The Detroit Red Wings have claimed Martin Frk off the waiver wire. After two regular season games with the Carolina Hurricanes, the team decided that there was no space on their roster for Frk. This was the second time Frk was waived this season after the Red Wings waived him on October 8th.
Martin Frk Claimed off Waiver Wire
Frk was a 2nd round (49th overall) draft pick in 2013 for the Red Wings. Since then, he’s bounced back forth between the Grand Rapids Griffins and the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL. He entered training camp this year unable to be sent back down to Grand Rapids without passing through waivers first.
Despite a strong preseason showing, Frk found himself too far down the depth chart to earn a regular spot on the team. So to waivers he went. The Hurricanes thought they saw some potential in him and put in a claim. Through the two games he played for the Hurricanes, Frk scored no goals and recorded no assists. His CF% was a weak 45.8, good for 18th on the team. He recorded just one shot on goal.
Martin Frk’s Role in Hockeytown?
In short, he has none. Frk is going right back to Grand Rapids to help them make a run at this year’s Calder Cup. This is not to say that he’ll never play a game in a Detroit Red Wings uniform, but right now he’s in line behind AHL goal scoring leader Anthony Mantha. Maybe even Tyler Bertuzzi. That he was already waived once is not a good sign for his future with this team. That being said, there’s no denying the power in Frk’s shot and, at only 23 years old, he still has some room for development.
At the very least, he’s got a higher ceiling than Teemu Pulkinnen who was also waived earlier this week by the Minnesota Wild. The Red Wings passed on claiming Pulkkinen back.
Red Wings Management Shows Signs of Competence
Ken Holland should feel some sort of justification here. When he waived both Pulkkinen and Frk, there was no shortage of criticism from fans for losing two prospects for nothing. Both of those players were subsequently waived by the teams that claimed them. What’s more, Holland got one of those players back.
Was this Holland’s plan all along? That is doubtful. One thing that is clear now that the season is underway is that neither of those players have any place on the Red Wings roster; at least not while the roster is healthy.
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