Month: September 2018

From the Toledo Walleye:

Walleye ring up big signing with Matt Register

(Toledo, OH) – Three time Kelly Cup Champion and three time ECHL Defenseman of the Year Matt Register has agreed to terms for the 2018-19 season with the Toledo Walleye.

Register, a Calgary, Alberta native, has raised the Kelly Cup in three straight seasons including the past two years in Colorado. Last season Register posted 65 points, featuring 17 goals and a career-high 48 assists while appearing in all 72 contests for the Eagles. The ECHL Defenseman of the Year followed up that performance with another 20 points (3G, 17A) in 24 playoff contests, helping the Eagles to their second straight Kelly Cup. His first championship came with Allen in the 2016 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

“This is an outstanding add for the Walleye and the fans of Toledo hockey,” said Head Coach Dan Watson. “The proof is in the championship pedigree and skill set that Matt will bring to the blue line for Toledo. It is through hard work, talent and dedication that a player gets honored with being the best at his position.”

Continue reading Toledo Walleye sign defenseman Matt Register

Red Wings special assistant to the GM Kris Draper spoke with Ken Kal during the second intermission of last night’s prospect tournament game, and here’s a video of the interview from the Red Wings’ YouTube channel:

I took part in a podcast with the Traverse City Record-Eagle’s James Cook and Jake Atnip yesterday, discussing the Wings’ prospects, the present-day team and what I do here at the Malik Report:

It’s TC Patriot Week, and Episode 48 of The Get Around delivers in anticipation of Friday’s big game between Traverse City Central and Traverse City West at Thirlby Field! Hear sound bites from coaches and players as preparation began Monday, and hear predictions from Brett, James and Jake.

Detroit blogger George Malik stops by to talk Red Wings, who are in Traverse City for the Prospects Tournament and training camp. Glen Lake’s Reece Hazelton, TC Central’s Maggie McCrary and Manton’s Trever Salani are up for The Get Around Hall of Fame.

Listen or download the episode from record-eagle.com/sports/local_sports, soundcloud.com/TheGetAround or on iTunes.

Here’s the audio clip:

Jared McIsaac has impressed at the Red Wings’ prospect tournament because he’s making simple, subtle plays at the age of 18, and the Traverse City Record-Eagle’s Jake Atnip penned a profile of the Halifax Mooseheads defenseman:

“I think Jared put himself into a group with Friday’s game where he was noticeable, he stood out,” Red Wings assistant general manager Ryan Smith said. “For an 18-year-old to do that is really difficult. We’re excited about him in terms of a prospect, he has two more years of junior eligibility left if he doesn’t make Detroit.”

Although an opening night roster spot might be out of reach for the Canadian product, he continued to perform at Centre Ice Arena on Monday with an assist to Axel Holmstrom.

McIsaac understands that his youth plays a role in his spot in the Red Wings organization and is looking towards more experienced prospects to help smooth his transition into the NHL.

He noted that he has been watching and emulating players like Dennis Cholowski, who is expected to get at shot in Detroit at some time this season.

“I’m trying to take whatever I can from the guys that have been here before,” McIsaac said. “I’ve been watching Cholowski quite a bit. He has a pretty good shot a making the team this year so watching what he does and doing what (Shawn) Horcoff and (Dan) Cleary have been telling me.”

Continued

According to UpNorthLive, the Red Wings made a significant charitable gesture prior to Monday night’s game at Centre ICE Arena:

The NHL prospects tournament had some important guests on hand at Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City.

Several dozen Special Olympic athletes from Michigan were invited to watch some of the action from Monday’s games.

Some big name guests from the Detroit Red Wings organization stopped by for a visit as well.

General Manager Ken Holland welcome them to the rink and awarded the program with a check for $1,000 to go toward future funding of their Special Olympics competitions.

“It’s an incredible two weeks of organization to start the season and this is an opportunity in a small way to give back to the City of Traverse City and the people, like these young athletes, that have a tremendous passion for our sport,” said Detroit Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland.

Update: Also in action on Monday…

Former #RedWings forward, Dallas Drake, joined @LCAHLHockey players at Reining Liberty Ranch in Traverse City yesterday as part of the #HockeytownCares Community Tour! | #DRWCT #LGRW pic.twitter.com/WWmOLKXWom

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 11, 2018

The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects defeated the New York Rangers 5-0 on Monday, advancing to Tuesday’s prospect tournament championship game against the Columbus Blue Jackets (7 PM EDT on Fox Sports Detroit GO and DetroitRedWings.com).

The Wings’ prospects played tremendous hockey from the goal on out, and their commitment to defense afforded Patrik Rybar a 14-save shutout; at the other end of the ice, Joe Veleno scored 2 goals, and Axel Holmstrom, Zach Gallant and Michael Rasmussen also scored.

Givani Smith got in a scrap, and the Wings avoided several others by keeping their discipline when tested; defenseman Jared McIsaac left in the 3rd period after a failed check against a Rangers player yielded a shoulder surgery, but I can at least say that McIsaac appeared to be OK after the game.

Continue reading Impressions from the Red Wings’ win over the New York Rangers at the prospect tournament ’18

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan and Hockeybuzz’s Bob Duff spoke with Red Wings prospect Dominic Turgeon regarding his recovery from a blood clot in his arm and surgery to both fix the clot and resect a rib. Turgeon is fully healthy and aiming to earn a spot on the Wings’ roster this season, as he told Kulfan…

“My mindset is to come to (training) camp and be strong,” Turgeon said. “Being a strong two-way player, being good on faceoffs, good on the penalty kill, and also provide offense. I’m just going to play the best hockey I can.”

Turgeon felt he progressed in Grand Rapids last season, his second in the American League.

“Made a leap from year one in G.R.,” said Turgeon, whose father Pierre was a long-time NHL player. “My main focus coming into the year was providing more offense. I felt I did that and overall it was a great year.

And Duff:

“I was on blood thinners for three months, so I had no contact until I got off those, Turgeon said. “I slowly started training after six weeks or so, just riding the bike a little bit, a little bit of body exercises and then slowly week after week got into doing weights.

“It definitely was scary. I didn’t know much of it at the time, but stuff happens in life. Thankfully, the recovery went well.”

Turgeon, 22, the son of former NHL star Pierre Turgeon, got into five games with Detroit last season, and that first taste of the show only left him craving more.

“Yeah, obviously it was a dream to be in the National League,” Turgeon said. “To get a taste of it, you definitely get that drive and want to be back there. Having that motivation, especially throughout summer time, is a big help.”

MLive’s Ansar Khan discusses Joe Hicketts’ attempts to crack a crowded blueline this autumn, and while space on defense is scant, Hicketts believes that he brings an element to the team:

Hicketts said he wants to bring what he brought last season.

“I thought I brought a little bit of swagger,” Hicketts said. “I didn’t back down from anything. I think that’s important. As a small defenseman, I got to be able to go in the corners and know I’m going to win a puck and out-battle someone. That’s how I kind of modeled my game throughout my career, as being the most competitive guy on the ice. It’s got me to this point and hopefully it’s going to help me get to that next level, which is the NHL full-time.”

Puck management is a priority, something coach Jeff Blashill stressed to him last season.

“I think that’s the biggest thing, avoid turnovers, be good defensively and it’s about moving pucks up to our forwards,” Hicketts said. “If I can make little five-, six-, seven-foot plays to get the puck out of our end and into our forwards’ hands that’s what’s going to get me to that next level.”

Khan continues, and he posted a video of Hicketts’ remarks:

The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects defeated the New York Rangers’ prospects 5-0 on Monday night, advancing to the championship game at the Red Wings’ prospect tournament.

The Red Wings will play a to-be-determined opponent on Tuesday at 7 PM EDT (on Fox Sports GO and DetroitRedWings.com).

Axel Holmstrom, Joe Veleno (2), Michael Rasmussen and Zach Gallant scored for Detroit; Patrik Rybar stopped 14 of 14 shots, Givani Smith won a spirited fight with Brett Howden, and Jared McIsaac appeared to be OK after leaving the game with a shoulder injury in the 3rd period.

After the game, I spoke with Joe Veleno regarding the Wings’ tremendous commitment to defense, the prospect of winning a championship after coming together as a team, Veleno’s 2-goal performance and playing on a line with Rasmussen and Filip Zadina:

Continue reading Audio from the Red Wings’ win over the Rangers at the prospect tournament ’18: Veleno, Rybar, Rasmussen and coach Simon

Sorry this is late: at the rink with little net connectivity = things slip through from time to time. Via CBS Sports, Jussi Jokinen let the world know he’s signed a pro try-out with the Red Wings via an Instagram post:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Very excited to sign PTO with @detroitredwings #hockeytown

A post shared by ?? Jussi Jokinen (@jussijokinen36) on Sep 10, 2018 at 1:15pm PDT

Update: MLive’s Ansar Khan confirms:

Well-traveled left wing Jussi Jokinen is coming to Detroit Red Wings training camp on a tryout, general manager Ken Holland said.

Jokinen, 35, played for four teams in 2017-18 (Edmonton, Los Angeles, Columbus and Vancouver), appearing in 60 games and picking up five goals and 12 assists.

Jokinen (6-0, 191) has played for nine teams during a 13-year NHL career in which he’s collected 191 goals and 372 assists in 951 games.

Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg won’t be ready for the start of the season due to a back issue that might end his career.

The Red Wings are anticipating that Michael Rasmussen and Filip Zadina, their top picks in each of the past two drafts, will make their roster.