The Detroit Red Wings are marching on with their season. As the calendar turns to 2023, the trade deadline continues to inch closer way down the horizon. Last year, the Red Wings made a deal with the St. Louis Blues to bring in Oskar Sundqvist, Jake Walman, and a second-round pick for Nick Leddy and Luke Witkowski.
Upon arrival, both Sundqvist and Walman seemed to be depth additions or guys that needed time to settle in. In January of 2023, it feels like both players have become significant role players with the Detroit Red Wings organization.
While Walman has emerged as a solid defender in his own respect, Sundqvist is adjusting well to his new home. Even though he is not scoring at an all-star pace or tallying points left and right, he’s on pace for better numbers than in years past and is playing his role quite well.
Detroit Red Wings forward Oskar Sundqvist is adjusting well to his new home.
Sundqvist has logged 28 games played during the 2022-23 season, where he has scored five goals and added nine assists for 14 total points. With plenty of hockey left to play this season, he’s already past the halfway point from where he’s been in years past in terms of points.
Taking things a step further, he has 22 points over 46 games played in a Red Wings uniform between the past two seasons. The pace he has been able to find offense is much better than it was with the Blues organization or Pittsburgh Penguins when he broke into the league.
Sundqvist has been able to anchor the middle/bottom six part of the forward group. On top of that, he has joined in on the power play efforts and has been able to help convert with a man advantage.
He has provided six points while on the power-play, indicating that nearly 42.8% of his points have been tallied while the Red Wings are deploying him on the power-play. Even though the Red Wings have not been able to see him take massive strides in the offensive game, he’s been steady.
The Red Wings have to be happy with what Sundqvist has brought to the table for them to this point in 2022-23 and really since getting to Detroit. The 28-year-old forward has benefited the team and has found ways to fill a role and bring value to the team night in and night out.
At the end of the day, that’s all that Steve Yzerman can ask for out of some of these guys in the bottom six.