Anyone at the wheel of a sports car stuck in the midst of freeway traffic understands succinctly how it must feel to be Detroit Red Wings forward Andreas Athanasiou.
Equipped with plenty of speed to burn, but stuck in back of a logjam blocking his way to open ice.
Go ahead. Do the math. Or to be more precise, start imagining forward line possibilities for the Red Wings as the 2016-17 NHL season fast approaches.
For top six forwards, you can mix and match the likes of Henrik Zetterberg, Dylan Larkin, Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar, Justin Abdelkader and newcomers Frans Nielsen and Thomas Vanek.
In the bottom six, you can choose from among Darren Helm, Drew Miller, Luke Glendening, Riley Sheahan, Tomas Jurco and new addition Steve Ott.
We haven’t even mentioned Teemu Pulkkinen, who will likely start the year on the injured list following off-season shoulder surgery. Much like Athanasiou, it’s difficult to figure exactly where they will fit into this picture. And Athanasiou has another strike working against him – he’s the only member of this group who can be sent to the minors without first clearing waivers.
It all could add up to frustration for Athanasiou, were he to let it.
“I don’t think I’m too worried about that right now,… Athanasiou said. “I’m confident in my abilities. I do what I can out there and I’m going to do what I can out there.
“It’s their decision and I’m doing to do the best I can to make it as easy as possible (for him to earn a spot on the team).…
Producing 9-5-14 numbers in 37 games in limited ice time as an NHL rookie, Athanasiou displayed a tremendous level of speed and some deft touch around the net, but was there enough offense to warrant including him in the argument for a top six role?
If not, does Athanasiou possess enough defensive acumen and trustworthiness with the coaching staff to fill a bottom six spot?
These are the questions that must be answered during training camp.
Athanasiou believes his main asset, his blazing blades, offer him a leg up in the hunt for a position with the Wings.
“I'm fortunate enough to be blessed with speed,… he said. “Everything else can come hand in hand with that.
“I’ve got one of the hardest parts of the game down pat, so the other parts can come. It's just going to be work.…
Whether that work will be put in at NHL rinks or back in the minor leagues, well that’s to be determined.
Athanasiou believes he’ll be able to do enough to make himself too valuable to be shipped out.
“I think my confidence just comes from what I’ve been through, everything I’ve gone (through) growing up and getting to the National Hockey League,… he said. “That’s where you build you confidence and just getting a chance to play here is a big thing.
“I know my game. I know what I’m capable of. So I’m just going to work on my strengths, work on my weaknesses and come September I’ll be ready.…
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