Month: April 2018

Sportsnet’s Saturday Headlines crew talks Holland, Blashill and Zetterberg

Sportsnet’s Headlines segment aired on Saturday night, and Nick Kypreos, Chris Johnston, Elliotte Friedman and Ron MacLean opened the segment discussing Ken Holland’s 2-year contract extension.

Johnston says that meetings in the last month produced the agreement, and the Wings feel that they’re on the right track with 4 of the top 40 picks this year and 11 to come…

Nick Kypreos says that Jeff Blashill is likely to earn another chance to coach the Red Wings, who Kypreos suggests may be in the market for a free agent center (Tavares?) this summer…

And Elliotte Friedman suggests that Henrik Zetterberg’s, “I’ll return if I’m healthy” statement indicates that he’s probably going to return, despite the tremendous amount of preparation he has to take part in to play due to his back issues.

 

Red Wings-Islanders quick take: Wings get burned in a track meet

The Detroit Red Wings attempted to finish their 2017-18 season on a positive note, battling the New York Islanders on Saturday night.

The Red Wings could not prevail, blowing a 3-1 lead en route to a 4-3 OT decision against the Islanders. The game was exciting, fun to watch, and something of a track meet–and Jared Coreau was very, very good–but the Islanders exploited the Wings’ weaknesses defensively and were able to the game with only 30 seconds reamaining, and win 3:14 into OT on a John Tavares marker.

Henrik Zetterberg (1G, 1A0, Justin Abdelkader and Dylan Larkin scored for Detroit, who finished a disappointing season in a disappointing manner.

Continue reading Red Wings-Islanders quick take: Wings get burned in a track meet

Red Wings sign Ken Holland to 2-year contract extension

Updated 5x at 7:47 PM: Per the Red Wings…

From the Free Press’s Helene St. James…

Chris Ilitch says general manager Ken Holland has been extended for two years.

Ken Holland: “I love working for the Ilitch family, I think they are greatest owners in NHL … Feel very fortunate to be back. Look forward to challenge of rebuilding Red Wings to compete … for Stanley Cup.”

Ken Holland said he’ll address coach Jeff Blashill’s future on Tuesday at clean-out day. Blashill has year left on contract.

Chris Ilitch: “Ken has been integral part of 4 Stanley Cup championships… He started out as a scout. Many of the players he scouted became integral to our success. .. He is tremendous evaluator of talent at our core.”

Chris Ilitch on why Holland stays to rebuild Wings: “When I fly in an airplane, I love doing it with a pilot who has done it before … Ken has done it before.”

Chris Ilitch: “We are going to be as aggressive as possible in building a team that can … compete for Stanley Cup.”

Fox 2’s Jennifer Hammond…

Ilitch announces that Holland’s contract has been extended for two years.

Ilitch adds: We remain laser focused on one objective…building a Red Wings team that remains focused on competing for Championships.

Holland says he’ll answer all questions about the team on Tuesday when they take the team picture – including the future of Jeff Blashill.

Ilitch on why he thinks Holland is the man for the job: Ken is an integral part of the Wings four Cup Championships and it started with his scouting.

As Ilitch points out, the Wings have the most picks of any team in the 2018 NHL Draft. Hopefully the chips fall their way to bring Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin to Detroit.

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan…

Ken Holland to return next season

The Detroit News’s Gregg Krupa…

chris ilitch say mom, marian, likes decision. touts draft choices and say laser focus is on winning. “confident he is the right person, again.”

holland: i feel very fortunate to be working with passionate owners. i feel fortunate to be back. i know we have a hard task ahead.

chris ilitch: frequent conversations among himself, mrs. I and holland all throughout the season, and as a matter of routine, every season. included some discussion of his status, but no perceived urgency in announcing. no reason for late-season announcement, other than that.

holland: blashill announcement tuesday.

asked about timing of the turnaround and e.t.a. of next winner… c. ilitch: we will work as aggressively as possible. holland is aggressive in his pursuit. gone a terrific job of amassing draft choices. i believe the future of the franchise is very bright.

MLive’s Ansar Khan:

#RedWings announce Ken Holland has signed 2 year extension.

Holland said he will address coach Jeff Blashill’s future Tuesday at locker clean out. Blashill is expected to return. #RedWings

And WDIV’s Jamie Edmonds:

Holland: you have to honor contracts, there’s a salary cap. Slowly the veterans will be replaced by younger guys, but they must be ready.

WXYZ’s Mike Foss also weighed in:

Chris Ilitch: “(Ken and I) just sort of settled on two years, and that’s what we were comfortable with.”

As did DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji:

Here’s the press release:

Continue reading Red Wings sign Ken Holland to 2-year contract extension

Kris Draper’s son, Kienan, picked in the OHL draft

From the Detroit News:

Kienan Draper, the son of four-time Stanley Cup champion Kris Draper of the Detroit Red Wings, was selected in the eighth round of the Ontario Hockey League draft on Saturday.

The 16-year-old Draper was drafted by the Saginaw Spirit, whose owners include former Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood and Jimmy Devellano, the team’s senior vice president.

Kienan Draper, a native of Bloomfield Hills, is a 5’10”, 160-pound forward with Detroit Little Caesars.

Continued, with a list of local players picked in the OHL draft…

Duff on Zetterberg’s status

Hockeybuzz’s Bob Duff duly notes that Henrik Zetterberg recently spoke about his off-season decision-making process, and it doesn’t sound like Zetterberg is ready to retire…yet…

“Well, for me it’s going to be the same as I’ve been doing the last couple of years,” Zetterberg said. “I will go into the off-season and try to have a good summer, work on my health and hopefully I can come back and be better.”

He doesn’t sound like a guy who’s about to hang up his skates, and it’s interesting to note that since the back surgery that he underwent in 2014, Zetterberg has missed just five games over the past four seasons, and will go into Saturday’s game having appeared in 245 consecutive games.

“Ever since my back surgery that’s been one of the goals, to be able to play as many games as possible,” Zetterberg said. “But in the same way, you want to be able to do something out there, too. You don’t just want to put on the skates. You want to be able to produce and help your team. I felt last year was a good year, and it maybe hasn’t been as good this year.”

He indicated that the disappointment of missing the playoffs the last two seasons will have no bearing on his future with the Wings.

“It’s no fun losing, but I still have a lot of fun playing hockey and being around this group of guys,” Zetterberg said. “Obviously, it would be a lot more fun if we’d still be playing after this weekend. In decision making I don’t think that has anything to do with it.”

Continued, with Zetterberg stating that his health will be the final determinant as to whether he returns or not…

 

Red Wings-Islanders game-day articles: As season winds down, Wings count their blessings in light of Humboldt tragedy

Updated 5x at 2:33 PM: The Red Wings will start Jared Coreau opposite Thomas Greiss as Detroit hosts the New York Islanders this evening (7:00 PM EDT on FSD/MSG +2/97.1 FM).

Tonight is “Fan Appreciation Night” at Little Caesars Arena, but some fans might argue that the best thing the Wings can do tonight is lose.

The Wings are attempting to let fans get in on the giveaways and prizes:

In terms of the game itself, Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill explained his rationale for starting Coreau to MLive’s Ansar Khan:

Continue reading Red Wings-Islanders game-day articles: As season winds down, Wings count their blessings in light of Humboldt tragedy