Month: February 2018

Red Wings press release: revealing some details of Hockey Is For Everyone Month plans

Here’s a press release of note from the Red Wings:

RED WINGS TO CELEBRATE HOCKEY IS FOR EVERYONE MONTH IN DETROIT

… Activities Include $12,000 Hockey Equipment Donation from Warrior Hockey to
the Motor City Stars and Hockey is for Everyone Night at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday, Feb. 24 …

… Red Wings & Chevrolet Bring STEM to Life On and Off the Ice for 300 Detroit Public Schools Community District Students During STEM Day at Little Caesars Arena on Monday, Feb. 5; Gift $30,000 to DPS Foundation …

DETROIT – In partnership with the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association, the Detroit Red Wings will celebrate Hockey is for Everyone Month with unique opportunities to support diversity and inclusion in hockey. Programming efforts throughout the month support local as well as national organizations focused on diversity and inclusion, including Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) and You Can Play.

Activities culminate with Hockey is for Everyone Night at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday, Feb. 24, when the Red Wings square off against the Carolina Hurricanes at 7:00 p.m. (FOX Sports Detroit & 97.1 The Ticket).

 

In conjunction with the initiative, NHL Clubs have designated one player to be a Hockey is for Everyone Ambassador, serving as a leader in the locker room and in the community on diversity, equality and inclusion. Alternate captain Justin Abdelkader will serve in this capacity for the Red Wings.

“There are millions of individuals, young and old, who love the sport of hockey and the principles it instills,” said Abdelkader. “I’m proud to join the Detroit Red Wings in supporting the NHL’s Hockey is for Everyone initiative. Together, we can continue to ensure hockey serves as the most inclusive sport on and off the ice.”

Red Wings Hockey is for Everyone Month activities include:

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 14 – WARRIOR HOCKEY EQUIPMENT DONATION TO THE MOTOR CITY STARS

The Red Wings will launch a myriad of Hockey is for Everyone Month activities by surprising the Motor City Stars, a special hockey organization based in Livonia, Mich., with more than $12,000 in brand new hockey equipment donated by Michigan-based Warrior Hockey. Members of Motor City Stars are invited to enjoy a Red Wings practice at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 14 before being surprised with the new equipment by multiple Warrior endorsed Red Wings players, including Hockey is for Everyone Ambassador, Justin Abdelkader. After enjoying their donation from Warrior, the athletes will receive an opportunity to skate at the BELFOR Training Center. The Motor City Stars hockey organization was founded in 2007 in partnership with the non-profit human service agency MORC Inc. Previously named MORC Stars, the team has grown and evolved in its 10-year history to become the Motor City Stars.

MONDAY, FEB. 19 – KRAFT HOCKEYVILLE AT MEIJER WITH SPECIAL OLYMPICS MICHIGAN

As part of Hockey is for Everyone Month, Red Wings defenseman Mike Green will join more than 30 poly hockey athletes from Special Olympics Michigan at Meijer in Detroit (21431 Grand River Ave.) on Monday, Feb. 19 to participate in a unique hockey clinic as part of Kraft Hockeyville. The event, which takes place from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., begins with dinner for the athletes followed by the surprise introduction of Green as the clinic leader.

SATURDAY, FEB. 24 – VIP TEAM EXPERIENCE & LUNCHEON

Prior to Hockey is for Everyone Night, the Red Wings will host more than 100 youth and adult hockey players representing a variety of areas and communities, including ethnicity and gender equality, socio-economic status, LGBTQ, military and those with disabilities, for a VIP experience at Little Caesars Arena during the team’s morning practice session at 10:30 a.m. After practice, guests will enjoy lunch in the Comerica Players Club and meet & greet opportunities with select Red Wings players. Each guest also receives a special Hockey is for Everyone fan package and Michigan First Gondola tickets to the game, courtesy of the Red Wings.

SATURDAY, FEB. 24 – HOCKEY IS FOR EVERYONE NIGHT AT LITTLE CAESARS ARENA

Honorary Puck Drop Captain: In celebration of the Warrior Hockey equipment donation, special needs hockey player Brett Karapuz from the Motor City Stars will serve as Honorary Puck Drop Captain during Hockey is for Everyone Night.

Hockey is for Everyone PSA: In celebration of Hockey is for Everyone Month, the Red Wings will debut a new PSA during the game highlighting the team’s cultural diversity. Select players will speak both in English and in their native languages during the PSA.

Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) Concourse Activation: Representatives from RISE will bring their “It Takes All Colors” digital photo experience to Little Caesars Arena (near PORTAL 8) in support of Hockey is for Everyone Night. The photo booth activation provides fans a unique opportunity to pledge their support for understanding, respect and equality in sports.

Red Wings Pride Tape Equipment Online Auction: Select Red Wings players will use hockey sticks wrapped with Pride Tape during pregame warm-ups. The autographed sticks will then be auctioned at www.DetroitRedWings.com/Auction, with proceeds benefiting You Can Play. The online auction will run through Friday, March 2.

Hockey is for Everyone Lapel Pins: Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill and the team’s staff, along with FOX Sports Detroit broadcast personalities, will wear special Hockey is for Everyone lapel pins during the Feb. 24 game to support the initiative.

“Share Your Story” Social Media Campaign: Fans are encouraged to join the conversation in support of Hockey is for Everyone by sharing their stories of how hockey has made a positive impact via Facebook (facebook.com/detroitredwings), Instagram (@DetroitRedWings and @DRWCommunity) or Twitter (@DetroitRedWings) using the official hashtag #HockeyIsForEveryone. Additionally, fans can share their story on Snapchat (@OfficialDRW) with the special Hockey is for Everyone filter. Red Wings fans not in attendance for Hockey is for Everyone Night can learn more about the cause at www.NHL.com/HockeyIsForEveryone.

YEAR-ROUND SUPPORT FOR HOCKEY IS FOR EVERYONE

The Red Wings and their partners are proud to support Hockey is for Everyone initiatives year-round in an effort to encourage diversity and inclusion in hockey. Year-round Hockey is for Everyone initiatives include:

Partnership with the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE): The Red Wings’ support of diversity and inclusion spans yearlong through a season-long partnership with RISE. In conjunction with the Detroit Red Wings School Assembly Program, teachers at each of the 115 elementary schools visited receive a RISE Teacher Kit to help nearly 50,000 students explore the different cultural aspects of each country from which Red Wings players hail.

STEM Day at Little Caesars Arena for DPSCD: On Monday, Feb. 5, the Red Wings and Chevrolet welcomed more than 300 students and educators from Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) to experience STEM Day at Little Caesars Arena. The event celebrated and rewarded students for their participation in the Future Goals – Hockey Scholar™ program, a hockey-themed STEM educational course that takes students on an exciting educational journey with a goal of winning the Stanley Cup. During the event, 5th through 8th grade students and their educators were provided an opportunity to learn how STEM interacts with careers in the hockey and automotive industries. Additionally, the attendees were welcomed by Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill to experience a live team practice, which featured educational elements learned within Hockey Scholar™ modules. In support of future educational endeavors, the Red Wings and Chevrolet donated $30,000 to Detroit Public Schools Foundation to purchase technology for each attending school.

Detroit Red Wings Player Ticket Programs for Special Needs Community: Several Red Wings players provide complimentary tickets for individuals with special needs to attend Red Wings home games at Little Caesars Arena. Each player ticket program affords unique opportunities for individuals and their families to experience the excitement of a professional hockey game. Current Red Wings players who support local nonprofit organizations dedicated to individuals with special needs include: Johan Franzen (Special Olympics); Luke Glendening (Down Syndrome Guild of Southeast Michigan, Down Syndrome Support Team, Special Olympics); Darren Helm (FAR Flyers, the Motor City Stars, West Michigan Special Hockey Association); Niklas Kronwall (Autism Alliance of Michigan).

The Salvation Army STRIVE Floor Hockey Program: Reintroduced by the Red Wings and The Salvation Army in 2017, the STRIVE (Student Training for Integrity, Vitality and Education) floor hockey program teaches the basics of the sport of hockey, team building skills and positive sportsmanship behavior to children ages 8-12 in communities experiencing increased poverty throughout southeastern Michigan.

Detroit Red Wings Foundation’s Support of USA Hockey Sled Classic: In November 2017, the Detroit Red Wings Foundation sponsored a co-ed team of adult sled hockey players from across Michigan to represent the organization at the USA Hockey Sled Classic in Plymouth, Mich. The Red Wings’ 12-person roster, who each donned official team jerseys with their name and selected number, competed against 27 other NHL-sponsored teams in the Classic.

NHL Centennial Fan Arena Diversity & Inclusion Grant: As part of Hockey is for Everyone, the National Hockey League made a $5,000 grant in all 31 NHL markets at the NHL Centennial Fan Arena. To support diversity and inclusion in hockey, the Red Wings provided the grant to benefit Special Olympics Michigan’s poly hockey program. In December 2017, athletes from the organization received the donation after participating in a skills clinic alongside Red Wings alumnus and Hall of Famer Larry Murphy.

Continue reading Red Wings press release: revealing some details of Hockey Is For Everyone Month plans

The Athletic’s Silverman: Is it better to hold on to Mrazek and Howard until this summer?

The Athletic’s Cat Silverman examines the Red Wings’ goaltending situation ahead of a trade deadline in which the team appears to want to move one of their goaltenders. Silverman believes that the Wings should hold onto both goaltenders until the offseason to maximize their return:

Clearly, the longer both players work with Salajko, the bigger the benefit for the club — even if one or the other eventually gets moved out. Paying nearly $10 million for both Mrazek and Howard will hurt the Red Wings if they try to ride that out for long, especially when they’re not in a position to contend. But the longer they can wait on a potential return, the better that return might be.

In June, we’ll have a better idea of which teams will be in immediate need of help, and how much room they’ll have for it.

The Oilers will be finished with their horrible, terrible, no-good season, and can consider whether adding Mrazek or Howard would benefit them when they start fresh next year.

The Islanders will also be able to properly assess where they’re headed, with Halak hitting free agency. Assuming they don’t have a ton of interest in re-signing him, and assuming the cap goes up as much as it’s expected to, they could have room to add Mrazek and may pay a heavy price to ensure they get a sure talent.

Silverman continues (paywall), and my understanding is that the Wings don’t have a priority as to whether they move Howard or Mrazek first–they just want to move a goalie.

 

Red Wings-Ducks morning skate Tweets and articles: Howard starts as Wings host desperate Ducks

The Detroit Red Wings host the Anaheim Ducks this evening (7:30 PM EST on FSD/Prime Ticket/97.1 FM) with the Ducks desperate to earn two points as they’re in the thick of a tight Western Conference playoff race.

Detroit took to the ice at Little Caesars Arena around 10:30 AM for their morning skate, per MLive’s Ansar Khan…

The Red Wings said, “Hello”…

Continue reading Red Wings-Ducks morning skate Tweets and articles: Howard starts as Wings host desperate Ducks

Walleye still steamed about Saturday’s brawl with Kansas City

Four days after the Kansas City Mavericks and Toledo Walleye got into a brawl, the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe reports that the Walleye are still upset about the event:

What started the melee is the real problem and it must be addressed. [Garrett] Klotz suckered punched Toledo’s A.J. Jenks and leveled him. He then assaulted Jenks with a series of vicious cross-checks as Jenks lay on the ice.

It was eerily and nauseatingly reminiscent of the brutal attack Kalamazoo captain Ben Wilson put on young Walleye defenseman Simon Denis less than a year ago in the same venue.

I get that KC was fatigued and frustrated (down 4-0 and in the middle of a five-game losing streak). I even understand it if Mavericks coach John-Scott Dickson may have urged his team to “stir something up.”

But Klotz’s Neanderthal attempt to provide a spark is just bad for hockey and bad for the ECHL. The gruesome mental snap that resulted in nothing less than assault and battery would result in jail time off the ice.

Walleye coach Dan Watson is still fired up about Saturday’s incident. He called it a non-hockey play and called for stiff suspensions.

“It’s extremely dangerous,” Watson said. “It was uncalled for. It’s someone attacking someone who is defenseless. It’s a black eye for our league.”

Monroe continues, and the Kansas City Star’s Blair Kerkhoff reports that the Mavericks deny that their fights were encouraged by their coach:

[John-Scott] Dickson denied that Klotz or any of the Mavericks were out to rough up the opponent.

“I want to make this clear — players were not sent out to deliberately do anything,’ Dickson said in a statement. “Things were happening on the ice. We will always play till the end. Emotions and frustration came into play and that is hockey.”

Mavericks president and general manager Brent Thiessen was just as adamant in his denial that Kansas City players were deliberating trying to injure opponents.

“We at no time condone actions that put any player in jeopardy of being injured,” Theissen said Monday. “We have spoken with Klotz and will speak with the league on the matter. At no time, ever, were players instructed to “take on” players from an opposing team and to make accusations such as that is completely wrong and unfounded.

“That isn’t how this teams plays or approaches any game. It’s an unfortunate instance and we are very happy there wasn’t an injury to the opposing player.”

Continued, and WTOL’s Jordan Strack did a fantastic job of explaining the particulars of the brawl on Twitter:

 

Sea(t) of red covers are a ‘Pistons thing’

The Detroit News’ Rod Beard reported that the Pistons have covered a chunk of lower bowl seats at Little Caesars Arena with black Art Van seat covers; this morning, the Free Press’s Vince Ellis reports that the sponsorship agreement does not extend to the Red Wings:

The Pistons unveiled a partnership with Art Van Furniture company that introduced black seat covers with the Art Van logo over many center-court seats at Little Caesars Arena.

Workers removed the covering after the game so the agreement does not include the Detroit Red Wings.

The seat covers were added the same day Art Van Elslander, the company founder, died at 87.

The seat covers numbered in the thousands. The area included parts of the arena along each sideline and went to the top of the lower bowl. The seat covers were not behind the baskets.

The bright, red empty seats have embarrassed the Pistons, although they maintain attendance and revenue are up in their first season at LCA vs. the last season at the Palace.

The overnight report: Red Wings-Ducks set-up (and a bit of trade talk)

The Detroit Red Wings will tangle with an ornery opponent in the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday evening (7:30 PM EST on FSD/Prime Ticket/97.1 FM).

The 27-19-and-11 Ducks are in a furious fight to earn a playoff spot in the Western Conference, finding themselves 1 point short of the final Wild Card spot in the West. They’ve won 2 of their last 3 games, but Anaheim’s had a bumpy February, most recently dropping a 3-2 shootout decision to the San Jose Sharks this past Sunday.

Anaheim spent Monday flying to Detroit to open a 4-game road trip, and Detroit took Monday off as the Wings are amidst a stretch of 10 games played over the course of 17 nights and afternoons, so we’ll look back at Sunday’s Ducks-Sharks game to yield context for Tuesday’s match-up.

The Orange County Register’s Eric Stephens reported that the Ducks “blew a point” on Sunday afternoon:

Continue reading The overnight report: Red Wings-Ducks set-up (and a bit of trade talk)

Pistons install ‘seat covers’ over the sea(t) of red

The Detroit News’s Rod Beard reports that the Pistons have found a novel way to deal with the empty red seats at Little Caesars Arena:

Pistons fans are seeing red no more.

At Little Caesars Arena, there’s a lot less red — the color of all the seats in the arena — after the Pistons added a few thousand black seat covers, sponsored by the Art Van furniture company, on Monday.

The seat covers were added the day after Art Van Elslander, the founder of Art Van company, died at the age of 87. Pistons officials confirmed that the covers are part of a new corporate partnership with Art Van and are not related directly to Van Elslander’s passing.

The agreement appears to be with the Pistons and not the Red Wings.

Continued…I don’t believe that the Wings will cover the seats, but one never knows.

Getting ready for the Under-18 Five Nations Tournament

The Under-18 Five Nations Tournament is taking place this week at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, and if you weren’t already considering attending a game or two, USA Hockey’s Becky Olsen offers a strong endorsement for the tournament:

“The Under-18 Five Nations Tournament is one of the most important events for NHL teams to evaluate players for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft,” said Ryan Martin, assistant general manager for the Detroit Red Wings. “First and foremost, the quality of the competition is elite.

“Furthermore, with the exception of a limited number of players born in 2001, the U18 tournament offers NHL evaluators the unique opportunity to watch these premier players compete against their own age group, as many of these prospects play the majority of their season against players one and two years older. The fact that Plymouth is hosting the event this year is an added bonus for NHL teams, as it allows more NHL scouts and NHL management who may not otherwise be available to travel to Europe to see the event and evaluate many of the top players for the 2018 NHL Draft.”

Continued

 

Kulfan discusses Tatar’s streaky scoring

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan filed a Monday night notebook article, and he discusses the Wings’ 3rd period struggles and Tomas Tatar’s status as having just ended a goal-scoring slump:

Tatar hadn’t scored in eight games (only one in 13 games ) before scoring twice Sunday — including the overtime winner — in the 5-4 overtime victory over Washington.

“Two big goal-scorer’s goals there,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “He’s a real big scorer. He gets a little streaky at times, and hopefully he can get streaky hot here. He’s been a little snake-bitten, but I also think the goals followed what has been real good play here the last little bit.”

The two goals Sunday give Tatar 14 for the season, likely not the pace the Red Wings would have hoped for after signing Tatar, 26, a restricted free agent at the time, to a four-year contract worth $21.2 million in July ($5.3 million salary cap hit).

Last season, Tatar had 46 points (25 goals, 21 assists), thanks to a hot finish. Tatar has gone over 21 goals each of the last three seasons.

Tatar admitted it’s been difficult lately not seeing the puck go into the net.

“When you have chances to score and the goals won’t go in, you feel frustration,” Tatar said. “When the team isn’t winning, it doesn’t feel good. When you score, it’s nice to score for sure.”

Kulfan continues…