Red Wings Newcomer Panik in Position to Make Plays

When the Detroit Red Wings acquired Jakub Vrana and Richard Panik during Monday’s NHL Trade Deadline, most of the immediate attention focused on one player.

And Vrana didn’t disappoint during his debut, scoring on his first shot and sparking the Red Wings to a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena.

If fans were not immediately discussing Vrana’s speed, puck-handling skills, and untapped potential, they were glowing over the 2021 first-round draft pick and the 2022 second-rounder the Red Wings also received in the deal with the Washington Capitals for Anthony Mantha.

Panik’s presence was an afterthought.

“Oh, he’s just a throw-in …”

“A salary dump …”

“Twelve-game rental …”

Red Wings Depth Bolstered

Those were some of the comments being thrown out, verbally and digitally, about the 30-year-old former second-round draft pick.

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill had a different perspective on Panik, who collected 22 goals as a member of the Blackhawks during 2016-17.

“He’s a big, strong guy who has the ability,” Blashill said, per detnews.com. “We’ve talked all year long about trying to have good depth of scoring and depth of offense and being able to play four lines.

“He gives us another guy, and I don’t know where in those lines he fits exactly, we’ll see. But the point is, at times he’s been a good NHL player, and if he can be a good NHL player for us, that’s another guy that can bring depth for us.”

Positioning Panik

Blashill positioned Panik in a variety of roles and on several lines, in a way to help the newcomer prove himself.

While Vrana led all Red Wings forwards with 6:48 of time on the ice (TOI) during the first period, Panik registered 4:49 TOI. Early in the second period, Panik played on the top line with Dylan Larkin and Filip Zadina, and finished with 12:56 TOI with no shots on goal or hits.

But he did prove what he’ll sacrifice.

With under six minutes remaining in the third, the Red Wings leading 3-1 and attempting to hold off a Blackhawks rally, Vrana whiffed on a clearing attempt. Blackhawks defenseman Nikita Zadorov intercepted the puck and drove to the net. As Zadorov faked a shot, Panik jumped into the fray skates first, his gloves covering his face.

Zadorov missed his chance.

Panik didn’t.

Vrana may be acquiring most of the headlines, but Panik is proving he’s more than a trade throw-in, more than a salary dump.

And If he proves enough over the final four weeks, he just may not be a 12-game rental.