Month: June 2018

As noted on Monday morning, the Jamie Daniels Foundation has partnered with Children’s Hospital of Michigan, and Fox 2 Detroit posted a video about the announcement (as did WDIV)…

And the Free Press’s Jeff Seidel has more regarding the news:

About a month ago, Ken Daniels met with representatives from the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation. Daniels had the passion and mission to make a difference — but he didn’t know how to run a foundation. And besides, he is on the road constantly, announcing Wings games.

Meanwhile, the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation has the expertise and infrastructure to run a program like this. It was a perfect marriage.

“For the first time, since his passing, a very dark cloud began to dissipate,” Daniels said.

This collaboration is still in the early stages. They are still trying to figure out how to raise money and awareness.

Next summer, they have tentative plans to hold a celebrity roast. Mickey Redmond, Daniels’ on-air partner during Wings broadcasts, volunteered to be the first victim.

“He said he’s got big shoulders and can handle it,” Daniels said.

A Mickey Redmond roast? Bingo, bango! Slow it down right here, gang. That’s going to be fun.

Down the road, Daniels hopes the foundation can support families trying to get help. “Because it can be expensive,” Daniels said.

Seidel also continues, and his column is a moving one.

Update: Ken Daniels also appeared on Monday’s Detroit Tigers broadcast to discuss his foundation’s mission:

 

 

Per MLive’s Ansar Khan, the Red Wings have chosen not to retain the services of Dan Renouf or Zach Nastasiuk:

The Red Wings opted not to tender qualifying offers to defenseman Dan Renouf and right wing Zach Nastasiuk, making them unrestricted free agents. They have qualified right wing Matt Puempel, retaining his rights after he picked up 54 points (22 goals, 32 assists) in 57 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

My apologies for the delay on this one:

RED WINGS ANNOUNCE 2018 DEVELOPMENT CAMP ROSTER
… First-Round Picks Zadina, Veleno, Rasmussen and Cholowski Slated to Attend Sold-out Camp …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today announced the roster for their 2018 Development Camp, which will be held at the BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena from Tuesday, June 26 to Saturday, June 30. The camp roster currently consists of 23 forwards, 13 defensemen and seven goaltenders.

The Red Wings will have four former first-round picks in attendance in forwards Michael Rasmussen (9th overall in 2017), Joe Veleno (30th overall in 2018) and Filip Zadina (6th overall in 2018) and defenseman Dennis Cholowski (20th overall in 2016). Rasmussen led the Red Wings in goals during the 2017 preseason and recovered from injury to produce 59 points (31-28-59) in 47 regular-season games for the Western Hockey League’s Tri-City Americans in 2017-18, before amassing 33 points (16-17-33) in just 14 postseason games to help Tri-City upset higher-seeded teams with back-to-back sweeps before being eliminated in the WHL’s Conference Finals. Veleno similarly finished the season on a high note, racking up 48 points (16-32-48) in 33 games with the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League after starting the season with 31 points (6-25-31) in 31 games as captain of the Saint John Sea Dogs. Veleno was the first player in QMJHL history to be granted Exceptional Player Status by Hockey Canada to allow him to enter the league as a 15-year-old, a year earlier than the league’s minimum age of 16.

Continue reading Here’s the Red Wings’ summer development camp roster

Per the Detroit Red Wings:

RED WINGS AGREE TO TERMS WITH BERTUZZI AND FRK
… Forwards Earned Roster Spots with Detroit in 2017-18 after Winning 2017 Calder Cup with Grand Rapids Griffins …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today agreed to terms with left wing Tyler Bertuzzi on a two-year contract and right wing Martin Frk on a one-year contract.

Continue reading Slightly belated: Red Wings re-sign Tyler Bertuzzi (2 yrs), Martin Frk (1 yr)

From the Grand Rapids Griffins:

GRIFFINS ACQUIRE CARTER CAMPER FROM TUCSON

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins on Monday acquired center Carter Camper from the Tucson Roadrunners.

Camper, 29, posted a career-high 61 points (16-45—61) and 14 penalty minutes in 68 games while splitting the 2017-18 campaign between the Cleveland Monsters and Tucson. Camper concluded the season as the Monsters’ leader in both points (42) and assists (29), appearing in 53 contests before being traded on Feb. 26. The 5-foot-9, 176-pound forward tallied 19 points (3-16—19), a plus-six rating and four PIM in 15 regular season games with the Roadrunners. He tied for the team lead in Calder Cup Playoff scoring with eight points (1-7—8) in nine appearances, which included a team-best seven assists.

Leaguewide, Camper tied for 11th in point production and tied for fifth in assists during the regular season.

An eight-year pro, Camper has banked 330 points (87-243—330) and 114 PIM in 443 AHL games with Providence (2010-14), Springfield (2013-14), Binghamton (2014-15), Hershey (2015-16), Albany (2016-17), Cleveland (2017-18) and Tucson (2017-18), and he participated in the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic during his first full pro season. Camper adds 45 points (18-27—45), a plus-nine rating and 10 PIM in 51 career Calder Cup Playoff games. He was Hershey’s leading scorer with 17 points (6-11—17) in 21 games during the Bears’ run to the 2016 Calder Cup Finals.

Camper made his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins during the 2011-12 season and potted one goal in three games.

A native of Rocky River, Ohio, Camper played four seasons (2007-11) at Miami University prior to turning pro. Appearing in 156 games, he logged 40 or more points all four years and his 183 career points (69-114—183) rank second all time in team history. As a senior co-captain in 2010-11, he scored a career-best 57 points (19-38—57) and was named a Hobey Baker Award finalist, an All-CCHA First Team selection and the CCHA Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Led by first-year head coach Ben Simon, the Griffins will begin the home portion of their 2018-19 season on Friday, Oct. 12 at Van Andel Arena with Opening Night Presented by Huntington Bank. Additional home dates confirmed by the American Hockey League include Dec. 31, Jan. 19, Jan. 26, Feb. 9 and Feb. 16.

Single-game tickets will go on sale to the public in September. Fans can secure their full-season, select-season or group ticket packages by calling (616) 774-4585 ext. 2 or visit griffinshockey.com for more information.

Of Red Wings-related note this morning:

1. MLive’s Ansar Khan filed a mailbag feature this morning, and Khan suggests that the Red Wings will probably import a top-four defenseman after spending their first three draft picks on forwards at this past weekend’s draft:

Khan continues…

2. In the charitable news vein, WHMI 93.5 FM reports that the Jimmy Howard Foundation’s home run derby in Brighton this past weekend went well:

Continue reading Morning news: regarding Khan’s mailbag, Howard’s home run derby and Flyers saying farewell to Mrazek

Of Red Wings draft-related note this morning:

1. In the “out-of-towners’ takes” department, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler and Sportsnet’s Dimitri Filipovic gave praise to the Wings’ draft haul, with Wheeler suggesting that the Wings’ first three picks maximized value…

Detroit Red Wings: The Red Wings were in the best shape coming in, and had eight picks in the top 100. Mix in that I didn’t like seven of their 10 picks, including where they took two players (Alec Regula and Jared McIsaac) who were on my list, and it’s a miracle they’re on this list. But they did so damn well with their first three picks of the draft that they deserve a ton of credit. Zadina was an obvious home run at No. 6, but the real value was in Joe Veleno, ranked 13th on my board, at 30th overall, and Jonatan Berggren, who was a risky pick they didn’t have to take but were right to anyways. Berggren, ranked 20th, has unique upside, pull-away speed, outstanding puck skills, a nifty release point, escapability, and playmaking ability in traffic. There’s a chance they found three future top-nine forwards. Read more about Veleno, one of the better two-way players in the draft and a fabulous skater, here.

And Filipovic agreed:

Continue reading Monday morning Wings draft discussion

Of trade rumor-related note this morning:

The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta and Newsday’s Andrew Gross have both suggested that the Red Wings may be “getting calls” regarding Jimmy Howard’s availability, and the New York Islanders may be the team most interested in Howard and Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson:

At the risk of getting attacked by half Edmonton again, know with certainty teams continued to inquire about Cam Talbot leading up to & over the Draft. Oilers listened, but nothing has been close. I do not get sense, as of now, that contract talks are ongoing, either. #puppies

— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) June 24, 2018

That said, there are a number of teams who poked around the goalie market. Told Detroit received inquires on Jimmy Howard, as well. And of course Ottawa’s Craig Anderson, whom I believe is getting traction on a move. Whether it gets done or not, we’ll see.

— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) June 24, 2018

Here’s Newsday’s Andrew Gross:

Lou Lamoriello, currently encamped in Los Angeles as part of the John Tavares contract pitch festival, certainly liked the eight players the Islanders selected in the seven rounds of the NHL Draft on Friday and Saturday.

But the Islanders’ president knows much more needs to be done regardless of whether Tavares opts to re-sign or leave via unrestricted free agency when the market opens July 1. There’s still a No. 1 goalie to acquire, with the Senators’ Craig Anderson or the Red Wings’ Jimmy Howard as possibilities, and a need for NHL-ready defensemen.

“I think that’s an ongoing process. There is a plan in place,” Lamoriello said Saturday afternoon in Dallas. “I’ve always said it’s a five-year plan that changes every day. We’ll see how the week goes.”

The Detroit News’s Bob Wojnowski suggests that the Red Wings did exactly what they had to do during this year’s NHL draft–they accumulated as much talent as they possibly could, despite the fact that they were unable to address shortcomings on defense:

By most accounts, the Wings essentially got two steals in the first round, which might not alter the long-term timetable, but it sure makes it more interesting. They took Czech winger Filip Zadina at No. 6, after virtually every projection had him going third to Montreal. They took center Joe Veleno at No. 30, a stunner considering three rating services pegged him at six, eight and 11.

Holland didn’t try to outsmart or outmaneuver anyone. The Wings wisely didn’t reach for a much-needed defenseman. They did precisely what a rebuilding team must do — grab as much high-end talent, regardless of position, as you can grab.

Zadina, 18, might be the best scorer in the draft, and brings a confident edge (as well as 82 points in 57 games for the Halifax Mooseheads last season). Veleno is a play-making center some compare to Dylan Larkin. The Wings even went with another skilled forward, Jonatan Berggren, early in the second round before finally taking defenseman Jared McIsaac, a projected first-rounder, three picks later at 36.

As far as positional replenishment, the Wings didn’t get a break, and they’ll continue their never-ending quest for a top-tier defenseman, the most precious commodity. Buffalo got lucky in the lottery and landed the premier one at No. 1, Rasmus Dahlin.

The Wings found their fortune elsewhere, and added to a promising young forward core that includes Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi and last year’s No 1 pick, Michael Rasmussen. In rebuilds, you take the best player and don’t look back. It’s like what the Tigers have done, under the same ownership. The Tigers desperately need positional players, but pitchers keep popping up where they pick, and they recently added to their stockpile with No. 1 choice Casey Mize.

Wojo continues…

 

The Blackburn News’s Mark Brown reports that the community of Tecumseh, Ontario was the indirect beneficiary of this year’s Bob Probert Ride:

A popular motorcycle benefit was the springboard for an announcement concerning a local sports facility.

A new satellite cardiac centre will be included in the town of Tecumseh’s soon-to-be-built Sportsplex, thanks to proceeds from the eighth annual Bob Probert Ride, held Sunday.

The announcement was made before the ride by Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara.

Over 1,500 riders from all over North America participated in the fundraising event, raising money for cardiac services provided by Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare (HDGH).

The Tecumseh facility will be the third satellite heart centre set up by HDGH.

“To extend the current services offered into the east-end community has been one of our ambitious fundraising goals for a few years now,” said Dani Probert, Bob’s widow, in a statement.

Continued, and I know this isn’t Red Wings-related, but it’s pretty cool that the Bob Probert Ride’s community clout helped spurn the growth of Windsor’s Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital’s services.

Update: Here’s more from the Windsor Star’s Taylor Campbell:

Continue reading Bob Probert Ride facilitates cardiac center in Tecumseh, ON