Month: December 2021

Okay, so the 14-12-and-2 Red Wings face the 19-7-and-1 Carolina Hurricanes this evening (7 PM EST start on Bally Sports Detroit/Bally Sports South/97.1 FM), and while Carolina is severely shorthanded due to COVID protocols, they’re starting Fredrik Andersen tonight, who is unbeaten in 11 games vs. Detroit (10-0-and-1).

Carolina will go with 10 forwards and 6 defensemen due to salary cap constraints, and Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Ian Cole, Steven Lorentz, Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov are all in protocols, but Brett Pesce and Tony DeAngelo are returning to the Canes’ lineup tonight.

After a blessedly uneventful Carolina Hurricanes morning skate, coach Rod Brind’Amour addressed the media…

Brind’Amour says it’s a great challenge tonight but also a great opportunity. “A great opportunity to show your stuff.”— Chip Alexander (@ice_chip) December 16, 2021

Asked Brind’Amour if it’s odd that league “punishes” teams for a game by making them play short only to let them call up two more players for next game. He sheepishly just said he agreed — not going to poke the fine bear.— Cory Lavalette (@corylav) December 16, 2021

And Carolina’s won 4 of their past 5 games, so the Red Wings are in for a challenge tonight, shorthanded Canes or no shorthanded Canes. Brind’Amour’s team is strong.

ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun also confirmed that the Canes will go with their present lineup (as illustrated in the morning skate post) tonight:

This morning’s tests came back clean for the Hurricanes, no new positive tests for a second day in a row. https://t.co/EV6jkGWtLQ— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 16, 2021

Aaaannndd…

Confirming that the morning batch of COVID-19 testing for the #Canes has come back all negative.

The team will be tested again this afternoon.— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 16, 2021

Meanwhile, the Red Wings hit the ice for their morning skate just after 11:30:

Bert and Leddy stroll onto the ice in NC this morning ?#LGRW | @DetroitRedWings pic.twitter.com/IAURSodZK4— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) December 16, 2021

Morning prep in Carolina.

?: https://t.co/a1ZFiGyALB pic.twitter.com/TLH9gdOZDY— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 16, 2021

So, we waited for news from the morning skate, given that not all the Wings’ beat writers traveled with the team to Raleigh for a one-game trip (just a reminder: no Robby Fabbri or Michael Rasmussen due to COVID protocols tonight; Kyle Criscuolo, Joe Veleno and/or Taro Hirose might play instead)…

Sportsnet’s Rory Boylen posted a “holiday wish list” for each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams over the course of a set of power rankings this morning, and even I think that his holiday wish for the Wings is a little premature:

20. Detroit Red Wings (14-12-3)
It has been a wonderful start to the season for Wings fans — their team is still alive at the Christmas break! Lucas Raymond is a Calder favourite, Moritz Seider is under the radar but there with him, and still-rookie Alex Nedeljkovic is proving a great, cheap pick up. The wish here is that all of the good from the first two months doesn’t evaporate and that the movement we’re seeing is perhaps indicative of the rebuild being over.

Continued; I’ll take “the rebuild making progress” at this point.

The Detroit Red Wings stand at 14-12-and-3 as they face the 19-7-and-1 Carolina Hurricanes this evening (7 PM EST start on Bally Sports Detroit/Bally Sports South/97.1 FM).

The Hurricanes made a set of emergency recalls before today’s morning skate…

Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has recalled forwards Jack Drury, Stefan Noesen and Andrew Poturalski from the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL) on an emergency basis.

And CarolinaHurricanes.com’s Walt Ruff framed tonight’s game thusly:

Continue reading Red Wings-Hurricanes morning skate Tweets and articles: Canes appear to be ready to go with 10+6 skaters vs. Detroit, who must break Andersen’s hex

From TSN comes this news regarding the Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit’s opponent this evening in Raleigh (7 PM EST start on Bally Sports Detroit/Bally Sports South/97.1 FM):

The Hurricanes will await word on this morning's player tests, but at the moment the plan appears to be going with 10 forwards and 6 D skater-wise tonight, as I said yesterday, two short of a full lineup.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 16, 2021

Ian Cole, Steven Lorentz, Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov entered the protocol Tuesday, with the Hurricanes stating that the four will remain Minnesota for the time being. Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis are currently in Vancouver after entering the protocol there on Monday.

The Hurricanes became the fourth team to have at least one game postponed this season, one day after the Calgary Flames joined the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders, who had games postponed last month.

The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted a subscriber-only column this morning which discusses the Red Wings and other NHL teams‘ statuses as heading back into “lockdown mode” as the Wings prepare to face a Carolina Hurricanes team that’s dealing with a COVID outbreak:

“I know our guys will be safe and smart about it,” Wings captain Dylan Larkin said. “We got vaccinated for a reason and we’re hoping we don’t have to live in a modified bubble like last year, because it was really difficult. With how it’s going right now we’re going to have to be smart and it’s probably going to be like that for a little bit, but I just really hope it doesn’t stay like that for the rest of the season.”

The game was in question when the Canes had four players enter protocol Tuesday, but when there were no further positives the next day, it was game on. Playing a team that is dealing with an outbreak is a regular occurrence, but that hasn’t abated worry.

“Do I have trepidation? Yeah I have trepidation,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “I certainly don’t want to see my team exposed to any more cases than we have to.

“It’s the balance we’ve all faced: You can shut down and not do anything, or you can try to work within the parameters. I think that’s what we’re trying to, we’re trying to get the games in, and that’s important, too. I want to coach and our players want to play, so I’m not torn that way, but torn in the sense that I don’t want to expose the guys.”

Continued (paywall)

It’s assumed that Alex Nedeljkovic will start opposite the Carolina Hurricanes this evening (7 PM EST start on Bally Sports Detroit/Bally Sports South/97.1 FM). MLive’s Ansar Khan focuses on Nedeljkovic’s probable reunion with his former team in an article posted this morning:

“Anytime you play a former team, a former teammate, there’s some motivation,” Nedeljkovic said following Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders. “It’s exciting. It’s a fun place to play, too. That’s a great crowd. It’ll be really cool to see what it’s like as a visitor. Hopefully we stay on schedule, and we can play Thursday. If not, it’s all right. We’ll meet them down the road.”

The Hurricanes placed six players in COVID protocol Tuesday, including stars Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov, and had their game in Minnesota postponed. But since there were no further positive tests on Wednesday, the game against the Red Wings is on (7 p.m., Bally Sports Detroit), even though Carolina will be at least two players short of a full roster due to salary-cap constraints (players in protocol still count against the cap).

“Right now, we’re going to prepare as if we’re going to go and play on Thursday,” Nedeljkovic said. “That’s all anybody can do right now. As far as those guys, obviously I played with them for a while there to start my career, so hopefully they’re all doing well. Obviously, they’re sick but they’re doing OK, they’re battling and nobody’s too ill.”

Nedeljkovic has started eight of the past 10 games, separated himself in the competition with Greiss after the two rotated the first month of the season.

Nedeljkovic is 9-6-2, with a 2.47 goals-against average and .924 save percentage in 19 appearances following a rough Red Wings debut in a 7-6 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the season-opener.

Continued

DetroitRedWings.com’s Carley Johnston summarizes the storylines from Wednesday’s Red Wings practice:

Between their two outdoor ECHL regular season games, the Toledo Walleye are holding an alumni game as part of their Winterfest activities at Fifth Third Field in Toledo, and Monroe reports that several Red Wings alumni will join Toledo Walleye and Toledo Storm alums for the outdoor affair:

Seven former Detroit Red Wings players will participate in an alumni game against Toledo hockey greats Dec. 30. The exhibition game will be played outdoors at Fifth Third Field on Thursday, Dec. 30 at 6:30 p.m. as part of the Toledo Walleye’s Winterfest event.

Former Red Wings forwards Darren McCarty, Mickey Redmond, and Dino Ciccarelli will play in the game, along with defensemen Joey Kocur, Larry Murphy, and Jason Woolley, and goaltender Eddie Mio.

Eleven former Walleye players will be playing in the game: Kyle Rogers, Jeff Lerg, Evan Rankin, Kyle Bonis, Greg Wolfe, Justin Mercier, Scott Czarnowczan, Phil Rauch, Kyle Page, Dominic Osman, and Joel Chouinard.

Twelve former Toledo Storm players also will play in the event: Mike Whitton, Taylor Raszka, Doug Teskey, Bruce MacDonald, Pat Pylypuik, Andy Suhy, Chris Blight, Gordy Hunt, Rick Judson, Mark Deazeley, Nick Vitucci, and Rick Corriveau.

Vitucci, who also is being inducted into the Toledo hockey hall of fame on Dec. 29, participated in the alumni game the last time the Winterfest event was held at the Mud Hens’ stadium in 2014-15.

“I’m looking forward to all of it,” Vitucci said. “But most of all I’m looking forward to catching up with some old teammates.”

Three former Toledo Goaldiggers also are expected to participate: Rick Piche, Bill Joyce, and Jim McCabe.

Continued

MLive’s Ansar Khan filed a notebook article in which Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill and captain Dylan Larkin expressed understandable concerns about playing the Carolina Hurricanes Thursday despite a widespread COVID outbreak on the Canes:

The Red Wings placed forwards Robby Fabbri and Michael Rasmussen in COVID protocol on Wednesday. They will not be in the lineup Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena (7 p.m., Bally Sports Detroit). The team recalled forwards Kyle Criscuolo and Taro Hirose from the Grand Rapids Griffins.

That game is still on even though six Hurricanes were placed in COVID protocol the past two days – including stars Sebastien Aho and Andrei Svechnikov – and the team’s game at Minnesota Tuesday was postponed.

The Red Wings experienced a rash of COVID cases early last season after playing consecutive games against the Hurricanes. Blashill admitted there is some concern about playing the game.

“Part of the problem when you’re sitting in my seat right now is I don’t have all the information,” Blashill said. “I don’t know exactly when everybody in Carolina got the virus. I know a number of guys tested negative today. I guess I’m relying on medical experts to say that it’s safe. I certainly believe that their best intentions are that if they thought they were putting us at risk to spread it that we wouldn’t play the game.

“I have trepidation. I certainly don’t want to see my team exposed to any more cases than we have to. It’s kind of like the balance we’ve all faced. You can shut down and not do anything and not spread it, or you can try to work within the parameters. I think that’s what we’re trying to do in trying to get the games in. Certainly, I want to coach, and the players want to play.”

Larkin was blunt about playing a sport where the players breathe heavily as they exert themselves and they sweat, spit, bleed and, again, engage in extreme physical exertion in close proximity:

“We have a sport where we’re sitting on the bench next to each other,” Larkin said. “We can’t put masks on and take them off before we go out (on the ice), things happen too fast. It’s tough in our sport to stop the spread but we try to do our best in the locker room. We’re lucky we have a big space at LCA. We can really spread out during meetings and when we’re eating, so you just got to be really smart and try to stay as safe as possible.”

Continued

NHL.com’s Patrick Williams posted a list of NHL prospects who are impressing in the AHL, and Red Wings prospect and center Jonatan Berggren made Williams’ list:

Jonatan Berggren, Grand Rapids (Detroit Red Wings): Possessing ample pro experience from playing in Europe, Berggren (5-foot-11, 195 pounds) has displayed plenty of maturity in his game.

Selected by the Red Wings in the second round (No. 33) of the 2018 NHL Draft, the 21-year-old was given time to develop for three seasons with Skelleftea of the Swedish Hockey League, one of the top leagues in the world. He also played for third-place Sweden at the 2020 World Junior Championship.

The Red Wings then brought him to North America this season and have let him evolve with Grand Rapids, where he has scored 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 22 games. Berggren is taking a development path that several Detroit forwards have already traveled, including forwards Tyler Bertuzzi, Michael Rasmussen, Joe Veleno and Filip Zadina.

Continued;

Update: Why didn’t the Wings call Berggren up? The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan has the answer:

Blashill said the Wings will recall players from Grand Rapids to replace Fabbri and Rasmussen. Jonatan Berggren will not move up.

The 2018 second-round draft pick has seven goals and nine assists for 16 points, third best in the American Hockey League.

“The last thing you want to do with a young player if he is starting to gain confidence in the American League and just starting to do those things is to bring him up and have him struggle,” Blashill said.