Detroit Red Wings: Martin Frk Working Hard To Become a Regular

Martin Frk is what some would say a “one trick pony.” He is working hard at becoming a regular in the lineup for the Detroit Red Wings.

When the Detroit Red Wings are heading to a man advantage throughout the course of the hockey game, Martin Frk more times or not is hopping over the boards and heading into the offensive zone hoping to set up shop in the “Alex Ovechkin” office.

Much of Frk’s ice-time comes while the Detroit Red Wings are on the power-play. Jeff Blashill over the years has become very reluctant to play the winger with any regularity while the team is skating five on five.

Frk often found sitting at the end of the bench just waiting for his shoulder to be tapped and it has been happening a little bit more regularly these days. The Detroit Red Wings forwards have been banged up lately allowing a few more shifts for a guy like Frk to try and get into more of a groove.

He’s a guy often found playing with grinding fourth line type players. He doesn’t get many opportunities to score other than his work on the PP. I wonder if his production would see a boost playing with say, Frans Nielsen and Michael Rasmussen? Frk needs to string a couple of complete games together and get an opportunity to play a few shifts on more of a third line to see what he can do with more skilled players.

More from Octopus Thrower

Yet Frk hasn’t made some abrupt scoring boost he has looked better of late during five on five play. He had a goal disallowed because he was a step offside, that was while the teams were even. Frk caught the Vancouver Canucks on a bad line change but unfortunately for him; he was offside.

For a guy playing 9:03 TOI a night he has to make good of every opportunity he gets. Through seven games, Frk has a goal and an assist. He is skating as a minus 1. Frk starts 76% of his even-strength shifts in the offensive zone. It tells the story of Frk and what his coach thinks of his defensive zone ability.

Recently Helene St. James of Freep.com; Had an interview with Jeff Blashill to talk about Frk and what he needs to do to acquire more minutes;

"“He has to outplay guys that are ahead of him, number one,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “When he plays in games, he has to outplay those guys and show that him being in the lineup helps us win more than somebody else in the lineup. It’s not always easy to do when you’re in a position like his — when you get in sporadically and when you do get in you don’t play tons — it’s not easy. But the NHL is not easy."

Martin Frk has been known recently to be one of the first guys to the rink and one of the last ones to leave on practice days. The coaching staff notices the extra effort. He may sense his career hanging in a sort of limbo. The 25-year-old forward has seen himself recently in more games rather than watching them from the press box.

Next. Four Detroit Red Wings who could Help the Vancouver Canucks. dark

With the Detroit Red Wings expected to see some of their better forwards back from various injuries, it makes me wonder if Frk again will be the odd man out. I would expect Frk to be “safe” for a couple more weeks until Thomas Vanek is prepared to return.

Home/Red Wings News