Red Wings Roster Preview: Luke Glendening

Luke Glendening may be the most opinion-dividing player on the Wings this season. On one hand, you have the average fan who views him as a very good shutdown forward. On the other hand, you have the analytical fan who views him as a replacement level player thrusted into a role that he can’t handle.

Either of them could be right (probably the latter), but regardless, Glendening is here, and he’s here to stay. Coming off a summer where Ken Holland extended him for four more years after this season, he’ll be expected to be the player that he has been (or what everyone thinks he is) for the last few years for the duration of his contract, so it will be interesting to see how he handles this, especially starting this season.

Much like our first player to be previewed, Dylan Larkin, Glendening is a Michigan native who was a part of the CCHA for four years with the University of Michigan. As an undrafted free agent, he began his pro career with the Providence Bruins (for a solid three games) before being signed by his hometown team, the Grand Rapids Griffins, to an AHL contract in 2012. After switching between the Griffins and Toledo, Glendening got an NHL contract in 2013, and made his debut in the 2013-14 season.

Glendening saw plenty of game time, thanks to an injury plagued Wings team that season, and established himself with Mike Babcock (key words: with MIKE BABCOCK) as a hard working fourth liner who could shut down the other teams top scorers. Since then, he’s been just that for the Wings (role wise, not skill wise). Even the coaching change didn’t change a thing, since Jeff Blashill was the guy who brought him into the organization in the first place.

Glendening has the numbers that you’d expect from a guy who is pushed into a role that they are incapable of playing well in. He had 21 points, a career high, and pretty good for fourth line production. However, he relied heavily on the secondary assist, as seven of his 21 points came via the second pass, for a 5v5 P160 of 0.63, compared to a 5v5 P60 of 1.12. On the defensive side, he gets held up in his own zone a lot, with a 45.21% 5v5 CF%, and a 101.46 PDO. Not amazing, but not bad for a guy with a defensive zone start percentage of 45.65%. Oh, and a 54.6% faceoff win percentage, because faceoffs are important or something.

By numerous statistics, Glendening’s most comparable season from last year was Dominic Moore’s 2014-15 season, where Moore put up 27 points in 82 games, and a 47.2 5v5 CF%. Moore probably needs no introduction, being an established and well traveled veteran with a career high of 45 points. Not the greatest possession forward either, this may be a good comparable player for a career trajectory, although I wouldn’t say that Glendening will hit 45 points, or be as well traveled (but that’s more due to his contract).

There isn’t a lot to project about Glendening. This season will essentially be what past seasons have been, where he’ll be put in his usual shutdown role, perform terribly but somehow look good enough for the coaches to justify his role, and play him over better, younger players. That’s what you get with Glendening, whether you as a fan like it or not. And you better enjoy it, because he’s signed for four more years, and there is no way that contract will be traded.