Month: March 2018

The Athletic II: James Mirtle weighs in on ‘GM’s potentially on the hot seat’

Among The Athletic’s James Mirtle’s “GM’s potentially on the hot seat“:

Ken Holland, Detroit. Only David Poile in Nashville has been around longer in his post than Holland’s 21 years with the Red Wings — and even then, he was hired only nine days before him back in 1997. Detroit is currently on pace for just 78 points, the franchise’s worst showing since 1991. Their cap situation is a mess, and their prospect pool is rather thin. It’s going to be a long road up. Holland has been connected to both Vancouver (before Jim Benning re-signed) and the new Seattle expansion team, both of which are close to his hometown of Vernon, B.C. He could also be bumped up to the president’s role in Detroit with someone like Kris Draper becoming GM. Or they could opt for the status quo, yet again. But the fan base is getting restless. And fixing this roster won’t be easy.

Continued (paywall)…

Red Wings-Golden Knights morning skate Tweets: Svechnikov dons #77, Howard starts, lines tweaked

Updated 7x at 12:16 PM:

The Detroit Red Wings host the struggling Vegas Golden Knights this evening (7:30 PM EST on FSD/ATT Sportsnet/97.1 FM; tonight is “NHL Green Night” at LCA), and the Red Wings will hope to add to the Golden Knights 1-3-and-1 stretch of late while Detroit attempts to snap a 3-game losing streak.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Steve Carp was the first scribe to weigh in from the morning skate:

The Red Wings officially hit the ice at 10:30 for their morning skate, per the Red Wings and MLive’s Ansar Khan, with the latter scribe reporting that Evgeny Svechnikov has changed numbers:

Continue reading Red Wings-Golden Knights morning skate Tweets: Svechnikov dons #77, Howard starts, lines tweaked

The Athletic’s Pronman talks Hronek as he goes ‘around the farms’

The Athletic’s Corey Pronman discussed several NHL teams’ AHL affiliates this morning, as reflected in the progress made by top prospects, and Pronman highlights the play of Filip Hronek:

Detroit: Filip Hronek, D

I went out to watch Grand Rapids to track the progress of Hronek, who has put up a ton of points for a 20-year-old in the AHL. Wings fans are in my inbox/mentions regularly begging for some hope, and while I can give them some, it’s with disclaimers. Hronek is a gifted offensive defenseman, probably the team’s No. 2 prospect, showing great confidence, skill and composure moving the puck and QBing Grand Rapids top power play unit. He does have things to work on, though. He can get a little too cute and turn pucks over, and he has to improve his defense. I’d also like to see him be a tad more explosive.

Portland Winterhawks’ GM praises Dennis Cholowski

Red Wings prospect Dennis Cholowski has had a very good season playing for both the WHL’s Prince George Cougars and the Portland Winterhawks. This morning, the Prince George Citizen’s Ted Clarke reports that Cholowski’s play has impressed Winterhawks GM Mike Johnston:

“Early in the year when I saw him play I thought he was a very mobile type of defenceman, jumps up ice, makes a good first pass, and I thought early in the year if we could ever get a player like that to help us out down the stretch that would be great and it turns out we were able to make that type of a deal,” said Johnston.

“But I didn’t realize how good he was. He’s a better player than I even though the was. He’s very good defensively and I compare him to (Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman) Seth Jones, who we had several years ago. Seth never ran over you physically, but he was strong, he used his body well, he had a good stick defensively, and then when he got the puck his transition pass or skating was really good and I think Dennis is a lot like that. He’s a better defensive player than I thought.”

The Detroit Red Wings obviously liked what they saw in Cholowski when they picked him in the first round, 20th overall in the 2016 draft. “He’s going to be a good pro, he’s well-suited to the game,” said Johnston. “He might be ready to step right in (to the Red Wings) next year. Some people say he might have to be a bit more physical or use his shot more. Well everybody still has to add something to the game.

“I think today’s defencemen, especially when you think of Detroit or Chicago, those types of teams that transition, they want their defence to skate and move the puck. I really think Detroit is craving a guy like that now, that can play that type of style. He was well schooled here (in Prince George) and I don’t know what happened at college, I don’t think he got the opportunity and the playing time (last season at St. Cloud State), but certainly coming back to our league has been good for him.

“We won’t get him back next year, there’s not a chance. We knew we would only have him for a short time but he’s a pro in everything he does and the guys in the room will learn from him and then he’ll move on.”

Continued

MLive posts video chronicling Svechnikov’s ‘journey to the NHL’

This is pretty cool:

 

Red Wings use roster emergency recall to bring Evgeny Svechnikov up

From the Red Wings:

And the Grand Rapids Griffins:

Here’s the press release:

Continue reading Red Wings use roster emergency recall to bring Evgeny Svechnikov up

Prospect round-up: Kadeikin helps Lokomotiv advance; Allsvenskan wraps up regular season play

In the KHL, Alexander Kadeikin registered an assist on the OT winner as Lokomotiv Yaroslavl won 3-2 in overtime over Torpedo Nizhny Novogorod, sweeping the teams’ first-round playoff series. Kadeikin finished at +1 with 1 shot in 15:37 played;

In the Swedish Allsvenskan, Malte Setkov took a penalty while playing on the 3rd defensive pairing in IK Pantern’s 4-1 loss to Sodertalje SK.

This was the last day of the Allsvenskan regular season, and IK Pantern qualified for the Allsvenskan playoffs;

Continue reading Prospect round-up: Kadeikin helps Lokomotiv advance; Allsvenskan wraps up regular season play

Red Wings-Golden Knights set-up: depleted Golden Knights face urgent situation as they visit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings play a rare March home game against the Vegas Golden Knights this evening (7:30 PM EST on FSD/ATT Sportsnet/97.1 FM; tonight is “NHL Green Night” at LCA), and the Wings may be catching the 42-19-and-5 Golden Knights at an opportune time.

Vegas has lost 4 of its past 5 games (1-3-and-1), including a 4-1 loss at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.

Neither the Golden Knights nor the Red Wings practiced on Tuesday, so there is some question as to whether Reilly Smith will be in the lineup this evening, and that’s a big concern for the Golden Knights, as the Las Vegas Sun’s Jesse Granger noted:

Continue reading Red Wings-Golden Knights set-up: depleted Golden Knights face urgent situation as they visit Red Wings

Khan, HSJ: Svechnikov will be recalled Thursday

From MLive’s Ansar Khan…

The Detroit Red Wings will get their first look this season at forward Evgeny Svechnikov on Thursday, when he’s expected to be in the lineup against the Vegas Golden Knights at Little Caesars Arena (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit).

The Red Wings will recall Svechnikov, their top pick in the 2015 draft (19th overall) from the Grand Rapids Griffins on Thursday.

Frans Nielsen suffered a concussion Tuesday on a hit from Boston Bruins center David Backes, who on Wednesday was suspended three games by the NHL for interference.

Svechnikov, 21, struggled earlier this season, his second in the AHL, but has played better the past 25 games, with four goals and 12 assists. Overall, he has seven goals and 15 assists in 52 games, along with 56 penalty minutes and a minus-4 rating.

And the Free Press’s Helene St. James:

An injury to Detroit Red Wings forward Frans Nielsen spells opportunity for prospect Evgeny Svechnikov.

Svechnikov will play Thursday when the Wings host the Vegas Golden Knights at Little Caesars Arena. Nielsen will miss that game and Friday’s at Columbus after sustaining an upper-body injury Tuesday when he was hit by Boston’s David Backes in a 6-5 overtime loss at TD Garden.

The NHL department of player safety announced a three-game suspension for Backes Wednesday afternoon.

Nielsen was slow to get up and underwent concussion protocol testing during first intermission. He will be reassessed Monday. He is one of the Wings’ most versatile forwards, averaging around 16 minutes per game and playing both special teams.

Even if Nielsen is able to play Monday at San Jose — or later in the California-Colorado trip — Svechnikov will be staying past Nielsen’s return.

The Wings are eager to get a look at their 2015 first-round pick, who has rallied from a challenging first half with the Grand Rapids Griffins to reach seven goals and 15 assists in 52 games.

David Backes gets 3 games for hit on Nielsen

From the NHL, a little belatedly:

Bruins’ Backes Suspended Three Games for Interference

NEW YORK (March 7, 2018) – Boston Bruins forward David Backes has been suspended for three games, without pay, for interference against Detroit Red Wings forward Frans Nielsen during NHL Game No. 1020 in Boston on Tuesday, March 6, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incident occurred at 19:44 of the first period. Backes was assessed a minor penalty for roughing.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Backes will forfeit $96,774.18. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.