Detroit Red Wings: 5 players to keep an eye on in the 2021-22 season

#4: Detroit Red Wings defenseman Filip Hronek

One of the in-house players for the Detroit Red Wings that fans need to keep an eye on is Filip Hronek. He just earned himself a nice extension with the team to keep patrolling the blueline, and it will be interesting to see how this season goes for him.

The organization locked him up on a three-year contract that nets him $4.4 million a season. He has been the team’s best defender in recent years and was more than deserving of a raise this offseason.

The Red Wings are likely going to pair him with any of the likenesses of Nick Leddy, Danny DeKeyser, Troy Stecher, or Jordan Oesterle. Personally, Leddy seems like a good option but should also be saved for Moritz Seider if that is the route the Red Wings choose to go.

If Hronek is paired with someone like DeKeyser or Staal, the team may be able to clean things up in the defensive zone while also adding Hronek’s offensive scoring touch. Hronek logged all 56 games for the Red Wings last season, where he had two goals and 24 assists for 26 total points.

One of the things to note about Hronek is that he can be a playmaker in the offensive zone. He may not be finding the back of the net, but he finds the open man or puts good shots on net that create scoring chances. There is value in that besides being an assist guy; he can be a force on special teams.

If Hronek can captain a powerplay successfully in 2021-22, it will only add to his value. It’s going to be exciting to see how Hronek pans out for the Red Wings this upcoming season.