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Rychlovsky Delivers Goods For Red Wings

Czech player displays high end skill

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3 weeks ago

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Jakub Rychlovsky, Red Wings
Jakub Rychlovky diisplays an elite level of skill.

TRAVERSE CITY – Detroit Red Wings fans arriving in Traverse City were anxious to see what all the fuss was about regarding Jakub Rychlovsky. One game into the club’s rookie contests against the Dallas Stars, the Czech sensation was, well, sensational.

He was netting a goal scorer’s goal on a third-period power play during Detrot’s 5-1 victory. Corraling a rebound in tight at the net front, Rychlovsky zipped a quick shot into the roof of the net. He gave Dallas goalie Benjamin Kraws no chance of getting anywhere near stopping the puck.

During the same frame, Rychlovsky was utilizing his speed to break into open space down the left wing. Whipping a cross-crease pass to Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, only a specatcular sliding leg save from Kraws was preventing a highlight-reel Detroit goal.

“Yeah, I love his skill,” said Grand Rapids Griffins coach Dan Watson, who was handling the Detroit bench. “I love his energy.”

In fact, there really wasn’t an uneventful Rychlovsky shift during the game. The puck just seems to find this guy and then he makes something positive happen once in possession of it. Rychlovsky was skating on left wing on the top line alongside first-round picks Nate Danielson (2023) and Brandsegg-Nygard (2024).

Rychlovsky, 23, was the leading goal scorer in Czech Extraliga last with with 26 tallies for Liberec. The Red Wings knew they were acquiring a guy who could put the biscuit in the basket when they were signing him as a free agent.

Rychlovsky Bringing Complete Game To Red Wings

What they are discovering in this rookie camp is that his package contains so much more in terms of ingredients.

“One thing that probably went a little unnoticed that we saw is that compete level playing through bodies,” Watson said. “He’s not scared of the physicality. He got through hands. He stole a lot of pucks and he created a lot of turnovers for us.

“You can see he’s got that hunting mentality. He wants the puck, he’s willing to go and get it back. He’s not scared of that work and that compete level.

“So I liked his game a lot and I’m looking forward to see his development here again.”

Like all Europeans, there’s still going to be an adjustment period that Rychlovsky will be going through as he’s acclimating to the North American game. It was evident, though, that he’s a quick study. His first period was Rychlovsky’s worst. His game was appearing to grow incrementally better with each passing shift.

“That big ice, to the small ice,” Watson explained. “I thought we did struggle a little bit early on and he struggled a little bit early on, but then he figured it out real fast and it was effective on our breakouts. Effective through the neutral zone with speed.

“There’s a lot to like with him.”

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