For the second straight day, defenseman Paul Martin missed practice, according to our own Brodie Brazil on Facebook Live.
Absence creates opportunity, and the beneficiary over the last two days was 26-year-old Swedish defenseman Tim Heed. Heed, who led the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda in scoring from the blueline last season, made the team out of camp as the seventh defenseman.
His track record from the AHL and an accomplished career in Sweden are impressive, but what Heed represents is arguably more important: A fresh approach.
Yes, Kevin Labanc is playing in a top-six role and fellow second-year forward Timo Meier made the team out of camp.