After earning praise from his teammates and coaches, Detroit Red Wings rookie Emmitt Finnie acknowledged that it's beneficial for his confidence levels.
The centennial campaign for the Detroit Red Wings began with the news that three separate rookies would be making their NHL debuts with the team, thanks to their strong showings in Training Camp and pre-season play.
Forwards Emmitt Finnie (201st overall, 2023) and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (15th overall, 2024) as well as defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka (17th overall, 2023), were all included in Detroit's Opening Night roster.
While Brandsegg-Nygård was eventually returned to the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins, both Finnie and Sandin-Pellikka have remained in Detroit, who soon brought up Nate Danielson (9th overall, 2023).
The contributions of Finnie have been especially evident, as he's largely spent his time playing on Detroit's first line alongside Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, and has already registered nine goals with 10 assists.
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After scoring the first of two straight game-tying goals in the Red Wings’ 4–3 overtime victory over the Dallas Stars on Dec. 23, the rookie drew high praise from both Dylan Larkin and head coach Todd McLellan.
Larkin went a step further, saying he would model his playing style after Finnie if the rookie were selected for Team USA at the February Olympics, adding that he has “earned a seat at the table” with his strong play this season.
Following practice on Tuesday, Finnie said that the praise he's receiving from teammates like Larkin as well as the coaching staff helps to boost his confidence levels.
"It means a lot. Obviously, from someone like Dylan, that's someone I try and play like," Finnie said. "I think he brings a lot of energy, and I love the way he plays. He's someone I want to model my own game after, and it gives you confidence hearing that from both of them and makes me want to perform better."
Red Wings' James van Riemsdyk Shares Optimistic Update After Missing Last Two Games Detroit Red Wings forward James van Riemsdyk appears to be trending toward a return to the ice for their upcoming game on Wednesday evening. Finnie's rookie season has been highlighted by his willingness to go to the dirty areas of the ice, fishing pucks out of the corners and parking himself in front of the net and taking the physical abuse from opposition defensemen and goaltenders.
"I do like to go to the harder areas of the ice, trying to get in front of the net, I feel like that's where I have the best chance to score goals," Finnie said of his playing style. "I'm just trying to do the little things and free up pucks for Dylan and Ray (Lucas Raymond) and bang a few in."
While players like Sandin-Pellikka and Danielson picked up plenty of attention and anticipation coming into their rookie seasons, Finnie is making an incredibly strong case for himself to be known as Detroit's top first-year player.
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Category: General Sports
