The Red Wings' reinforcements

by James Mirtle on Nov 3, 2008 2:30 PM CST Comment 13 comments

Sure, Detroit's a great team now. But they've got some nice help on the way, too:

The American Hockey League announced today that Grand Rapids Griffins center Justin Abdelkader has been named the Reebok Edge/AHL Rookie of the Month for October. Abdelkader scored seven goals and added two assists for nine points in seven games for the Griffins.

Abdelkader is from Muskegon, Michigan, and was a star at Michigan State, so he's going to be awfully popular in Detroit when he cracks that lineup. He was a mid-second round pick back in 2005 and is only 21.

If he keeps this pace up, I bet we see him in the NHL at some point this season.

A few European players have been lighting it up in Grand Rapids as well, with Finland's Ville Leino among the AHL scoring leaders with 13 points in eight games and unheralded Swede Mattias Ritola with nine points in eight games. Jonathan Ericsson is logging big minutes on the blueline, too.

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Abdelkader

Justin Abdelkader is fast. Watching him at State, I was impressed with his effort more than his raw ability. I’m not sure that it’s going to translate as well as he goes to the top level, but that may just be bias from having grown up in Ann Arbor.

Michigan State, at least while Abdelkader was there, played the most aggressive forecheck I have ever seen on a whole game basis. It was ferocious, and relied heavily upon the speed and effort of everyone, with Abdelkader at the top of the list. I hate State, but their championship team was a lot of fun to watch.

Completely irrelevant note: You can tell that Abdelkader’s family has been in the US for a while, because he pronounces his last name in a very Americanized way: AB del KAY der. All of the Muslims I’ve known would have pronounced it AHB del kah DEER.

by J. Michael Neal on Nov 3, 2008 2:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Dear god when will it end

Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.

by Chemmy on Nov 3, 2008 2:59 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, he's a great player.

I know plenty of fans, myself included, who would rather see the likes of Abdelkader and Darren Helm on the fourth line instead of Kirk Maltby and Darren McCarty. Abs is such a great physical forward and I can’t wait to consistently see him in the Winged Wheel.

But this is the Wings system, develop for at least a year or two in the AHL and you’ll truly be ready when you get a roster spot. Unlike teams at the bottom of the conference, we don’t take a first round draft pick and use him right away. We let him develop and in time, he’ll be a great asset for the team (ex. Niklas Kronwall).

by Christy on Nov 3, 2008 3:05 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Abdelkader is quite impressive, I saw him while I was at Michigan State. He was very influential in their CCHA championship. The thing I always worry about the Red Wings now is with the plethora of talent in the minor league, it will eventually want to play in the NHL. I fear at some point many will want to go elsewhere to get some significant playing time.

On any other team, it seems Helm, Leino and Abdelkader would have game minutes at this point.

by hallock on Nov 3, 2008 3:20 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Oh yeah, no question. I think some of those guys could play on the top lines for the Thrashers or Islanders.

by James Mirtle on Nov 3, 2008 3:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Alright alright, if you insist: We’ll take ’em!

SBN now has a NY Islanders blog at LighthouseHockey.com.

by Dominik on Nov 3, 2008 4:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Helm should be on Detroit full time regardless. It’s only due to cap problems that he isn’t.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Nov 3, 2008 4:24 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

They wanted to call up Leino, too, and couldn’t due to cap concerns.

by James Mirtle on Nov 3, 2008 4:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I suppose the Red Wings just have to hope their organization is so enticing to their farm players that they aren’t tempted by free agency or what not.

by hallock on Nov 3, 2008 4:43 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

What a relief. It’s been what, at least a month since the Wings have had a promising young weapon come up through their system?

SBN now has a NY Islanders blog at LighthouseHockey.com.

by Dominik on Nov 3, 2008 3:35 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Hahaha

Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.

by Chemmy on Nov 3, 2008 4:24 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Leino

… was the consolation prize for losing the Fabian Brunnstrom sweepstakes, so you can’t have him. And Abdelkader is already a big favorite in the area after playing just a few games with Detroit last year.

Anyone want Samuelsson? :)

"A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with." -- Tennessee Williams

by Baroque on Nov 3, 2008 5:35 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I second that.

We’ll happily give up Sammy, Brett Lebda, and/or Andreas Lilja. But if you take those three, I’m not sure who Wings fans would gripe about, but I think we’ll find a way to manage.

by Christy on Nov 4, 2008 6:43 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs