One man’s departure creates another man’s opportunity.
For as long as they’ve played sports, that’s been a mantra of the games. Don’t fret over who isn’t here. Welcome those who arrive in their stead.
In this case, opportunity is knocking for Mitch Callahan.
With four players - three of them forwards - dealt away just prior to the NHL trade deadline, the Detroit Red Wings found themselves shy of players, and opted to summon forward Callahan from their AHL Grand Rapids Griffins farm club.
The sixth-year pro will be in the lineup Friday as the Wings are in Calgary to face the Flames, in what will be just the second NHL game of Callahan’s pro career.
“I think every hockey player, their dream is to play in the NHL,… Callahan correctly noted. “Tomorrow, Blash (Detroit coach Jeff Blashill) said I’m in the lineup, so I’ve got to make the best of it.
“It’s pretty surreal. I’m going to enjoy every moment of it.…
Callahan’s only previous NHL appearance came March 25, 2014 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“That’s something I don’t really think of,… Callahan, 25, suggested of wondering if another chance at the show would ever arrive. “I worry about what I can control and that’s the way I play on the ice. Things like this are usually out of my hands, so I’ve just got to be ready for when my number is called.…
That call came late Wednesday, when Callahan was summoned to the NHL but he doesn’t expect the second time around to be any easier on him.
“It happened three years ago, so I’m still pretty nervous but I’m more excited than nervous,… Callahan said. “My debut I was really nervous and kind of like, ‘Don’t make a mistake.’ But now I’m more excited more than anything.…
He figures he’s grown exponentially as a player in the time since his previous taste of NHL action, but Callahan is of the opinion that he’ll need to go back in time to have a future with the big boys.
“I think my grit will always be there,… Callahan said. “It’s something I have in me. I think I stepped away from fighting a little bit in the AHL, mostly because I’m getting more minutes and I’m playing a bigger role.
“I know at this level, I’m probably going to have to go back to what got me drafted into the pros, so tomorrow I’m going to play gritty and if a fight happens, a fight happens. I’m not going to go looking for it. I’m going to try to play my game.…
Blashill believes that people focus too much on Callahan’s aggressiveness and miss the overall picture of what he’s capable of bringing to the ice.
“I think the one thing that gets missed is Mitch’s hockey smarts are real good and he’s got good hands and he’s an excellent tipper, so he’s got offensive ability,… said Blashill, who coached Callahan in Grand Rapids. “He’s had a really good career in the American League and he’s just wanted an opportunity.
“He’s a guy that doesn’t necessarily have the speed that’s a classic NHLer. Until you put him in the games you don’t know if that really matters. Can he make up for it in the National League with his savvy, his smarts, his competitiveness? We’re hoping so. He’s done that in the American League.
“When I first saw him I thought he was going to be an OK player and he’s proved me wrong in the American League and now he has a chance to come up here and prove us wrong, prove that he should of had an opportunity earlier, so we’ll see.…
The Wings hope Callahan can fill some of the void of edginess and battling for pucks that departed when Steve Ott was dealt to Montreal.
“When Mitch plays his best hockey, first of all he’s real smart and strong on the wall and goes to the net hard,… Blashill said. “He’s physical - not in the sense he’s a big hitter, but in a sense of making sure he separates guys from the puck - and he’s a pain in the neck to play against. We’re hoping he can bring that to us.…
While some may have thought the Wings would utilize this late-season chance to get a second look at Tyler Bertuzzi or a first look at Evgeni Svechnikov, the team felt it would be wrong to mess with the mojo that those two young forwards are currently enjoying in Grand Rapids.
“I think one thing is they’re at different stages of their development,… Blashill explained. “I think the one thing we’re trying to avoid with some of the younger players is the roller-coaster of coming up and going down, coming up and going down. I don’t know how long this recall will be, we’ll see.
“We’ve already done it once to Tyler and we felt it felt it best to leave Tyler where he is at and continue to develop. I watched him last Saturday and I think him and Svech are both heading in the right direction and I think one of the worst things you can do is bring a guy like that up here that’s starting to have confidence and have them come up here and not play enough and have him lose his confidence.
“Mitch is older. He’s a real hard one to predict, so this gives us a chance to see him.
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