Mark Spizzirri: The Anthony Mantha Experience gets put on hold as training camp begins

That's too bad, this kid is gonna be a good hockey player, I got to see him play when he came to town to play against the PEI Rocket...

Yeah

I would have love to see him play against Mtl this year.

So question:

Who now is the front runner for Grand Rapids call up? Pulkinen? Athanasiou? Frk?

Personally I'd love to see AA get a chance to see what he can do with his speed...

And on the back end, hypothetically speaking...which young guy takes kindls spot on the third pair? The likely answer is Oulette based on his appearance in the playoffs last year but I'd rather see a RH such as Sproul or Marchenko!

That's too bad, this kid is gonna be a good hockey player, I got to see him play when he came to town to play against the PEI Rocket...
- yakattack

Yeah, it's a shame. I never really saw what he was line until the World Juiors. The kid is going to have a huge impact once he is playing and healthy

So question:

Who now is the front runner for Grand Rapids call up? Pulkinen? Athanasiou? Frk?

Personally I'd love to see AA get a chance to see what he can do with his speed...

And on the back end, hypothetically speaking...which young guy takes kindls spot on the third pair? The likely answer is Oulette based on his appearance in the playoffs last year but I'd rather see a RH such as Sproul or Marchenko!
- HomestyleMelt

one of the group of 4 on defense (backman,marchenko, sproul,ouelette)

Anthasiou and Frk arent ready. Pulkinen the closest of the 3 u mentioned .

Funny that Babcock even thought there was a tie between Nyquist and Sammy, Cleary, Bertuzzi ect... last year in camp and pre-season. Nyquist outplayed all of them by a mile yet Babcock claimed the tie goes to the vet

I'll believe it when I see it that the best players will play. If a guy like Pulkkinen outplays everyone not named Datsyuk or Zetterberg, does anyone really believe he would make the roster over Cleary and some of the others. What if Mrazek outplays both Howard and Monster, does anyone really believe he will be on the team over one of those two?...I sure as hell don't.

Sucks about Mantha but not much can be done to prevent this type of freak injury. Curious to see how Callahan and Ferraro do since they will need to clear waivers if sent down. Athanasiou looked good in the prospect tourney so he and Pulkkinen likely have the edge in call-ups. On defense I would likely say Marchenko (if fully recovered from his injury) would have the edge because of his right handed shot, size and fact his game is more well rounded than Sproul.

one of the group of 4 on defense (backman,marchenko, sproul,ouelette)

Anthasiou and Frk arent ready. Pulkinen the closest of the 3 u mentioned .
- Jurco_28

I don't disagree with that but pulkinen didn't exactly "wow" in his call up last year... He may fare better this time but if we need to reach a bit in the pool I would have to assume those are the next two guys up after pulkinen

Funny that Babcock even thought there was a tie between Nyquist and Sammy, Cleary, Bertuzzi ect... last year in camp and pre-season. Nyquist outplayed all of them by a mile yet Babcock claimed the tie goes to the vet

I'll believe it when I see it that the best players will play. If a guy like Pulkkinen outplays everyone not named Datsyuk or Zetterberg, does anyone really believe he would make the roster over Cleary and some of the others. What if Mrazek outplays both Howard and Monster, does anyone really believe he will be on the team over one of those two?...I sure as hell don't.

Sucks about Mantha but not much can be done to prevent this type of freak injury. Curious to see how Callahan and Ferraro do since they will need to clear waivers if sent down. Athanasiou looked good in the prospect tourney so he and Pulkkinen likely have the edge in call-ups. On defense I would likely say Marchenko (if fully recovered from his injury) would have the edge because of his right handed shot, size and fact his game is more well rounded than Sproul.
- dcz28

I hope you are right about the d men on call but I feel as though oulette playing in that playoff game last year kinda has him as our top d call up. Maybe things will change with camp play or with the other two being eighties lol athanasiou and Sproul are both very intriguing to me as prospects and I'm anxious to see them in preseason

I hope you are right about the d men on call but I feel as though oulette playing in that playoff game last year kinda has him as our top d call up. Maybe things will change with camp play or with the other two being eighties lol athanasiou and Sproul are both very intriguing to me as prospects and I'm anxious to see them in preseason
- HomestyleMelt

You have to remember that Marchenko was injured at the end of the season last year and might have been called up over Ouellet. Marchenko was an AHL all-star while Ouellet wasn't. Marchenko also has better size (which Babcock loves) and he has been playing against men for longer...to add to the right handed shot thing.

I'm very high on Sproul but from the videos of the prospect tournament I saw, as much as I hate to say it, he didn't look that great defensively. He still has work to do in that aspect of his game. Guys were getting loose in behind him too often. He probably would be able to produce some offense now in the NHL but would be more of a PP specialist at this point. Athanasiou has all the tools to be a solid player. He's Helm with awesome hands and moves. Curious to see how he adjusts against bigger and smarter players this year because in some of the games I saw of GR, sometimes he tried pulling junior moves that the defensemen didn't bite and shut him down. Good thing for him is he has the speed to go around almost anyone with that speed and good size instead of trying to dangle at them like he did in the OHL.

You have to remember that Marchenko was injured at the end of the season last year and might have been called up over Ouellet. Marchenko was an AHL all-star while Ouellet wasn't. Marchenko also has better size (which Babcock loves) and he has been playing against men for longer...to add to the right handed shot thing.

I'm very high on Sproul but from the videos of the prospect tournament I saw, as much as I hate to say it, he didn't look that great defensively. He still has work to do in that aspect of his game. Guys were getting loose in behind him too often. He probably would be able to produce some offense now in the NHL but would be more of a PP specialist at this point. Athanasiou has all the tools to be a solid player. He's Helm with awesome hands and moves. Curious to see how he adjusts against bigger and smarter players this year because in some of the games I saw of GR, sometimes he tried pulling junior moves that the defensemen didn't bite and shut him down. Good thing for him is he has the speed to go around almost anyone with that speed and good size instead of trying to dangle at them like he did in the OHL.
- dcz28

Athanasiou is gonna be dangerous if he ever gets a 4 on 4 situation. But I do agree that sometimes it seems like skill players need to adjust when they are still trying to pull junior moves against full grown men. I do agree that he seems like a helm 2.0 lol the improved version.

Also very true about marchenko. I was only basing it on roulette being called up but I didn't forget about his injury. I would rather see him called up or even start the season as the sixth dman out of camp. Unfortunately I saw the same things in the highlights with Sproul ... There were a lot of times that ppl got behind him in the neutral zone which has been said to be his weakness so hopefully some.time in GR will help him iron that out

I don't disagree with that but pulkinen didn't exactly "wow" in his call up last year... He may fare better this time but if we need to reach a bit in the pool I would have to assume those are the next two guys up after pulkinen
- HomestyleMelt

I think you're being unfair here. Pulkkinen has played less than 23 minutes of NHL hockey in his entire career. Oh, and about 12 of his 15 minutes of even strength ice time were shared with Cory Emmerton. That's just not enough time to fairly evaluate anybody, whether they play lights-out or completely forgettably.

As long as we're making snap judgments from impossibly small samples, let me say that I was not at all impressed with Athanasiou during the few games I got to see him in GR. Seems like he was blasting at full speed all over the ice without really knowing where to go -- chasing the puck, overskating his teammates, etc.

But we'll see. Like I said, I don't think it's fair to draw too many conclusions based on the vision test over 2 games. AA is definitely on my list of guys I'm excited to watch this season, especially if his brain catches up with his wheels. I just moved a few months ago and now I can walk to the Van Andel Arena from my apartment in like 15 minutes, so I'm hoping to catch a bunch more games this season. Really bummed that I won't be seeing Mantha for probably a couple months yet.

I don't disagree with that but pulkinen didn't exactly "wow" in his call up last year... He may fare better this time but if we need to reach a bit in the pool I would have to assume those are the next two guys up after pulkinen
- HomestyleMelt

thats what i mean when they need to make a trade. they have ALL these guys.
Frk,Pulkinen, Mantha, Jurco, Anathiosou,Natasiuk, Callahan, Tvrdon, Bertuzzi, Janmark and now theyve just added Nosek, Larkin, Turgeon, and etc.

I know all these guys arent going to make the NHL but still. make a move and no not one where we gave up Jarnkrok for nothing

I think you're being unfair here. Pulkkinen has played less than 23 minutes of NHL hockey in his entire career. Oh, and about 12 of his 15 minutes of even strength ice time were shared with Cory Emmerton. That's just not enough time to fairly evaluate anybody, whether they play lights-out or completely forgettably.

As long as we're making snap judgments from impossibly small samples, let me say that I was not at all impressed with Athanasiou during the few games I got to see him in GR. Seems like he was blasting at full speed all over the ice without really knowing where to go -- chasing the puck, overskating his teammates, etc.

But we'll see. Like I said, I don't think it's fair to draw too many conclusions based on the vision test over 2 games. AA is definitely on my list of guys I'm excited to watch this season, especially if his brain catches up with his wheels. I just moved a few months ago and now I can walk to the Van Andel Arena from my apartment in like 15 minutes, so I'm hoping to catch a bunch more games this season. Really bummed that I won't be seeing Mantha for probably a couple months yet.
- Sven22

For sure lol don't get me wrong I'm not giving up on pulkinen even in the slightest. I still believe he will be a part of this team in the near future and hopefully he can have another great season in GR. Anybody with a shot like that needs to be given a chance and I agree his small sample size last season doesnt mean a while lot. I simply wanted to know who ppl thought would be called up first with mantha out and idk if pulkinen is a clear cut only option lol some other guys might be able to pull close lol

Also with athanasiou as we said he needs to transition those skills to the big league and not try and just blast all over...he needs to know when to use his speed to his advantage and when to know its time to grind it out and play a possession shift

For sure lol don't get me wrong I'm not giving up on pulkinen even in the slightest. I still believe he will be a part of this team in the near future and hopefully he can have another great season in GR. Anybody with a shot like that needs to be given a chance and I agree his small sample size last season doesnt mean a while lot. I simply wanted to know who ppl thought would be called up first with mantha out and idk if pulkinen is a clear cut only option lol some other guys might be able to pull close lol

Also with athanasiou as we said he needs to transition those skills to the big league and not try and just blast all over...he needs to know when to use his speed to his advantage and when to know its time to grind it out and play a possession shift
- HomestyleMelt

I get you.

The obvious call-up calls are Jurco (if he doesn't make the opening day roster) and then Pulkkinen. These are the only two guys in the system whose waiver exemption ends automatically after this season, so it stands to reason that they'd get first crack at significant NHL playing time this year.

After that?

I suspect that unless either really blows the AHL away (which seems highly unlikely), AA and Frk are going to spend the entire year in the minors developing. My guess is that, provided he adjusts to the AHL game without too many struggles, Tomas Nosek would be the logical next in line after Pulkkinen. He's a little bit older than the other two guys and he has 3 years of pro experience in men's leagues.

Callahan and Ferraro are sort of interesting players at the periphery as well, assuming both clear waivers at the start of the year (I think they will). Calling them up is riskier since as soon as you bring them up, they have to clear again to be sent back down, so I think they are unlikely to be used as short-term injury replacements. But if either have a big year in GR and it looks like the Wings are going to need to fill a hole up front on a more permanent basis, they would possibly be the logical choices for a full-time promotion.

And of course, Mantha. He'll be healthy again in or around November, and it's very possible that he'll leapfrog everybody in the queue not too long after that.

Game day.

Game day.
- YzermanIsTheMan

Will it be televized for streaming purposes?

Will it be televized for streaming purposes?
- HomestyleMelt

Pittsburgh has a local feed so maybe. I sure hope so, I'm craving live Wings action.

Pittsburgh has a local feed so maybe. I sure hope so, I'm craving live Wings action.
- YzermanIsTheMan

Woo! it is televised...although I seem to be having a very pedestrian problem in that I cannot seem to clear one of the adds. I feel ridiculous saying this it seems so dumb lol but I can not click one of the x's to be able to full screen the game.

Woo! it is televised...although I seem to be having a very pedestrian problem in that I cannot seem to clear one of the adds. I feel ridiculous saying this it seems so dumb lol but I can not click one of the x's to be able to full screen the game.
- HomestyleMelt

Do you have Adblocker?

http://firstrowusa.eu/hoc...troit-red-wings-row53a188

This is the one I'm using.

Edit: I love Tatar. Beautiful, simple PPG.

Do you have Adblocker?

http://firstrowusa.eu/hoc...troit-red-wings-row53a188

This is the one I'm using.

Edit: I love Tatar. Beautiful, simple PPG.
- YzermanIsTheMan

apparently that's a clean hit on Sproul....lol hmm

**refs** well...we can't give Detroit ANOTHER PP....Pens have had none that would be wrong...oh well it's clean

apparently that's a clean hit on Sproul....lol hmm

**refs** well...we can't give Detroit ANOTHER PP....Pens have had none that would be wrong...oh well it's clean
- HomestyleMelt

At least they got him for retaliation.

At least they got him for retaliation.
- YzermanIsTheMan

agreed....they seemed to be looking for a make up lol

now that phantom trip on Marchenko...may have been holding if anything

agreed....they seemed to be looking for a make up lol

now that phantom trip on Marchenko...may have been holding if anything
- HomestyleMelt

Was hard to see. Marchenko should have focused on the puck, not Farnham's waist.

Was hard to see. Marchenko should have focused on the puck, not Farnham's waist.
- YzermanIsTheMan

Agreed...Howard looked good in his two periods