The turning point & the fresh to death Finn: Olli Määttä
Of all the possible names and turning points, the first that comes to my mind is Olli Määttä.
A stoic Finn with an unexpected sense of humor and warm persona chose the Detroit Red Wings twice. Some people might say the Detroit Red Wings were a last resort but I know general managers love safe, reliable defensemen with a pedigree of winning the Stanley Cup. With this thinking in mind, I find it hard to believe that the Detroit Red Wings were the only interested team in Määttä.
Regardless of the opportunities Määttä did or didn’t have, he brought with him a bit of a new look to the Detroit Red Wings blueline.
The perfect compliment to a young, wild Filip Hronek, Määttä provided the stability needed for Hronek to spread his wings without crippling his team in their own zone. Hronek has since moved on to the Vancouver Canucks, earning a healthy contract (in both dollar and term), I have to wonder where Hronek might be without the help of Määttä. I guess we’ll never know, but Hronek seemed like a different player after he spent time with Määttä.
Whenever a defenseman needed a reset or was coming back from an injury, Määttä seemed to be the prime candidate to pair him with as the coach and teammates trusted him in any situation with any teammate.
Määttä was a breath of fresh air from the veterans of old. Previously, veterans arrived only to get a steady paycheck and a reliable place to live for 2-5 years.
I see Määttä’s continued hunger for another Stanley Cup, dedication to the young defensemen coming up, and his reliability that the Detroit Red Wings desperately need.
It’s been a privilege watching Määttä play no matter the outcome of this season and beyond.