Preseason Optimism – October Reality

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To say that NHL training camps were a disappointment for the HFNHL Red Wing Management would be an understatement. While reality dictates that some will have disappointing camps you also expect to have some surprises as well. Unfortunately there was more of the former than the latter.

Here’s a brief summary of training camp performances by the Red Wing players that were expected to have at least an outside shot at a spot.

(i) Injuries
Vojteck Polak – One of the few Detroit players that was having a great camp he suffered a concussion late in the pre-season.

Mikhail Grabovski – After a great rookie tourney the team was looking forward to seeing how he would do against men but never got a chance as he suffered a shoulder injury in his first preseason game.

(ii) Sub par performances:
Andrei Taratukhin – The team definitely had the highest hopes for Taratukhin even though there weren’t many openings in Calgary. Unfortunately it appears Taratukhin will need more time to adjust to the North American game. All news is not bad though, as some in the Calgary area have commented that they saw enough out of him to be convinced that he will be a mid season callup after some seasoning in the AHL.

Ville Koistinen – While management acknowledged before training camp that the small offensive dman would have a tough time making the team given Nashville’s wealth of riches on defence it still came as a big surprise that he was sent down so early.

Magnus Krahnberg – While he had a respectable camp and he was kept in camp to the end he certainly did not set the world on fire. It became obvious that Krahnberg would also need an adjustment period to the NHL game and with the late addition of Dvorak in St. Louis he found himself demoted. That said, while it was disappointing he did not make the opening day roster, he will likely be the first one called up in the event of injury.

Adam Henrich – While no one was looking for him to make the team, this was likely Henrich’s last chance to show the team that he has an NHL future. He failed.

(iii) Numbers game
Martins Karsums – by all accounts the mighty mite did all that was asked of him but with Kessel and Kalus playing so well and only one open spot he lost out.

Janis Sprukts – Like Koistinen, Sprukts faced an uphill battle in earning a roster spot in Florida with the surplus of NHL forwards already there. Sprukts stayed until the end but did not have the spectacular camp that would have been necessary to crack the lineup.

(iv) Moderate successes:
Luch Aquino – It was a huge surprise when Aquino, a 7th round draft selection, was signed in his draft year after an impressive camp. He then followed it up with a second strong camp where he was the last player demoted having outlasted top prospects like Robert Nilsson and Peteri Nokelainen.

Adam Cracknell – Yes I labeled Cracknell as my darkhorse pick to make an NHL team, which he did not, but he did have an excellent camp.

After all is said and done the only player of note to have made the opening day roster was goalie Nicklas Backstrom. Considering management expected to have three or four guys make opening night rosters this is definitely a disappointment.
 

Ville Isopaa

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Feb 27, 2002
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Magnus Krahnberg – While he had a respectable camp and he was kept in camp to the end he certainly did not set the world on fire. It became obvious that Krahnberg would also need an adjustment period to the NHL game and with the late addition of Dvorak in St. Louis he found himself demoted. That said, while it was disappointing he did not make the opening day roster, he will likely be the first one called up in the event of injury.

I suppose you mean Kahnberg, not Krahnberg.. :teach:
 

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