The Detroit Red Wings’ Promising Rookies
The Detroit Red Wings’ centennial season in the NHL has highlighted the promising talents of three young players, namely Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Emmitt Finnie, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka. These rookies had secured their spots on the final roster following impressive performances during training camp and preseason matches. However, while Brandsegg-Nygård has since been reassigned to the American Hockey League, Finnie and Sandin-Pellikka have remained with the team as they navigate their first NHL seasons.
Emmitt Finnie’s Journey
Finnie, who started off with remarkable energy and enthusiasm, accumulating four goals and four assists in his initial games, has recently faced challenges in maintaining his scoring momentum. After his contribution to an exciting 6-4 comeback against the St. Louis Blues on October 25, he has yet to add to his point tally. Consequently, he has been repositioned further down the lineup after initially playing alongside top players.
“This is the best League in the world, and points aren’t going to happen every night,” he stated. “Droughts are going to happen, and I’m just trying to stay positive and confident and just contribute in other ways.”
He emphasizes his style of play, focusing on physicality and making plays close to the net, a tactic he believes will ultimately yield results.
“Playing physical and around the net, that’s when I feel like I’m at my best,” he explained.
Support from the Coaching Staff
Head coach Todd McLellan continues to express his unwavering support for Finnie. He remarked,
“If we said that we’d have a seventh-round draft pick that hadn’t really played any pro hockey playing for us 19 games in and playing a prominent role, we would all be happy.”
McLellan underscored Finnie’s contributions beyond goal-scoring, highlighting his ability to create opportunities and contribute to the team’s overall play:
“He loosens up pucks on the forecheck, goes to the net, stirs things up a little bit, and draws penalties. There’s a lot of assets there.”
Looking Ahead
As the season progresses, the Red Wings and their fans will keep a close watch on Finnie’s performance, hopeful that he will soon shake off this scoring slump and return to making a significant impact on the ice.
