Detroit Red Wings: 4 players to watch closely during training camp
Detroit Red Wings 2023 first-rounder Nate Danielson will get reps.
When the Detroit Red Wings landed Nate Danielson in the first round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, there was some intrigue surrounding him. He’s a gifted prospect who excels all over the ice with the chance to be the complete package in a player.
Training camp will be a great opportunity for the Detroit Red Wings to see how Danielson will stack up against NHL talent. After all, he was labeled as the toughest opponent that Connor Bedard faced off against, which was a nice tip of the cap from the prospect many have viewed as having as much hype as Connor McDavid did.
Danielson will head into training camp fresh off the teams’ Prospect Tournament. The Red Wings group of prospects got off to a 0-3 start, but Danielson showed some encouraging signs. He picked up five assists over two games played. He was held out of the final game from the Prospect Tournament but is expected to suit up with the team for training camp.
There’s been a lot of talk about Danielson being a 200-foot player, bringing a complete game to the table. The Red Wings are assuredly hoping that Danielson can develop into something special. For Detroit, they are hoping Danielson will morph into a true 200-foot player.
It will be interesting to see how Danielson handles his first training camp, and it will be fun to see how he matches up against NHL talent. For Detroit fans, they should keep an eye on him out there during training camp.
Detroit Red Wings forward Marco Kasper is looking to impress.
Another former first-round draft choice of the Detroit Red Wings is Marco Kasper. The former eighth-overall draft pick was a first-rounder from the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Kasper is someone that Red Wings fans need to keep an eye on at training camp.
While Kasper made his NHL debut in 2022-23, it was short and sweet, lasting all of one game. He ended up having to call it quits on the season after a knee injury led to things being shortened. This came after Kasper played in 52 games with Rögle BK of the SHL, scoring eight goals and adding 15 assists for 23 total points.
But, looking ahead to the 2023-24 season, it will be interesting to see where Kasper slots in. He will fight for a roster spot, but he could end up in Grand Rapids to get some more development under his belt before leaping the NHL roster once again.
Kasper is one of those prospects that needs to have a big camp. If he comes out and impresses, he could end up in Detroit, but he would have to be impressive at training camp, surely. The situation is similar to that of Lucas Raymond a few years back.
When Raymond broke into the league, he may have ended up in the AHL to start if it weren’t for a good performance that helped him jump into the NHL for his rookie campaign. For Kasper, he’s in a similar position.
However, the odds of him opening the 2023-24 season on Detroit’s roster may be on the slim side. But things could change if Kasper can come out and perform exceptionally well. In the Prospect Tournament, Kasper looked good up the middle, finding ways to get involved in the offensive zone.
He was sort of a spark plug to create scoring chances. He’s quick on the ice and seemingly finds ways to get involved offensively, whether it’s on the forecheck or with the puck in their possession.
As the team gets underway with camp, the Red Wings faithful should keep their eyes on Kasper to see how he does.
Detroit Red Wings addition Christian Fischer could be sneaky-valuable.
The Detroit Red Wings went out and added some new faces this off-season. There were a few new forwards who were added to the mix. While Alex DeBrincat is the man of the hour and the most significant addition, there is some value among the others who were brought in.
One of the more underrated additions this summer was Christian Fischer. The 26-year-old forward did a great job over his seven years in Arizona. He is fresh off of a 2022-23 season where he scored 13 goals and added 14 assists for 27 total points over 80 games played.
He may not have been a perennial 20-goal scorer or even a perennial 15-goal scorer. But for Detroit, they’re hoping to extract some value from the forward after signing him to a one-year, $1.125 million contract.
While Detroit hopes they can extract some offense from Fischer, he will shine elsewhere. He’s the perfect addition to the bottom six, being someone who brings upside as a penalty killer and can be valuable in the defensive zone.
Fischer wants to be someone who can provide an impact, even if it does not mean showing up on the scoresheet over and over again. His schtick will be playing well defensively and being an anchor in the defensive zone, sometimes packing in some offensive upside.
Keep an eye on Fischer in training camp. Pay attention to how he works in the defensive zone and see how they mix him in with line combinations as well as any special teams work.
Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen is ready to go.
The Detroit Red Wings lost out on Michael Rasmussen getting in a full season after he sustained an injury while blocking a shot. For Detroit, it was great to see Rasmussen undergoing a bit of a breakout season.
The Red Wings veteran forward had done an exceptional job in 2022-23, and while his season was cut short, there was plenty to like about it. There was a much-needed breakout performance expected last year, and he ended up following through on it.
Rasmussen played in 56 games last season, scoring ten goals and adding 19 assists for 29 total points. He tapped into some offense and showed a lot to like. He was able to settle into the team’s forward core, bring some physicality, and take some strides last season.
There’s a lot to like with the Red Wings forward, and after missing time with his injury in 2022-23, he was cleared, and he’s ready to go for the 2023-24 season. As the Red Wings return to training camp, it will be good to see Rasmussen on the ice again.
He’s taken on some of that junkyard dog attitude that Tyler Bertuzzi played with before being traded. So it will be good to see how things go for Rasmussen in 2023-24, especially if he can start strong and double down on his breakout performance during the 2022-23 season.
Fans should keep an eye on Rasmussen to see how he does after getting back on the ice. He could be an integral part of this team’s forward core. Sure, he may not be the scorer like Alex DeBrincat, but he’s still an important piece of the puzzle for the Red Wings, and he’s looking to show that again in 2023-24.
Next. Detroit Red Wings add a few veterans to training camp roster on PTOs. dark
Rasmussen is another player that Red Wings fans should watch this training camp to see how things go as he hits the ice again.