The Malik Report

USA Today posted a pair of lists which include the Detroit Red Wings this morning, with the Wings ranking very low on Mary Clarke’s “Watchability Rankings“…

31. Detroit Red Wings: There was hope that with some key offseason additions, the Red Wings would make a stride or two out of the NHL’s basement this season. However, with the loss of Jakub Vrana to injury for at least four months, don’t expect much from Detroit this year.

And USA Today’s “For the Win” blog, which Clarke writes for, asks one question of each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams:

Detroit Red Wings: What can Moritz Seider bring to the table?

The Red Wings are set to be in the NHL’s basement for another year, but there are some bright spots to look forward to. Namely, 20-year-old defenseman Moritz Seider, who lit up the Swedish Hockey League last season.

Seider won’t move the Red Wings into playoff contention, but the 2021-22 season will be a good chance for him to show his stuff at the NHL level and get Detroit fans excited for the future of their team.

I’m going to be watching the Red Wings no matter what, so I’m rooting for Seider…and for a more competitive team this season.

The Athletic ranked the NHL’s 32 starting goaltenders this season, and Alex Nedeljkovic comes in at #20 on their list:

20. Alex Nedeljkovic, Red Wings: Unranked prior to this season

Despite being a Calder Trophy finalist, despite being a star at virtually every level he’s played at, the Hurricanes chose to move on rather than pay the restricted free agent.

Nedeljkovic was dealt to the Red Wings and should quickly learn he’s not behind the Hurricanes’ defense anymore.

Just call Jimmy Howard.

“I really like Nedeljkovic. I like the way he plays,” a former goalie said. “He seems to read the play really well, he’s always a step ahead. In Detroit, it’s going to be a lot tougher than Carolina. He’s a solid starter, though.”

“He’s the best puck-handling goaltender in the game, and he gets less shots because of it,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “He ran big numbers last year and he wins everywhere he goes. He’s just not a huge man.”

Most panelists thought GM Steve Yzerman made a great bet acquiring Nedeljkovic.

“I like him, I liked him in the AHL and obviously he couldn’t have been asked to do more last season. He needs to prove it over a longer time span to get a higher grade, but I think it’s possible he becomes a good starter,” one scout said.

Continued (paywall)

Darryl Dobbs, a.k.a. “Dobber” from Dobber Hockey, discusses the preseason stock of over a dozen NHL rookies, including two members of the Red Wings organization:

Kirill Tyutyayev, DET, Up: The 21-year-old didn’t get any points in three preseason outings, but the coach and his teammates were raving about his performance in training camp. The Wings took a flier on him in 2019, using their seventh-round pick. So he was on nobody’s radar. But now he’s on mine. I don’t expect him to make the team next year or even the year after, but I’ll be watching his progress now with great interest and if he continues on this path then I don’t see why he can’t be a solid fantasy own when he’s 24.

Lucas Raymond, DET, Up: He went into camp 15^th on my Fantasy Prospects List. He ends camp at No.4. Pretty much tied for third, in fact, with Alex Newhook. Raymond dominated. Was clearly Detroit’s most prolific player. Today we find out of he makes the team and there is actually some speculation that he may not (???). If he doesn’t make the team, then we know that Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings are all in for ‘Pain for Shane’.

Continued, and no, if Raymond doesn’t start on the team, the Red Wings will not be tanking.

The Free Press’s Ryan Ford compares Alex Nedeljkovic to 8 Calder Trophy-finalist goaltenders who went on to play strongly during their sophomore campaigns, including Martin Brodeur, Eddie Belfour, Jordan Binnington and Jimmy Howard:

The Detroit Red Wings have a new potential star in net this season in goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, who was acquired in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes in July.

Nedeljkovic led the NHL in goals-against average (1.90) and save percentage (.932) while finishing third in voting for the Calder Trophy (awarded to the NHL’s top rookie 26 or younger and voted on by the media). Most years, that would check off the “potential” tag and establish a player as a bona fide star.

But thanks to the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season — which lasted just 56 games — and a deeper-than-most goalie pool in Carolina, Nedeljkovic appeared in just 23 games. Accordingly, the ’Canes balked at ponying up on a long-term deal and dealt him to the Red Wings for, basically, a 2021 third-round pick. (General manager Steve Yzerman and the Wings then signed Nedeljkovic to a two-year, $6 million contract.)

So what, exactly, are the Wings getting in their young goalie? At the very least, they know they’ve got only the ninth goalie to finish as a Calder finalist over the past 30 seasons. So, let’s take a look at how the other eight fared in their follow-up campaigns.

Continued

In the only prospect action in North America on Sunday:

In the WHL, Cross Hanas scored a goal, finishing at +1 with 3 shots in the Portland Winterhawks’ 3-0 win over Spokane.

The Athletic’s staffers are not exactly fans of the Detroit Red Wings’ potential for an upward trajectory this upcoming season, so perhaps it’s not surprising to read the following takes on a pair of Red Wings players as potential fantasy hockey targets.

Scott Cullen suggests that Robby Fabbri may be a solid late-round fantasy hockey pick, assuming that he stays healthy…

Robby Fabbri, C/LW, Detroit

Yahoo: 367

The frequently injured Red Wings forward has been very productive since arriving in the Motor City, putting up 49 points (24 G, 25 A) in 82 games for the Red Wings. Sure, it’s impossible to trust that he will stay healthy for any length of time, but there is enough production to make him a viable consideration.

And Shayna Goldman believes that Alex Nedeljkovic will make a difference on fantasy hockey teams…Just not the kind of difference that involves winning games:

4. Alex Nedeljkovic, DET: The Red Wings probably are going to be among the worst teams in the league this season, and that’s going to be quite the adjustment for Nedeljovkic who is coming from one of the stronger squads in the league.

Given how many ‘quality starts’ and ‘saves’ he had last year, as he saved 13.5 more goals than expected and earned a .932 save percentage, there’s reason to be confident in him providing some stability in net for Detroit. But managers have to be realistic too because both his lack of experience and the quality of the team playing in front of him. He probably won’t be the answer for your team alone, unlike the second half of last year. But with a high shot rate against, he’ll probably help bolster some categories (outside of wins).

I’m not exactly expecting anybody from The Athletic to say, “Shucks howdy, the Red Wings are going to improve this season!” but the kind of disdain with which some of their correspondents discuss the team and anybody on it can be off-putting.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff penned an article discussing the Red Wings’ signing of unrestricted free agent forward Pius Suter as a possible “ace in the hole” acquisition:

It’s a fair question and one well worth debating. Certainly, the addition of goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, last season’s NHL leader in goals-agianst average and save percentage, could prove vital in bumping up the Red Wings’ number in the win column. Nick Leddy is a slick puck mover capable of igniting the Red Wings’ dismal 30th-ranked power play.

However, neither of them may be able to improve the team in as many areas as Suter is capable of providing. An unrestricted free agent signing who scored 14 goals last season for the Chicago Blackhawks, Suter gives the Wings a stellar No. 2 center to play behind captain Dylan Larkin.

He’s got the offensive skills as both a playmaker and finisher to make a difference with the man advantage. As well, Suter’s repertoire includes the defensive acumen to be a valuable performer when the club is shorthanded.

“It’s different when you have a guy on your bench than when you’re coaching against him,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “When you coach against him, you see flashy skills. When they’re on your bench, you get to know his brain. His brain is really good. He’s really smart. Offensively, he’s really smart. Defensively, he can fill a bunch of different roles. He can make a lot of plays, he can play with good players.”

Continued

Bally Sports Detroit’s Brooke Fletcher interviews new Bally Sports Detroit commentator/analyst Manon Rheaume on the latest episode of “The Third Half”:

I’m a little late with this one:

DETROIT ASSIGNS PICKARD TO GRAND RAPIDS  … 

Red Wings Preseason Roster Reduced to 31 …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today assigned goaltender Calvin Pickard to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

The Red Wings have 31 players on their preseason roster: 20 forwards, nine defensemen and two goaltenders. Detroit concluded its eight-game preseason slate on Saturday in Buffalo with a 4-4-0 record. The team will officially begin the 96th season in franchise history on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. when it hosts the back-to-back Stanley Cup-champion Tampa Bay Lightning at Little Caesars Arena.

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan discusses the Red Wings’ potential season-opening roster as decisions apply to the forward group:

► In: Tyler Bertuzzi, Erne, Fabbri, Sam Gagner, Larkin, Namestnikov, Rasmussen, Mitchell Stephens, Pius Suter, Filip Zadina.

► On the bubble: Taro Hirose, Raymond, Carter Rowney, Bobby Ryan, Smith, Veleno.

For this exercise, Stephens is assumed to be on the roster. The speedy, tenacious Stephens seemingly solidified a spot Saturday by arguably being the Wings’ best forward, after a string of good preseason performances. Stephens likely will be the fourth-line center.

Ryan, 34, in camp on a professional tryout, likely will be signed to a one-year contract. Ryan had two goals and two assists in six games, but he also brings important veteran intangibles that could help the Wings.

Rowney could fill the role of being an extra forward, able to step in when needed. 

Smith would appear to have a roster spot locked up,  but the severity of his injury clouds his outlook. Also, Smith didn’t have a consistently productive preseason.

Which leaves us with Raymond and Veleno, two young players fans are longing to see in the NHL — but the Wings’ front office have a development plan in place.

Continued (paywall)