It seemed like a dream come true for Detroit Red Wings forward Carter Mazur, who was called up to the big club from the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins for his NHL debut on March 6.
Mazur had multiple family members and friends in attendance at Little Caesars Arena, all of whom were thrilled to cheer him on wearing the Winged Wheel for the first time professionally, a dream of his as a child.
Unfortunately, his debut lasted literally 17 seconds. He was hurt after falling awkwardly into the boards while trying to check Utah Hockey Club forward Jack McBain, and immediately left the game. He ultimately suffered a dislocated elbow and was only recently activated off Injured Reserve.
As Mazur would explain this week to the Red Wings' official website, he leaned on the support from his family amidst the unfortunate injury setback.
“I was called up for a reason,” Mazur said. “My game is still there. It’s not a career-ending injury, but the thought of that happening with all my family and friends there is still brutal. However, I have a great support system behind me. Every single one of them supports me no matter what. It was a tough thing to go through, but I have the right people behind me to get me in the right spot.”
The good news for Mazur is that he's bulked up during his offseason training, adding 15 lbs of healthy muscle to his frame. He credited Griffins' Strength and Conditioning Coordinator Marcus Kinney, along with Physical Therapist Zack Harvey, for their assistance in doing so.
“Gaining strength was always a big part of probably why I’ve gotten hurt a lot,” Mazur said. “I’m on the smaller side, but Marcus and Zack Harvey put me in a good spot heading into the summer. Just keeping that muscle on, figuring out more about my body and what I really need is huge.”
Before being called up to the Red Wings in March, he had skated in 20 games with the Griffins and scored eight goals while adding another seven assists.
It's valuable experience that Mazur aims to use to his advantage.
“Already having a year in the American Hockey League under my belt, I felt more comfortable last year,” Mazur said. “That helped me a lot. I trust my ability, and I always go back to that. I feel like I have some skill and snarl to my game. And out of the 20 games I did play, I felt like my game added a lot to the group.”
Selected in the third round (70th overall) by the Red Wings in 2021, Mazur hopes to become one of the long-term solutions the team will rely on for future success as part of general manager Steve Yzerman's effort to replenish the prospect pool.
