Carter Mazur, Marco Kasper, and Nate Danielson have one game of (regular season) NHL experience split between them. It belongs to Kasper, a one-game cameo at the end of the 2022-23 season. Now, all three are turning heads through Red Wings training camp and the start to the pre-season, but will it be enough to counteract the math problem presently working against them.
Sammi Silber, THN
Heading into the season, every indicator is that Detroit will allocate three roster spots to its goaltenders, Cam Talbot, Alex Lyon, and Ville Husso. The Red Wings are also expected to carry eight defensemen: Moritz Seider, Ben Chiarot, Simon Edvinsson, Jeff Petry, Olli Maatta, Erik Gustafsson, Justin Holl, and Albert Johansson. That leaves 12 of the team’s 23 roster spots left over for forwards, and there is no way to sneak any of Kasper, Mazur, or Danielson into one of those places without (a) a trade or (b) risking losing a more proven commodity for free via waivers.
That means, at a fundamental level, the odds are stacked against Kasper, Danielson, and Mazur in their bid to earn their first sustained NHL chances. The good news is that all three players have drawn praise from teammates and coaches alike throughout camp. Kasper is clearly playing with a confidence he lacked at this time a year ago, still then acclimating to the North American game. Danielson’s pre-season debut Friday night was a quiet one, but coach Derek Lalonde continues to tout the maturity of his two-way game for such a young player. Meanwhile, Mazur plays with a workmanlike nasty streak that could help ease his immediate transition into the NHL in a bottom six role.
On the most recent episode of The Silky Mitten State, my co-host Connor Earegood and I discussed Kasper, Danielson, and Mazur’s development processes and their chances at NHL roles. The good news is that regardless of what happens at the end of the pre-season, all three will more than likely wind up with some degree of NHL opportunity by season’s end. Check out an excerpt from our conversation in the featured video above, then listen to the full show on Spotify or Apple P
Also from THN Detroit
What Should Sebastian Cossa Learn from this Preseason?
Three Takeaways from the Red Wings’ 2-0 Win Over Chicago
Locked in Another Goalie Battle, Alex Lyon Equipped for High Workload
“It’s Just a Matter of Time for Him”: Danielson Proving NHL Question is about When, Not If
Can Ville Husso Make a Push to Reclaim the Starting Role in Detroit?
College Corner: Michigan State Club Brings Underwater Hockey to the Surface
