Despite entering his 17th season, Kirk Maltby is looking to prove himself this training camp, as he likely doesn't have a spot on the Red Wings' roster right now. With lots of talent and some younger faces, Maltby has simply been squeezed out of the equation, although perhaps his situation will simply serve as the motivation he needs to take his game back to a higher level. Whether or not that is the case remains to be seen, but he is off to a good start at training camp, scoring a goal in a scrimmage and leading Team Lindsay to a victory.
“We didn’t have the best first period as a team, really,” Maltby said. “We came out and played a lot better. We had a good entry, and Abby got it to me in front and I just tried to get a quick release and Millsy was in front screening, so I think it went five-hole and caught Howie off guard.”
When asked about Maltby, Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock simply said that he is out there battling, as are many other players.
“He’s just in a situation,” Babcock said of Maltby. “He’s going out there and getting himself ready and battling, and he’s in a situation with his contract that he’s got to win a job, obviously.
“They want to play here, they have to perform. So for him – and I thought (Drew) Miller was real competitive today – it’s important that these guys have to play for their ice-time.”
It's always good when you are in a situation where talented players will not make the team because there simply isn't room. For the Red Wings, that is exactly where they stand with training camp underway, so quite a few players will be battling for limited spots on the team.