The 5 Most Underrated Detroit Red Wings in 2015-2016

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To be “underrated” is defined as having one’s extent, value, and/or importance to be underestimated or undervalued. I relied and leaned heavily on this definition while considering which current Detroit Red Wings’ players deserve the label of “underrated”. This list is purely my own opinion on the topic at hand, so I understand that it also may not be the most popular or unanimous opinion, but hey, that’s what the comment section is for.

Apr 21, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings defenseman Kyle Quincey (27) warms up prior to game three of the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Joe Louis Arena. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

#5: Kyle Quincey

You could almost hear the collective groan from Detroit fans when the Red Wings re-signed Kyle Quincey to a two-year deal during the summer of 2014. That summer Ken Holland and company had been pursuing big-name defensive free-agents like Matt Niskanen, Christian Ehroff and Dan Boyle, but in the end we all got two-more years of Kyle Quincey. After being rejected by all the “pretty girls” at the dance, the thought of having to settle on Kyle Quincey being one of the Red Wings’ big free-agency signings that summer was pretty deflating at the time.

Fast-forward one-year into the present day and maybe Quincey wasn’t really deserving of all the flack/hate he got on social media last summer. Personally, Kyle grew on me a lot last year. Maybe it was the beard?

#4: Jimmy Howard

You may love him, you may hate him, but Jimmy Howard will get another chance next month at the Red Wings’ training camp to prove that he should be the man to start between the pipes for Detroit. It’s often said that two toughest jobs in Detroit are being the Lions’ quarterback and the Red Wings’ goalie, and I’m sure Jimmy Howard would definitely agree. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve both openly cursed and doubted Jimmy, but does he deserve all the negativity that comes his way?

Before suffering a groin injury during a game against the Capitals in early January, Howard was playing at an All-Star level by maintaining a 2.11 GAA and a .921 save percentage. Those numbers were good enough to make him Detroit’s only player to be selected to the NHL All-Star game. Unfortunately, Jimmy was unable to find his game after returning from the groin injury thus giving Petr Mrazek a chance to make a name for himself.

Here are some interesting numbers to think about and consider, between 2009-2015 Jimmy Howard averaged a 2.4 GAA alongside a 91.6 save percentage in 329 regular-season games. During the same time period Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens averaged a 2.41 GAA and a 91.9 save percentage in 342 games. Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers had 2.21 GAA and a 92.35 save percentage in 355 games.

Despite his lack of confidence sometimes, Jimmy Howard can play like an elite NHL goalie.

Next: #3: A Slovakian YouTube Sensation

Apr 11, 2015; Raleigh, NC, USA; Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Jurco (26) looks on against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The Red Wings defeated the Hurricanes 2-0. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

#3: Tomas Jurco

Tomas Jurco first made a name for himself with his dazzling YouTube videos displaying his amazing stick/puck-handling skills. After being Detroit’s first draft pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, fans in Hockeytown have been waiting to see Tomas bring his slick skills to the NHL.

It’s important to remember that Tomas Jurco is only 22 years old and has only played in 99 regular-season games for the Red Wings since being called up to the club late in the 2013-2014 season. His first career NHL goal came in December of 2013 and it was a beauty that gave fans a glimpse of what Jurco could do with the puck.

Tomas has spent a lot of his time in Detroit being juggled around the bottom-six, and he never quite found his game or role under former head coach Mike Babcock. Babcock seemed to prefer using Jurco as hard-checking grinder on the fourth line or simply being a healthy scratch. Look for Tomas to continue to develop his NHL game and possibly find a resurgence under his new/former coach Jeff Blashill.

Next: #2: Backhand Luke

Apr 4, 2015; Saint Paul, MN, USA; Detroit Red Wings forward Luke Glendening (41) against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. The Red Wings defeated the Wild 3-2 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

#2: Luke Glendening

Luke Glendening isn’t an “underrated” player to fans of the Detroit Red Wings (if he is, shame on you), but rather I feel that Glendening is an underrated Red Wing to the rest of the NHL/hockey-loving fan-base who are only familiar with the Datsyuks and Zetterbergs of the world.

What’s not to love about Luke Glendening? He’s an undrafted, gritty, hard-working player with an uncanny ability to score off backhanded goals. Luke’s style of play made him a favorite of both Mike Babcock and Detroit fans alike last season. Glendening is a blue-collar spark plug that possess all the qualities you would want in a fourth-line grinder.

Last season with the Red Wings, Luke played in all 82 regular-season games, netting a career-best 12 goals and 6 assists. He was also extremely important in Detroit’s first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Aside from having two goals in the series against Tampa, Luke was crucial in shutting down the dynamic Tyler Johnson and his line. Had Glendening not been forced to leave late in the game during Game 4, it’s very possible that Detroit may have eliminated the Lightning.

Tampa coach Jon Cooper had some high-praise for Luke during the first-round series by saying;

“I don’t know how to describe him. He’s an extremely responsible player, and there’s not a lot of guys out there like the Glendenings. He’s done a heck of a job on our guys.”

Next: #1: The Salt & Peppered Grinder

Apr 2, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings left wing Drew Miller (20) waits for the face off during the third period against the Boston Bruins at Joe Louis Arena. Boston won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

#1: Drew Miller

As soon as I made my list of the five most underrated Detroit Red Wings, I pretty much instantly knew who I’d choose to be at the #1 spot. In the previous slide I stated that Luke Glendening is not “underrated” in the eyes of most Detroit fans, and neither is Drew Miller. Like Glendening, Drew Miller is not given the full respect and coverage he deserves.

Sure, most hockey fans know about Drew’s brother Ryan, but those same fans probably aren’t aware of the contributions and effort that Drew provides to the Detroit Red Wings. Drew is one of the most, if not THE most, unsung fourth-line/penalty killers in the entire NHL today. Drew is not the high-paid player who is going to score the pretty goals that you’ll see replayed on the NHL Network every season, instead he’s the type of player that’s going to give a complete, gritty, heartfelt effort every shift he takes. Why? Because Drew Miller loves to play the game of hockey.

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