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The Detroit Red Wings want to know where Filip Zadina is in the handful of upcoming games. Filmed February 23, 2019 in Detroit.
Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press
The message to Filip Zadina was simple: when you get the puck, run it.
the Detroit The Red Wings' pick in the 2018 draft will make his NHL debut on Sunday, and while the focus is on him to take advantage of the experience, it's also to encourage him to be himself . This is not an audition for this season, but for the next one, and the Wings want him to feel comfortable while showing the way he has come from the camp d & # 39; drive.
"Part of that is seeing where he is, how ready he is," coach Jeff Blashill said Saturday. "For the long term of this organization, where is it? And in the long run, I mean next year.
The Wings have selected Zadina sixth overall last June, pleased to add a high-end winger who is expected to reach third place. Her first year of professional hockey has been difficult, but this call is a reward for how hard Zadina has worked with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Filip Zadina was selected sixth by the Red Wings in the NHL Draft 2018 on June 22 in Dallas. (Photo11: Tom Pennington, Getty Images)
"I have grown a lot," said Zadina. "In Grand Rapids, they help me a lot to develop in the defensive zone, neutral zone, offensive zone, on the ice. They made me a better player than at the beginning of the season. "
Zadina explained that he had figured out how to be more patient, which allowed him to score four goals and five assists in a sequence of seven games. He will now have the opportunity to show his skills in Detroit.
SEIDEL: The Red Wings call Filip Zadina. Here's why it's not a finished product
Blashill did not want to give Zadina a spot in the top six immediately, so he started on a line with Luke Glendening and Thomas Vanek. Glendening is the safety net of the line with its defense and skating. Vanek is a creative player who knows how to play that few people see.
"As I just spoke to Filip, his job is to shoot when he gets those passes, not to look for him," said Blashill. "That's not to say that he can not play, but I'm waiting for him to shoot pucks.
Zadina will also play in a power play unit with Tyler Bertuzzi, Gustav Nyquist, Michael Rasmussen and Mike Green.
"Putting him on the powerplay gives him the opportunity to show what one of his best attributes is, according to him, to run a stopwatch," Blashill said.
Vanek is an old high-end choice (fifth overall in 2003) who speaks Czech, Zadina's mother tongue.
"I'm sure he's nervous, excited, all those things," Vanek said. "It will be a very good player in this league, but as a scorer, you want to get the first two chances, the first goal, quickly, so I hope I'll be there to help him and calm him down. at the same time. "
Nineteen-year-old Zadina says she's thrilled to realize her dream of playing in the NHL. Both parents will be in the stands of Little Caesars Arena, where he will face the San Jose Sharks. He said that he wanted to "have fun", but he also knew "I have to impress them for next season".
Zadina will play a maximum of nine matches, the limit before the entry into force of her contract. It does not make sense to lose a year so late in the season, especially with an impending development project in 2021 – players with two years of experience or less should not be protected.
"I think it's good for everyone," Blashill said. "You'd like it to be less pressure than more pressure, I think the more pressure there is, the harder it is, he knows he's here to help us win hockey games." but he also knows that he is coming back down.A part of what is unknown is difficult for most people, so there is one here.
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Contact Helene St. James at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Learn more about the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter.
Detroit Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland explains the thought process behind Nick Jensen's exchange at the Capitals. Filmed February 22, 2019 in Detroit.
Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press
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