Perhaps no other player on the Detroit Red Wings has had a harder time breaking through than forward Carter Mazur.
When the former third round pick made his debut with the Grand Rapids Griffins, an upper body injury sidelined him from October until January 2025. A few months later, he made his NHL debut, only to suffer a season ending injury just two shifts into his first game.
Last season, a lower body injury kept him out for the majority of the year. Fortunately, when he returned, he played out of his mind, putting up 16 points in just as many games with the Griffins. This, in turn, earned him a call back to Detroit, where he played the final eight games of the season.
While Mazur didn't show up on the scoresheet, his development last season is instrumental in rebuilding the team's bottom-six.
Mazur is ready to take the next step
In an interview with the Detroit News, head coach Todd McLellan shared that, while he didn't know much about Mazur, his brief introduction showed something in the forward's game the Red Wings lack: tenacity.
"He's had some serious injuries that have kept him out of hockey for a real long time, but we think he can bring an element of tenacity to the club, that 'hunt' mentality that we preach."
If there's one thing the Red Wings seemed short on last season, it was heart and grit. At no point should Alex DeBrincat be the only one standing up for his teammates. Now, more than anything, the Red Wings have to establish a gritty culture where they never back down from confrontation.
Fortunately, the front office has a solution in place. But it'll take more than Keegan Kolesar to build up a culture of grit. They need players to lead by example.
Mazur could be just that player.
A fourth line worth fighting for
One bruiser is a problem for opposing teams. Two is a nightmare. With Mazur and Kolesar on the same line, the duo form a pulverizing unit capable of leveling even the toughest of players. When combined with efforts from players like Moritz Seider, Ben Chiarot and Simon Edvinsson, you've got wave upon wave of guys that will lay out the competition, paving the way for skill players like Alex DeBrincat to score.
Mazur (and Kolesar, for that matter) may not always show up on the score sheet, but their contributions are just as important. Without exhausting the opposition, the Red Wings have a tougher time scoring and setting up the team for success. This is why the iconic Grind Line of Darren McCarty, Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby was so effective in years past. They were able to wear down the other team so guys like Sergei Fedorov and Steve Yzerman had opportunity.
The change may be subtle at first, but as long as Mazur can stay healthy, he can become a niche sort of difference-maker for the Red Wings.
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