The Detroit Red Wings have made a decision on their first round draft selection from this past year, and it may not be what fans were hoping to hear.
Filip Zadina will begin the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins. During his seven games with the Red Wings in the pre-season, he scored twice and also put up an assist. He also played an additional four games at the Traverse City Prospects Tournament prior to Training Camp, scoring a goal with two assists.
http://gty.im/1045174572
Though fans may have been hoping to see him immediately up with the Red Wings, playing in the AHL will help him adjust to the speed of the NHL level as compared to junior hockey. He’ll be able to further develop his game and be better prepared for whenever he makes his official NHL debut.
“One is on the ice, and that is just continuing to understand when he has time and when he doesn’t have time and what he can do to create a little bit more time,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “And that’s just an adjustment. There is no way to make that adjustment in juniors until you get to the level and find out you have to.
“The other side would be off the ice – just continuing to push his body. And the quicker he gets and the faster he gets, if he can get to the next level of speed, that will help him.”
The Red Wings will have access to Zadina all season long, however. He won’t have to be reassigned to his junior team if he’s not playing with the Red Wings, due to the fact that he was loaned to the junior club Halifax Mooseheads by his Czech club.
In addition to Zadina, the Red Wings assigned Dominic Turgeon, Givani Smith, David Pope, defenseman Vili Saarijarvi and goaltender Harri Sateri to the Griffins.
