Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings Notebook: Walman injury not his shoulder

What do Seider, Chiarot and Willie Huber have in common?

Published

1 year ago

February 11, 2023

Bob Duff

Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider set two more club marks on Saturday.

Detroit Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde wasn’t prepared to share exactly what it is that’s ailing defenseman Jake Walman. However, he was adamant about sharing what it isn’t.

“Not a shoulder,” Lalonde emphasized. “It’s an upper body but it’s clearly not a shoulder.”

That’s important news and might bring a sigh of relief to Red Wings fans. Walman, after all, underwent shoulder surgery after last season. He was hurt following a shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Calgary defenseman Nikita Zadorov in Thursday’s 2-1 win over the Flames.

In Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks, Detroit was playing with Walman and 15-goal scorer Lucas Raymond. The latter was hurt in practice on Friday.

“Day to day, lower body,” Lalonde said of Raymond. “He tried a little twirl this morning and was unable to go.”

Lalonde was giving his players credit for their response to the absence of two key pieces of Detroit’s puzzle.

“Over 24 hours to lose a first liner and a top-pair D is not easy,” the coach said. “I thought our guys obviously did well finding a way to win today.”

Embarking on a five-game road trip, might the team be calling someone up to ensure they have enough healthy bodies?

“Don’t know yet,” Lalonde admitted. “It’s something we’ll probably evaluate. Those two are truly day to day. It’s something (GM) Steve (Yzerman) and I will talk about.”

To recall a player would require a roster player to go on IR. The Wings will be reluctant to put either Raymond or Walman on IR if they’re close to playing. And even without both players, were another player to go down, there’s still the maximum 18 skaters available. However, it would require the team suiting up 11 forwards and seven defensemen.

Seider, Chiarot Quick Off Mark

Detroit was scoring twice in the first 2:35 of Saturday’s win over Vancouver. The defense pairing of Moritz Seider and Ben Chiarot were drawing assists on both goals. In doing so, they joined Willie Huber (October 29, 1981) as the only Red Wings defenders with two points during the first 2:35 of a game.

Huber actually was notching his pair of points in just 46 seconds following the opening faceoff against Calgary. He assisted on a goal by Paul Woods, then tallied a goal of his own.

It was also Seider’s 14th multi-point game of his NHL career. He joins Nicklas Lidstrom with the most multi-point games a by Red Wings defender before the age of 22.

Moritz Seider and Ben Chiarot became the second and third defensemen in @DetroitRedWings history with two points in the opening 2:35 of a game, joining Willie Huber (0:46 on Oct. 29, 1981).#NHLStats: https://t.co/W7ikP8of4C pic.twitter.com/lPJS4xP5Lc

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 11, 2023

Seider has collected 15 points over the past 13 games, but Lalonde was insisting that’s not the stick by which they measure the sophomore rearguard’s performance.

“For us, it’s important,” Lalonde did admit. “It’s helping us win, but it’s not really important in the big picture of judging his game. But I think for a young kid like that it’s human nature to judge yourself on offense.

“He was going through sophomore slump questions because his numbers were down from last year. When in reality, his game’s been unbelievable of late.”

Ice chips

With two goals, Detroit forward Jonatan Berggren was recording the first multi-point game of his NHL career . . . Red Wings defensmen Filip Hronek socred his first goal since December 17, a span of 20 games . . . Detroit goalie Ville Husso is 10-0-1 this season when making 32 or more saves . . . In a 5-2 victory, Red Wings forward Filip Zadina (-1) was managing to be the club’s only minus player.