Month: February 2018

Here’s the Grand Rapids Griffins’ weekly press release:

NELSON’S ELEVEN

Continue reading The Grand Rapids Griffins’ weekly presser: 3 home games on tap

The Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe penned a superb profile of Toledo Walleye goaltender Pat Nagle:

When Toledo Walleye goaltender Pat Nagle started his pro career, he set the bar high. As a rookie in 2012, Nagle won two league championships. Nagle helped lead the Florida Everblades to the ECHL’s Kelly Cup. That same season, he also was a part of the Norfolk Admirals’ American Hockey League title team.

“I came away with two rings and had a pretty fun summer after my first year,” Nagle said, chuckling. “I was pretty spoiled. I didn’t realize how good I had it. I haven’t been too close since.”

But Nagle, who is in his seventh season, has made the playoffs every year of his career and has amassed 147 wins.

“Knock on wood, I’ve made it to the second round every year,” Nagle said. “It’d be fun to go on a run again.”

Nagle has provided a steady and confident presence in net for Toledo this season. Nagle, a 30-year-old native of Bloomfield, Mich., came to the Walleye from Toledo’s arch-rival Fort Wayne in the offseason.

Walleye coach Dan Watson said he gives his team a chance to win every night.

“His yearly records show he is a winner, and that is done through daily preparation, good habits, and having the will to win,” Watson said. “He provides confidence in our players every game he starts.”

Monroe continues…

The Red Wings have recalled Jared Coreau, but Ken Holland stated during his press conference that Coreau wasn’t necessarily guaranteed a spot as Jimmy Howard’s back-up. According to Holland, the Wings will evaluate Coreau, as Hockeybuzz’s Bob Duff noted…

“It’s a huge opportunity,” Coreau said. “I still have to earn things, nothing’s given like we always say. But it’s exciting times.”

Coreau is riding a hot streak. He stopped all 66 shots he faced in the Griffins’ back-to-back shutout wins over the Western Conference-leading Manitoba Moose last week. Coreau ranks third in the AHL this season with 20 wins in 36 appearances, alongside a 2.47 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and two shutouts. He won a Calder Cup title last spring, and like Mrazek, the Wings must make a decision on whether Coreau has a future with the organization.

“It’s a chance now to evaluate him at the NHL level,” Holland said. “He’s an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. I think he’s coming up at a time in his season, in his career, when he’s as ready as he can be.”

And Coreau spoke with the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan regarding his recall:

Coreau is 13-2-3 with a 1.92 goals-against average and .933 save percentage since Dec. 22 with the Griffins, and was just named American League player of the week.

Holland left open the chance of acquiring a veteran backup for Howard, but Coreau, 26, will certainly get a chance to show he’s ready for the NHL.

“Jared has played real well in Grand Rapids,” Holland said. “It’s a great opportunity for Jared. He’s played real well at the American League level, helped GR win a Calder Cup championship (in 2017).”

Coreau was 5-4-3 with the Red Wings last season when Howard was hurt, with a 3.46 GAA and .887 save percentage.

Coreau found out about Mrazek being traded late Monday and hurried to pack.

“The whole night’s kind of been a blur,” Coreau said. “I got a little bit of sleep and woke up this morning and came over. I called my parents right away — think I woke them up. This is a huge opportunity. I still have to earn things; nothing is given. But it’s exciting.”

 

It never ends, via CBS Detroit:

Preds and Wings tonight. Nashville believed to still be interested in Tatar. Convenient time to do something.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) February 20, 2018

Quoting 97.1 the Ticket:

The Red Wings dealt Petr Mrazek to the Flyers on Monday night and have a few more chips to play ahead of the Feb. 26 trade deadline.

One of them, Mike Green, is almost certain to be moved, with early reports connecting him to the Lightning. Others, such as Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist and Luke Glendening, aren’t such sure bets.

If the trade market for that trio isn’t to the Red Wings’ liking in the next few days, they can revisit it this summer or at next season’s deadline. But in the case of Tatar, something could happen soon.

The Predators are reportedly interested in the scoring winger, and they’re in town to play the Red Wings Tuesday night. The 27-year-old Tatar, who carries a $5.3 million cap hit through the 2020-21 season, has 15 goals in 58 games this year.

The Detroit Red Wings host the Nashville Predators tonight (7:30 PM EST on FSD/FS Tennessee/97.1 FM), and the Wings will start Jimmy Howard but play without Mike Green (shoulder); the Predators did not hold a morning skate, so we won’t know who the Preds start until later this afternoon.

In the multimedia department, the Red Wings posted a game-day preview video…

MLive’s Ansar Khan posted a clip of Jimmy Howard addressing his status…

Continue reading Red Wings-Predators game-day updates: Blashill says Wings ‘aren’t finished’; more reaction to Mrazek trade; Coreau speaks; half-an-hour of Holland

Petr Mrazek made his first comments to the Flyers’ media after taking part in the team’s morning skate on Tuesday. Mrazek won’t play against the Montreal Canadiens this evening, but he’s likely to start when the Flyers play Columbus on Thursday.

NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Boruk noted Mrazek’s remarks…

Petr Mrazek has endured a rather eventful past 24 hours. Following news of the trade to the Flyers, Mrazek didn’t go to bed until 2 a.m. and was awake at 4 a.m. to catch a flight to Philadelphia that had him at the Wells Fargo Center in time for the Flyers’ morning skate.

“I didn’t see it coming,” Mrazek said. “I got a call at 9:30 from (Red Wings GM) Ken Holland and then Ron Hextall. Yeah, I’m excited. A couple of months ago I had a good conversation with Ken Holland about it and he said if he had a good opportunity to do it, he was going to try and move me. I was really happy.”

With Michal Neuvirth now expected to miss the next 4 to 6 weeks with a lower-body injury, and Brian Elliott scheduled to be out until late March recovering from core muscle surgery, Mrazek will now be the Flyers’ go-to guy in net.

Continue reading Mrazek’s first comments as a Flyer: several months ago, Holland told Petr that he’d try to move him

Red Wings defenseman Mike Green spoke with MLive’s Ansar Khan regarding the possibility that he might be dealt at the trade deadline..

Tampa Bay has emerged as the leading candidate to acquire Green. A source said Green has agreed to waive his no-trade clause if a deal with the Lightning can be consummated. The Red Wings would like to get a first-round pick but might have to settle for a second-round selection and a prospect, multiple second-rounders or another combination of picks/prospects.

“We’ve had a talk,” Green said. “That’s between us, though. We’ll see what happens. As far as right now, I’ll be in here. I’ll work hard to make sure I contribute.”

Washington, Green’s former team, and Toronto also have shown interest.

Asked about waiving his no-trade clause, Green said: “If it’s brought upon and we have another discussion about it, we’ll have to see. I can’t give a definitive answer. My mind is always open.”

And Green also spoke with NHL.com regarding the possibility that he won’t be a Red Wing come next Monday:

Continue reading Mike Green talks about possible trades

The Red Wings’ coach and players spoke with MLive’s Ansar Khan about Petr Mrazek’s trade to Philadelphia:

Coach Jeff Blashill said he called Mrazek Monday night to wish him well. Howard said teammates texted him as well.

“Petr and I have been together a long time,” Blashill, who coached Mrazek in Grand Rapids, said. “I’m in this chair because of a number of players and he’s certainly one of them that had big impact on the success we had in Grand Rapids, so for me personally, I just wanted to make sure I called and thanked him for the effort over the years and wish him luck.”

Blashill added: “I think Pete had lots of success on the way up to the NHL, being a competitor and his moxie and I think as the years here went along, I think he realized he had to work at his technique and really work at making that better and I think he’s made a concerted effort. It didn’t always show, but I think over the last little bit it really started to come where his technique was starting to get himself to that spot.”

Howard said the move came as a surprise one sense, but also not that surprising.

“Petr is playing really well and I wish him all the best,” Howard said. “We’ve been together for quite some time, so you get to know someone pretty well. It’s always tough to see them go.”

Howard, who was offered in a trade to the New York Islanders last week, said he doesn’t necessarily feel relief that he’s sticking around (he is).

“I don’t think it’s off anyone’s mind until the trade deadline comes and goes,” Howard said.

Tomas Tatar, one of Mrazek’s closest friends on the team, said: “Obviously, he will be missed. He was here for a long time. He’s a great guy, we all wish him good luck in Philly. They have problems with goalies (injuries) and he can have a good job there. It will be fun to play against him.”

Continued

The Free Press’s Helene St. James spoke with Ken Holland, Tomas Tatar and Mike Green about the Petr Mrazek trade to Philly and the fact that the team is “open to business,” and 3 quotes stood out.

From Holland…

Holland acknowledged what a turnabout it’s been with Mrazek, who two years ago figured as the Wings’ goalie of the future. The 2016-17 season, however, saw Mrazek struggle in net, and he ruffled team personnel off ice with his attitude and work ethic.

“Sometimes there’s things that I think about certain situations I can’t tell you people,” Holland said. “I don’t think it’s fair to all the people involved.”

Tatar…

“He will be missed,” Tatar said. “He’s a great guy. We all wished him good luck in Philly. He was pretty excited. He talked to the general manager from Philly, they had a great talk. It’s a new chapter for him. He will be battling for a playoff spot so good for him.”

And Mike Green:

Green hasn’t played since hurting his neck last Thursday, but he skated Tuesday and said he should be ready in another day or two.

As for the possibility of being moved before Monday, Green said that “my mind is always open.”

My apologies for the high number of posts, but they’re necessary…

The Free Press’s Helene St. James and the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan penned articles about the Mrazek trade:

As the Detroit Red Wings commit to rebuilding, goaltender Petr Mrazek was the first domino to drop.

It reveals how far Mrazek’s stock has fallen that all he netted in return from the Philadelphia Flyers was a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2018 NHL draft and a conditional third-round pick in 2019.

“There are not a lot of teams looking for goalies,” Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said Tuesday. “In the last few days Philadelphia had a couple injuries to their goaltenders. The ultimate goal here is to build a team that can compete for a Stanley Cup. Given the rules of the CBA, it really is a draft pick league, and I’m trying to acquire more draft picks and give our scouting staff more opportunities to find the types of players that we need to be to be the team we envision down the road.”

Holland said the fourth-round pick moves to a third-round pick if Philadelphia qualifies for the playoffs and Mrazek wins five games for Philadelphia between now and the end of the year. If the Flyers advance to the final four and Mrazek wins six games in the first two rounds, it moves to a second-round pick. The Wings get a third-round pick on the condition the Flyers re-sign Mrazek.

Kulfan picks the narrative up from there…

Mrazek, 26, is a prospective restricted free agent who the Red Wings likely wouldn’t have qualified at his $4 million salary, which would have made him an unrestricted free agent.

“I can’t read the future,” Holland said. “I have to make decisions before Monday (trade deadline). If he continues to play well, that’s reading the future and there’s not a person on the planet that can read the future. I have to make decisions based on the information on hand. I’ve had an opportunity to watch Petr, we’ve all watched him for a number of years, and he can get on a roll and he’s on a roll right now. I can’t read what the next 25 games will bring. I had to make a decision yesterday and I made that decision.”

A 2010 fifth-round draft pick, Mrazek appeared in 166 games with the Red Wings with a 72-58-20 record.

The Red Wings called up Jared Coreau from Grand Rapids on Tuesday to pair with Jimmy Howard the rest of the regular season.

The Red Wings are expected to deal defenseman Mike Green before the Feb. 26 trade deadline. Green is a potential unrestrictred free agent on July 1. Holland said he will aggressively look to make moves, but said it’s important to have a competitive team, also.

“We have to slowly move young players onto our team, but there has to be a veteran presence to teach those young players how to play,” Holland said. “To be competition for those young players for ice time. I don’t believe in entitlement. I’ve been talking to a lot of teams. I’m open to talking a lot of things. The reality is most of it doesn’t happen. But over the next year or two we need to acquire more futures and we need those futures to get better.”

Ultimately…

“Not a lot of teams are looking for goalies,” general manager Ken Holland said Tuesday morning. “In the last few days Philadelphia had a couple of injuries to their goaltenders. The ultimate goal here is to build a team that can compete for a Stanley Cup. Given the rules of the CBA, it’s really a draft pick league and I’m trying to acquire more draft picks and give our scouting staff more opportunities to find the types of players we need to be the team we envision down the road. This was an opportunity to acquire futures.”