Month: August 2019

HSJ in the morning: Mo options for Seider

The Free Press’s Helene St. James filed a mailbag article this morning, discussing when Dylan Larkin might earn the captain’s “C,” answering some offbeat questions, and discussing the Wings’ options in terms of Moritz Seider’s playing future:

HSJ: Moritz Seider’s Geman Hockey League team, Mannheim Adler, starts preseason games this month and begins the regular season Sept. 13. The Wings, however, plan to have Seider, their top selection (sixth overall) from the 2019 draft, at prospects camp and main camp. Those run Sept. 6-16 in Traverse City, followed by a nine-game exhibition season. Then Yzerman and his hockey operations staff will decide where Seider is best off to start the 2019-20 season.

Mannheim is the defending champion and Seider would be a valuable member of the lineup, getting top minutes. 

There’s a strong argument for keeping Seider, 18, in North America, too, beyond adjusting to the smaller ice sheet. 

The Wings signed Seider, 6-foot-4, 207 pounds, to a three-year entry-level contract in July. If he doesn’t look NHL ready, they could put him in Grand Rapids. He’d be playing on a team that potentially includes fellow top prospects Dennis Cholowski, Filip Zadina, Joe Veleno and Evgeny Svechnikov. The Wings could take a nine-game look at Seider at the NHL level (like they did last season with Zadina) without triggering the contract.

Continued

TSN’s Craig Button appears on the latest ‘Red and White Authority’ podcast

TSN’s Craig Button, a scout extraordinaire, spoke with DetroitRedWings.com’s Arthur J. Regner on the latest episode of the “Red and White Authority” podcast, discussing the World Junior Summer Showcase and the top prospects eligible for the 2020 draft in Montreal:

Speaking of Button’s prognostications, via Kukla’s Korner:

There’s a 2:26 video on TSN.ca in which Button discusses the possible 2020 Canadian Junior team roster.

Wrapping up the World Junior Summer Showcase: Veleno shines, Berggren shows rust and Kivenmaki adjusts

The World Junior Summer Showcase concluded today at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, MI, with two marquee match-ups concluding the eight-day tournament.

The Detroit News took note of the results of USA-Canada and Finland-Sweden, as well as the Wings prospects’ participation in said games (or the lack thereof):

Joe Veleno, a first-round draft choice of the Red Wings, scored a goal in Canada’s 5-3 loss against the United States in the final game of the World Junior Summer Showcase at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth on Saturday afternoon.

Veleno’s power-play goal gave Canada a 3-2 lead in the second period but K’Andre Miller (New York Rangers), Joel Farabee (Philadelphia Flyers) and Ryan Johnson (Buffalo Sabres) replied for the U.S.

In the earlier game, Sweden’s Samuel Fagemo (L.A. Kings) had a hat trick in a 6-3 victory over Finland.

The Red Wings’ picks on the Swedish team, forward Jonatan Berggren and goalie Jesper Eliasson, did not play. Forward Otto Kivenmaki (Red Wings) was scoreless for Finland.

USA Hockey posted a highlight clip from the USA-Canada game:

Joe Veleno impressed many pundits with a strong performance at the WJSS, and NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman discussed Veleno’s status as a leader on the Canadian team:

Continue reading Wrapping up the World Junior Summer Showcase: Veleno shines, Berggren shows rust and Kivenmaki adjusts

Roughly Translated: the Zetterbergs are heading home, building a restaurant

Expressen’s Kvallsposten reports that Henrik Zetterberg and his wife Emma are heading home to southern Sweden, where the couple will take ownership of a set of Swedish sandwich shops.

What follows is roughly translated from Swedish:

Continue reading Roughly Translated: the Zetterbergs are heading home, building a restaurant

A bit about Jesper Eliasson

DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji spoke with Red Wings prospect Jesper Eliasson regarding his performance during Sweden’s 5-2 loss to Team Canada on Friday at the World Junior Summer Showcase, as well the goaltender’s upcoming season:

“Of course it depends on the team. I’m just focused on myself, doing the best I can,” Eliasson said. “It’s hard sometimes to play alone with a lot of breakaways and stuff like that. Of course I just have to focus on myself. I cannot control the team, just play my own game.”

Because the Swedes will hold [goaltender Olof] Lindbom out, Eliasson will serve as the backup for Erik Portillo when Team Sweden faces Team Finland Saturday in the rivalry game.

“It’s like a neighbor. All the time it’s tough games,” Eliasson said. “I played them twice, real fun experience to play against them.”

Eliasson said no matter what the results were at the World Junior Summer Showcase, he will take those lessons with him when he returns to Sweden for his upcoming season in the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second highest hockey league.

“Just get better at everything, the work,” Eliasson said. “Just work on the edge and everything, quickness. It’s good teams here. It will be in Sweden as well. Just take the games with me and take the things that I can improve.”

Continued

Three things: Drone footage of Joe Louis Arena demolition; Ryan Martin on the WJSS; Carter Gylander taking part in a ‘unique opportunity’

Of Red Wings-related note this afternoon:

  1. MLive posted drone footage of the demolition of Joe Louis Arena via a 56-second YouTube clip:

2. The Detroit News posted a five-minute clip of Red Wings assistant GM Ryan Martin discussing the performances of the Red Wings’ four prospects taking part in the World Junior Summer Showcase (Jonatan Berggren, Otto Kivenmaki, Joe Veleno and Jesper Eliasson):

3. Finally, in a “31 Thoughts”-style column, the Hockey News’s Ryan Kennedy notes that Wings prospect Carter Gylander is taking part in a junior hockey competition in Russia later this month:

DET: Goalie prospect Carter Gylander gets a unique opportunity this month as he heads to Russia for the Junior Club World Cup. He’ll play for the Alberta Jr. A League all-stars, who will take on club teams such as Modo (Swe.), Karpat Oulu (Fin.) and Loko Yaroslavl (Rus.), plus an NAHL all-star squad.

Update: Also of Twitter-related note:

The Second Annual Little Caesars Arena Team Store Summer Sale will be August 10th, 9am-6pm and August 11th, 12pm-5pm! Red Wings and Pistons clearance merchandise up to 80% off and regular priced items 20% off. Tigers clearance up to 90% off! Call 313-462-8418 with any questions! pic.twitter.com/BMoHsK08IN— HockeytownAuthentics (@ShopHockeytown) August 2, 2019

The #Hockeytown5K is back!

Register @ https://t.co/fXa4boDPsx pic.twitter.com/3lgL9KT72H— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) August 2, 2019

Give blood, watch hockey on August 13th at Little Caesars Arena

Per the Oakland Press’s Kathy Blake and 313 Presents: the Red Wings are holding a blood drive on August 13th at Little Caesars Arena, and you can earn Red Wings tickets for a pint of blood:

To help address the emergency blood shortage, the American Red Cross and Meijer, Inc. are partnering for a blood drive, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Aug. 13, in the Via Concourse at Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit, 313-471-3221. Redcrossblood.org. Free parking is available for donors, at the Henry West Garage located at 128 W. Fisher, Detroit, 1-800-RED CROSS. Donors receive a pair of complimentary tickets to a Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons preseason game.

Wakiji examines Robert Mastrosimone and Ethan Phillips’ ‘numbers’

Red Wings prospects Robert Mastrosimone and Ethan Phillips are both enrolling in Boston University this fall, and today, DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji examines both players’ 2018-2019 campaigns “By the Numbers.”

Wakiji offers this regarding Mastrosimone…

54 — Mastrosimone played 54 games for the USHL’s Chicago Steel last season, which ranked only 11th on the team.

31 — The crafty forward led the Steel in goals last season, two more than Nicholas Abruzzese.

29 — In addition to the 31 goals, Mastrosimone added 29 assists, which was fifth on the Steel. Abruzzese led with 51 assists in 62 games.

This regarding Phillips…

50 — Phillips played 50 games for the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede, which ranked just 15th on the team.

16 — The small forward scored 16 goals for the Steel, sixth on the team and tied with Blake Bride. Artyom Ivanyuzhenkov and Anthony Romano were tied for the team lead with 26 goals apiece.

27 — In addition to his 16 goals, Phillips had 27 assists, which ranked fourth on the Stampede. Cade Borchardt and Maxwell Crozier were tied for the team lead with 33 assists each.

And she continues…

Grand Rapids Griffins partner with Uni Watch for annual design-a-jersey contest

The Grand Rapids Griffins have partnered with Phil Hecken’s Uni Watch website for their annual design-a-jersey contest. This year’s theme is a “90’s-inspired” jersey:

Create a brand new design for a ’90s inspired jersey for the chance to have the #Griffins wear it on the ice this season!

Details ➡️ https://t.co/M2nth4f73X pic.twitter.com/icvxQ6xU9i— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) August 2, 2019