Red Wings add Kent Huskins to dinged up defensive corps

As the first game of the season aptly demonstrated, the Detroit Red Wings could use some help on the blue line. That help is coming in the form of free agent Kent Huskins.

By Brian Stubits

Jan 22, 2013 at 12:09 pm ET • 2 min read

In 299 career NHL games, Huskins has 13 goals and 54 assists. (Getty Images)

As the first game of the season aptly demonstrated, the Detroit Red Wings could use some help on the blue line and that help is coming in the form of free agent Kent Huskins.

The need for help on the blue line became ever more apparent on Monday night when the oft-injured Carlo Colaiacovo was injured once again and will be out for a while. Added on top of the dings on Jonathan Ericsson and Jakub Kindl at the moment and you could see that the Wings were up a creek without a paddle.

It was reported after Monday's game, a shootout win on the road in Columbus, that the Wings were close to a deal to bring in a new defenseman but they wouldn't say who. On Tuesday morning, Huskins deal was revealed.

Huskins deal is for $750,000, prorated, He is flying in this afternoon. Wings hope to get paperwork done in time for him to play tonight
— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) January 22, 2013

Why the Wings felt the need to stay so hush-hush about it is a bit of a mystery. I can't imagine the line outside Huskins' door was very long. He played in 25 games last season with the Blues, scoring two goals and posting five assists. His best NHL season was in 2009-10 with the Sharks when he played all 82 games and had three goals with 19 assists.

Surely this is more of an orgnizational depth move than anything. The Wings are perilously thin so they need some help, and they need it now. They put Brian Lashoff into the lineup on Monday night and he responded by scoring a goal in his first career game. If/when they are all healthy on the blue line, Huskins probably won't be asked to fill in much. He will now, though.

What are the chances GM Ken Holland is sending gifts on a daily basis to Nicklas Lidstrom?

On another note that will definitely get the Red Wings fans a little more excited than the Huskins signing; they announced the call up of hot prospect Gustav Nyquist as well. He figures to play on a line with Valtteri Filppula and Johan Franzen on Tuesday against the Stars.

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