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Detroit Red Wings: Sulak Struggles in Cali Looks to Rebound

By Bob Heyrman

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 7: Libor Sulak #47 of the Detroit Red Wings handles the puck with pressure from Ilya Kovalchuk #17 of the Los Angeles Kings during the third period of the game at STAPLES Center on October 7, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 7: Libor Sulak #47 of the Detroit Red Wings handles the puck with pressure from Ilya Kovalchuk #17 of the Los Angeles Kings during the third period of the game at STAPLES Center on October 7, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The young Detroit Red Wings defenders will take their lumps at times.  Other times they will look sensational. It is all part of the development process.

I can say I would much rather see a guy like Libor Sulak have a game as he did in Anaheim where he was clearly fighting it.  He was turning the puck over in his own zone and often finding himself out of position. It is something the Detroit Red Wings know will happen throughout the season with their young team.

It was the first time over the three games to start the season where the bright lights did indeed look too bright for the young Czech defender.  Sulak often described by us as a terrific skater and that is accurate.  One thing we have tried to mention is the moments like this will happen throughout the season.  The question becomes will the young players be able to clear their mind and regain confidence as early as the next game.

The benefit of a veteran player that has seen it all, they understand that they will have a bad night now and then and are able to get past it mentally before the next outing.  When you’re rebuilding you need to understand this is going to happen, you hope it doesn’t shatter a players confidence.

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Sulak has been a workhorse early on through the first three games which will leave him more opportunities to become exposed.  He has averaged 20:27 minutes of ice-time a night to start his Detroit Red Wings career.  He has yet to record a point but has shown the ability to rush the puck into the offensive zone and has served as a valuable penalty killer.  Those have been the good in Sulak’s game.

Imagine having to watch Jonathan Ericsson play over 20 minutes a night and then it won’t feel so bad. Trust me if Ericsson was healthy and on this past road trip Jeff Blashill would have had him out there 22-23 minutes during both games.  The big Swedish defenseman would have been lumbering his way around the defensive zone trying to chase Ilya Kovalchuk and Anze Kopitar.  We should not be “ok” with a guy like Ericsson struggling night after night and either should Blashill.

Sulak would benefit from playing in Grand Rapids right now but is forced into a heavy workload in Detroit early on.  I hope Jeff Blashill allows Sulak an opportunity tomorrow to regain some of his confidence back.

Libor Sulak would benefit or become “less exposed” if he were playing on the third pairing with Nick Jensen rather than playing like a top-four defenseman.  The problem is Detroit is banged up, and he is forced to play above his experience level.

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A guy like Filip Hronek who has been averaging around 17 minutes a night and playing against the opposition’s bottom six forwards hasn’t looked out of place.  If Sulak were in that role, he would have much less exposure.  Hronek also gets power play minutes rather than the “hard” penalty killing minutes that Libor sees.

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