Month: October 2021

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 on Thursday night, winning a sort of mucky-grind-y game opposite the Penguins’ B Team, and wining up a stretch of 5 games played over the course of 6 nights with a 3-and-2 record.

NHL.com posted a succinct recap of an up-and-down affair…

Tyler Bertuzzi scored in his first game in more than eight months for the Detroit Red Wings in a 4-2 preseason win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Thursday.

Bertuzzi had not played since Jan. 30 because of a back injury. He scored into an empty net with 29 seconds left.

Joe Veleno had a goal and an assist, and Thomas Greiss made 22 saves for Detroit.

Drew O’Connor and Dominik Simon scored, and Casey DeSmith made 33 saves for Pittsburgh.

As did the Associated Press:

Joe Veleno had a goal and an assist, and Thomas Greiss stopped 22 shots to help Detroit beat Pittsburgh.

Pius Suter, Filip Hronek and Tyler Bertuzzi also scored for the Red Wings. Veleno got the tiebreaking goal with 4 1/2 minutes remaining and Bertuzzi added an empty-netter in the final minute.

Drew O’Connor and Dominik Simon scored for Pittsburgh, and Casey DeSmith had 33 saves.

MLive’s Ansar Khan also summarized Joe Veleno’s situation as he battles for a roster spot…

Continue reading Preseason wrap-up: Veleno ‘makes his statement’ as tired Wings out-swing depleted Penguins

According to Bally Sports Detroit’s John Keating, Manon Rheaume, who has already done work with French-language broadcasters, will be joining the Bally Sports Detroit team this upcoming season:

Of prospect-related note, in North America on Thursday:

In the OHL, Pasquale Zito scored 2 goals on 3 shots, finishing even with a 9-for-17 faceoff record in the Windsor Spitfires’ 6-3 loss to Sarnia.

The Detroit Red Wings began tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins looking to close out their preseason on high notes: possessing a 3-and-3 record, a slimmed-down Red Wings roster views these final two games as “dress rehearsals” for the regular season, and while the results of the game may not count for anything, the team’s performances tonight and Saturday vs. Buffalo (3 PM EDT on MSG B) matter.

Thursday’s game wasn’t easy to judge given the caliber of the Penguins’ roster, which was clearly a “B Team”–and the Wings’ mental fatigue was a concern, despite playing 5 exhibition games in 6 nights–but Detroit out-lasted Pittsburgh, surrendering a 2-goal lead but ultimately winning a 4-2 decision.

Joe Veleno registered a goal and an assist, Pius Suter, Filip Hronek and Tyler Bertuzzi also scored (Bertuzzi’s goal was an empty-netter), and Thomas Greiss stopped 22 shots in a game where Moritz Seider played 21:18, taking 5 shots.

Continue reading Preseason recap: fatigued Red Wings win 4-2 over plucky Penguins

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff penned a subscriber-only article discussing 5 ways in which the Red Wings can make up for the goals that Jakub Vrana would have scored for them prior to his shoulder injury, which requires surgical repair. Among Duff’s suggestions are the following:

The answer that would’ve proven to be music to everyone’s ears would be Zadina saying that he expects to put away many more goals than the six he registered in 49 games last season.

The way that can happen is twofold. Firstly, Zadina needs to be using his teammates more effectively as an offensive weapon. Secondly, he must be more of a presence in the goal-scoring locales.

“Ultimately with Z, the two areas that we worked with him to be effective is to become more of a give-and-go player and then . . . the net front and slot,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said of Zadina. “When he’s been effective, if you look at it statistically over the years, that’s where he’s scored from. That’s where everybody scores from and that’s where he’s got the majority of his shots from.

When he’s not as effective, he’s on the outside too much. And you can’t get to that area a lot of times just by beating people yourself. You have to give and go. We’ve put an emphasis on that. Hopefully he can excel at that.”

Over 86 NHL games, Zadina is showing 15 goals. Even were he to get 15 this season, that would prove satisfying.

Continued (paywall)

Red Wings prospect Kienan Draper has chosen to return to the BCHL for one final season after skating in an up-and-down campaign for the USHL’s Omaha Lancers last year, and Draper suggests to the Vancouver Province’s Steve Ewen that he has “unfinished business” with his Chilliwack Chiefs:

Draper is committed to Miami University (Ohio) and slated to join their program next season. He’s opted to come back to play for the Chiefs and coach Brian Maloney for a final year of junior hockey.

The 18-team BCHL opens its regular season Friday with seven games, including the Chiefs visiting the Langley Rivermen.

“I feel like I have some unfinished business here,” the son of longtime Detroit Red Wings centre Kris Draper said. “With the coaching and facilities, and this being such a fantastic part of the country, I’m really happy to be back.

“Last year was a bit strange. You don’t see guys leave teams and leagues partway through seasons, but we’re hockey players and we wanted to play, and we found a way to get to play.”

Continued

NHL.com’s fantasy hockey staff made “bold predictions” for each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams, and their prediction for one Moritz Seider’s rookie campaign is…well, bold:

Detroit Red Wings: Defenseman Moritz Seider will outscore teammate Filip Hronek and lead NHL rookie defensemen in goals with at least 10 and points with at least 35.

Continued;

The Hockey News’s Ryan Kennedy posted a list of the top 100 players to watch in NCAA Division I hockey this upcoming season, and three Red Wings prospects made his cut:

Shai Buium, D, Denver (DET): There’s tons of potential in Buium, the still-growing freshman with size, instincts and offense in his arsenal.

Red Savage, C, Miami (DET): Faceoff demon and shutdown specialist, Savage comes in to Miami as a freshman from the NTDP.

Carter Gylander, G, Colgate (DET): Big netminder seized the starter’s job as a freshman and acquitted himself well. Will be fun to see what he can do for the Raiders this year.

Continued

For your pregame viewing:

From TSN’s Chris Johnston:

Placed on NHL waivers today: Troy Grosenick (BOS), Brian Lashoff (DET), Ryan Murphy (DET), Andrew Hammond (MIN), Kyle Rau (MIN), A.J. Greer (NJ), Louis Domingue (PIT), Sam Anas (STL), Charlie Lindgren (STL), Calle Rosen (STL), Steven Santini (STL) and Nathan Walker (STL).

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) October 7, 2021