As with Nedeljkovic, Suter was surrounded with a higher level of talent than he’ll find in Detroit. It’s almost split down the middle, those who think Suter will find his legs and those who think he’s going to fall off. It’s difficult to argue that playing with Kane and Debrincat would be a dream come true for a center. It lies squarely on Suter’s shoulders to show what he brings to the table without all star wingers. Watching his goals, look at #10 in the video. That is some impressive talent. Some of his goals are just impressive. Others are, of course, a benefit of being fed by some all stars. There is enough there to be excited about.
Keeping that in mind, this is still a solid addition to center ice for me. I believe the skills are there to be an improvement on the overall depth of the center position. Depending on who his wingers are (the Guelph line would have Bert and Fabbri. Otherwise possibly Fabbri and Zadina) and how well they communicate, there is still a good opportunity for this undrafted Swiss center to grab a spot in the rebuild.
There is a bit of “wait and see” here. I hope the coaching staff pays close attention to chemistry instead of just forcing pairs. Maybe Zadina/Suter/Vrana - Swiss Chex? Of course there’s the Guelph line as well. Or just sub him in for Fabbri at center, move Fabbri left and put Zadina where Ryan was last year at the beginning. However it plays out, just gets tiring when something feels “forced” in terms of lines and pairings. Sometimes people just “click” and it’s worth respecting.
I don’t want to give too much screen time to this, but I can hear it already. Yes, there were people who thought Panarin would fall off without Kane and he exploded. Panarin and Suter aren’t anywhere close to the same player. While playing with Kane enhances anyone’s game, Panarin had a lot more in the scoring department. Part of me thinks Stan still wakes up in a cold sweat after trading Panarin to CBJ. Even getting one more year would have been worth it.
Suter, to me, is an addition to center depth. If Rasmussen can take another step forward and make the third line better, then the second and third lines can make room for Larkin’s line. (Keep in mind, Larkin knew he was injured at the beginning of last season. He wanted to stay on the ice and lead the team). A recovered and refreshed Larkin and Bertuzzi make this team very different. Hopefully there is a second line in the making that gives that top line a little more space.
Let me know your thoughts on the acquisition. Are you excited for this “get”. I think Yzerman did a good job brining another young player in who can interact and possibly grow with the core.
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • 
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