Bultman wonders whether Lucas Raymond’s scintillating SHL start may complicate the Wings’ draft decision-making

The Athletic’s Max Bultman engages in a thought experiment this morning, pondering whether Swedish phenom Lucas Raymond’s strong start with the SHL’s Frolunda Indians may tip the scales in his favor come draft day:

Raymond breezed through the preseason with four goals and two assists in five exhibitions, including three goals and an assist in his final two friendlies. That’s an impressive showing after he posted four goals and six assists in 33 games at the SHL level last season. While still strong historically for a then-17-year-old, it did leave a bit to be desired relative to his fellow top 2020 prospect Alexander Holtz.

Some of that production was inevitable once Raymond increased his strength and got more playing time. But the fact it’s already begun, at the very beginning of the season and just weeks before the draft, is particularly good timing for the young Swede.

“I think (he) was a little bit too much on the outside last year and the years before that, he was leaning to his strength as a passer — and he is skilled with the puck, and he can really put his linemates in prime positionings too,” [Frolunda coach Roger] Rönnberg said. “But I want him to attack more and be more greedy, to find scoring opportunities by himself. So I think that’s the big improvement this year, that he’s more focused on attacking the net when he’s over the puck.”

Bultman continues (paywall); I’m an unabashed Lucas Raymond fan, but “new data” from a strong preseason and SHL debut don’t make picking Raymond a slam dunk for me.

In my opinion, the sum of a player’s work over the course of his entire development curve matters a whole lot more than the new data confirming that Raymond is on the right track, and whether the Wings choose Raymond or a North American, I think that it’s a little dangerous to become bedazzled by preseason and early regular season work.

Khan’s prospect rankings continue

MLive’s Ansar Khan continues to rank the Red Wings’ top prospects today, continuing a list which he began on Tuesday.

Today’s rankings, of prospects 11 through 15, include one of my favorite Wings prospects:

14. Gustav Lindstrom, defenseman

Height/weight: 6-2/187

Drafted: Second round 2017 (No. 38)

2019-20 club: Grand Rapids (AHL)/Detroit (NHL)

2019-20 stats: Grand Rapids 45 GP, 0 G, 5 A, 5 PT, 26 PM; Detroit 16 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PT, 14 PM

A stay-at-home defender who plays a simple game, he defends, moves the puck out of his zone efficiently and competes. He will provide little offense, focusing more on keeping the puck out of his team’s net. Injuries afforded him an opportunity at the end of 2019-20 but he must earn a roster spot in training camp. He has been loaned to Almtuna, his former Swedish club, until camps open.

Continued; to me, there’s no shame in being a “complementary part,” and Gustav Lindstrom is exactly that kind of player. He’s a 2nd pair defenseman, and he may never light it up offensively, but he’s useful at even strength and on the penalty-kill, he’s getting stronger, he’s improving his skating, and he could be a useful 2nd pair guy for another decade.

You don’t win with stars alone; if you don’t have a good supporting cast of players who are comfortable taking on secondary and tertiary roles, like Gustav Lindstrom and Givani Smith, you can’t build a competitive team.

TSN special ‘The Problem of Pain’ has no geo-blocking

TSN has made their special on the use and abuse of painkillers in the NHL, a 30-minute production titled “The Problem of Pain,” available to viewers in the U.S., Canada and internationally, which is not the case of the the majority of their programming.

Former Red Wings defenseman Kyle Quincey, long-time Vancouver Canuck (and Livonia native) Ryan Kesler, long-time Anaheim Duck Bobby Ryan and former Ottawa Senators tough guy Zenon Konopka discuss their experiences dealing with both the chronic and acute pain that NHL’ers are exposed to on a shift-by-shift basis.

The Rick Westhead-produced piece is sobering.

I’ve learned that the best thing any of us can do regarding a controversial issue that we’re curious about is to get informed as to the arguments for and against it, as well as the perspectives surrounding the issue.

I can’t speak negatively of NHL trainers and medical staffs, but this is an issue worth giving half-an-hour to if you do have the time.

Tweet of note from TFP’s Pagnotta: It’s Mantha negotiating time

The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reports that the Red Wings and restricted free agent forward Anthony Mantha are getting down to contractual business:

Detroit and RFA-to-be RW Anthony Mantha are having ongoing contract discussions. Doesn’t seem a deal is imminent, but talks are underway.— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) September 22, 2020

Mantha, who turned 26 on September 16th, is coming off a 2-year, $6.6 million contract, and while I’m certain that the flat salary cap for the next two seasons and Mantha’s injury problems equal Detroit pressing for another “bridge deal,” it would make sense for his side to swing for the fences. My best guess is that the Wings and Mantha will agree on a deal in the $4.5 million to $5 million range.

Monroe: Walleye coach Dan Watson still believes that the 2020-2021 ECHL season will start in December

The Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe spoke with Toledo Walleye coach Dan Watson regarding the questions surrounding the starts of the NHL, AHL and ECHL’s 2020-2021 seasons, and Watson told Monroe that he’s preaching a consistent message to his players…

Walleye coach Dan Watson said he continues to focus on the things he can control, building his roster and preparing for the season. The team has signed 17 players so far this offseason.

“The players that we have signed are preparing to play hockey Dec. 4,” Watson said. “That is our message — be ready for that date, be ready for training camp in the middle of November.”

And coach Watson remains somewhat optimistic regarding the probability of the 2020-2021 ECHL season starting on time:

When asked how optimistic he is feeling that the ECHL season will start up as scheduled, Watson said: “about the same as I have the whole time.”

“Until someone tells me we are not playing, I am doing my job to the best of my ability,” Watson said. “Ever since we stopped in March, my job has been to build for 2020-21 season and I’m continuing to do that. Until I’m actually told there is no season, I don’t care when it starts … we will be prepared. It’s not even an option in my brain right now that we aren’t going to play.”

Continued

Two takes on the Jacob Markstrom rumor

Yesterday, TSN 1260’s Jason Gregor and NHL.com’s Kevin Woodley reported that the Red Wings may make a pitch for Vancouver Canucks goaltender and unrestricted free agent-to-be Jacob Markstrom. The 30-year-old late-bloomer is reportedly looking for a $5-million-a-season contract.

Today, without mentioning Gregor or Woodley, Sportsnet lists the Red Wings as a possible suitor for Markstrom’s services:

Detroit Red Wings: Over the weekend, Friedman reported that UFA goalie Jimmy Howard was “probably not” going to return to Detroit next season, so that young, rebuilding team will need a sturdy replacement. The Wings are building towards a promising future, and there’s no telling how long that will take to come to fruition, so unlike many teams this off-season they have a bunch of cap room to work with. With a roster of just 11 players, the Wings have a projected $34.6 million in cap space. Jonathan Bernier remains, with a $3-million cap hit, but is one year away from that expiring.

97.1 the Ticket’s Will Burchfield also weighed in regarding the Wings’ possible interest in Markstrom:

Continue reading Two takes on the Jacob Markstrom rumor

Prospect round-up: Setkov posts assist for Malmo; steady as she goes for Ocelari Trinec

Of prospect-related note this afternoon:

In the SHL, Malte Setkov had an assist and 2 shots in 17:45 of ice time as his Malmo Redhawks lost 5-3 to Leksands IF. Red Wings Prospects on Twitter posted a clip of Setkov’s assist:

And in the Czech Extraliga, the Filip Zadina-less Ocelari Trinec won 6-3 over HC Verva Litvinov. Ocelari had to dress an emergency back-up after starter Jakub Stepanek got hurt.

Via A2Y: Garrioch updates non-playoff teams’ hopes regarding holding a preseason tournament

This news comes to you via Paul of Abel to Yzerman on KK: the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch provides an update regarding the status of non-playoff teams’ attempts to hold a preseason tournament in order to shake off rust:

The seven teams that didn’t take part in the post-season, including Detroit, Los Angeles, San Jose, Anaheim, New Jersey and Buffalo, have all appealed to the league to at least be allowed to have a longer training camp than the other 24 teams that took part in the post-season.

The word amongst league executives is the initiative is being led by Anaheim GM Bob Murray and he’s been the one dealing with the NHL head office about the possibility. All seven teams have made it clear they feel it’s important because of the length of time between games for their players.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly indicated in an email Monday afternoon that teams like the Senators, Wings, Kings, Sharks, Ducks, Devils and Sabres could be granted a longer camp if the NHL Players’ Association agrees to it.

“Yes, we have been talking with the union about giving the seven clubs additional days of mandatory training camp period prior to the opening of the main camp,” Daly wrote to Postmedia from Edmonton. “Timing would be tied entirely to the opening of training camp so remains uncertain.”

An excellent profile of Manon Rheaume

The Detroit News’s Mark Falkner wrote an excellent article profiling hockey pioneer Manon Rheaume. The article’s a subscriber-only piece, but it explains Rheaume’s journey to playing an exhibition game for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992, as well as her present-day status as a coach for the Little Caesars hockey program:

It was this week in 1992 (Sept. 23) when the 5-foot-7, 135-pound Rheaume stopped seven of nine shots in an exhibition game against the St. Louis Blues in Tampa, Florida. No other woman has played in any of the four major sports: the NHL, NFL, NBA and MLB.

“It took me years to figure out that my story inspired people,” said Rheaume, now 48, living in Northville and in her fifth season as head coach of the girls’ under-12 team and female hockey coordinator with the Little Caesars’ program.

“When I was in Tampa Bay, I thought it was just a hockey story but it’s a story about having a passion for something and never giving up and breaking barriers and going after dreams, even if all the odds are against you.”

Rheaume was back on the ice and coaching at Oak Park Ice Arena this past weekend, wearing a black protective COVID-19 mask instead of her familiar goalie mask. She’s won four straight state titles and half of the players on the nationally ranked under-16 team which she coached in 2016 have commitments to play Division I hockey.

Continued (paywall)

The Athletic’s Mirtle joins the ‘buy out Justin Abdelkader’ chorus

On Monday, Sportsnet’s Luke Fox suggested that the Red Wings should bite the bullet and buy out Justin Abdelkader, even though his buyout would stay on the Wings’ contractual books for six long years, and today, The Athletic’s James Mirtle also suggests that the Wings buy Abdelkader out:

10. Justin Abdelkader, Detroit

Abdelkader had no goals and three points in 49 games last season while getting decent depth minutes. The Red Wings may be rebuilding and, as such, may not put a premium on having extra cap space right away, but surely there has to be a better use for these extra dollars they could free up than having him on the ice. Maybe they can take on some other bad contracts in exchange for getting assets? That would make sense. Unlikely this deal.

Existing cap hit: $4.25 million for the next three years
Buyout cap hit: $1.81 million next season, $2.31 million the following two years and $1.06 million the subsequent three years

Continued (paywall); I understand the concept of buying out Abdelkader for the sake of giving younger players ice time, but the Wings don’t actually save a lot of money by buying him out, and they could very well send him to Grand Rapids to play with the next generation of Red Wings.

In other words, I’m iffy on buying him out.