Steve Yzerman’s two most significant moves concerning the blue line (and, indeed, perhaps his most significant personnel moves so far) congest the defensive depth chart even further than what the organization was left with upon Ken Holland’s departure. First, the team signed Oliwer Kaski, a Finnish defenseman who had just finished a phenomenal year in Finland’s Liiga (to be fair, this signing was set in motion before Yzerman rejoined the organization.) Then, last Friday, the Red Wings took a defenseman, Moritz Seider, in the first round of the draft. This makes the competition for a roster spot all the more difficult for Joe Hicketts, a young defensemen already facing an uphill battle against a field crowded by Dennis Cholowski, Filip Hronek, Vili Saarijarvi, and Madison Bowey before Moritz Seider and Oliwer Kaski were added to the mix.
As Number of Defensive Prospects Grow, Hicketts Faces Difficult Path to Roster
