On September 11, 2018, the Detroit Red Wings signed grizzled veteran forward Jussi Jokinen to a professional tryout. Can he contribute?
When the Detroit Red Wings brought in veteran forward Jussi Jokinen on a professional tryout on September 11, 2018, expectations were not high. However, after a couple of preseason games, Jokinen has proven to be a strong force in the Red Wings’ lineup.
For a rebuilding team, a veteran presence like him would be greatly appreciated. With former captain Henrik Zetterberg retired, the Red Wings are without a lot of veteran leadership. Jokinen is coming off his 13th season in the NHL, spending the 2017-18 season between the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Columbus Blue Jackets and Vancouver Canucks. He is currently looking for a team for the 2018-19 season.
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Once a strong goal-scoring forward, Jokinen is looking to prove he still has some left in the tank. The Red Wings have given him the opportunity to prove himself worthy of a contract by signing him to a professional tryout for the preseason. Jokinen has battled hard every time he is on the ice, scoring a goal in his first preseason game with the Wings as well as peppering the goalies with shots every game.
In 951 NHL games played, he has scored 191 goals, tallied 372 assists and recording 377 penalty minutes. As of now, Jokinen has proven himself as a worthy candidate of a contract with the Red Wings.
Now, by no means should this be a long-term or one-way contract, but rather a one-year, two-way contract. Should Jokinen receive a contract with Detroit, he would likely spend the majority of the 2018-19 season in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins. With Grand Rapids, Jokinen could be a leader for young prospects as well as contribute on the ice with his goal scoring capabilities.
He could fill a role much like Dan Cleary did in the 2015-16 season where he split time between Grand Rapids and Detroit. When Cleary played with Grand Rapids, teammates saw him as a player-coach who helped them get ready for the NHL. Jokinen could easily be a leader for Grand Rapids and a strong addition to the Wings’ lineup when needed.
As the 2018-19 preseason is coming to an end, it will be interesting to see what the Wings choose to do with Jokinen. As of now, Jokinen has earned a right to get a contract with the Detroit Red Wings.