Wings Insider – “Young Vets” stepping up in big ways

By Dave Waddell –

The questions hung over the Detroit Red Wings in unusual numbers this summer with the retirements of defenseman Brian Rafalski, forward Kris Draper and goalie Chris Osgood.

It was thousands of games of experience and 10 Stanley Cups suddenly ripped from the line-up to be replaced by promise, hope, but ultimately the unknown.

Could the Wings’ defensive holes be plugged? Would the young vets like Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader be ready for bigger roles? Could Jiri Hudler, Johan Franzen and Valtteri Filppula have bounce-back years?

There were so many queries that the Wings nearly sank out of sight in the conversations about contenders for the Stanley Cup.

“I don’t mind that at all,” Wings captain Nick Lidstrom said.

“You still have to go through 82 games, face all the teams. In here, we have a lot of confidence as a group.

“I like the depth we have on our team. You look up front, but even on the back too but especially among the forwards, we have so much depth. We can call two guys up from the minors and they’ll fit right in.

“It’s the depth you have to have to have success.”

The answers are still evolving early in the season, but they hint that the Wings may yet pull off this season of transition while still remaining among the NHL’s elite.

No question had bigger implications than could Detroit plug the holes on the blue line.

The Wings opted to sign two defenders, Ian White and Mike Commodore, rather than throw gobs of money at the most coveted defensemen in what was a very thin market. The duo cost less than $4-million per season and it’s likely general manager Ken Holland can be complimented for money wisely not spent.

Through the early portion of the season, the Wings defense looks quite fine, thank you very much. Detroit’s already posted a pair of shutouts and has looked steady.

“Just attention to detail is important,” said Detroit forward Justin Abdelkader of the Wings; strong start to the season defensively.

“Anytime you pitch shutouts the goalies get the credit right away. Defensively, we’re trying to bear down and limit our turnovers in the neutral zone.”

While Commodore has been sidelined with a leg injury suffered late in the exhibition season, White has stepped right in as Lidstrom’s partner.

Through four games, he was a plus-four with two goals and a three points.

“I feel like I’m the luckiest guy in hockey,” White said of playing with Lidstrom.

A right-handed shot, White has been a perfect complement to the smooth-skating Lidstrom by bringing his gritty game to the mix.

“If you’re smaller you have to have the mindset you’re not going to be pushed around out there,” White said. “You’re either being pushed or you’re pushing.

“I try to get into the battles and come out with the puck every time. That’s my mindset. You gotta get in the gritty areas and do the grunt work, especially if you’re not blessed with size.

“I just try to work hard. I don’t take the easy way out in any situation out there.”

White and Commodore have also meshed nicely in the Wings dressing room environment.

“This year, the guys we got during the summer, it’s been really easy for them to fit into the team, fit into the system,” Henrik Zetterberg said. “It feels like Whitey (Ian White) has been here for four or five years.

“It’s fun to see him playing with Nick. It looks so natural.

“It’s been that way for all the new guys.”

There was never much question about the effectiveness of Detroit’s second pairing of Brad Stuart and Niklas Kronwall, but Detroit’s best start in 14 years has been aided enormously by the play of Jakub Kindl and Jonathan Ericsson.

The duo lead the Wings in the plus-minus department with a combined plus-11. It also places the youngsters amongst the league leaders.

However, the numbers aren’t nearly as encouraging to Wings’ brass as the eyeball test.

The pairing aren’t turning the puck over in excess and have been efficient at moving the biscuit without panic.

Kindl in particular is making his case and making it difficult for Commodore to find a regular spot when he is healthy enough to return. He’s played so well that Wings coach Mike Babcock volunteered Kindl is playing his best hockey as a Red Wing.

He’s not alone.

Detroit required several of its young veterans to step up and shoulder more of the load. They’ve done just that.

Cory Emmerton is playing so well on the fourth line, Babcock hasn’t been able to take the rookie out of the line-up.

Abdelkader and Helm have also been outstanding in the early going, combined on a line with Todd Bertuzzi, to give Detroit one of the more interesting third lines in the league.

The trio is a plus-eight and has chipped in with a couple of goals.

However, outside of the defense, the top of the Wings’ wish list this season were bounce-back years for Jiri Hudler and Johan Franzen and continued progression for Valtteri Filppula.

The threesome have delivered the goods thus far.

Hudler and Franzen have two goals and four points apiece while Filppula has a goal and three points.

With Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg not quite hitting on all cylinders yet, the depth that Lidstrom was so confident in is already surfacing.

Already 10 different players have scored and all but one of the team’s 13 goals to date have been at even strength.

Indeed, it seems the reports of the Wings’ early demise may be premature again.