Andreas Athanasiou: Should the Detroit Red Wings Keep or flip?

It is striking, really, the number of fans who lift up the name of Detroit Red Wings sniper Andreas Athanasiou as a trade chip in search of better players.  I don’t know where that comes from, but it is a theme one often hears.

Perhaps it is the residue of his 2017-2018 holdout, what with fans perceiving him as ungrateful. The Detroit Red Wings fanbase has a history of struggling to look holdouts in the past.  Such a young player asking for more than what the team offered!   I don’t know the merits of his bargaining case, but I do know we are not content accepting less than we imagine we are worth.

Perhaps it was his slow start after holding out. Athanasiou went a dozen games invisible on the ice, and off the scoring sheet.  That doesn’t wash well for offensive players. Then again, this year he gains consistency–the nemesis of youth–in all phases. We see him show up most every night.

Perhaps it is his defensive game that he needs to shape up to an NHL level. The Detroit Red Wings’ way is two-way players, not cherry-pickers lingering at the offensive blueline.  Athanasiou will never win a Selke trophy, but we can see Blashill’s imprint on his play. Recently, he saves a goal on the backcheck.

Perhaps it is Athanasiou’s locker room presence.  I know absolutely nothing about AA behind the scenes.

This is what I do know.

I know Dylan Larkin is among the fastest NHL skaters from his All-Star competition.  And Andreas Athanasiou looks even quicker than Dylan Larkin.  His skating speed is nothing short of blazing, intimidating defensemen and goalies. Could he be the fastest in the league? AA also grows stronger on his feet, learning how to lean into defensemen and drive the net.

I know Athanasiou now nips at Larkin’s team lead in goals, as he learns how to finish, which always takes time for prospects.  AA’s shot grows harder. He masters how to pick the upper corners. His shot release is still improving as he learns that powerful, instant flick of the wrist without first telegraphing his shot.

I know fans calling for the Detroit Red Wings to dangle him as trade bait complain that we no longer pluck primo prospects from the latter draft rounds. Detroit drafted Athanasiou in the fourth round, the 110th overall.

I know NHL general managers are right to declare: the best trades are often the ones you don’t make.  Do you remember when we traded Adam Oates and Paul MacLean for Bernie Federko, Tony McKegney, and a bag of hockey pucks? One of the worst trades of our lifetime. What do you say we not replicate it?