While most of the NHL is either celebrating at the All-Star Game or enjoying some much-needed time off, Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland plans to spend the break on the job, catching up on his homework.
Holland is utilizing the weekend watching Detroit’s American Hockey League affiliate the Grand Rapids Griffins as they play host to the Chicago Wolves (Friday), Utica Comets (Saturday) and Iowa Wild (Sunday) with the objective of getting an eyeful of the club’s top pro prospects.
“I’m going to watch all the players, see where they’re at,… Holland explained.
Certainly, there is plenty for him to see.
Of paramount interest to Wings fans is a progress report on rookie right-winger Anthony Mantha, who has produced 6-6-12 numbers in 28 games with the Griffins since he reported there after recovering from a fractured right tibia suffered Sept. 12 during Detroit’s NHL prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich.
In truth, there’s been a significant adjustment period to pro hockey for Mantha, 20, who earned Canadian Hockey League player-of-the-year honors after leading the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in scoring with 57-63-120 totals for the Val D’Or Foreurs last season.
“It’s been a bit of a struggle for Anthony Mantha,… Holland admitted. “I think what he’s going through, going from junior hockey to pro hockey, is you don’t realize how good the American Hockey League is and then he got two months behind because of the injury.
“I think he’s going through what (Tomas) Jurco went through, what Riley Sheahan went through. The first 40 games are tough.…
While at a different stage of his career, center Tomas Nosek has endured similar adjustment struggles. Coming to North America after signing as a free agent with Detroit in the summer, Nosek, 22, led Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga last season with 44 points.
Adapting to the smaller North American ice surface and also delayed by a freak injury, Nosek shows 3-9-12 totals in 23 games.
“Nosek got off to a tough start because he sliced a tendon in his hand with a knife when he was moving in,… Holland said. “So he’s still adjusting to North American hockey.…
Detroit coach Mike Babcock was impressed by what he saw of Nosek during pre-season play.
“He’s a man, he’s smart, he’s confident, he’s a good player, he’s got skill, he does good things, he’s a big body,… Babcock said. “I really like him a lot.…
Naturally, there’s plenty of intrigue among Detroit’s young defense prospects. Xavier Ouellet is already with the Wings, while Nick Jensen, 24, Ryan Sproul, 22, and Alexey Marchenko, 23, seek to earn their wings.
“Jensen’s had a pretty good year,… Holland said of the 2012-13 WCH A defensive player of the year with St. Cloud State, who has 3-8-11 totals in 38 games.
Marchenko, who made his NHL debut with Detroit last season, is another farmhand rebounding from a serious injury and shows 2-14-16 numbers in 39 games.
“Marchenko appears now, the reports I’m getting, he’s coming off that high ankle sprain surgery, it’s taken him a while, but it appears he’s closer to where he was last year just before he got hurt,… Holland said.
Of the three, Sproul, the 2012-13 CHL defenseman of the year with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, seems to be enduring the longest adjustment period. He shows 3-12-1-5 numbers in 36 games, but is also minus-six.
“Ryan Sproul is learning to play the pro game,… Holland said.
Others who had a brief peek at life in the NHL last season with the Wings are also continuing their development.
“(Center Landon) Ferraro has had a really good year,… Holland said. “He’s got 16 goals.
“(Left-winger Mitch) Callahan’s had a pretty good year. Cally was here up until we made our last cuts. He’s a guy we’d be comfortable calling up if we had to.…
The Wings have gone four-deep in goaltenders this season, with Grand Rapids call-ups Petr Mrazek and Tom McCollum currently manning the pipes for the big club, and it appears when it comes to netminders, the Wings have five capable performers.
Jared Coreau, 23, endured a difficult rookie pro campaign last season split between Grand Rapids and Toledo of the East Coast League, winning just once in 26 appearances, but seems to have found his game as a sophomore. He’s 6-6-1 in 13 games, with a 2.32 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.
“Jared Coreau was a guy we signed (as a free agent) out of Northern Michigan,… Holland said. “He had a real tough time last year; I think he had one win.
“He’s played very, very well. It looks like he’s in the process of establishing himself as a legitimate American Hockey League goaltender. So we’ve got McCollum, and him.…
Overall, Holland is confident that the team’s cupboard is well-stocked and there’s plenty of talent with the potential to make it to Detroit one day.
“There’s some players there we think are going to eventually be Red Wings, they’re just in the process of becoming better pros,… Holland said.
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