Red Wings-Penguins preseason wrap-up: youth is served (for one night, at least)

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 in overtime in the Wings’ first preseason game on Tuesday night.

The Red Wings received some contributions from young players as Michael Rasmussen scored the OT winner, Dennis Cholowski had 2 assists in 23:33 played, and Grosse Pointe native Trevor Hamilton scored the game’s opening goal.

Wings coach Jeff Blashill was pleased with the efforts of his young players, as was 22-year-old Dylan Larkin, as the Free Press’s Helene St. James noted:

Continue reading Red Wings-Penguins preseason wrap-up: youth is served (for one night, at least)

Krupa discusses the Red Wings’ ‘C’ situation

The Detroit News’s Gregg Krupa discusses the Red Wings’ captaincy, and he suggests that the Red Wings go with 3 alternate captains this season:

The lack of the “C” on the winged-wheel crested jerseys would be a just tribute to guy a lot of folks around the room are having a little trouble letting go of.

Management has not announced a decision on the succession plan and is unlikely to do so until near the end of this consequential preseason.

Designating three alternate captains would also indicate the leadership-by-group the Red Wings think they are likely to experience, in their captain’s absence, during a season of diminished expectations.

“I think, for us, he’s always been our leader,” Jimmy Howard said of Zetterberg. “But, it’s one of those things where we’ve still got great leadership in the room.

“As far as the C goes in the room, I don’t think it’s really a big concern.”

Continued

Red Wings-Penguins preseason quick take: Wings win 3-2 in OT via Rasmussen goal

The Detroit Red Wings tangled with the Pittsburgh Penguins in a preseason-opening exhibition game on Wednesday, and x came out on top.

The Red Wings dressed the following lineup…

Continue reading Red Wings-Penguins preseason quick take: Wings win 3-2 in OT via Rasmussen goal

Murray Howe to visit Monroe as part of book tour

The Monroe News’s Blake Bacho reports that Dr. Murray Howe will be heading to Monroe to talk about and then sign copies of his book, Nine Lessons I Learned From My Father:

It’s hard for Dr. Murray Howe to pick out the favorite among the long list of stories he’s heard about his late father, hockey legend Gordie Howe.

The youngest son of “Mr. Hockey,” Dr. Howe listened to thousands of anecdotes about his famous dad even before the younger Howe’s book, “Nine Lessons I Learned from my Father,” hit stores last October.

“When I wrote the book on Dad, I really just put it down because I just wanted to pay tribute to him, and just kind of share with the world the humanitarian that he was and the kind of amazing father he was …,” Dr. Howe said. “(I wrote it) without any forethought as to what would happen afterwards, what it would look like when the book was done. I kind of just went with the flow.

“The book has been so well received, and it’s just been a neat way to keep Dad’s spirit going. The main way that’s happening is through all the appearances I’ve been doing, and just meeting people.”

Dr. Howe will visit the Bedford Branch Library for a Meet the Author event on from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Books will be available for purchase and a signing will follow the program.

Slightly belated Wings-Pens game-day articles: On Joe Veleno and Dennis Cholowski

Of note before the Red Wings play the Pittsburgh Penguins this evening (7:30 PM EDT on Fox Sports Detroit):

  1. The Free Press’s Helene St. James penned an article about Joe Veleno…

His quickness stands out, as does his ability to make plays in tight areas.

One of the benefits of this exhibition season for the Detroit Red Wings is a chance to judge Joe Veleno at the NHL level. He looked good at the prospects tournament and in the Red-White scrimmage during training camp, setting high expectations entering Wednesday’s preseason game against Pittsburgh at Little Caesars Arena.

“I thought as the camp went along he just got better and better,” coach Jeff Blashill said Wednesday morning. “He really started to show me some real things.

“I always look to see, what’s an elite skill that a player has that’s going to allow that to be transferable to the NHL? For him, I wasn’t sure what it was at first. He’s definitely a good transporter of the puck from one end to the other, but his edges are excellent. I mean he can really create space with his edges and then he makes lots of plays in small areas. Those two things can be extraordinarily important here in the NHL.”

St. James continues, and she posted a video of comments from Blashill and Veleno…

Continue reading Slightly belated Wings-Pens game-day articles: On Joe Veleno and Dennis Cholowski

A ‘burning question’ regarding Dylan Larkin’s capabilities

CBS Sports’ Pete Blackburn issued a “burning question” for each and every one of the NHL’s 31 teams. His question for the Red Wings follows:

Detroit Red Wings

Is Dylan Larkin a bona fide No. 1 center?

The Red Wings better hope so! With the sudden retirement of Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit is looking pretty thin down the middle. After putting up a career-high 63 points last season, the 22-year-old Larkin was given a five-year extension this offseason. That was a vote of confidence in Larkin’s future, and now he’s got an opportunity to continue his upward trajectory and prove that he’s worthy of being the Wings’ top center as they continue their rebuild in Detroit. If he does that, this could be his team moving forward.

Red Wings-Penguins morning skate Tweets

As we await tonight’s game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings (7:30 PM EDT on Fox Sports Detroit), the lineups are available and DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji and the Wings’ Twitter account are posting updates from the morning skate:

Continue reading Red Wings-Penguins morning skate Tweets

Praise for Joe Veleno

Both Hockeybuzz’s Bob Duff and The Athletic’s Max Bultman took note of Joe Veleno’s impressive performance over the course of the Red Wings’ prospect tournament and main training camp.

First, from Duff:

One player who has impressed and will get more chance to do so as the Wings open preseason play is center Joe Veleno.

“He’s been excellent for most of camp,” Blashill said. “Let’s keep watching him and see how he does, get the best feel we can.”

Taken 30th overall in last spring’s NHL entry draft, Veleno would be a tremendous longshot to stick with the big club, but since the departure of Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit’s short and long-term scenario in the middle has been dramatically altered.

“My question is, what is going to be the elite skill that will be transferable, and for me watching him on his edges he has elite edges,” Blashill said. “He knows how to control the puck, because he controls space with his edges and he can make a lot plays in tight. I think Veleno has showed very well.”

And among Max Bultman’s notes:

It’s too bad that Veleno isn’t AHL eligible, because he’s really impressed throughout camp, aside from his brief absence due to injury. It sounds like he’ll play with Rasmussen and Abdelkader Wednesday night, and Tuesday Blashill said Veleno had an “unreal camp.”

Perhaps the more interesting Blashill quote on Veleno came after the Red & White game: “My question has been, what’s the elite skill that’s going to be transferable? And then today for me, watching him on his edges, he’s got elite edges. He controls the puck because he controls space with his edges. Excellent. He can make lots of plays in tight. So, I think Veleno’s showed very well. I’m hoping to get him a couple exhibition games.”

That Veleno has good edges won’t be news to those who have seen him skate much, but he’s clearly made an impression on the head man. He’s already one of the more well-regarded prospects in the organization, but that arrow could point even further upward if he continues his recent play over the next two weeks.

Bultman continues (paywall)…

 

Red Wings to hold annual MotorCity Casino charity poker tournament on November 7th

From the Detroit Red Wings:

10th annual MotorCity Casino Hotel Charity Poker Tournament on sale now

Only 108 spots available for Texas Hold ‘Em tournament against current Red Wings players and alumni taking place on Wednesday, Nov. 7 at MotorCity Casino Hotel.

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today announced that tickets are now on sale for the 10th annual MotorCity Casino Hotel’s annual Red Wings Charity Poker Tournament benefiting the Detroit Red Wings Foundation. Set for Wednesday, Nov. 7 at MotorCity Casino Hotel, the charity poker tournament will give fans an opportunity to go head-to-head with Red Wings players and alumni in a game of Texas Hold ‘Em with a grand prize of $5,000 cash to the tournament winner. Only 108 spots are available for this exclusive tournament. Fans can reserve a seat by making a $400 donation to the Red Wings Foundation.

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