Detroit – He’s small, very small by hockey standards, but Otto Kivenmaki is doing everything he can to keep his NHL dream alive.
He’s bulked up, for one thing. The 5-foot-8 Kivenmaki was at about 140 pounds when the Red Wings drafted him in the seventh round last year, but now he's up to 154.
Kivenmaki is also noticeably stronger, maybe a bit thicker. He doesn’t look like an eighth-grader, as he did last year.
When Kivenmaki was drafted last year, there was talk about his intriguing skill, and the fact he doesn’t back down.