Month: July 2019

Red Wings prospect Joe Veleno registered a goal and an assist as Team Canada defeated Team USA 4-1 at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, MI today.

The Detroit News took note of Veleno’s performance…

Veleno scored a power-play goal in the first period at the 12:11 mark with assists to Kirby Dach (Blackhawks) and Nolan Foote (Lightning).

In the second period, Veleno assisted on the first of two goals by Dach at 10:16. Veleno’s linemate, Alexis Lafreniere (projected 2020 No. 1 overall pick), had an assist on Dach’s other goal.

Foote also scored for Canada and goalies Oliver Rodrigue (Oilers) and Hunter Jones (Wild) combined to stop 30-of-31 shots.

Cole Caufield (Canadiens) scored the only goal for the U.S. and goalie Dustin Wolf stopped 18-of-22 shots.

The teams resume play on Wednesday with Canada facing Finland at 1 p.m., and the U.S. playing Sweden at 4 p.m.

USA Hockey posted a quick highlight clip from the game…

Continue reading Wings prospect Joe Veleno posts a goal and an assist in Canada’s win over Team USA at the WJSS

Michigan Hockey’s Michael Caples reports that the “Play With Purpose” hockey game will return to USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth on Tuesday, August 16th:

For the third straight offseason, the Play With Purpose Charity Game will be taking place in Metro Detroit for a good cause.

On Aug. 16, some big hockey names will gather at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth for the annual event, put on by Gallagher-Kaiser and presented by Hockey Has Heart.

This year, the event will once again raise money to support distracted driving awareness initiatives with the PEERS Foundation, #HandsFreeMichigan and B.R.A.K.E.S.

“We are excited to once again be part of such a meaningful event,” said Bob Kaiser, owner and CEO of Gallagher-Kaiser. “As a company with a strong commitment to safety, we have continuously supported organizations dedicated to keeping our communities safe, with a primary focus on eliminating distracted driving. The Play With Purpose game provides an opportunity to have a great time with family and friends, while simultaneously raising awareness for a meaningful cause.”

Players already committed to attending include Zach Werenski, Danny DeKeyser, Steve Oleksy and Austin Czarnik, as well as NHL alums Kris Draper, Mickey Redmond, Joey Kocur, David Legwand, Darren McCarty and Tie Domi.

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Per the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe, Shane Berschbach is returning to the Toledo Walleye for the 2019-20 season:

After five seasons with the Toledo Walleye, Shane Berschbach has played an integral role in turning the team into annual ECHL contenders.

Berschbach will be back for another season as the Walleye all-time leader in points, assists, and games played agreed to terms with Toledo for the 2019-20 season.

“I’m ready for another season and I’m excited that it is going to be in Toledo,” Berschbach said. “I played my whole pro career here and I couldn’t ask for a better spot and I’m looking forward to getting back at it.”

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Here’s a short interview with Gustav Lindstrom, who describes his assets to the Grand Rapids Griffins’ YouTube channel:

From Crain’s Detroit Business’s Kirk Pinho:

Henrik Zetterberg, the former Detroit Red Wings forward who retired at the end of the 2017-18 season, has listed his Bloomfield Hills home for sale for $4.6 million. The listing from Hall & Hunter Realtors says the property has five bedrooms and 6 1/3 bathrooms.

The native of Sweden played 1,082 games and racked up 337 goals and 623 assists during his 15-season career with the Red Wings, which began in 2002.

MLive’s Ansar Khan posted a profile of Red Wings prospect Otto Kivenmaki, suggesting that the 5’8,” 154-pound forward will have some sizeable challenges in overcoming his small stature as he aims for the NHL:

Kivenmaki, 19, is among four Red Wings prospects at this week’s World Junior Showcase at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth. He is hoping to make Finland’s World Junior team.

“He definitely has natural smarts, he’s got natural ability and for him it’s just going to be, can he be strong enough, can he develop a strong enough core and lower body to able to protect the puck in traffic?” Shawn Horcoff, the Red Wings’ director of player development, said. “Can he develop his legs to get enough speed to get up in the play? I think he’s come a long way since last year. We drafted him at 140 pounds or 145 pounds. He’s put some work in this summer. He’s got a long ways to go, but he really finished the season well. He’s definitely a project and is going to take some time.”

The added weight has helped Kivenmaki protect the puck better.

“I noticed this summer when we had training with my team in Pori that just being in the corners, I wouldn’t fall so easily,” Kivenmaki said. “Obviously, I need to get bigger. I still don’t weigh much compared to the other guys, so there’s still improvement.”

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In the FYI department, from Western Michigan University:

The Western Michigan hockey team and head coach Andy Murray have announced the hiring of Pat Ferschweiler to the position of associate head coach.

Ferschweiler rejoins the Broncos after spending the past four years as an assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings and one season as an assistant coach with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

“We are very excited to welcome back Pat,” said Murray. “He understands what it means to play Bronco Hockey and his experience in the NHL only adds to his coaching skills he has grown throughout his career.”

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Ken Daniels’ Facebook page offers a few more details regarding the 2019 Celebrity Roast of Mickey Redmond, which will take place on September 7th at the MotorCity Casino, with proceeds benefiting the Jamie Daniels Foundation:

Tickets are available on Ticketmaster, and they’re expensive at $150.00, but the event page on the Jamie Daniels Foundation website states the following:

Laugh all night with host Mike “Doc” Emrick and hockey legends Mike Babcock, Scotty Bowman, John Davidson, Marcel Dionne, and Jim Ralph as they roast Red Wings Broadcaster and Hockey Hall of Famer, Mickey Redmond.

The first 200 tickets purchased receive an autographed copy of If These Walls Could Talk, Detroit Red Wings Stories by Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond. Drinks and appetizers included. Proceeds from this event benefit the Jamie Daniels Foundation.

Red Wings prospect Joe Veleno and Team Canada kick off their World Junior Summer Showcase appearances with a game against Team USA on Tuesday at 4 PM, and the Detroit News reports that Veleno is centering a line with 2020 consensus top pick Alexis Lafreniere:

Veleno, a 6-1, 191-pound center who was selected 30th overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, and left-winger Lafreniere were paired on the same line for the first two practices with right-winger Kirby Dach, the third overall pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2019 NHL draft.

The 17-year-old Lafreniere had 105 points (37 goals, 68 assists) in 61 games with the Rimouski Oceanic last year and was the most valuable player in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the player of the year in the Canadian Hockey League.

“We both have good hockey sense and good skill and see each other pretty well on the ice,” Veleno said. “We’re both guys who are really competitive and want to help the team win as much as possible.

“He’s dynamic in every sense. He can score, he can pass and create plays with his hockey sense. He makes his linemates better and is honestly just an amazing player.”

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Update: The Detroit News also posted a video of Veleno speaking with the media…

And TSN posted a video of Veleno’s comments as well (no embed code available).

Update #2: Here’s the TSN video via YouTube:

The NHLPA’s YouTube channel continues to post “Ted Takes” from the late Ted Lindsay, and today’s installment discusses the perseverance necessary to form the first NHL Players’ Association: