Elias Pettersson in town to take on the Detroit Red Wings
By Bob Heyrman
The Detroit Red Wings will try to get back into the win column tonight as they are set to take on the Vancouver Canucks at Little Ceasars Arena.
Elias Pettersson has been just as advertised for the Vancouver Canucks. The kid has been a thorn in the side of each and every one of his opponents he has played against this season. Expect it to be no different tonight as the Detroit Red Wings will try to corral the young rookie.
Pettersson looks to be the early favorite to finish as the NHL’s rookie of the year. The 6 foot 2, 19-year-old rookie has eye-popping numbers through his first 9 NHL games. He has 9 goals and 15 points.
Pettersson has already taken over the top line center position for the Canucks. Bo Horvat is gifted in his own right has been skating as the second line center. Brock Boeser another talented young forward is day-to-day with a groin injury. The trio sparks a bright future for the Vancouver Canucks. Boeser is nearly a point a game player and Horvat has 11 points in 15 games, netting 7 goals.
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Although the Canucks and Detroit Red Wings are both going through growing pains or a rebuild, I would say those three players I just mentioned are better than any three Detroit Red Wings youngsters. Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha are excellent players, but those three Canucks are heading towards being three superstars. The Wings only have one “potential” superstar skating with the club right now, and that is Dylan Larkin.
Dennis Cholowski and Mike Green have struggled in their own end over the last few games which have led Jeff Blashill to make a switch. Cholowski will be demoted for tonight to play with Niklas Kronwall during five on five play, while Mike Green will skate with Trevor Daley. I think Blashill will look for Green and Daley to defend the crafty Pettersson line tonight. Watch out for this kid; he has a Pavel Datsyuk-like style and buzz around him. He has vision on the ice, unlike many others, have at his age, he is indeed a special player.
Frans Nielsen and Andreas Athanasiou are both aiming to return to the Detroit Red Wings lineup for Friday night’s game hosting the New York Rangers. Jonathan Ericsson and Thomas Vanek both remain sidelined with injuries. The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Christoffer Ehn, but he will be a healthy scratch for tonight’s game.
The projected Detroit Red Wings lines;
Darren Helm – Dylan Larkin (A) – Anthony Mantha
Gustav Nyquist – Jacob de La Rose – Michael Rasmussen
Justin Abdelkader (A) – Luke Glendening – Tyler Bertuzzi
Luke Witkowski – Wade Megan – Martin Frk
Trevor Daley – Mike Green
Danny DeKesyer – Nick Jensen
Niklas Kronwall (A) – Dennis Cholowski
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Game Information:
- Detroit Red Wings 4-8-2 vs. Vancouver Canucks 9-6-0
- Time: 7:30 EST
- Location: Little Ceasars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
- TV: Fox Sports Detroit, Sportsnet Pacific, Fox Sports Go, NHL.TV
- Radio: 97.1 The Ticket
- OddsShark Odds- Det -135
- Last 10 – Detroit 7-3-0