The Detroit Red Wings might have one of the worst bottom-six groups in the NHL right now.
The combined efforts of Michael Rasmussen, J.T. Compher, Keegan Kolesar, (formerly) Nate Danielson and a rotating cast of Carter Mazur, Mason Appleton, Marco Kasper, Sheldon Dries and John Leonard have amounted to 18 points.
Lucas Raymond, who has 18 points in 19 games, has more points than all nine players that have played in the bottom-six this season combined.
In the past, the only thing that's sunk the Red Wings' playoff hopes faster than the March collapse is the lack of depth scoring. Should his trend continue, the Red Wings will likely suffer the same fate (with or without the annual March Sadness).
Fortunately, there's a solution waiting in the wings (no pun intended): prospect Jesse Kiiskinen of the Grand Rapids Griffins.
How Jesse Kiiskinen can help the Red Wings
Kiiskinen has been one of the most pleasant surprises on the Griffins this season. In 14 games, the flashy forward has 13 points, good for third in scoring among Griffins skaters behind Dominik Shine and Carter Bear. What makes his near point-per-game effort so impressive is that he spent half the season on the third line. That means Kiiskinen is just as much a driver of play as he is a legitimate threat in the offensive zone.
Kiiskinen is the type of player that can contribute on any line in which he's deployed -- which is what makes him a perfect fit for the Red Wings.
Detroit, to put it mildly, needs some scoring depth. They need a player capable of generating offense without a top center or playmaking winger on the third line. Kiiskinen is an ideal fit for a team in desperate need of a legitimate threat.
Why the Red Wings need Kiiskinen
The team's top-six wingers - Lucas Raymond, Viktor Arvidsson, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Alex DeBrincat - are all more than capable offensively. On the bottom-six end of things, the talent level takes a nosedive. According to Daily Faceoff, Michael Rasmussen, Keegan Kolesar, Mason Appleton and J.T. Compher make up the team's four wingers on the bottom-six.
Together, they combine for 11 points on the season.
The bottom-six lineup, as it stands, looks like this:
Rasmussen - Kasper - Compher
Appleton - Dries - Kolesar
With the addition of Kiiskinen, the lineup could shift in any number of ways. Compher could move down to the bottom line, giving Dries and Appleton an identity of a shutdown role. Kiiskinen and Kasper could combine their physical style of play with Rasmussen providing some degree of support.
The bottom-six right now just doesn't cut it. If the Red Wings don't want to bring Kiiskinen into the mix, they've got other options. Dylan James is one of the best penalty killers in the AHL and could provide a much-needed boost to the team's depth. Carter Bear is dominating the AHL at nearly a point and a half per game and would certainly be a shot of adrenaline in the lineup. Even Dominik Shine, who scored his first career NHL goal last season, would be a boon.
As it stands, the Red Wings can't in good faith keep their bottom-six status quo.
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