The Red Wings may not win Mazur in October, but his time is coming

Red Wings prospect Carter Mazur gained 13 pounds in the offseason and is still 12 pounds lighter than the average Detroit player

However, the extra weight is enough to tip the scales in his favor when it comes to confidence.

“(Weight gain) was also all about muscle,” the Michigan native said. “This is another good sign. It took a lot of work to get to this point. Now it’s going to be hard to keep it up all year long… I feel like it’s helping me a lot. In the game I felt stronger on my feet, I felt faster. I feel better in every part of my game thanks to 13 extra pounds.

If Mazur had played for another NHL team, he might have had a shot at a roster spot. He’s coming off a strong season in Grand Rapids, including a strong postseason (eight points in nine games). However, the Red Wings don’t have much room to maneuver when it comes to lineup selection.

“I had confidence in last year’s AHL playoffs, building that up and then adding that weight is a big factor in me not making the team or not making the team,” Mazur said. “It’s a small thing, but it really adds something to my game. That’s how I play. I want to be heavy, I want to be physical. Even though I don’t weigh 200 pounds, I still think I can do it at 188. It adds a lot of confidence to my game and I feel very comfortable where I am.

Another Bertuzzi?

Mazur’s assessment of his situation is likely accurate, as what the Red Wings really like about Mazur is the growl and fire breath that accompanies his scoring touch. He scored 17 goals in 60 games and added three more in the playoffs. Mazur can probably be a 20-goal scorer at the NHL level. He thinks he will be a Tyler Bertuzzi-type player,

“He’s obviously the bigger boy,” Detroit forward Joe Veleno said. “I’m not afraid to fight in the corners and I compete really hard. It always gives you extra effort. Like that assist he had that night. He’s just tenacious on the puck, has good skills in tight spots, has a good shot and is quite thick.

Believe it or not, one of Mazur’s problems is maintaining his weight. That won’t get him much sympathy in the real world.

“It’s mostly food,” Mazur said. “I eat as much as I can. It’s pretty simple, but it’s hard during the year, especially when it comes to skating and playing games every day. Being on ice, you lose a lot of calories.

It’s hard to play against

Mazur played with Marco Kasper in the AHL playoffs. They seem to fit together well, they are both difficult to play. They both play hard.

I see that (Kasper) has also become bigger and stronger,” Mazur said. “He’s a player who can really change the game physically and offensively. He uses his speed quite well. He was a real standout guy in the first preseason game. I thought he did all the little things the right way. He doesn’t make mistakes. He’s just a really good hockey player. “

It doesn’t seem far-fetched to believe that Kasper and Mazur could end up in Detroit together, although it likely won’t happen early in the season.