The Detroit Red Wings have resembled more of a mash unit than an NHL team so far this season. Their 275 man games lost to injury rank sixth-highest in the league. While that has given the organization time to be able to evaluate their young talent in NHL games, that isn’t a recipe for winning games, as is evident by their last-place standing in the Eastern Conference. Many of their young players have been given the opportunity to prove themselves and have thrived in the NHL like Anthony Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou. Due to ice issues in Carolina earlier this season Detroit will have to play three games in three days. With Niklas Kronwall‘s bad knees, that will give the opportunity for Dan Renouf’s NHL Debut.
Dan Renouf to Make NHL Debut
Making an NHL debut can be daunting for many rookies. Renouf shouldn’t have many of those issues that rookies often have. His defense partner from the Grand Rapids Griffins, Robbie Russo, is already with Detroit as are many other of his Griffins teammates. He will also see a locker room with two fellow Maine Black Bears. Although he didn’t play at Maine with either Gustav Nyquist or Jimmy Howard, it should make for easy conversation and inclusion in the locker room.
In the 22-year-old’s first full season professionally, he has scored three goals and added 12 assists in 58 games in Grand Rapids. These numbers essentially mirror his production during his three seasons playing with the University of Maine.
Russo and Renouf were an outstanding defense pairing while in Grand Rapids. They spent most of their time on the second pairing in Grand Rapids and totalled ten goals and 36 assists between the two of them. They have shown great chemistry in the AHL and it will be interesting to see how head coach Jeff Blashill chooses to play them while Renouf is with the Red Wings.
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