Detroit Red Wings: Is something brewing with the Artem Anisimov PTO?
By Tyler Kotila
The Detroit Red Wings brought in some new faces to join the training camp roster. They ended up with 68 players on the roster before the team got underway with training camp in Traverse City on Thursday, but the Red Wings opted to take a chance.
For the Detroit Red Wings, this meant bringing in some players on Professional Tryout contracts or PTOs. But, for the Red Wings, this came in the form of a few veteran NHL players looking to earn a spot. One of the players the Red Wings invited to camp was Artem Anisimov.
While Anisimov may not have played in the NHL since the 2020-21 season, he spent time in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season. He’s a seasoned veteran of the NHL and is looking to latch on in Detroit in a depth role.
On top of his veteran presence, he has played with Alex DeBrincat, who is the Red Wings’ big addition from the summer of 2023. So, having a veteran with some chemistry with DeBrincat might end up being considered advantageous for Detroit in the eyes of Steve Yzerman.
Detroit Red Wings are banking on forward Artem Anisimov to provide depth.
Anisimov is 35 years old and has played 13 years in the NHL. While he may not have played at the NHL level in a few seasons, he’s got that experience and played alongside DeBrincat, which also gives him a leg up.
He’s looking to prove he can hang, and even though he was brought in on a PTO, I’d venture to say that he will likely break camp on a deal with Detroit, even if it ends up being a deal with Grand Rapids. A depth add or not, I’d bet the Red Wings take a chance on the veteran.
In case of any injuries or drastic fall-offs, the Red Wings may not be looking to elevate a prospect too early, so having someone like Anisimov to fall back on might feel like a nice insurance clause. Even though he’s not a top-tier addition, falling back on Anisimov as depth would be smart for the Red Wings to add to the stockade.
The PTO extended to Anisimov could leave something brewing, as the Red Wings may want to bring him in for depth. It’s not that he will battle and win an NHL roster spot, but a good performance in camp could leave him earning a chance to stick in Grand Rapids.
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After 2022-23, where he played in 55 games with the Flyers AHL affiliate, scoring 19 goals and adding 17 assists for 36 total points. It’s not a crazy addition or one with a ton of weight with the team’s opening night roster, but Anisimov is battling to take over a depth spot with the organization.