Detroit Red Wings Prospects to Watch: Alexey Marchenko
One big thing that the Detroit Red Wings will need in the upcoming seasons will be defensemen. In fact in this years upcoming draft, defensemen should be what the team looks for in their first pick. However, the team does have some help waiting down in their AHL system that can help out.
Alexey Marchenko was a 7th round draft pick in the 2011 NHL draft by the Red Wings. The 23 year-old Russian spent time with the KHL’s CSKA Moscow junior team before he was drafted. He spent two more seasons in Russia playing with CSKA before he was signed by the Red Wings in 2013.
During the 2013 season the Red Wings assigned him to their AHL team the Grand Rapids Griffins. There he scored 3 goals and had 15 assists in 49 games. He was called up in January for one game with the Red Wings before being sent back down. In February that season Marchenko suffered a fractured bone in his ankle after going feet first into the boards. He had surgery and missed the rest of the season for the Griffins.
This season Marchenko has spent most of his time in Grand Rapids playing in 51 games. The defenseman had netted 3 goals with 17 assists while being a plus 22 player. He also got some more time up with the Red Wings. In 13 games with the big club Marchenko scored a goal and an assist. While those numbers aren’t super pretty, it was what he did on the defense that made him look like he will be with the Red Wings in the 2015 season.
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Marchenko has a very aggressive style of play. He is willing to hit you, knock you down and do what ever he has to do to get to the puck. He can have some hard hits that leave you thinking twice about going near him again. He could easily be a great player for the Red Wings on the defense. He isn’t ready for a first line spot, but having him in on a second or third line, he will help out the Red Wings.
This post season for the Griffins, Marchenko has helped out with his aggressive play along with 6 assists in 8 games. He played 3 games with the Red Wings in their 7 game series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Again, he wasn’t much help offensively, but was a body that helped push guys around on the ice.
The Red Wings as a team are high on this kid. They see him as another one of those picks everyone seemed to miss and fell right into Detroit’s lap.
Having a defensemen down in Grand Rapids should make you feel good about the future for this team. Having a young player like Marchenko who is very ready for the NHL allows the team to go draft more talent and let them be molded by the Red Wings processes.
What do you think of Alexey Marchenko? Did you know about him before the start of the season? Do you think he will come fill in the defensemen void the Red Wings are starting to have? Let us know below and don’t forget to stay connected to Detroit Jock City for all your Detroit Red Wings news.
Next: Check out how Tyler Bertuzzi is climbing his way up in the Red Wings system