Month: February 2018

DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji and the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan spoke with Petr Mrazek regarding the possibility that #34 might be traded before the February 26th deadline, and Mrazek was blunt in his answers, as noted by Wakiji…

Although the Feb. 26 trade deadline is fast approaching, goaltender Petr Mrazek said he isn’t thinking about it.

“Not really. I think players know about it, they know it can happen,” Mrazek said. “That’s how hockey is, that’s the life and lives go forward. Just every game I play, it makes me happy and I don’t worry about anything else right now.”

Mrazek is happy that he will be starting his fourth game in the last five.

“It’s way better for sure when you play more games and you don’t play once or two times a month,” Mrazek said.

And Kulfan:

“No, I don’t really care about that,” Mrazek said after Friday’s morning skate, prior to his start against Carolina. “What’s going to happen is going to happen. It’s nothing I can control. It’s another three or four weeks before that, and whatever happens, happens.

“I don’t worry about that.”

The first set of updates from today’s Red Wings-Hurricanes game post were all related to Carolina’s takes on tonight’s game (7:00 PM on FSD/FS Carolinas/97.1 FM). The Wings news will constitute a second post so that it doesn’t get buried.

1. DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji received a Wings-Canes scouting report from coach Blashill…

The Hurricanes will be playing the second game of a back-to-back after shutting out the Montreal Canadiens, 2-0, Thursday night at PNC Arena. Blashill and the coaching staff watched that game.

“Certainly, they work,” Blashill said. “They get to the net hard in the O-zone. They get tons of pucks to the net. Their shooting statistics will speak for that. Cam Ward was very good, I thought Carey Price was very good. The work ethic and the get to the net – I thought the Staal line was excellent last night as well, and they obviously have a real good D corps. I thought Montreal had moments where they looked like they were going to get an opportunity and a stick on puck or a block by the D corps happened.”

Continue reading Red Wings-Hurricanes game-day updates II: Wings wary of Canes, hope to continue shooting from the hip

The Athletic’s Craig Custance discusses Henrik Zetterberg’s future today, wondering aloud how long Zetterberg might play:

As one Western Conference head coach put it: “He’s made millions and millions and still absolutely loves to compete. That’s why you respect Zetterberg and the Sedins so much. They’re approaching 38 and 39 and they play like a son of a bitch.”

Zetterberg isn’t doing it with high-end skating or some other skill that might fall off a cliff as 40 approaches. He’s successful because he has an iron will. And continues to stay a step or two ahead of the young players populating the league.

So there’s definitely a temptation to rethink that two-year assumption that emerged in the summer.

“If I can go in and have the year I had last year for four more years, I am more than happy to be the guy who can play,” Zetterberg told The Athletic when asked about his plans for the future earlier in the season.

Custance continues (paywall)…

The Red Wings battle the Carolina Hurricanes this evening (7:00 PM on FSD/FS Carolinas/97.1 FM). Both teams held optional morning skates today, and all signs point to Cam Ward and Petr Mrazek facing off for a battle in the teams’ respective goal creases.

After the morning skates, CarolinaHurricanes.com’s Michael Smith filed a game-day update:

Continue reading Red Wings-Hurricanes game-day updates: Canes aim for 4th straight win

The NHL’s website has posted a “Trade Buzz” article that happens to include some familiar “buzz” about the Red Wings’ possible trades:

Coach Jeff Blashill said goaltender Petr Mrazek will start at Carolina on Friday (7 p.m. ET; FS-CR, FS-D, NHL.TV), which could provide another opportunity to showcase the 25-year-old goaltender for a possible trade.

It will be the fourth start in five games for Mrazek, a pending restricted free agent who is looking like a valuable commodity again. After going 3-5-1 with an .885 save percentage in his first 12 games this season, he has gone 3-0-1 with a .965 save percentage in his past five games.

Continue reading NHL.com talks Wings trade possibilities

Updated 2x at 12:36 PM: The Detroit Red Wings kick off a stretch of 2 games to be played over the course of 2 nights as they face the streaking Carolina Hurricanes this evening (7:00 PM on FSD/FS Carolinas/97.1 FM).

Carolina has won 3 straight games heading into tonight’s match-up, and the Canes sit 8 points ahead of the Wings in the Wild Card standings.

If you’re interested, the Hurricanes’ website posted a set of game notes ahead of the Canes’ morning skate, and CarolinaHurricanes.com’s Mike Smith penned a game preview:

Continue reading Red Wings-Hurricanes morning skate Tweets: Canes, Wings ‘take optional’ skates

From the Grand Rapids Griffins:

.@GriffsIceHouse is one of 33 rinks that have been selected as quarterfinalists in the “Light Like the Pros” promotion. The winner will receive an Ephesus LED lighting system valued at over $50,000! Vote for Griff’s Ice House once a day until Feb. 2 ➡️ https://t.co/WahLycy8NE pic.twitter.com/IYRQUv2dPv

— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) February 2, 2018

 

The Oakland PRess’s Pat Caputo suggests that the Red Wings require a change in philosophy to get themselves out of their “rut”:

The thought process of striving merely to make the playoffs has to go. More important is building a team that can ultimately contend for a Stanley Cup championship.

It takes more than draft picks and astute trades. It takes properly accessing the value of players and leaving enough cap room to smartly fit in the pieces when a solid nucleus is formed.

Caputo continues at length…

 

In the AHL, the Grand Rapids Griffins got goals from Eric Tangradi and Dominic Turgeon and 31 saves from Jared Coreau en route to a 3-2 shootout loss to the Cleveland Monsters. Cleveland’s Nathan Gerbe scored the only shootout goal.

The Griffins’ website posted a recap:

Continue reading Prospect round-up: Griffins lose in shootout; Sulak registers an assist; Fulcher stops Petes

Per The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta:

Detroit Red Wings blueliner Mike Green is getting a lot of attention these days, with several teams very interested his services.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets and Pittsburgh Penguins are among the teams, and there are a few more, believed to have serious interest, and some teams may be more inclined to make a move sooner than later.

Green will become an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Red Wings are willing to take on a portion of his salary to help facilitate a trade. I don’t believe a move is close, just yet, but I can see something being ironed out well before the deadline.