Krupa Tweets out Wings’ annual meeting with Detroit Economic Club

The Red Wings held their annual luncheon with the Detroit Economic Club, and the Detroit News’s Gregg Krupa Tweeted out what was said at the event:

Here’s more from Krupa:

HOLLAND: trade process heated up about a week ago. he and scouts huddled in hotel in birmingham, monday. deal came at five minutes to three. they were working on another deal that did not go through, and so this one happened.

HOLLAND: we want to make the playoffs. summertime, made some moves. we believed we were a better team. i believe we’ve played better. it’s a fine line league. we’re in lots of games. the games are really, really close. we haven’t been quite good enough.

HOLLAND: trying to compete for playoff spot, but at same time we’re trying to build a playoff team. Z. is not going to be here forever. it’s important that the young guys we’ve got are able to be around with the veterans. they are there for us to win now, and to be role models.

HOLLAND: we’re trying to compete. that’s what professional sports are all about. but we’re trying to move younger guys into the lineup, too.

BLASHILL: our competition and work level has to be better than our opponent on a nightly basis. when we do that, we can win.

BLASHILL: as we string wins along, we continue to believe we can be a playoff team.

Z. good applause, here, when @KenKalDRW mentions zetterberg just tied ted lindsay for 5th all-time career goals #RedWings of having 100 PP goals, Z. said. “well, there would have been about 20 more if it’s wasn’t for tomas holmstrom in front of the net… ”

Z. we talked. whatever happened yesterday, we’re still going to have a good enough team to win. management has to make decisions about now, and looking forward. we understand that.

Z. 15 years has gone really fast. we have a fun transition. we have a lot of young players in the system that are moving up.

LARKIN: (note the juxtaposition, with Z.) good to see a couple of jerseys out there in the room, i saw the lakeland hawks, a team i used to play for.

LARKIN: any young player will tell you, the league gets hard. they figure you out. and you have to come back and realize how they’ve figured you out… and work hard to get better every day.

Z. asked about players who are tough to play against. GLENDENING, IN PRACTICE. THAT IS PROBABLY MY NEMESIS.

WITKOWSKI: that was the greatest moment of my life, witkowski said, of scoring first goal in NHL with dad in stands. i am a goal scorer, by the way. a lot less fighting for me, going forward. only 300, 400 more to go, to catch up to Z. (good laughter, in response.)

asked what they like about the arena WITKOWSKI i still like the pizza. being up top sitting in the press box, there’s a good view from up there, i can tell you that! (more laughter. luke, a hit.)

LARKIN: …. we got a new ping-pong table in there. its lots of fun. (amid a list of more serious attributes about @LCArena_Detroit )

Z. spend lots of time in the gym. if you don’t know where kronner is, just go to the pool. he’s in there. (players all line advantage of having so much hydro-therapy on site, unlike @JoeLouisArena_ )

WITKOWSKI i just want to congratulate danny dekeyser. he and his wife had their first daughter, yesterdasy. “mckinley ann” (sp?) 7 pounds and an number of ounces i did not quite catch. baby and mom fine and heathy. #RedWings @DetroitRedWings

audience questions #econclub ATHANASIOU: no, i never tried speed-skating.

BOOTH everyone treats you so well, here. it’s easy to see why this organization has been so successful for so long. we beat the best teams i the league, and we’ve lost a few close ones, too to be able to put on #RedWings sweater for me a dream come true for me, family, friends

asked for best ping-pong players, after looking towards Z. and kronwall… NYQUIST: … i think it’s a young man’s game!

KRONWALL defends ping-pong performance. asserts Z. in the pool a lot more than him. “i just trying to follow my captain.” 🙂

#econclub asked about beard care… WITKOWSKI: “i wash it, once a month. “is there anything in there? “no, i just wash it. put some maple syrup in there, every once in a while.” END OF #econclub event @DetroitRedWings

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George Malik

My name is George Malik, and I'm the Malik Report's editor/blogger/poster. I have been blogging about the Red Wings since 2006, and have worked with MLive and Kukla's Korner. Thank you for reading!