The Detroit Red Wings saw their off-season acquisition, Dominik Kubalik, get things done during the start of his season. He came out firing and was able to add some points to his season line. But things have slowed up since the calendar flipped over to 2023.
Even with a great game against the Vegas Golden Knights, Kubalik has only scored one goal in his last five games played. But the Detroit Red Wings have to be hoping he can find some more offense before the season’s first half ends.
The All-Star Break is approaching, and the team has four more games until the break, which leaves time for Kubalik to try and get some offense flowing. His goal against Vegas was solid, and he had several quality scoring chances throughout the game.
His game has been solid, and he has had the chances; he has just been unable to bury them in the back of the net. The Red Wings signed Kubalik to a two-year contract with a $2.5 million annual value, and he’s looking quite comfortable in his new home.
Detroit Red Wings Dominik Kubalik needs a strong finish going into the break.
To start the 2022-23 season, Kubalik has 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 total points over the 44 games played. The shot has been impressive, and it seems like he’s primed for a season where he easily crosses the 20-goal threshold.
In his first season in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks, Kubalik scored 30 goals but has only reached 21 as the high after that. Now, he’s looking to keep the offense flowing and get up to 30 goals once again.
One of the things I have noticed is that Kubalik has been buried in the team’s bottom six at times. He ends up playing fourth-line shifts, but even then, he still finds ways to get it done. Even if the goals have not been coming, he produces good shots, and even from the outside, he has a quick release and has put pucks on the net that create scoring chances for his teammates.
While there is not much time left before the All-Star Break, the Red Wings should be hoping that Kubalik can tap into that scoring and get things back on track. He has a chance to be a massive part of this team’s offense down the stretch, and a strong finish into the break would be a big boost.
The Red Wings’ offense has been much better in 202-23 than in recent years, and having Kubalik out there is certainly helping this; he needs to find some more offense. If he does not find that offense, he may run out of time and become what Pius Suter has been this season.