Ken Holland has repeatedly said that he expects young defenseman Brendan Smith to compete for a spot in the lineup in training camp. I have just one question. How?
The top three spots are secure with Nick Lidstrom, Brad Stuart, and Nik Kronwall. The other spot in the top four will be filled by either Jonathan Ericsson or Ian White. The loser of that competition will pair with either Jakub Kindl or Mike Commodore for the 3rd pair, and the loser of THAT competition will be slotted as the seventh defenseman.
We know there will be injuries, and it's probable that Smith will get some action for the Wings this season as a call up. But making the team out of camp? I don't see how that happens unless they make a trade. If they trade Kindl as part of a package to get a top 6 and don't get an NHL defenseman in return, Smith might beat our Commodore for a regular spot in the lineup. Unless that happens, however, Griffins fans will be seeing a lot of Smith in Van Andel Arena this season.
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