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redwingfan19

Mitch Callahan

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http://blog.mlive.com/snapshots/2010/07/mitchell_callahan_the_red_wing.html

"Red Wings prospect Mitchell Callahan has already earned an entry-level contract with the Wings because the Kelowna Rockets forward possesses a spit-and-vinegar quality to his play that the Wings really lack otherwise in their developmental system, with the surprisingly strong and smart 5'10" waterbug embracing and thoroughly enjoying the fact that the Wings want him to crash, bang, grind, bang bodies and/or generate offense on the forecheck, and occasionally fight.

DetroitRedWings.com's Michelle Crechiolo spoke to an enthusiastic Callahan--who both scored 20 goals in the WHL last year and ended up with a bloody nose on the last day of the Wings' summer prospect camp by scoring a goal off his scnozz--about his role, and got Wings assistant GM Jim Nill's take on Callahan's progress as well:

Just crashing the net hard, playing physical, and you know, stick-up for teammates in the odd fight,” Callahan said when describing his style of play. “I like to do that, that’s what I want to do. I’m not the guy that’s known to score the goals, I want to be the guy that’s known to be the hardest worker on the ice, and that’s what I take pride after ... it’s great to help the team out in any way you can.”

Callahan’s plan is to return to Kelowna for the upcoming season, but Nill sees him eventually bringing his grittiness to Detroit to balance out the Wings, who have built their squad around players like four-time Lady Byng winner Pavel Datsyuk.

Every team has a weakness in the NHL,” Nill said. “You’re either really skilled, but you’re not too tough, or you’ve got a great defense, but your goaltender is so-so. So every team has a weakness under this cap system, and Mitch Callahan kind of addresses one of those weaknesses.”

Nill duly noted that Callahan spent the Wings' intra-squad scrimmages playing as Landon Ferraro's winger, helping the Wings' most offensively-talented forward in Ferraro generate offense on the cycle:

“He’s got good enough skill that he can play anywhere,” Nill said. “But if something happens, you know they’re there to back you up and they’re going to be in the other team’s face all the time.”

Again, to me, Callahan plays like a young Dallas Drake, a forechecking forward with superb speed who crashes and bangs on the rush, and just so happens to possess pretty decent hands and an ability to generate offense on the cycle, so...I must admit that I'm giddy that he's so very enthusiastic about doing his job. He's just a great young man as well--he loves working hard, knows that he needs to work harder in the gym than his fellows to overcome his size, and he very actively talks to the coaching staff whenever he needs clarification on exactly where he should be and what he should be doing to play as aggressively as humanly possible during drills."

I am pumped for this kid and it seems like he is really flying under the radar. He seems to have chemistry with ferraro too. Maybe future line-mates.

Obviously cally is not ready yet and needs at least a year in the AHL to see how his style of play holds up against bigger stronger players.

Now to the bolded part

My question is why is holland not exploring trades with the likes of miller/rittola/meech to bring in more sand paper? Who knows, maybe he is, but im glad they are trying to address this. Maybe FA isn't the way to go and we will see some trades between now and the end of camp to fill a need.

This is not a enforcer thread. Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas.

.

Edited by redwingfan19

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NHL.com just posted a good article on Callahan too.There's still plenty of sandpaper available out there.I think the reason Miller and Meech got contracts that were so low was a planned sign and trade.I'm not completely convinced that he's given up on acquiring a little bit of nastiness.Obviously,he's been known in the past to wait until training camp or whatever and pick someone up.He doesn't like paying a lot for a bottom 6 guy,and I agree with his mindset in that aspect.4th liners aren't supposed to be demanding a mil.There's still plenty of names out there they can mix it up.

Arron Asham

Adam Mair

Byron Bitz

Nick Tarnasky

Andrew Peters

Brian McGrattan

Jamal Mayers

Like the OP said,maybe he doesn't want to go through FA.Meech and Miller have easily tradeable contracts,I think we'll see some nastiness acquired.

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Arron Asham

Adam Mair

Byron Bitz

Nick Tarnasky

Andrew Peters

Brian McGrattan

Jamal Mayers

Bitz would be interesting. The dude is a brick wall but not sure what place he would have here as he is more so a center and those are all locked in. What did he make last year?

Still want Asham regardless if we can do it.

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This is not a enforcer thread. Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas.

It will be soon enough.

Anyway, this is actually the first I've heard of this kid outside of "there's a person who's involved in hockey and his name is Mitchel Callahan". Its cool to see a gritty aspect working its way up through our system. With guys like him and Abby and Helm we should have a very legit bottom six over the next decade. Its our future top-six that I'm a bit concerned about.

Edited by Echolalia

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My question is why is holland not exploring trades with the likes of miller/rittola/meech to bring in more sand paper?

Possible that he is just unhappy with the selection available to him, either altogether or at the Wings' current price range, which is low. I would rather he made no move on it at all than make one just for the sake of making it, and bringing in a guy that sucks at hockey. Even adding a dimension that the Wings lack doesn't necessarily mean it's improving the team.

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It will be soon enough.

Anyway, this is actually the first I've heard of this kid outside of "there's a person who's involved in hockey and his name is Mitchel Callahan". Its cool to see a gritty aspect working its way up through our system. With guys like him and Abby and Helm we should have a very legit bottom six over the next decade. Its our future top-six that I'm a bit concerned about.

fortunately, there is some guys in the system that bring grit and skill but they are a ways off. Callahan is probably the toughest of them at this point however. The top 6 I think will be looking fine in the future if tartar,nyqvist,ferrero,sheahan,mursak all project to their potentials plus we will have an old z,mule,dats, fill and huds should be in their primes the future is bright!!

But it's right now that worries me because if we go into this season with the team we have now guys are going to get destroyed and its not fair for abby and big E to have to handle the load by themselves. Im not saying go out and get a good but can't the wings trade some redundant players to fill a need? I'm really not sure wahts available but teams are in cap hell right now and the wings have assets.

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NHL.com just posted a good article on Callahan too.There's still plenty of sandpaper available out there.I think the reason Miller and Meech got contracts that were so low was a planned sign and trade.I'm not completely convinced that he's given up on acquiring a little bit of nastiness.Obviously,he's been known in the past to wait until training camp or whatever and pick someone up.He doesn't like paying a lot for a bottom 6 guy,and I agree with his mindset in that aspect.4th liners aren't supposed to be demanding a mil.There's still plenty of names out there they can mix it up.

Arron Asham

Adam Mair

Byron Bitz

Nick Tarnasky

Andrew Peters

Brian McGrattan

Jamal Mayers

Like the OP said,maybe he doesn't want to go through FA.Meech and Miller have easily tradeable contracts,I think we'll see some nastiness acquired.

And..

Christian Hanson

Darcy Tucker

Evgeny Artyukhin

Glen Metropolit

Steve Begin

John Madden

Marcus Nilson

Owen Nolan

Wayne Primeau

Ryan Carter

Raffi Torres

Sean Bergenheim

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And..

Christian Hanson

Darcy Tucker

Evgeny Artyukhin

Glen Metropolit

Steve Begin

John Madden

Marcus Nilson

Owen Nolan

Wayne Primeau

Ryan Carter

Raffi Torres

Sean Bergenheim

and

Mike Comrie.

Come play for 1 mill and contend for a Cup and center that 3rd line.

Huds-Comrie-Cleary yikes

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And..

Christian Hanson

Darcy Tucker

Evgeny Artyukhin

Glen Metropolit

Steve Begin

John Madden

Marcus Nilson

Owen Nolan

Wayne Primeau

Ryan Carter

Raffi Torres

Sean Bergenheim

this is the problem, not enough roster spots since the roster is already full. the only way this team gets tougher is if holland gets creative and makes some trades but like one poster said, there just may not be a market for that right now. Not saying i'd want carcillo but philly is in cap trouble. I think they'd be interested in miller or rittola for him for example.

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and

Mike Comrie.

Come play for 1 mill and contend for a Cup and center that 3rd line.

Huds-Comrie-Cleary yikes

huds + comrie would never work, the line would be too small even with cleary because cleary isn't the biggest guy either.

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huds + comrie would never work, the line would be too small even with cleary because cleary isn't the biggest guy either.

Bert-Comrie-Cleary? I don't know... its not going to happen but would love to bring a U of M boy here. Love his game and makes the 3rd line more legit than even Modo would.

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As much as I'd like Torres here,its really sounding like he plans on being a Leaf next year.I've been saying Owen Nolan all along.A little Irish temper never hurts :thumbup: Begin,like Bitz,is a center and we already have too many.How about Brian Boyle from the Rangers?is he available?I believe he plays wing but I may be mistaken.

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Bert-Comrie-Cleary? I don't know... its not going to happen but would love to bring a U of M boy here. Love his game and makes the 3rd line more legit than even Modo would.

Plus, he'll bring Hillary Duff.

Begin,like Bitz,is a center and we already have too many.How about Brian Boyle from the Rangers?is he available?I believe he plays wing but I may be mistaken.

If I'm not mistaken Begin has played some left wing and Bitz has played some right wing. Brian Boyle is also locked up with the Rags for one more year, then he's an RFA.

Edited by Jesusberg

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Guest Heaten

fortunately, there is some guys in the system that bring grit and skill but they are a ways off. Callahan is probably the toughest of them at this point however. The top 6 I think will be looking fine in the future if tartar,nyqvist,ferrero,sheahan,mursak all project to their potentials plus we will have an old z,mule,dats, fill and huds should be in their primes the future is bright!!

But it's right now that worries me because if we go into this season with the team we have now guys are going to get destroyed and its not fair for abby and big E to have to handle the load by themselves. Im not saying go out and get a good but can't the wings trade some redundant players to fill a need? I'm really not sure wahts available but teams are in cap hell right now and the wings have assets.

Seriously? Did Brad May and his 7 minutes per night through 40 games really keep this team from getting destroyed? If anything Red Wings are bigger and stronger than last year. Franzen will be back, Cleary should be the healthiest he's been in probably 2 years, Abby should get a full season.

5'9" Bett Lebda is gone.

I don't know, but to me this year's Red Wings look stronger than last year. And who's to say Holland doesn't pick up a gritty scrub at camp. You know, someone who actually works for his chance.

I doubt one guy who plays 7 minutes through 40 games is going to put this team over the edge in terms of "toughness" and "grit".

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Plus, he'll bring Hillary Duff.

Sandpaper!

OK, on topic: I think it's obvious by now that there is some feeling in the Wings front office that some grit is lacking in the current lineup. The onus is on them to address that, or not. At this point I'm not really sure which way they'll go.

I think the fact that Callahan is generating so much buzz/excitement despite being barely a speck in the prospect eye, if you'll pardon the awkward metaphor, is an indication that the fans want to see that extra grit. Seems to me that keeping that in mind would be courteous to the fans, if the Wings organization is concerned with that kind of thing. I like to think they are.

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Seriously? Did Brad May and his 7 minutes per night through 40 games really keep this team from getting destroyed? If anything Red Wings are bigger and stronger than last year. Franzen will be back, Cleary should be the healthiest he's been in probably 2 years, Abby should get a full season.

5'9" Bett Lebda is gone.

I don't know, but to me this year's Red Wings look stronger than last year. And who's to say Holland doesn't pick up a gritty scrub at camp. You know, someone who actually works for his chance.

I doubt one guy who plays 7 minutes through 40 games is going to put this team over the edge in terms of "toughness" and "grit".

you obviously didn't get the point of my post which was trade redundancy for need. Franzen, cleary, and abby playing a full season has nothing to do with it. are you saying franzen is tough? lol instead you choose to nit pick one liitle part of my post. cleary and abby are both play gritty game but lets not kid ourselves.

Edited by redwingfan19

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Sandpaper!

OK, on topic: I think it's obvious by now that there is some feeling in the Wings front office that some grit is lacking in the current lineup. The onus is on them to address that, or not. At this point I'm not really sure which way they'll go.

I think the fact that Callahan is generating so much buzz/excitement despite being barely a speck in the prospect eye, if you'll pardon the awkward metaphor, is an indication that the fans want to see that extra grit. Seems to me that keeping that in mind would be courteous to the fans, if the Wings organization is concerned with that kind of thing. I like to think they are.

Yeah Nill is saying that is our weakness so the front office must realize we need some more grit in the lineup. Holland said it after the season was over as well. They have tonnes of buzz about Callahan and how muc better he has gotten. There was so many people on this site saying he would probably never make it but now it looks very likely that he will. Not to mention he is a very good fighter pound for pound. He will most likely be able to go against everyone and do well in the league except the big heavyweights. He also seems that he won't be just a 7 minute a night enforcer, he's a Drake type that fights more and better.

This article also kinda points out my biggest concern for this guy. I was worried about his skating but it says hes a speedy player so that concern is out the door.

Looks like we have a solid 4th liner at least on the way up who can hit, fight and play. I'm excited

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This kid will be a fan favorite no question. Just hope the skill and motivation keeps going. Always a plus to know you have someone like this in the system and on his way up in the next couple years.

This kid plus Abdelkader on a line would be a beautiful thing to see. Smashing everything left and right and fighting. Or Abby on the third line so we have a really physical presence plus Cally and a bigger enforcer type on the 4th line with Cally. That would be a sick one two punch

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This kid plus Abdelkader on a line would be a beautiful thing to see. Smashing everything left and right and fighting. Or Abby on the third line so we have a really physical presence plus Cally and a bigger enforcer type on the 4th line with Cally. That would be a sick one two punch

I really think Abby gets his chance to show us all what he's got this year centering that 3rd line (Modano talks aside). Had the scoring touch in AHL for sure but obviously that doesn't generate nearly the same as in the Big Show. Abby with Clears and Huds on each side can make some s*** happen. When was the last line combo thread??? :hehe:

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I really think Abby gets his chance to show us all what he's got this year centering that 3rd line (Modano talks aside). Had the scoring touch in AHL for sure but obviously that doesn't generate nearly the same as in the Big Show. Abby with Clears and Huds on each side can make some s*** happen. When was the last line combo thread??? :hehe:

When was the last time BlueAdams was online lol?

And yeah Abby should be centering the third line over Helm.

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