The Detroit Red Wings signed Carter Rowney to a one-year deal today. The versatile forward gives the Red Wings another option in the bottom six.
The #RedWings today agreed to terms with center Carter Rowney on a one-year contract.
Details » https://t.co/n2GmdQyGqh pic.twitter.com/ZGQcrOMDyk
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 2, 2021
Carter Rowney in Detroit
Rowney is a player who has worked his way to a career, and that’s hard to overstate. After going undrafted, he got some AHL work after leaving the University of North Dakota’s program. He couldn’t quite stick with the Wilkes-Barrie Scranton Penguins, but improved in the ECHL until they couldn’t ignore him. After three years in the minors, he finally got an NHL deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016-17.
He played 27 games in the regular season with the parent club, then another 20 in the playoffs. He only got three points – all assists – on the fourth line during that run, but he finished it in style with a Stanley Cup ring. That season was his last taste of the minors. Unfortunately, his physical play helped contribute to repeated injuries, and he was released after the 2017-18 season. Not for long, though, as the Anaheim Ducks picked him up the next year.
He continued his work in Anaheim, remaining on the fourth line and soaking up all the lousy work that entails. Despite the huge majority of his starts being in the defensive zone, Rowney still managed 15 goals and 45 points in 152 games with limited ice time.
What This Means
Detroit is clearly going younger, but that doesn’t mean abandoning the kids. They are adding a veteran tough, physical defensive forward along with similarly-aged speedy scorer Sam Gagner to round out some of their depth. Carter Rowney has a work ethic that’s through the roof, and he’s earned everything he’s managed to grab. But he also knows how to keep going through the inevitable losing streaks that Detroit is likely to still have in the next year. This is a “locker room signing” if there ever was one, but he can still play in the league – for as long as he remains uninjured.
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