Red Wings 2022-23 Wrap-Up: Pius Suter

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings dealt with injuries to several key players during the 2022-23 season, forcing first-year head coach Derek Lalonde to tinker with the lineup. And whenever Lalonde called on Pius Suter, the 26-year-old forward answered.

"He's a very valuable player because he's smart," Lalonde said on April 8. "He can play in all different situations. He's centered our fourth line, been on our first line, kills penalties and plays the wing. The security of having him after our power play that next shift is very important."

This season - his second in Hockeytown - Suter totaled 24 points on 14 goals and 10 assists in 79 games.

"I developed being versatile early on," Suter said. "I've played center and winger, but I feel switching has been something that has happened from one year to another. It's just about being responsible and playing a solid two-way game. You need to not only make the plays but make the right plays."

Moving up and down lineup could make it tough for a young player to find their rhythm, but Suter said any type of positional switch ultimately "becomes about you."

"Every guy is a bit different," Suter said. "Different mindset and stuff, but you get used to it. At this point, the system is in place. We know what we must do."

Suter, in his third full NHL campaign after playing his rookie season with the Chicago Blackhawks, established himself as a staple on Detroit's penalty kill unit, even chipping in offensively with a career-high two short-handed goals.

"When I'm about to go on the penalty kill, my mindset is all about shutting them down," Suter said. "Trying to lock down and prevent plays from developing. There, your focus is if you get it, just get it out and down. When you play 5-on-5, it's a little more about what you're doing with the puck. That's when you're making plays."

In the 2021-22 campaign, Detroit's penalty kill finished 32nd in the NHL at 73.8 percent. This season, the Red Wings ranked 18th with a 78.5-percent success rate.

"I feel I've taken steps forward on the penalty kill," said Suter, who can become an unrestricted agent on July 1. "And as a team last year, we didn't have much success. We also took a step forward this year and that's only gonna continue. Guys want to be better as well, but it can be hard. There's a lot of skill."