from Ansar Khan of Mlive,
Filip Zadina hasn’t been as flashy or productive in the preseason as fellow top-10 pick Lucas Raymond, but the Detroit Red Wings have seen encouraging signs.
“He’s played really well the last couple of games, but I thought tonight in a group that didn’t have a whole lot of bright spots he was real good,” coach Jeff Blashill said. following Wednesday’s 4-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. “I thought he competed hard, moved the puck north, made good plays coming out of his end.”
Zadina picked up his second assist of the preseason but hasn’t scored a goal in four games. The club needs him to step up offensively, especially if he remains on the top line and especially with a huge chunk of goal-scoring missing with the loss of Jakub Vrana for at least four months due to shoulder surgery.
Zadina has played on a line with Dylan Larkin and Raymond the past three games....
“From the minute Filip has come to us, I’ve talked to him about being dangerous offensively,” Blashill said. “Certainly, everyone’s got to be complete, but I don’t think Z’s been all that incomplete. There were times late last year he struggled a little bit in his D-zone. I think it’s just continuing to find those ways to create offense, and a lot of it has to come with his brain.
“It just comes with physical maturity, being a little stronger on pucks, being able to get a little more breakaway speed and then his brain. He’s not huge and he’s not super-fast, so he has to use his brain, and I think he’s done a good job of that so far in the preseason.”
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