The Detroit Red Wings start the preseason Monday night in Pittsburgh with high hopes for 2013-14. Here are three players who could provide a boost and help them realize those hopes:
Backup goalie Jonas Gustavsson
Jimmy Howard is a workhorse who would play all 82 games if it was humanly possible, but it’s not. Gustavsson will need to spell Howard for at least 25 games.
Based on his injury woes and less-than-stellar numbers last year -- a 2-2-1 record, 2.92 goals-against average and .879 save percentage -- the pressure is on The Monster.
“He better have had a good summer, and he better grab hold of something,” Red Wings coach Babcock said of Gustavsson. “I'm going to watch. He knows and I know you got to grab your own piece of the pie. If not, someone else eats it."
Gustavsson realizes that he must produce or the Wings won't hesitate to turn his job over to someone else. For the first time in his career, he has a personal trainer because he thought he needed an extra voice to help push him through his workout schedule.
“You can’t really think about how many games you’re going to play,” Gustavsson said, “because it takes away from your focus. Your focus should be what you’re doing right now.
“For me, I just want to do everything I can to be ready to play, and when I play to take that chance and if I play well, I’ll get another chance.”
My hunch is, the Wings will stay with Gustavsson unless he falters early and often. If that were to happen, they would look for a veteran free agent or a possible trade because they feel Grand Rapids goalie Petr Mrazek is a year away from the NHL.
Right wing Mikael Samuelsson
If Samuelsson wasn’t injured during the compliance-buyout period, speculation is, the Wings would have bought him out -- which he blisters at when it’s brought up.
“A buyout isn’t on my mind," Samuelsson said. "If it happens, it happens. In my case, I wasn’t cleared (to play).
"From my standpoint, if they want to buy me out (pause), it’s not like I played myself off the team. I was injured
“They brought me in for a reason in the first place, so it’s nothing that I really think about.”
Yet, because of Detroit’s current overabundance of forwards, Samuelsson is aware that he’ll need to reestablish himself.
On the plus side, he's a right-handed shot, which is something the Wings lack, even with the addition of Daniel Alfredsson. And the Wings have always liked Samuelsson’s size, shot and responsible two-way game.
If he stays healthy, Samuelsson could be a valuable asset. But at 36 years old and with younger forwards ready to step in, Samuelsson’s timeline to prove himself will be a short one.
Center Darren Helm
Although he's currently nursing a groin strain, Helm has tried everything to get his back healed, and it looks like he might finally be on the slow road to recovery.
But he’s cautious when asked if he’ll be ready for the start of the season.
“I’m just taking the most cliche line of the year -- taking it one day at a time," Helm said. "I haven’t really focused on any kind of time line or how it feels today or yesterday.
"I’m just kind of going every day and working hard and trying to get ready to play.”
Before the groin injury, he was practicing hard and took a few hits. Still, he's yet to undergo significant contact or do any heavy lifting, which he needs to be able to do before he returns to the Wings lineup.
Because he brings energy and can play in all situations, Helm is a real wildcard. If he can play, he’s an impact player.
The Wings will wait it out on Helm because they value him that much.
