The place Do Crimson Wings’ Younger NHL Hopefuls Stand After Coaching Camp?

Even with so many crammed roster spots forward of them, the trio of Carter Mazur, Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson got here into Traverse Metropolis seeking to impress and probably earn a spot within the lineup. All three impressed to various ranges all through the week. All three supplied push from the underside that made camp aggressive.

However how do these three — and different roster hopefuls — stack up after coaching camp? Let’s take a more in-depth look.

Marco Kasper

Kasper wowed virtually instantly with what he did in his offseason coaching, filling out with muscle in an effort, he stated, to construct extra of a person’s body.

“We have been speaking within the room yesterday, he doesn’t even seem like the identical athlete as final 12 months right now at camp,” Lalonde praised Friday. “He constructed some confidence from his development in (Grand Rapids) final 12 months, and I believe that playoff run was very priceless for him. He’s acquired some angle into camp this 12 months, which is actually a optimistic.”

Mentally, Kasper can also be a special individual. That confidence Lalonde talked about — it exhibits in the way in which Kasper is extra trusting of his personal talents. He believes that doing his greatest is all he can do, and that’s sufficient. He’s simply placing a very good effort ahead, and that’s one thing Detroit likes to see.

And viewing Kasper’s recreation, there actually isn’t an entire lot that you simply couldn’t like. He performs with tempo and energy. His draft day commodity shot is sweet sufficient that teammates and coaches have taken discover. Kasper has additionally been chippy with the veterans like Chiasson, who he argued with after one drill Friday. However a number of reps later, Kasper was proper subsequent to Chiasson absorbing some mentorship. That’s the type of mature dynamic — as an equal, extra so than a scholar — that Lalonde likes to see.

“Watching all these guys is nice,” Kasper instructed reporters Saturday. “… However we younger guys attempt to give it our greatest and to make it laborious for all the opposite guys, but additionally simply push all people on the group and push for a spot as nicely.” In a while, he spoke of how sports activities is all about how a lot gamers need it and the way a lot they work for it. This all speaks volumes about character and competitors.

“I would love these guys clearly to be respectful to the veterans, however to be preventing for his or her spots,” Lalonde stated Friday. “That’s the truth of rising. We wish that push from them.”

After a productive camp, Kasper will get some severe preseason seems to be. He spent lots of time in coaching camp between Cross Hanas and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, and he gave the impression to be steps forward of his linemates. Now that preseason hockey offers Lalonde and his employees extra room to experiment previous the confines of previous strains, Kasper would possibly be capable to present his influence with a line that includes NHL expertise.

Carter Mazur

Very like Kasper, Mazur made his first impression of coaching camp earlier than it even started. He hit the coaching routine laborious this summer time, getting himself in nice form to compete for a roster spot. He had everybody from Steve Yzerman to Lalonde to teammates singing praises.

On the ice, Mazur wasn’t too completely different. He confirmed constant aggressive drive, good defensive play and naturally, his laborious shot. Actually, his shot impressed a number of the NHL regulars, together with Kane. His Crimson Wings three-on-three match teammate stated Mazur’s fast launch may shock some goaltenders this season. Teammates typically go unfastened on the reward within the preseason, however getting such particular props from a man like Kane is a pleasant endorsement. And when he acquired an opportunity to place every thing on show within the Crimson & White Recreation, Mazur performed a whole recreation that might match up and down the lineup, which bodes nicely for his belief for call-ups.

“Particularly noticeable immediately,” Lalonde stated Sunday. “Superb begin to camp for him.”

To Lalonde, it’s value questioning the place Mazur could be if he hadn’t missed final coaching camp with a leg damage. Mazur nonetheless had an awesome rookie season with 17 targets and 37 factors in 60 video games, however this could’t change the instructing that goes right into a coaching camp to make gamers higher at understanding the sport. Even so, Mazur is responding nicely to this 12 months’s crash course.

In the same technique to Kasper, it feels as if preseason will give a greater window into the place Mazur could be at when he will get to play with extra NHL-ready expertise. And contemplating the flexibility of Mazur’s scrappy recreation, he may slot in lots of completely different combos. That may solely be a very good factor proper now as he tries to crack the lineup.

Nate Danielson

Danielson has but to play a full skilled season, however in final season’s coaching camp he actually shined. Together with his mix of speedy offense and 200-foot defensive dedication, Danielson seems to be a star within the making. So, expectations have been significantly excessive for him this coaching camp.

So far as assembly expectations, Danielson did an sufficient job, however he might need been outshined by the extra professionally skilled Mazur and Kasper. Danielson did play most of his minutes between Alex Chiasson and Isaac Ratcliffe — two NHL skilled gamers who’re attempting to make the roster — so he has that going for him. And even when he performed minimal five-on-five ice time within the Crimson & White Recreation, he was concerned within the play when he was on the market.

What stands out about Danielson is a trait frequent in Yzerman Period draft picks — his defensive accountability and his hockey sense. Danielson is aware of the place to be, and he places as a lot effort into his protection as he does his scoring. Being well-rounded lends itself to getting NHL ice time. In a bigger passage answering a query about how gamers discover their “B” recreation to lean on when their main contributions aren’t there, Lalonde credited a few prospects with having these property.

“What will get us enthusiastic about Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson up the center is that they have a 200-foot recreation,” Lalonde stated Sunday. “We’ll proceed to construct each components of that — the offensive and defensive components of it — however I believe it’s a must to be taught it. And sadly, some guys must be taught it the laborious approach, the place they don’t ever determine it out. It’s our job to develop that and develop that.”

Lalonde raved earlier within the week about Danielson’s defensive play and puck assist. These two traits are evident even when the scoring may not be so computerized. And whereas a 200-foot identification can typically be highlighted when a participant sn’t so noticeable on the assault, with Danielson the sense of a whole recreation is real.

“Lot of ability. Type of jogs my memory a little bit of (Connor) Bedard the way in which he performs and the way in which he stickhandles and shoots,” Kane stated Thursday of Danielson’s recreation. “He’s a high-end prospect as nicely, however it seems to be like he’s acquired a brilliant future.”

Bedard is a beneficiant comparability, though the Calder winner as soon as stated that Danielson was one of many hardest gamers he ever went up in opposition to within the WHL. However with respect to Danielson’s playmaking and hockey IQ, these excessive compliments are important.

Total, the Crimson Wings know that Danielson is coming. They know he’s going to be an influence participant, however it’s only a matter of when. Crimson Wings assistant director of participant growth Dan Cleary stated Sunday that he senses a while in Grand Rapids for Danielson, getting used to the professional recreation and its expectations. However what’s clear is that Danielson is coming quickly. If this coaching camp and preseason have been a film trailer, lots of Crimson Wings gamers, coaches and employees can be shopping for tickets.

Michael Brandsegg-Nygard

It’s been an underwhelming camp for MBN, however that could be extra so because of the picture constructed up in others’ minds of what he must be than what Detroit anticipated. He’s an 18 12 months previous in his first NHL camp, and even when he has professional parts to his recreation, there’s lots of adjustment. Even speaking has been tough.

“He nonetheless battles with the language barrier, which is actual,” Lalonde stated Sunday. “And I believe North American hockey is a little bit little bit of an adjustment, a little bit (much less) time and house most likely than he is used to, however I assumed he did very nicely and improved because the camp went on. Clearly, (he’ll) get some preseason video games right here. It will be vital.”

Humorous sufficient, the Norwegian-speaking Brandsegg-Nygard has had no downside speaking with Austrian-speaking linemate Kasper. Kasper instructed reporters Saturday that the 2 converse in Swedish as a connecting language. He additionally took the time to offer a scouting report on Brandsegg-Nygard’s recreation, praising his shot and his offensive thoughts.

With teammates, many Swedish audio system, that barrier hasn’t been so pronounced. However you might see clear indicators in Traverse Metropolis that MBN wasn’t understanding some practices and wanted additional teaching. That isn’t a nasty factor — it’s higher he learns this stuff now than sooner or later, and this crash course of a coaching camp helps him progress. Even earlier than coaching camp, the Crimson Wings tempered expectations for his or her youngest quote-unquote hopeful.

“With Michael, we’re simply gonna sit again and watch,” assistant basic supervisor Kris Draper stated throughout an intermission interview throughout the Crimson Wings’ first recreation in opposition to Dallas final week. “We’re gonna sit again, watch and consider, and provides him lots of alternative to point out what he can do. After which from there, you watch, you consider, and then you definitely make selections. However we’re not going to place any added stress on him. It is the identical scenario as a handful of our different first rounders which have type of come by means of right here and performed up right here. Simply exit, do your greatest. We wish you to compete. We wish you to play laborious. We wish you to do what you do.”

The early returns of coaching camp present that Brandsegg-Nygard isn’t prepared simply but, however he’s nonetheless going to get an opportunity to show his talents in preseason play. There, he would possibly be capable to exhibit his signature shot and his checking capacity that analysts have so glowingly praised. I get the sense that he’s certain for a return to Skelleftea no matter how these video games play out, however that’s not an indictment of his recreation greater than it’s a actuality of acclimating an 18-year-old to the hardest hockey league on the earth.

Brandsegg-Nygard may not be cracking the NHL lineup, however that doesn’t imply he has fallen behind. It simply means he isn’t forward.