Updated at 8:21 AM: Of Red Wings-related note this morning:
1. MLive’s Ansar Khan noted Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill and GM Ken Holland’s comments regarding the competition for jobs on the team’s NHL roster at training camp:
“I think after two years of not being good enough, it’s as wide open a camp as we’ve had here in a long, long time,” Blashill said. “I hope that a bunch of guys we’ve had on our team got better this summer. Then I hope a bunch of young guys are in position to really challenge and try to take other guys’ jobs.”
The Red Wings anticipate the most competitive camp and preseason they’ve had in some time. After drafting high the past two years, the team has assembled a group of talented prospects, some who are expected to be NHL-ready this season.
When camp starts Friday at Centre I.C.E., forwards Michael Rasmussen, Filip Zadina and Evgeny Svechnikov and defensemen Filip Hronek, Joe Hicketts, Libor Sulak and Dennis Rasmussen will be among the group of young players vying for jobs. At least two spots at forward and one on defense are open.
“We’re hoping young people not only are pushing for jobs on the team but pushing for bigger roles on the team,” general manager Ken Holland said. “Part of that is these younger players got to come in and either take a job or take a bigger role on the team. As we go forward, either this year or next year, the plan is to work more and more young people into our team and then hopefully they’re going to have a bigger role on our team and they’ll eventually take the team over.
“It takes a period of time, it doesn’t happen over a month or a few games. You earn that right. That’s what the last generation of Red Wings did. They came in and took it – (Pavel) Datsyuk, (Henrik) Zetterberg, (Niklas) Kronwall, (Johan) Franzen and all those players, they came in and earned the ice time. That’s why we were able to, from 2005 to 2015, have a great decade. I don’t believe in entitlement. Those younger players got to come in and earn the ice time.”
2. And on yesterday’s “Shep, Shower and Shave” show on WDFN, Matt Sheppard spoke with Red Wings director of player development Shawn Horcoff…
As well as The Athletic’s Joe Smith, who discussed Steve Yzerman’s decision to step down as the Tampa Bay Lightning’s GM:
Update: DetroitRedWings.com’s Arthur J. Regner also reviewed Michael Rasmussen’s 2017-18 season:
Quotable II: “I actually think one thing he can get better at and him and I’ve talked about this is I think he can hold onto the puck, but I think he can still get better at making plays on the cycle. I think he’s been able to make some real good plays when he’s standing still but I think when he gets his feet moving and he’s cut back, and he’s still got to be able to make some more of those plays on the cycle, a la (Red Wings captain Henrik) Zetterberg and guys like that, (Pittsburgh’s Sidney) Crosby can do that real well. So, it’s just something we’ll work with him on. He was an excellent net-front presence in the prospects tournament, he’s a huge, huge man who’s got good eye-hand and he’s got good ability to position himself. That was a real good thing, I thought he was real good on the forecheck in the last game (Tuesday’s championship game versus Columbus), laid a couple big hits. If he does that, he’s going to be on the puck lots. I thought he had a good prospects tournament, now he has to have a great camp.” – Jeff Blashill, Red Wings head coach.
“I think after two years of not being good enough, it’s as wide open a camp as we’ve had here in a long, long time,” Blashill said. “I hope that a bunch of guys we’ve had on our team got better this summer. Then I hope a bunch of young guys are in position to really challenge and try to take other guys’ jobs.”
Hmmmmmm
Dennis Rasmussen lol
On a more serious note. If Rasmussen, Zadina, Svechnikov, Chowlowski, Sulak, and Hronek all have unbelievable camps then the challenge the organization’s issued to these kids come’s back on management. Do you have the chops and savvy to make room for these players? Do you have the guts to trade a Helm or a Daley or an Ericsson to make room? Make some goddam tough decisions! Earn YOUR place in the organization!! It goes both ways. I don’t believe in entitlement either Kenny.
actions speak louder than words… Holland n co can say all they want but they are still going out of their way to bring in retreads and has beens to contracts or tryouts..
Yes, exactly.
Ken Holland announced that after consulting with Doctors, Henrik Zetterberg is no longer healthy enough to play professional hockey. ?????