Red Wings Rookie Ryan Sproul Shines In Season Debut
By Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
Detroit Red Wings fans have waited a long time to see Ryan Sproul grace the ice at Joe Louis Arena, and the 23-year-old didn't disappoint in his home debut.
He notched his first career point in the second period, saved a goal with an acrobatic defensive play a few shifts later and was named the third star of the game in the Wings' 5-3 win over the Nashville Predators on Friday night.
"I thought he played well," said coach Jeff Blashill. "I thought he showed real good mental toughness, too, because he didn't start unreal and then I thought he got better as the game went along."
Drafted by Detroit in 2011, Sproul has long been one of the organization's top prospects. He is a big-bodied defenseman with great offensive instincts and a heavy shot. All of those attributes were on display against the Predators.
"I thought he was good on the power play shooting, I thought he was good getting up the ice," Blashill said. "He used his assets well."
Early in the second period, with the Wings on the power play, Sproul uncorked a one-timer from the point. Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne made the save through a Justin Abdelkader screen, but the puck ricocheted off Rinne, then off Abdelkader's back and into the net.
Sproul said he was just looking to get the puck on goal.
"(Abdelkader's) in front and he does a great job there, so either it tips off him or he screens the goalie and it goes in. That's the way goals go in these days," he said.
Sproul wound up with the primary assist, his first NHL point after racking up 91 points in the AHL over the past three seasons. It was there, with the Grand Rapids Griffins, that Sproul was refining the defensive side of his game, work that paid dividends during this year's training camp and preseason.
Looking like a more complete player, Sproul earned a spot on Detroit's opening night roster. And when defenseman Xavier Ouellet struggled through the team's first four games, the coaching staff turned to Sproul.
Friday night was his season debut.
"I thought he stepped in and played well," said Drew Miller, who tied the game at 2-2 late in the second with a low-angle missile over Rinne's shoulder. "He made some good first passes coming out of the zone and then he's got the big shot from the point, so I thought he did well."
After helping the Wings get on the board, Sproul kept the Predators off it. With goalie Petr Mrazek drawn out of position and a Nashville forward shooting at an open net, the defenseman thrust out his leg and deflected the puck out of play.
"That's just a desperation play," Sproul said. "They had two guys in front there, so I just kicked the foot out and was pretty lucky to hit it."
Asked which of his two plays was more gratifying – the assist or the save – Sproul smiled.
"I think the right thing to say is defensively, but it's always nice to get a point," he said.
Sproul made his NHL debut in 2013-14 season, when he played in one game, on the road, against the St. Louis Blues.
