatever happens just because I know that I’ve worked hard and I’ve done all that I can here.”
A journeyman who has played 502 NHL games with three different teams, the Detroit-born Booth, 32, spent the past two seasons playing the KHL, and did not rule out suiting up for Team USA in the 2018 Winter Olympics if nothing develops with the Wings.
He was satisfied that he’d done all that he could to make his mark with the Detroit braintrust.
“I think considering everything, I just worked hard and got my skating back,” Booth said. “I think I just really enjoyed being here. I think that was the thing I took away the most. When you have that sense of enjoyment coming to the rink, that just kind of increases your desire to play and your success on the ice.
“I thought I played well with the time that I was given. I think they gave me a fair chance to show that I could play.”
Including Booth and the players on waivers, Detroit’s roster currently sits at 18 forwards, 11 defenseman and four netminders, 10 more than the NHL’s 23-player roster limit permits.
Little Big Man
Hicketts, facing an uphill battle as a little man (5-8, 180 pounds) trying to show he can make the grade as an NHL defenseman, left an impression with Detroit coach Jeff Blashill.
“The Little Engine That Could,” was how Blashill opted to describe Hicketts, paralleling his work to that of Boston Bruins undersized rearguard Torey Krug, coached by Blashill with the USHL’s Indiana Ice.
“Joe’s a good player, Joe’s a gamer,” Blashill said. “Joe’s got big-time … he just wants to be an impact every single time he’s on the ice. He doesn’t look the part. He’s smaller and not a great skater. Most of those guys don’t play in the NHL. There’s very few of them that are.
“I coached Torey Krug in junior. Torey skates a little better but Torey’s got a similar kind of personality. He’s got tons of moxie, tons of confidence. Torey’s a gamer, he wants the puck on his stick when the game’s on the line. Physicality, that’s what Joe does. I’ve got lots of time for Joe Hicketts.”
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