Detroit Red Wings: 3 skaters that are exceeding expectations

Detroit Red Wings defenseman, Olli Maatta, has exceeded expectations so far in 2022-23.

Steve Yzerman signed veteran free agent defenseman Olli Maatta to a one-year deal this past summer worth $2.25 million. Maatta, 28, has primarily been paired with Filip Hronek, replacing Marc Staal this season. Staal joined the Florida Panthers this summer in free agency, leaving a void that needed to be filled in Detroit’s top four; Maatta is proving to be a steal.

Both Staal and Maatta have proved to be solid defense partners for Hronek. Both are veteran left-handed shots and defensive-minded defenders, a perfect compliment to the offensive-minded Hronek.

Now, at one time, primarily when he broke into the league with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Maatta could handle himself quite well in the offensive zone. He’d never be Cale Makar, Paul Coffey, or Bobby Orr, but Maatta did record a couple of 29-point seasons with the Penguins early on in his career. In six seasons with Pittsburgh, Maatta recorded 25 goals and 107 points. Since he’s notched just seven goals and 36 points in 193 games over three and a quarter years.

Over 22 games with the Detroit Red Wings, Maatta has recorded two goals and seven points while averaging just a touch under 20 minutes of ice time per night. Last season with the Kings, the veteran defender totaled eight points in 66 games. Maatta is averaging about a minute and a half more per game this season under head coach Derek Lalonde than his career average.

When Yzerman added Maatta, I wasn’t overly impressed; it seemed like a reclamation project and perhaps a third-pairing bridge defender. Maatta is playing some good hockey and may become a mid-level trade chip for the Detroit Red Wings ahead of the trade deadline, that is, if they find themselves as sellers. But at 28 years old, don’t rule out a multi-year extension for Maatta at a similar rate, either.