The Detroit Red Wings knew things would be different with the influx of new players this season. It was anyone’s guess on how most would work out, and some were head and shoulders above the other free agents.
Enter left winger Dominik Kubalik. He has been the best off-season signing by far for the Red Wings and is showing why he belongs on this team.
Is Dominik Kubalik ready for a first-line role with the Detroit Red Wings?
The top line last season consisted of Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, and Tyler Bertuzzi. Since this season began, the roster lines have been shuffled and Bertuzzi had missed some time due to injury.
With Bertuzzi now out again for six weeks, the question begs, who will be the first-line left winger? Kubalik would be a perfect player to slot in there.
Kubalik, Larkin, and David Perron would provide plenty of offense and create offense with scoring opportunities. They are all defensively responsible as well.
Kubalik is having an amazing season and is on pace for career highs across the board on offense. He currently has 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points in 28 games, including 77 shots.
Although he only has two points in the last five games, those games were against elite-level, playoff-quality teams.
Kubalik’s strengths include puck handling and NHL-level shooting accuracy. He now sits second in team scoring behind Captain Larkin.
Why is Kubalik considered for a first-line left-wing role? Bertuzzi was struggling offensively when he got injured and is out for six weeks. Elmer Soderblom is in the AHL with Grand Rapids. Adam Erne is a bottom-six forward. Jakub Vrana and Filip Zadina are both out as well.
So, he is the best option because of the lack of depth? Not necessarily. He is also a good scorer who is lethal on the power play and is capable of leading this team in points. Aside from Vrana, Kubalik is the best pure goal scorer on this team and is producing offensively.
There is a small chance that rookie Jonatan Berggren could occupy that spot, but he may not be ready for a full-time, pressure-filled role this early in his career.
Kubalik should be the one to occupy that top-line role. He deserves to be that guy, and his offensive production could only flourish more if given an opportunity like this. He is, by far, one of the best free-agent signings by Detroit in a long time.