Detroit — There was a stretch at the start of the season that goals just weren't happening for Vladislav Namestnikov, a Red Wings' free-agent acquisition during the offseason.
And, sure, the offense would have been nice, as the entire roster seemingly was in a slump.
But the thing with Namestnikov's game, as it's been throughout his career, is he is a player who can help a team on the defensive end, too.
For that reason, it was easy for the coaching staff to wait until Namestnikov's offensive game caught up.
"There's different ways to contribute," Namestnikov said.