Month: December 2020

The Red Wings and Tigers’ twice-weekly webcast, “The Word on Woodward,” will air from 12 to 2 PM EST today on YouTube. The guests for today’s show remain TBA:

Update: Per DetroitRedWings.com’s Daniella Bruce:

You know what day it is!!! The #WordOnWoodward starts at 12pm!! Tune in to hear from @KenKalDRW @tkulfan @CodyStavenhagen and your new Tigers manager, AJ Hinch!! Join us on @tigers and @DetroitRedWings Facebook, YouTube, or websites.— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) December 8, 2020

According to Expressen, Team Sweden, whose national team coach, Tomas Monten, has tested positive for the coronavirus, has had to let Albin Grewe head back to Djurgardens IF due to a positive coronavirus test, which Aftonbladet confirms.

Via Paul Kukla of Abel to Yzerman: the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the NHL will give the seven teams that did not participate in the league’s “Return to Play” last summer a couple extra days to start their training camps:

The indications are there wont be any exhibition games and training camps will get underway in early January.

The seven teams that didn’t participate in the Return to Play in the summer – including the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres – will be able to open camp on a voluntary basis on or around Dec. 28.

The reality is all these dates could move because this is a fluid situation because of the spread of COVID-19 throughout Canada and the United States. As a result, the league may start its season in hub cities and then allow teams to play out of their arenas later on.

Continued

The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun updates us on the latest developments between the NHLPA and the NHL as they pertain to a probable 2020-2021 NHL season:

The NHL Players’ Association finally did get back to the NHL over the weekend regarding its financial asks, as my TSN pal Darren Dreger first reported Monday night. But when the NHLPA made some CBA asks in return, the league said “thanks but no thanks,” as one source put it to me. You can’t fault the players for wanting something in return for potentially tweaking a document they signed five months ago.

Both sides confirm the financial terms from the Memorandum of Understanding, signed in June as part of the CBA extension, will stand as is.

So now it’s full steam ahead on continuing to hammer out details for the 2020-21 season, which both sides hope will begin on Jan. 13. There’s still sizeable work to be done on scheduling, COVID protocols, critical dates, etc.

And then, and this is key, once both sides finalize a season package, both sides will have to bring it to their respective constituents for clearance. The NHL’s Board of Governors and the NHLPA’s Executive Board will have to sign off on the plans.

Continued (paywall)

FYI:

ENTERCOM EXTENDS EXCLUSIVE BROADCAST PARTNERSHIPWITH DETROIT RED WINGS AND DETROIT TIGERS

97.1 The Ticket to Remain Flagship Station for Both Teams

PHILADELPHIA, PA – December 8, 2020 – Entercom has announced an exclusive multiyear radio broadcast partnership extension with the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers. As part of the extension, 97.1 The Ticket (WXYT-FM), Detroit’s only local sports talk station, will remain the flagship station of both teams, airing play-by-play for all regular season and postseason games.  

“The Tigers and Red Wings are two of the best sports partners in the business, and the Ilitch organization has been a major part of the comeback of Detroit,” said Debbie Kenyon, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Detroit. “We’re thrilled to continue our relationship with these two local powerhouses and remain as the go-to home for both franchises’ fanbases, delivering year-round content that our listeners crave.” 

“We are extremely pleased to extend our partnership with Entercom Detroit, ensuring loyal Red Wings and Tigers fans have unmatched access to their favorite teams, athletes, and personalities,” said Chris Granger, Group President, Sports & Entertainment, Ilitch Holdings, Inc. “97.1 The Ticket does an incredible job of engaging sports fans in metro Detroit on a daily basis, and we are thrilled to bring Red Wings hockey and Tigers baseball to fans across the great state of Michigan through Entercom’s extensive radio networks, unique behind-the-scenes podcasts, and exciting live events.” 

In addition to game broadcasts, the partnerships, which first began in 2001, will feature entertainment and promotional opportunities across Entercom’s entire portfolio in Detroit, including WWJ News Radio 950 (WWJ-AM), ALT 98.7 (WDZH-FM), 104.3 WOMC (WOMC-FM), and 99.5 WYCD (WYCD-FM). 

Listeners can tune in to 97.1 The Ticket (WXYT-FM) in Detroit on air, as well as nationwide on the RADIO.COM app and website.  Fans can also connect with the station on social media via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.  

Late on Monday night, TSN’s Darren Dreger and TSN/The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun provided updates on the NHL and NHLPA’s attempts to negotiate a start to a 2020-2021 season:

Sources say there will be no more discussions on proposed financial changes to the MOU outlining the terms of the CBA. Sunday the NHLPA proposed more deferred money, but didn’t include an increase in escrow percentage at any point. Focus now on a mid Jan start to season.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) December 8, 2020

To be more specific, Jan 13 is the target date for start of season. However, nothing has been finalized. https://t.co/0wzAXlMPnW

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) December 8, 2020

Both sides targeting Jan. 13 start to season in order to get 56-game sked but even with financials no longer an issue as @DarrenDreger first reported, still some work to be done on protocols, schedule, critical date, etc, plus subject to NHL BOG and NHLPA executive board approval https://t.co/ESSjY94Slt

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 8, 2020

Update: Here’s even more from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman:

Continue reading Monday-night developments on ‘return to play’ from Dreger and LeBrun

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill took part in a 17-minute interview with DetroitRedWings.com’s Arthur J. Regner on last Thursday’s “The Word on Woodward“…

And today, DetroitRedWings.com’s Josh Berenter took note of Blashill’s remarks regarding “getting more” from his revamped Red Wings team:

Continue reading A bit more about Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill’s ‘The Word on Woodward’ interview and his expectations for the 20-21 Wings

There’s good news and bad news if you’re a Toledo Walleye fan. The ECHL team did announce that they will take part in the 2020-2021 ECHL season today, but they also announced that their season won’t be starting until February.

Per WTOL’s Jordan Strack…

The ECHL Board of Governors, along with the Professional Hockey Players’ Association, have signed off on the opportunity for the Toledo Walleye and Fort Wayne Komets to participate in the 2020-21 ECHL season beginning in February 2021.

The ECHL also announced Monday that the Cincinnati Cyclones, Idaho Steelheads and Kalamazoo Wings are suspending play for the 2020-21 ECHL season under the league’s policy for COVID-19. All teams are set to return in the 2021-22 ECHL season.

“We are grateful to be given the opportunity to play and understand this season will be like no other,” said Walleye Head Coach Dan Watson. “During this time I will continue to work with the ECHL to ensure our return to the Huntington Center is done with the utmost adherence to the health and safety protocols necessary for our team’s well-being.”

And the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe:

No start date or schedule format has been announced for the Walleye or Komets.

In an email to season ticket holders, the organization offered its customers an opportunity to put their memberships on hold.

“Your game plan will be paused,” the email stated. “We will hold everything for you — seat location, ticket price, and status. It will all roll over to the 2021-22 season and your credit kept on account for 2021 renewal.”

Walleye officials said that although the date of the start of the season has been moved again, it is prepared to start the season with coronavirus procedures and protocols in place, including social distancing and reduced seating.

“When arena capacities are finalized and a game schedule is confirmed, you will receive information from your consultant on how ticket distribution will work,” the letter stated. “The pandemic has lasted longer than any of us could have imagined and these upcoming months are critical.”

In kind-of-sort-of prospect-related news:

In the ICE Hockey League, Calvin Pickard dressed as the back-up in the Vienna Capitals’ 1-0 loss to KAC.

From the Denver Post’s Mike Chambers: Red Wings prospect and University of Denver Pioneers defenseman Antti Tuomisto tore up the Finnish under-20 league last season, but Pioneers coach David Carle revealed that Tuomisto won’t be taking part in the Finnish World Junior Championship team’s exploits in Edmonton:

DU will be without star sophomore forward Bobby Brink for the next 7-9 games. Brink has reported to the U.S. World Junior camp in Plymouth, Mich. Tuomisto, already a top-pair defenseman for DU, probably wasn’t named to Finland’s WJC roster because he hadn’t played games like his countrymen back home. “Their loss is clearly our gain, that we get to keep him the whole time here in the pod,” Carle said of Finland and Tuomisto.