A pair of potential breakout candidates next year for the Detroit Red Wings

He was the talk of the town for the final two weeks of the regular season with the Detroit Red Wings.

The Detroit Red Wings signed Taro Hirose to an Entry-Level contract right out of Michigan State University.  The forward had a spectacular final season with the Spartans; he wasn’t a Hobey Baker Finalist which is awarded to the NCAA hockey player of the year, they only nominate three but he had to of been in consideration.

More from Octopus Thrower

• Detroit Red Wings forward Carter Mazur injured in Prospect Tournament
• Detroit Red Wings: What does Klim Kostin’s role look like in 2023-24?
• Detroit Red Wings: 3 players who will make biggest impact in first year
• The Detroit Red Wings need Andrew Copp to start fast in 2023-24
• Detroit Red Wings had a busy off-season; but was it enough?

Taro Hirose was awarded Big Ten player of the year edging out the Michigan Wolverines defenseman Quinn Hughes.  Hughes is a player the Wings had an opportunity to draft last season before Filip Zadina fell into their lap.  By all accounts, the team had their eyes on a defender from the London Knights named Evan Bouchard.  He could turn into a solid pro, but I feel that would have been a safe pick by Ken Holland.  Hughes dazzled in a short spurt with the Vancouver Canucks at the end of the season after his college career came to a close.

Hirose became a valuable find for the Ken Holland and company.  Hirose decided to sign with the Wings because he figured it would be his best opportunity to play right away.  If he decided to sign with a playoff team or a Stanley Cup contender he would have been hard-pressed to crack the lineup until next season.

You may think that wouldn’t be a big deal, but Hirose might have started his career in the American Hockey League next season.  It would be the first year of his three-year Entry-Level contract.  By playing immediately with the Wings to end last season, it accounts for the first year of his ELC meaning he can sign his first deal a year quicker making more money a year faster.

I was very impressed with his play last season.  He seems ready for the big stage; he controlled the play with confidence.  He proved to be a crafty pass-first player who won’t score a tonne of goals, but if he’s playing with players like Andreas Athanasiou or Filip Zadina, he would compliment their scoring ability very favorably.

Last year Hirose played 10 games and recorded 1 goal adding 6 assists totaling 7 points.  This is a prime example of how analytics don’t always agree with the eye test.  If you were to look at the stat line along with asking fans how they thought Hirose faired it be essentially be all positive feedback.  His possession stats through those ten games were atrocious; he recorded a 37.7 CF%.

I expect if he starts next season as a top-six forward, he should be around 50%, that would be much more respectable.  I feel as though Hirose could be a 10 goal, 40 assist type of player as early as next season.  He’s another breakout candidate for the franchise next season.