The Detroit Red Wings' lineup has been decimated over the first two games of the season, prompting a major lineup reshuffling.
The injury bug has hit the Red Wings, with Mason Appleton, Marco Kasper, JT Compher, and Jacob Bernard-Docker all out with injuries. That said, things are looking up for center Dylan Larkin, who skated with the top line in practice on Tuesday.
Even with good news on Larkin, injuries will force the Red Wings to turn to Carter Mazur, who has been scratched for the first two games of the 2026-27 season.
Mazur is hoping that this season will be the charm. He skated a mere 70 seconds in his Red Wings debut in 2024-25 as an injury put a premature end to his first stint with the big club. Last season, Mazur joined the Wings for eight games and recorded a minus-3, six blocks, 10 hits, and three giveaways.
Mazur's possession metrics also weren't impressive. He finished with a Corsi For of 46.5 percent, was on the ice for just two goals (5.9 on-ice shooting percentage), and he watched five goals go into the net (86.8 on-ice save percentage).
He also barely saw time on special teams, with less than a minute on the power play. Mazur recorded zero minutes on the penalty kill.
Mazur impressed during his time with the Grand Rapids Griffins. Thanks to injuries, he only saw time in 36 regular-season games over the past two seasons. But what Mazur did in those 36 games shows what he can inflict on opponents.
Mazur scored 19 goals, had 12 assists, and 31 points. Across eight playoff games last season, Mazur posted another six points, five goals, and an assist. While that success hasn't translated to the NHL, it only takes a few good games to build confidence with the big club.
His offensive upside is there, given his performance in Grand Rapids. He's also another player who can bring grit, a hitter's mentality, and a high-energy vibe to the ice. That's something the Red Wings have seen more of this season with Keegan Kolesar and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard.
When healthy, Mason Appleton pitched into the physicality department. Michael Rasmussen (four hits) also deserves credit. Regardless of Detroit's current struggles offensively, Mazur gives them even more grit. If he gets the puck on his stick, he may sneak in that scoring prowess he showed in Grand Rapids.
With a strong performance, Mazur could also join the growing trend of youngsters putting forth solid performances. Brandsegg-Nygard looks like a completely different player at the NHL level than he did last season.
Emmitt Finnie has also shown strides in both performance and versatility. Ditto for Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Anton Johansson at the blue line. Last season, both Brandsegg-Nygard and Sandin-Pellikka had as many downs as ups, if not more.
If they turned a new page this season, Mazur could follow. He just needed to be given a chance.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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