Month: October 2020

FYI:

UPDATE: The #RedWings today agreed to terms with center Kyle Criscuolo and goaltender Kevin Boyle on one-year contracts. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/qHMpkiE8au— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 9, 2020

UPDATE: The #RedWings today agreed to terms with right wing Riley Barber on a two-year contract. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/XuRPmHheSK— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 9, 2020

Criscuolo is 28 and he once played for the Grand Rapids Griffins; Boyle is also 28 and played for San Diego last year; Barber is 26 and played for the Canadiens and Penguins’ AHL teams last year.

Continue reading Depth signings: Wings bring back Kyle Criscuolo, sign goaltender Kevin Boyle, forward Riley Barber

Wonderful stuff here:

Continue reading Red Wings post Bobby Ryan’s Zoom call

The Red Wings just posted Jon Merrill’s Zoom call with the Wings’ beat writers…

Continue reading Red Wings post Jon Merrill’s Zoom call

Per the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan…

Near as I can tell, #RedWings will have staggering 10 UFA’s next summer (Bernier, Biega, Merrill, Nemeth, Staal, Gagner, Ryan, Glendening, Filppula, Helm). Ummmm, tremendous opportunity to reshape roster— Ted Kulfan (@tkulfan) October 9, 2020

And MLive’s Ansar Khan:

#RedWings seeking right-shot defenseman, based on what Yzerman said a few days ago. https://t.co/bcU4M08W6t— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) October 9, 2020

New Red Wings forward Bobby Ryan spoke with TSN 1200 in Ottawa on Friday, and Ryan was blunt and honest about his rationale for signing with the Red Wings at 33–to rediscover his game–he stated that he’s been working with a skating coach and a strength and conditioning coach in Nashville, his offseason home, as well as engaging in therapy and classes, and he suggested that his deal with the Red Wings, which came together last night, was an easy one to agree to as the Wings’ GM, coach and strength and conditioning coach all spoke passionately about the team…

As Yzerman also did regarding the possibility that Ryan may be moved at the deadline for an asset. No bullshit from the Wings = why Ryan is here to reestablish himself.

ESPN’s Chris Peters dissects the Red Wings’ signing of Bobby Ryan:

Bobby Ryan, LW, Detroit Red Wings

Terms: 1 year, $1 million

Where does he fit? The Red Wings are still in the rebuilding process, and Ryan works as a stop-gap forward to provide some veteran scoring help. He’ll also probably have a chance to play bigger minutes with the Red Wings than he would have anywhere else, likely in a middle-six role.

The Masterton Award winner for 2019-20, Ryan left the Senators in November to check himself into rehab to seek help for substance abuse. He returned to the team in February, scoring four goals and recording 22 shots on goal over the eight games prior to the league being shut down. He looked as good as he had in the last few seasons but was an easy buyout candidate for the Sens with two years remaining on his previous contract at a $7.25 million cap hit. Now he’ll have a chance at a fresh start.

Does it make sense? Ryan’s options to play a substantial role were limited. The Red Wings can provide some ice time and an opportunity to rejuvenate his career with a low-pressure, low-money deal. He’s not going to be the 30-goal scorer he was earlier in his career, but he does have nine seasons of 20 or more tallies. Without the weight of his albatross contract anymore, perhaps Ryan can open things up a little more with a young team that struggled mightily last season.

Grade: B-. For the Red Wings, it buys time to filter in their younger players over the next season-plus. It’s also a low-risk add of a player with a history of scoring in the NHL. Detroit desperately needed scorers, so why not take a chance on Ryan? Also, if he finds his scoring touch again, he would be an easily tradeable asset to a contender. — Peters

Update: The Hockey News’s Matt Larkin weighed in on both of the Wings’ signings:

Continue reading ESPN’s Chris Peters weighs in on the Bobby Ryan signing

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan spoke with several hockey experts regarding the state of the Red Wings’ rebuilding effort, and they suggested that the rebuild is still very much “under construction“:

“For sure I still think they’re going to get caved in next season,” said Ryan Kennedy, associate senior writer and draft prospect expert at The Hockey News. “And that’s fine. You’re getting a top-10 pick and you give kids the ice time and experience, and tell them, ‘This is where we are, and this is where you need to be.’ It’s going to be a transitional year.”

What everyone has liked about Yzerman’s first two drafts as Wings’ general manager is the sheer quantity of picks he’s acquired and the type of players he’s been drafting.

The Wings drafted 12 players in this week’s Entry Draft. A persistent theme was skilled, smart hockey players who have a high ceiling of potential.

“You’re getting a lot of skill, smart kids, who can handle the puck,” Kennedy said. “That’s a pretty fair assessment.”

E.J. Hradek, senior reporter at NHL Network, liked Yzerman’s strategy in this draft.

“You have to hope your scouting staff is good and having all those picks in a good draft is good, and by all accounts, this was a pretty good draft,” Hradek said.

Continued

FYI:

D Jon Merrill is going to #RedWings, 1 year x $925,000— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) October 9, 2020

DET picks up a defenseman certainly familiar with Michigan. Played youth hockey here and then @USAHockeyNTDP and @umichhockey. #RedWings https://t.co/OIN8RKZzyy— Stefan Kubus (@StefanKubus) October 9, 2020

Michigan Man goes home. https://t.co/mXipZ13XuI pic.twitter.com/TfQkf1xpYX— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) October 9, 2020

Former University of Michigan defenseman coming back to the area https://t.co/bY3vTTRwiF— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) October 9, 2020

Signed to Standard Contract
Jon Merrill (LD) | DET#LGRWhttps://t.co/FuYI1dbJVp— CapFriendly Transactions (@CF_Transactions) October 9, 2020

The Detroit Red Wings have signed defenceman Jon Merrill to a one-year, $925,000 contract. pic.twitter.com/7tBKvogjum— Complete Hockey News (@CompleteHkyNews) October 9, 2020

And this extremely sweet video is worth another watch now, too https://t.co/XmCNh7AI68— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) October 9, 2020

HSJ:

Continue reading Seravalli: Red Wings sign defenseman Jon Merrill

Here we go. Bobby Ryan won the Masterton Trophy this past year, and he’s 33.

UPDATE: The #RedWings today agreed to terms with right wing Bobby Ryan on a one-year contract. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/B7NhLzMP0l— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 9, 2020

Nothing is done until it’s done but the expectation is winger Bobby Ryan will sign a one year deal in Detroit when the paper work is completed. #Sens #NHLFreeAgency— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) October 9, 2020

This will be a one-year deal worth $1 million for Bobby Ryan and Red Wings. https://t.co/5kBJHRJGQE— Craig Custance (@CraigCustance) October 9, 2020

One-year deal worth $1 million for Bobby Ryan and Red Wings, as per @CraigCustance.

DET giving him a “show me” deal here. I’ve said before, I think Bobby Ryan has some game left. He’ll get a good chance to show that with the Red Wings.— Hailey Salvian (@hailey_salvian) October 9, 2020

And it’s official:

“I’m very excited to wear that jersey.”

Bobby Ryan joins the #HockeyCentral Signing Season panel to discuss signing with the @DetroitRedWings. ✍️#NHLFreeAgency | #NHLonSN pic.twitter.com/Vq55Bc5GIZ— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 9, 2020

BREAKING NEWS – The #RedWings are signing Bobby Ryan to a one-year, $1 million deal @DetroitRedWings #NHLFreeAgency
?: https://t.co/TBsGg5uF9f— SiriusXM NHL Network Radio (@SiriusXMNHL) October 9, 2020

Continue reading Red Wings to sign Bobby Ryan for 1 year, $1.5 million

From the rumor maestro himself, the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch:

Led to believe the Detroit Red Wings may be the front runners for former #Sens winger Bobby Ryan. He was bought out last month by the club and has been allowed to shop himself around. He’s had a ton of interest. #NHLFreeAgency— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) October 9, 2020