Carter Mazur Ready to Push for Permanent Job

In a week in which the Detroit Red Wings received news that Carter Mazur is officially moving off the injured list,  Carter Bear‘s absence from the Summer Showcase is a reminder that he still has work to do to be ready for training camp.

Bear is on Canada’s preliminary roster for the World Junior Championships. Bear isn’t playing in the Showcase in Minnesota because he is recovering from an Achilles injury.

He attended the Red Wings development camp, but not as a full participant. He said he skated a few times, but it’s clear everyone wants to be cautious approach with his injury.

“We’re just trying to take it easy, (the Red Wings) don’t want to push anything,” Bear said during development camp. “I don’t want to push anything…going day by day.”

With Red Wings’ training camp still more than a month away, there’s no timetable. “I feel great right now,” Bear said last month. “It’s just all about not pushing it for sure.”

It’s never ideal to lose a summer of workouts before your first pro camp. But Bear seems confident that the injury won’t have any lingering impact.

Coaches undoubtedly are pleased Mazur is healthy. The word is that Mazur has added a significant amount of muscle. He has more than his fair share of injuries early in his pro career. Added strength could help. The Red Wings were hoping Mazur, 23, was ready to be of the big club’s mix late last season.  However, his NHL debut lasted one shift before he suffered an injury that put him out the rest of the season.

Detroit management reminds high on his potential.

Mazur is a gritty scorer with 28 goals in 86 AHL games. There’s hope he could compete for a role in top six, although he may have to make the roster as a bottom six player and work his way up.