The Red Wings Summer Development Camp is well underway featuring the Red Wings of the future in Traverse City, Michigan.
The camp gives the Red Wings coaching and front office staff an opportunity to see how their prospects have progressed with strength and conditioning exercises as well as one-on-one scrimmages. It also gives the prospects an opportunity to see exactly what’s expected from them while in the Red Wings organization.
One of those prospects whose under the microscope this year is defenseman Brendan Smith.
According to Red Wings GM Ken Holland, Brendan Smith will be given every opportunity to make the Wings’ roster after the retirement of Brian Rafalski and the fact that the Wings didn’t go out and sign a high-profile defensemen (as of yet) on the free agent market.
“This is a business trip,” said Smith, 22. “My first time I was getting my feet wet and watching guys like Jakub Kindl when he was captain of the Czech team. I just watched him and saw how he held himself, and I’ve just try to emulate him. I would say that this is more like a business trip, and hopefully I can keep progressing right into training camp in September.”
“I just need to keep progressing and show them that I want to be with the Wings next year, and show them by my on-ice and off-ice,” Smith said. “Obviously, the big thing about me is am I gaining weight? Am I getting stronger? I’m working hard in the gym and I have to keep doing it and keep getting bigger and improving myself.”
One person that has spent significant time with Smith is former Wings defenseman Jiri Fischer.
Fischer believes that all the attributes are there for Smith to succeed in the NHL. Smith has the potential to be a very good offensive defenseman judging from how he likes to pick his spots and join up with the rush.
“He seems to be determined,” Fischer said. “The first time that I got to meet him after we drafted him in the first round, he was very confident, pretty resilient, mentally. Those are two very, very important things if you’re going to make it to the pros.
“I think it was hard for him to figure out how difficult it really is to make it in the NHL from the level that he was playing at. Since then, I think he’s really learned in the last four years what it takes, and this year he is going to be pushing really hard for a spot on the Red Wings’ roster.”
In an interesting note though, according to Bill Roose of DetroitRedWings.com, despite Smith not having an official spot on the Wings’ roster next season, plenty of NHL pundits have penciled in Smith as a Calder Trophy finalist…
“I hear it,” he said. “But I try to keep that out of my head. I’m just trying to be my best and get myself to that point. But right now I need to show them that I can be a productive player in the NHL.”
Last season with Grand Rapids, Smith had 12 goals in 63 games, and became the first Griffins’ rookie ever selected to play in an AHL All-Star.
But what about the other prospects in camp?
Here are some observations from KuklasKorner.com…
Thomas McCollum: He’s bigger in his stance, more composed and compact in his movements and he’s better laterally, but again, rebounds still come off him funny.
Petr Mrazek: Still a tremendously technically sound butterfly goaltender, possibly wearing the same Reebok leg pads and Vaughn gloves he wore during training camp, and no longer leaf-thin off the ice.
Brendan Smith: I’m not sure that he’s NHL-ready, but even compared to training camp, he’s learned to not take that extra half-second to make a decision before moving the puck. He’s more positionally sound, relying on his skating a little less to make up for mistakes, and he remains energetic, enthusiastic and ever-so-slightly nasty at times.
Adam Almqvist: Not as small as before but can get turned around pretty easily on the rush.
Brian Lashoff: Utterly and completely solid as a stay-at-home defenseman who’s big, strong, smart and a proficient puck-mover.
Nick Jensen: Going into his second season with the Saint Cloud State Huskies with much more confidence and strength. Looks sharp.
Xavier Ouellet: Even from a first glance, he’s superbly skilled. Nice hands.
Ryan Sproul: Frickin’ huge, technically proficient.
Richard Nedomlel: May have been made dizzy not only by antibiotics, but also his size. Dear me, he’s a frickin’ elk on ice.
Gustav Nyquist: The only player not wearing Reebok or CCM gloves—custom-made Warriors instead. Energetic, enthusiastic, easygoing and very skilled, but still needs to fill out a bit.
Trevor Parkes: Having the contract doesn’t mean he’s not still driven to prove people wrong and mash a few players into the boards in the process during every shift.
Willie Coetzee: Still a whirling dervish. When the puck and he go in the same direction, pretty things happen.
Landon Ferraro: Looks more confident in himself. Still, like McCollum, he can get frustrated and let things bug him.
Tomas Jurco: The Slovaks must make these kids in a factory. Same wide-legged skating stride as Tomas Kopecky or Marian Hossa, same posture, same toe curve on the stick (I think), same tinted visor, slick moves, and a little awestruck.
Louis-Marc Aubry: If he can grow into his massive frame and continue to display the kinds of hands and nose for the net he did without contact when the quarters get close, wow.
Mitchell Callahan: Says he’s got to wear a visor for insurance purposes. Now Kris Draper-ripped. Still endlessly enthusiastic and gritty, good hands, nose for the net, missing two front teeth as usual.
Marek Tvrdon: I had a hard time trying to figure out whether his wide-shouldered skating stance was due to his size or because he was still wearing more shoulder protection than the average player. Let’s just say that he almost immediately showed me why the Wings picked him, and why he was picked when he was picked.
Philippe Hudon: Frickin’ big and has four years of college eligibility to go.
Tyson Teichmann: Teichnically proficient, spelling error intended.
Source: Mlive.com, DetroitRedWings.com, KuklasKorner.com, HockeyTownBlog.com
