Filip Zadina struggled throughout the NHL preseason during his audition to make the Detroit Red Wings opening night roster out of training camp. It was apparent the game was to fast, he struggled to keep up and often tried to stickhandle rather than head north and south on the ice.
One of the plays that still seems fresh in my mind was during a preseason game versus the Chicago Blackhawks. The terrific two-way center Jonathan Toews took the young rookie to school. Zadina was near the Wings’ blueline trying to stickhandle down the wall, but Toews pick his pocket and heading into the Wings zone with a scoring chance before Zadina knew what had happened.