Month: July 2018

Monroe speaks with Toledo Walleye coach Dan Watson regarding the Daniel Leavens trade

The Toledo Walleye made a significant trade yesterday, and the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe spoke with Walleye coach Dan Watson regarding the haul:

The Toledo Walleye announced Monday the organization has acquired forward Daniel Leavens from Wichita in exchange for forward Colin Jacobs.

Leavens, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound native of Toronto, will be heading into his second pro season after playing for Wheeling, Allen, and Rapid City in the ECHL in 2017-18.

In 47 games with Rapid City, Leavens tallied 42 points with 12 goals and 30 assists. In 16 games in Allen, Leavens posted nine points with three goals and six assists. He did not have a point in three games with Wheeling.

“If you watch his tape, he gets to the net where most of the goals are scored,” Walleye coach Dan Watson said. “He also has the ability to make plays. He’s a good fit for us. He will add a bit of that offensive flair that we lacked a bit last season. He’s a second-year guy that really wants to keep getting better.”

Leavens, a 25-year-old forward, played four seasons at Robert Morris University where he posted more than 20 points in each of his final three years with the Colonials. As a senior, Leavens produced 49 points, including 14 goals, in 38 games, also serving as an assistant captain.

Leavens helped the Colonials win back-to-back Atlantic Hockey Conference championships. In 136 games at Robert Morris, Leavens scored 40 goals, adding 68 assists for 108 points.

Continued

Dylan Larkin appears on ‘The Red and White Authority’

Dylan Larkin speaks with DetroitRedWings.com’s Arthur J. Regner on the latest episode of “The Red and White Authority” podcast:


Two good things: Blashill teams up with Men’s Wearhouse to collect gently-used suits; Witkowski gives back in his hometown

Of brief Red Wings-related note this afternoon:

1. This is kind of cool: According to a press release from Men’s Wearhouse, Jeff Blashill, Los Angeles Kings coach John Stevens and Vegas Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant have joined a charitable initiative by which Men’s Wearhouse collects gently-used items of “professional clothing” to help non-profit organizations that specialize in job training and workforce assistance;

2. And the Holland Sentinel’s Chris Zadorozny reports that Luke Witkowski finds himself helping his youth hockey team while working at a youth hockey camp in his hometown of Holland, MI this week:

Witkowski played a few years for the IceDawgs and now he’s back at his old rink coaching and helping kids from his hometown.

“It was good. I guess Monday’s are a little different than the rest of their week,” Witkowski said. “Tuesday we’ll see how it goes tomorrow. There was a lot of kids that showed up, there was 30. Helping out a buddy of mine get some kids in a camp and help out the town, it’s nice.”

And being back in Holland has him visiting family and enjoying family time.

“It’s great, it’s really hot right now,” he said of being back in West Michigan. “It’s good. Hopefully I get out on the water sometime and nice to be back in my old house I grew up in and hopefully see some friends, too.”

Two bummer things: Wyshynski on the Wings’ upcoming season and the Sporting News on the Wings’ best and worst contracts

Of bummerific news note this afternoon:

1. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski penned a list of teams that have improved, gotten worse, and are…even worse off…after this summer’s free agent frenzy, and Wyshynski suggests that the Red Wings might want to simply skip the 2018-19 campaign altogether:

Detroit Red Wings: The Wings brought back Mike Green (two years, $5.375) and Thomas Vanek (one year, $3M and hilariously a no-trade clause for one of the NHL’s most recently traveled players), and signed goalie Jonathan Bernier (three years, $3M AAV). But this is clearly a franchise waiting on its next wave of talent … perhaps in the lottery.

Elsewhere, the Sporting News’s Jim Cerny penned a column discussing the best and worst contracts on the books of each and every one of the NHL’s 31 teams, and his assessment leaves me scratching my head:

Detroit Red Wings

Best: Thomas Vanek was a nice fit in Detroit two years ago and now he’s back on a one-year $3 million contract with the Red Wings. That’s a decent contract for a consistent scorer coming off a 24-goal, 56-point season.

Worst: Not a lot to choose from here, but Andreas Athanasiou is a three-million a year player? Even understanding inflated bridge deals this seems like a lot for a skilled forward, though one that scored only 18 and 16 goals previous two seasons.

I’d argue that the Wings have far worse contracts on the books than Athanasiou’s “bridge deal,” but that’s just me.

Khan profiles defenseman Jared McIsaac

MLive’s Ansar Khan wrote a profile of Red Wings prospect and 2018 36th overall draft pick Jared McIsaac, a gritty shut-down defenseman:

Red Wings director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright described the 6-1, 193-pound left-shooting McIsaac as steady and hard-nosed, a good skater who can play against the opposition’s top line.

“With McIsaac, we liked the defense,” Wright said.

Defense is just what the Red Wings need to upgrade, on their roster and in their system. McIsaac arrived at development camp “wanting to make a name for myself at this camp and moving forward and prove within a couple years that I belong here.”

McIsaac, following Red Wings training camp in September, will return to his junior team, the Quebec League’s Halifax Moosehead, where he collected nine goals and 38 assists in 65 games in 2017-18. One of his teammates was Filip Zadina, who the Red Wings selected sixth overall.

The mobility McIsaac showed at development camp could eventually make him a top-four NHL defenseman.

“My skating allows me to defend other teams’ top lines and puts me in good spots to jump in the play offensively,” McIsaac said. “I think my physicality defensively (is a strength) and being able to make a good first pass out of the zone and control the play and play with the puck. Everything follows my skating. When I move my feet, that’s when I’m at my best.”

Continued, and Khan posted a video of an interview with McIsaac:

 

Discussing the ‘state of the rebuild’

The Sporting News’s Adam Gretz offers a mid-summer take on the “Red Wings’ ‘rebuild’“:

When we checked in with the Red Wings prior to the 2017-18 season, neither their short-term or long-term outlook seemed to be promising.

Not only was it an older roster with a lot of bad contracts, but it was an older roster with a lot of bad contacts that was coming off of a non-playoff season and looked to be in desperate need of a rebuild. With few marketable assets for trade and the lack of a young, foundational player in which to build around, it seemed like the beginning of a dismal stretch for Detroit — especially as the front office seemed to be hesitant to fully commit to an overhaul.

Now that the Red Wings missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season, the mindset seems to have changed. At least a little bit.

The rebuild is beginning and, if nothing else, it is off to an interesting start.

One thing that stands out so far is even though general manager Ken Holland has finally mentioned the word “rebuild” in association with his team, it doesn’t seem like it is going to be a total teardown to a bare bones roster. He still wants to have veteran players around and attempt to keep things at least somewhat competitive. Their offseason moves so far reflect that approach.

Gretz continues…

The Larkin Hockey School served as a family reunion

DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji wrote an article discussing the “family affair” that is the Larkin Hockey School:

For Dylan Larkin, his brother Colin and cousins Adam and Ryan, the Larkin Hockey School is not only a way to give back to the community, it’s a chance for them to spend time together doing something they love.

Dylan, who turns 22 on July 30, is about to enter his fourth season with the Detroit Red Wings.

Colin, 24, signed a contract with the Edmonton Oilers this past March and expects to be with their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, this coming season.

Adam, a 23-year-old defenseman, just graduated from Yale University and has signed with the Reading Royals, the ECHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Ryan, 21, the only goaltender of the group, is currently playing at Miami University of Ohio.

…

“It’s everything to me,” Dylan said. “I think it’s why we do it. It’s special. Just to be around all of our buddies and have this time here together. Working out with them in the morning and taking care of our business, then we come out here and it’s just fun for us to enjoy these kids. They’re funny, there are a lot of personalities. It’s funny how current they are, I guess, with all the dance moves and all the technology and them talking about whatever it may be. It’s fun to be around them.”

Continued

Three Things, Twitter version: Help the Joe Kocur Foundation during ‘Prime Day’

Of Twitter-related note this morning:

1. Today is Amazon Prime Day, and I have my browser configured to head to smile.amazon.com to raise funds for the Joe Kocur Foundation. You can aid the cause as well:

2. The Red Wings posted this NHL Tonight quip about Detroit’s off-season changes a little earlier this morning:

3. And in case you are interested…

Update: FYI:

Update #2:

 

Khan’s mailbag: Talking goaltending

MLive’s Ansar Khan filed a mailbag feature this morning. Among his questions:

Q: What is going on with the Red Wings’ goaltending situation, now and in the future? Is this the last year for (Jimmy) Howard? Why was (Jonathan) Bernier signed for three years? Why not one or two years? Are any kids in the system close to making the jump (to the NHL)? – Mort

A: Howard is entering the final year of his contract. I think the Red Wings will sign him to a one- or two-year extension. None of their junior/college/European prospects is close to being NHL-ready. I believe the organization would prefer Howard, even at age 35 in March, over Grand Rapids goalies Harri Sateri and Patrik Rybar in 2019-20. And it appears to be a thin free-agent market for goalies in 2019, assuming Sergei Bobrovsky (Columbus) and Pekka Rinne (Nashville) sign with their teams.

I think they will have a Howard-Bernier tandem for the next two or three years.

Bernier wasn’t going to sign for one year and they might not have gotten him for two years. They felt comfortable with three years because it’s safe to assume none of their prospects will be NHL-ready during that time.

Khan continues…

Free Press’s ‘greatest of all time’ final pits Ty Cobb vs. Gordie Howe

The Free Press has been holding a voting contest to determine Detroit sports’ “Greatest of All Time.” The Free Press’s Dana Sulonen reports that the final voting bracket pits an incredible baseball player against Mr. Hockey:

We have to give our readership some credit.

In the age of social media and highlight videos, the two finalist for our #DetroitGOAT tournament predate Twitter. And the internet. And computers. And color television.

But, that goes to show just how great these two finalists were and how influential they were in their sports.

One man still hold the highest career batting average in major league history.

The other’s nickname is literally the sport he helped make mainstream in America.

Ty Cobb vs. Gordie Howe.

Continued