Originally posted on Detroit Hockey Now | By Kevin Allen |
The Red Wings didn’t trade anyone Thursday, but to the players it felt like they did.
Christian Fischer was placed on waivers Wednesday, and Thursday the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team competing hard with Detroit for a wildcard spot, claimed Fischer on waivers. A fourth-line role player, Fischer was very popular with teammates.
“Yeah, it’s hard,” Detroit captain Dylan Larkin said. “I think so highly of him and as a guy, a locker room guy, someone that just did anything for the team… And it’s hard when he goes to a team, especially that we’re battling with for the playoffs. I’ve seen it a lot. It’s part of the business, but it’s not fun when he goes away for free.”
This all comes on the same day that the Red Wings give rookie Carter Mazur his NHL debut. Given the timing, it seems like the Red Wings were going to give him a chance to give the team a spark in the stretch run.
But he was injured on his second shift. Now Fischer is gone, Mazur is out and the Red Wings, falling 4-2 to Utah, have now lost four games in a row. All of those factors now have be considered as Yzerman made decisions before Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline.
Another Grand Rapids Promotion Coming
What does that mean for what GM Steve Yzerman will do before the 3 p.m. deadline?
Coach Todd McLellan said after the game that the Red Wings will recall someone from the Grand Rapids Griffins for Friday’s road game in Washington.
“Tomorrow’s a strange day with playing on the trade deadline, so we’ll have to have people around,” McLellan said.
Larkin certainly doesn’t know what will happen today, even though the consensus is the Red Wings will consider adding a defenseman and perhaps a center.
“(Mazur) came up and that was kind of another tough one to see,” Larkin said. “And we know what he’s been through this season (with an earlier long-term injury) and he’s a great guy and we
wish him all the best and we’re thinking about him, but that’s another tough one. So we’ll see what happens tomorrow. But I feel we’ve made a case to continue to push this thing and keep playing for the playoffs and try and get in.”
What happened Thursday has to considered, but it may not change what the Red Wings are planning to do, if anything. After trading Ville Husso and placing Andrew Copp on Long-Term Injured Reserve, puckpedia.com has Detroit with almost $13 million in cap space. The trick is improving the team without surrendering too many assets for the future.
“The organization will do whatever they can to make the team better for Saturday because the trade deadline’s on Friday,” McLellan said. “But for Saturday, Friday for Sunday and for training camp next year and moving forward. It’s not just a short-term look and it’s not just a long-term look. It’s looking at the group as a whole and can we find players that fit our team better? Can we find players that will make us better now? Can we find players that will help us with chemistry?”
