Morning news: “On the Forecheck,” a podcast of note, NCAA free agent talk and a spotlight on Hronek

Of brief Red Wings-related note this morning:

  1. The Red Wings posted an “On the Forecheck” video in which Manny Legace and Carley Johnston discuss the Wings’ upcoming opponents:

 2. The Red Wings also posted their latest “Red and White Authority” podcast, in which Wings goaltender development coach Brian Mahoney-Wilson speaks with Arthur J. Regner for over an hour:

 3. In the tangentially-Red Wings-related category, ESPN’s Chris Peters penned an Insider-only article discussing the top NCAA free agents and their possible “fits.”

4. On Twitter…

5. Also in the Grand Rapids Griffins category, GriffinsHockey.com’s Jason Pearson penned an article about Filip Hronek for TheAHL.com:

Hronek currently ranks in the league’s top-20 defensemen in points, goals, assists and plus-minus rating, and he’s on pace to post one of the top-three highest-scoring seasons by a Griffins first-year blueliner.

“I’ve been impressed with the way he’s learned the game, produced for us and how he’s progressed,” Griffins third-year head coach Todd Nelson said.

Hronek’s first full professional season and second year in North America began with its share of bumps. Scratched eight times in the team’s first 31 games, Hronek was filtered in and out of the lineup, partly due to inconsistent play and partly due to the Griffins’ roster; the team had eight rostered defensemen. Ryan Sproul was traded on Oct. 21 to bring the defensive lineup to a much more manageable number of seven, and as the season marched through its third month, Hronek developed a steadiness to his game play.

The 6-foot, 178-pound Hronek has been a mainstay in the lineup since Dec. 29, during which Grand Rapids’ 20-6-0-2 record has vaulted them into position for a sixth straight Calder Cup playoff bid. He’s spent considerable time throughout the year on the man-advantage, verified by 14 power play points, the most among team defensemen.

“After the trade for Sproul, he got an opportunity to get in the lineup on an everyday basis and he really took advantage of that,” assistant coach Bruce Ramsay said. “His work on the power play has become elite. He’s running the first unit right now and doing a great job. His defensive capabilities have grown.”

Hronek posted a particularly effective 17-game stretch from Jan. 12-Feb. 25, posting 15 points (5-10—15) and a team-best plus-14 rating.

“I try working hard every day,” Hronek said. “I think I’m getting better at things. Last couple of games, I’m getting better at everything.”

Continued

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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!

4 thoughts on “Morning news: “On the Forecheck,” a podcast of note, NCAA free agent talk and a spotlight on Hronek”

  2. Most college free agents would shun the Red Wings at this point. It is more about the logjam of vets who make it difficult for spots to open up and the Wings’ propensity to favour vets for spots.
    These guys are usually NHL-ready or very close and spending more time in the minors is not what the top prospects want.
    Wings are eliminating themselves for contention for a couple of good players with the approach they have been using.

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