Kalamazoo — Carter Mazur grew up a Red Wings fan, living in Jackson and watching Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Darren Helm lead the Red Wings to Stanley Cup titles and multiple playoff runs.
Mazur was picked by the Red Wings in the 2021 draft, then helped Denver win the national championship in his freshman year. He is now a sophomore sensation, ranking second nationally in goals (22) to help Denver to the NCHC regular-season championship and No. 3 national ranking.
Mazur, a left winger who will turn 21 on March 28, had 200 family members and friends watch him and his teammates limit then-No. 5 Western Michigan — the nation’s top-scoring team — to three goals in a 5-2 and 3-1 sweep last weekend to take home the Penrose Cup, symbolizing the NCHC regular-season title.
Mazur has closely followed the Red Wings’ recent surge that put them in the playoff race ahead of the trade deadline.
“It’s really special to see that, especially growing up in the age when they were winning Stanley Cups and to see them go through kind of a struggle recently,” Mazur said. “It’s kind of nice to see them finally put their pieces together, especially with what Stevie Y’s doing. He’s an unbelievable guy and unbelievable GM, and just to see what he’s doing with the old team he was with is pretty special.
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“I was a Red Wings fan growing up. I wear 34 because it’s a reverse 43 for Darren Helm. He was one of my idols growing up. That’s how I model myself after, him in a way. It’s just really special to be drafted by this organization that does so much, and just an Original Six team too is pretty special.”
Mazur showed his ability to impact a game by scoring from just left of the crease to pull Denver even at 2-2 in the series opener at WMU, then he screened the goalie for Justin Lee’s goal for a 3-2 lead. Mazur also scored the winning goal early in the third period with a wrist shot from the circle during Saturday’s 3-1 win.
Mazur is enjoying his success with teammate Shai Buium, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound defenseman who could be his future NHL teammate as well. Buium was the Red Wings’ second-round pick in the 2021 Draft.
Both Mazur and Buium participated in the Red Wings NHL Development Camp in July, with Mazur then playing for Team USA at the World Junior Championship the following month and contributing a team-high five goals and seven points.
“They (Red Wings) had their skating coaches come out with us and that was massive, me and Shai both together working every other week on skating,” Mazur said. “I feel that was a massive step and then just development camp was unbelievable, getting all the resources from players like Niklas Kronwall and Shawn Horcoff, players of high caliber that have been through it. Getting that type of information was massive.”
Mazur said the world championships were “another big step” in his career and gave him a lot of confidence with his goal-scoring ability.
“I know I had 14 (goals) last year, but I feel like they were all in front of the net and now I expanded that to scoring outside, and then skating is another big one,” Mazur said. “I feel like my skating has really improved and making me a faster player, as well as good edge work and everything.”
Mazur said he patterns his game after Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk, who had 42 goals and 104 points in Calgary last season.
“I feel like he’s a good guy to really watch and learn from,” Mazur said. “He has good skill and he likes to piss people off, and that’s kind of how my game is now.”
Mazur had 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) last season, finishing as the second-highest freshmen scorer behind only Michigan’s Luke Hughes (17 goals, 22 assists, 39 points).
When asked how long he would be playing college hockey before starting his pro career, Mazur replied: “It’s just day by day, playing Denver hockey and that’s really all I’m focused on right now. I want to win national championships, to come in my freshman year and win one, then the guys we have in the locker room is a special group and we have an unbelievable group of coaches.”
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Buium, who grew up in San Diego and got involved in the game because of his older cousin, doesn’t model his style after any particular player but he said he does watch closely a number of defensemen, including the Red Wings’ Moritz Seider.
“I was a huge Red Wings fan growing up, Datsyuk, Lidstrom, so I’m obviously honored to be drafted by the Red Wings,” Buium said. “I’m excited to hopefully one day play there and be a part of the build-up they are in.
“They look like they’re in a great spot right now. I’ve just watched, they had won seven of their last eight games, so they were in a playoff spot. They’re buzzing, so it looks like the rebuild is working, obviously, so I’m really happy to hopefully be a part of it.”
Buium said he wants to improve every time he takes the ice, wanting to prove that Yzerman was right by drafting him.
“Obviously, it’s an honor being drafted by him,” Buium said of Yzerman. “He’s obviously a legend in hockey. He’s one of those guys that is kind of intimidating, so you want to come to the rink and work your heart out for him.”
dgoricki@detroitnews.com