He came into training camp with the Red Wings with one thing on his mind. “My goal has always been to play in the NHL. I didn’t know when it would be, but it was my main goal,” said Ouellet, who knew adjusting to pro hockey would be a challenge. Five games into his AHL career, Ouellet got the good news. He was recalled by the Red Wings and made his debut against the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 21. “I wanted to scream and yell everywhere, but I kept my emotions in control,” he said. “I wasn’t that nervous or scared – more excited than anything. I couldn’t wait for the game to start. When my fi st shift w s done, I was really into the game and I felt pretty good.” Ouellet logged 17:15 of ice time and, by all reports, did everything that was expected of him. “I thought he was real good, I thought he was steady,” said Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock. “I liked him through training camp, (so) it’s not a big surprise to me. He’s smart, doesn’t make lots of mistakes. “As a young D, often it’s not so much what you do, it’s how few mistakes you make. Conscientious, trustworthy, you get to play a lot. He did a good job.’’ Ouellet was recalled a second time in early November, earning starts against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Winnipeg Jets. “I’ve always been motivated, but playing a couple of NHL games gave me a little taste of what it’s like and made me hungrier to get back,” he said. At age 20, Ouellet is showing the kind of poise and puck prowess that some scouts believe could eventually make him a Top-4 defenseman. “Xavier is a very mature young player, and that shows in his game,” said Griffins head coach Jeff Blashill. “He handles risk management very well; he doesn’t take more risk than the reward. He’s able to be a fairly effici t hockey player in the sense that he can create offense and defend well without giving up much. That’s why when he’s gone up to Detroit, he’s done a good job because he’s played a fairly simple and manageable game.” In less than two months, Ouellet has earned the faith of his coaches in both the AHL and NHL. “If you can earn the coach’s confide ce that you’re good defensively, no matter what position you play, you’re going to be put into a lot more C
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Ouellet’s father Robert played for the French hockey team at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
his ability to make a great fi st pass, propelled him to near the top of many teams’ draft l sts. It was no surprise when Ouellet was selected in the second round (48th overall) by the Red Wings in the 2011 NHL Draft. e had already established himself as a top prospect before fin shing his junior career with two solid seasons as captain of his team. Ouellet also represented Canada at the 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia, notching three points (one goal, two assists) in six games. “It didn’t go as well as we wanted as a team, but as a player, it was a great learning experience,” he said. He joined the Griffins at the end of last season, and although he didn’t see action in any games, witnessing the team’s run to the Calder Cup championship was an invaluable experience. “I had no idea what the AHL was like, so to come last year and see a few games, it really helped,” he said. “It’s not fun to watch from the stands, but there are good things that you can get out of the experience, and I think watching the team helped me a lot in terms of getting ready for this season.” 44
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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