Month: April 2018

Morning news: #6 picks of the past, mock drafts, a chat with Cholowski and Green’s “numbers”

Of disparate Red Wings-related note this morning:

1. In draft-related news, MLive’s Ansar Khan examined the 6th overall draft picks made between 2000 and 2018, and the quality of player picked in 6th place varies greatly;

2. Three NHL.com writers engaged in a mock draft this morning…

6. Detroit Red Wings

[Adam] Kimelman — Quintin Hughes, D, Michigan (BIG10): His ability to control the game far exceeds any questions about his size (5-9, 170). He’s a dazzling skater and puck-handler with a hard, accurate shot from the point. The Red Wings should be able to stay in-state to fill a major need.

[Mike G.] Morreale — Adam Boqvist, D, Brynas Jr. (SWE-JR): Boqvist (5-11, 168) is a skilled right-shot defenseman with excellent vision and on-ice awareness with a very good understanding of the game. He is a finesse-type player, but at times has shown a willingness to play a bigger game. He has a tremendous shot and a big upside with proper development.

[Guillaume] Lepage — Bouchard: The right-shot defenseman showed this season that he can be a leader on a young London team. The Red Wings won’t pass on the opportunity to select a defenseman this talented.

As did the Sporting News’s Steve Kournianos:

6. Detroit Red Wings: Brady Tkachuk, LW, Boston Univ. (Hockey East)

It’s no secret: The Wings need an impact player on defense. And if this draft were not as deep with the position as in previous years, then drafting for need with a pick as high as sixth overall could be justified. Nevertheless, you simply can’t pass on a specimen like Tkachuk, who has wheels, creates plays under difficult conditions and is wired to compete hard from start to finish.

3. In the prospect department, DetroitRedWings.com’s Arthur J. Regner spoke with Dennis Cholowski for his latest “Red and White Authority” podcast:

4. And in the present-day-player department, DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji examined Mike Green’s 2017-18 season “numbers”:

100 – On Feb. 13 in a 2-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, Green recorded an assist on Frans Nielsen‘s game-winner. It marked the 100th point for Green in a Detroit uniform.

27 – Green led the team in time on ice at 22:04 for the season but went above and beyond with a 27-minute effort on Oct. 28 at the Florida Panthers. That is the most for any Wing in a single game this past season. Green had three shots and was plus-1 in that game.

4 – When Green assisted on all four goals in the 4-2 victory over Minnesota in the opening game at Little Caesars Arena on Oct. 5, it was the first time a Wings defenseman had four assists in a game since Niklas Kronwall on Dec. 19, 2007. Only Anthony Mantha (March 6 at Boston) and Henrik Zetterberg (Feb. 9 at the New York Islanders and Oct. 13 at the Vegas Golden Knights) had four-point games this season.

Wakiji continues…

USHL’s general managers name Filip Larsson the Goaltender of the Year

Via the Red Wings’ Twitter account, this news from the USHL is impressive:

The United States Hockey League announced today that Tri-City Storm goaltender Filip Larsson has been named the 2018 USHL Goaltender of the Year as determined by a vote of League general managers.

Larsson played in 30 games for the Storm and had one of the best goaltending seasons in USHL history. He made 736 saves throughout those 30 games, and posted a 1.65 GAA and a .941 SV% in that span. Both of those marks led the league, and the .941 SV% is the best mark in USHL history, dating back to 1979. Larsson’s 1.65 GAA is the second-highest mark in the history of the USHL, behind only Marty Magers (Omaha Lancers), who posted a 1.62 GAA during the 2001-02 season. Larsson’s GAA is the highest such mark in the Tier 1 era, dating back to the 2002-03 season. He also posted seven shutouts this season, the fourth highest total in the history of the USHL and the second most among goaltenders this season.

Larsson, a native of Sweden, posted a five-game winning streak from Oct. 20th to Nov. 4, picking up a victory over Omaha and two wins each against Lincoln and Muskegon. He picked up his first career USHL shutout during that stretch, a whitewash of the Lincoln Stars on Oct. 21. Larsson then posted back-to-back shutouts on Dec. 2 and 7 against Madison and Lincoln, respectively. He allowed two goals or fewer in 24 of his 30 appearances this season and allowed one goal or fewer in 17 games.

Larsson was named USHL Goaltender of the Week twice, Oct. 23 and Dec. 4. He also represented his home country of Sweden in the World Junior Championship, appearing in one game and allowing just two goals to help the Swedes to a silver medal.

On Dec. 12, Larsson announced that he will be attending the University of Denver to play his college hockey. Larsson was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the sixth round, 167th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft.

Larsson is the first goaltender in the history of the Tri-City Storm to be named USHL Goaltender of the Year.

Three Griffins things: Setting up Game 5 of Griffins-Moose series; Street on Games 3 and 4; Bob Kaser on Sports OT

Of Grand Rapids Griffins-related note this morning:

  1. The Griffins play the Manitoba Moose in a winner-take-all Game 5 of the teams’ first-round series this evening, and the Grand Rapids Press’s Peter J. Wallner sets up tonight’s game:

The Griffins won Thursday, 3-0, but also lost Eric Tangradi in the process. The team’s top regular-season goal scorer (with 31) was suspended for Game 5 for a cross-check incident on Thursday, though no penalty was called. Tangradi has two goals and four points in the four games.

His suspension is the latest of four from the series. The Griffins also had Colin Campbell miss Game 3 for an illegal check to the head of Mason Appleton, the rookie of the year who hasn’t been back since.

Meanwhile, the Moose will get back one big scorer and still be without another for the finale.

Buddy Robinson, the team’s leading goal scorer in the regular season (25) can return after missing the past two games for an interference incident that sidelined Griffins center Axel Holmstrom.

But they won’t have Michael Spacek, a 17-goal scorer, who left the bench during a fight in the second period of Game 3. He was suspended three games.

Wallner continues, noting that the winner of this series will play the Rockford IceHogs…

2. The Griffins posted a clip of Ben Street discussing the intensity of games 3 and 4 of the series:

3. And Griffins play-by-play announcer Bob Kaser appeared on Sunday’s Sports OT on WOOD TV8:

 

Draft talk, draft talk and more draft talk from/with the Wings’ beat writers

Of Red Wings-related note this evening:

The Red Wings’ beat writers penned several first-half-of-the-first-round draft breakdowns on Sunday, with MLive’s Ansar Khan, the Free Press’s Helene St. James and the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan all weighing in regarding what the Wings might do with their 6th overall pick.

Wings player development assistant Daniel Cleary spoke with Kulfan regarding the possibilities, if only briefly…

“There are a lot of players who could be able to step in soon and help teams,” said Dan Cleary, Red Wings’ player development assistant. “There are a lot of talented players available.”

And Kulfan, like his fellow beat writers, believes that the Red Wings will draft a defenseman:

Continue reading Draft talk, draft talk and more draft talk from/with the Wings’ beat writers

Prospect playoff round-up: Smith 1+2 as Kitchener forces Game 7 vs. Sambrook’s Greyhounds

Of prospect-related playoff note:

In the Ontario Hockey League, Givani Smith scored a goal and added 2 assists, finishing at +3 on 7 shots as his Kitchener Rangers won 4-3 in overtime over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

Jordan Sambrook finished at -2 with 1 shot for Sault Ste. Marie, who face a 7th an deciding game in their Western Conference Final series against the Rangers.

The teams will play Game 7 on Monday in Sault Ste. Marie, and you can watch highlights of the game here.

Update: This was stupid:

 

 

Toledo Walleye tie second-round series with Fort Wayne at 1-1

The Toledo Walleye took a 2-0 lead over the Fort Wayne Komets on Sunday, and this time, they held onto their lead, winning 2-1 over Fort Wayne and tying the teams’ second-round series at 1 game apiece.

Shane Berschbach and A.J. Jenks scored for Toledo, and Pat Nagle stopped 28 of 29 shots in the Walleye win.

The Walleye’s website posted a recap and highlight clip:

Continue reading Toledo Walleye tie second-round series with Fort Wayne at 1-1

Griffins recall Dylan Sadowy due to Eric Tangradi suspension

The Grand Rapids Griffins have recalled Dylan Sadowy from Toledo because Eric Tangradi will miss Game 5 of the Griffins-Moose series due to a suspension:

SADOWY REASSIGNED TO GRIFFINS

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Sunday reassigned forward Dylan Sadowy (SAD-oh-way) to the Grand Rapids Griffins from the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye.

In his second year pro, the 22-year-old Sadowy appeared in 13 regular season games with the Griffins in 2017-18 and tallied nine penalty minutes. As a rookie in 2016-17, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound winger banked six points (4-2—6) and 18 PIM in 38 regular season appearances with Grand Rapids and was a part of the team’s Calder Cup championship.

Sadowy logged 29 points (12-17—29), a plus-nine rating and 20 PIM in 39 contests with Toledo this season and tied for second on the club with five power play tallies. In his Kelly Cup Playoff debut, Sadowy adds one assist in five games, as the Walleye recorded a four-game sweep of Indy in the opening round and currently trail Fort Wayne 1-0 in the Central Division Finals.

Sadowy also competed in six games with Toledo last season and picked up four points (1-3—4).

Prior to turning professional, the Brampton, Ontario, native played four seasons (2012-16) in the Ontario Hockey League, where he totaled 188 points (116-72—188), a plus-23 rating and 245 PIM in 258 regular season games.

San Jose’s fifth choice, 81st overall, in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Sadowy was acquired by the Red Wings in May 2016.

The Griffins host Manitoba in the winner-take-all Game 5 of the Central Division Semifinals on Monday at 7 p.m.

Ben Street delivering playoff goals for Griffins

Fox 17’s Stephanie Funkhouser filed a video feature on Grand Rapids Griffins forward Ben Street, who’s been clutch for the Griffins during their first-round series against Manitoba:

 

Prospect playoff round-up: Rasmussen scores empty-netter in Tri-City win

Of prospect-related playoff note:

In the WHL, Michael Rasmussen scored an empty-net goal, finishing at +1 with 4 shots as the Tri-City Americans won 5-2 over the Everett Silvertips;

Tri-City now trails the WHL’s Western Conference Final 3 games to 2, and Game 6 will take place on Monday.

 

Tyler Wright weighs in on the Wings’ draft stead

Red Wings director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright weighed in on the Red Wings’ draft stead after the team learned that it would pick 6th overall in the first round via Saturday’s draft lottery:

“As pretty much everyone has said, this is a very strong draft,” said Tyler Wright, the Wings’ director of amateur scouting. “We’re excited. We think we’re going to get a real good player at six. We would have liked to be in the mix (for the top three), but that’s the way it goes.”

The draft lottery was held in Toronto with picks 4-15 announced before Game 2 between the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks. The league revealed the top three picks during the second intermission.

The Buffalo Sabres had the best odds to get the No. 1 pick and were successful. They get the chance to draft defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who has been everyone’s top-ranked player all season.

The Carolina Hurricanes were slotted to pick 11th but moved up to second. With the fourth-worst record, the Montreal Canadiens had the best odds to get the sixth pick but moved up to third. The Ottawa Senators fell to fourth. The Arizona Coyotes have the fifth pick.

“Obviously Dahlin has separated himself,” Wright said. “But there is a good mix of scoring wingers, size, competitiveness, big defensemen, some smaller defensemen. I think it’s pretty interchangeable once you get 2-3-4-5 and then 6-7-8-9. If you had a magic ball and looked at everyone’s draft list, it would be different. That speaks to the depth of this draft in a good way.”

Wakiji and Wright continue, and Wright weighs in regarding his firsthand knowledge of the pressure placed upon a player picked high in the draft.