Month: December 2021

Kulfan’s notebook: Fabbri happy to re-sign with Red Wings

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan posted a notebook article regarding Robby Fabbri signing a 3-year, $12 million contract extension with the Red Wings yesterday evening:

In St. Louis, despite being a first-round pick in 2014 and being part of the 2019 Stanley Cup champion, Fabbri saw his playing time dwindle and his spot on the depth chart insecure after two major knee surgeries.

Coming to the Wings was an opportunity to spark his career.

“I was excited, a fresh start over here,” Fabbri said of his reaction to the trade, and immediate impact (he scored two power-play goals his first game). “There were some familiar faces (Fabbri was a junior teammate of Tyler Bertuzzi) and it was exciting. Things got off to a good start, and it’s been great ever since.

“Basically I was just trying to get my career on track and playing to the level I know I can play at.”

The progress the Wings have shown this season, along with the growing excitement around Little Caesars Arena fans, excites Fabbri.

“The fans have been great,” Fabbri said. “We’ve been feeding off what they’ve been feeling this year. We’re feeling the same way in the room. We’re just trying to get better and it’s fun to be with this group right now and working towards what we want to be in the future.”

Continued

Red Savage, Carter Mazur make U.S. 25-man roster for World Junior Championship

Team USA announced its roster for the World Junior Championship today, and both Red Savage and Carter Mazur made the cut!

HSJ’s notebook: Fabbri’s become an integral part of the Wings’ attack

The Free Press’s Helene St. James filed a notebook article regarding Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri’s signing of a 3-year, $12 million contract extension with Detroit last night:

“When he came in, we definitely needed help,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “Our team struggled that year — we didn’t play very good hockey and so right away, I knew he could help that team. The question you ask yourself is, can the player help you win long term. For a player to help you win long-term, one, he’s got to be a winner of a person. He’s got to be committed to win above everything else, and Robby is that. Two, he’s got to be the type of player who can win when it gets tough and hard, and I think Robby can do that. Robby has shown us that not only is he a guy who helped us over the last couple years, but can also help us win as we try to move up the standings.”

There was talk last season of Fabbri playing more at center than wing, but that abated when Yzerman signed center Pius Suter last offseason. Fabbri and Suter — who seven years ago played together with the Guelph Storm — have formed a solid pairing this season: Both are smart, play bigger than their 5-foot-11, around 180-pound bodies, and have some grit to their games.

“I think him and Suits have been a pretty good pairing together,” Blashill said. “We’re just trying to figure out the best way for each line to be successful and figuring out what the best three-man combo is for that group is still important. They’ve created lots of chances over the course of the season. I didn’t think Robby got rewarded with the number of chances he created early and he’s been rewarded more lately. He can score, for sure.”

Fabbri, who turns 26 in January, fits into the early-to-mid 20s age group of the core rebuild group.

Blashill described him as a winning-type player who had the mental fortitude to not let his knee injuries soften his play for long: “When he got here, we had a conversation early about, you’re not going to be a really good player if you play careful. You have to have that great intensity in order to make up for maybe a lack of size and a lack of speed. He’s done that.”

Continued (paywall)

Griffins get Fulcher on reassignment, sign Gordi Myer to pro try-out

From the Grand Rapids Griffins:

FULCHER RETURNS ON REASSIGNMENT, MYER SIGNS PTO

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday reassigned goaltender Kaden Fulcher to the Grand Rapids Griffins from the Toledo Walleye (ECHL). In addition, Grand Rapids signed defenseman Gordi Myer to a professional tryout.
Fulcher returns to Grand Rapids after being featured on the Griffins’ roster from Nov. 17-Dec. 4 but did not see any game time. The netminder competed with Grand Rapids in the 2020-21 season and posted a 2-2-2 record with one shutout and a 2.84 goals against average. With Toledo, Fulcher has registered a 4-3-0 ledger this season with two shutouts. The fourth-year pro places second in the ECHL with a 1.70 goals against average while his 0.924 save percentage is ranked 11th. Through 46 pro games, Fulcher has a 21-14-9 record with a 2.88 goals against average and a 0.888 save percentage.

Myer has yet to appear in an AHL contest through the first two seasons of his pro career. The Ohio State University product spent his rookie campaign with the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits in 2020-21, logging 10 points (4-6—10) and two penalty minutes in 36 games. Myer, now part of the Toledo Walleye, has recorded nine points (1-8—9) in 20 games this season in the ECHL.

Islanders game-day updates: Morning skate audio and Trotz on the Wings and Isles COVID woes

The Red Wings face the New York Islanders tonight, and news broke during the Islanders’ morning skate that Mathew Barzal will miss the game due to COVID protocols.

The Islanders posted audio clips of coach Barry Trotz and forward Cal Clutterbuck and defenseman Scott Mayfield…

? Clutterbuck & Mayfield Pregame Availability ? pic.twitter.com/kJdB8qUwSV— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 14, 2021

? Trotz Pregame Availability ? pic.twitter.com/SPadgfzPhD— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) December 14, 2021

And coach Trotz said this about the Red Wings-Islanders match-up to NYI Hockey Now’s Christian Anderson…

Tuesday’s news hasn’t changed much of the Islanders’ approach to their meeting at Little Ceasers Arean with the Detroit Red Wings.

“Mat’s been really good on the power play for us. Our power play has been getting some traction and rhythm,” Trotz said. “We’ll miss him there, but a good option in a guy like (Brock Nelson) and (Anthony Beauvillier) maybe Possibly going in there. They’re good options, but Barzy has done a real good job. In terms of gameplan, it doesn’t change a whole lot. Detroit plays a certain way. The only thing that’s really different from them is Tyler Bertuzzi is in tonight versus he wasn’t in against us last time. … Other than that it won’t change the gameplan. We’re still going to have to play the way we play just with the guys that are available.”

While NewYorkIslanders.com’s Cory Wright noted how COVID has decimated the Islanders’ roster:

Barzal leads the Islanders with 17 points (5G, 12A) and is currently riding a six-game point streak (1G, 8A). The center has been remarkably durable during his NHL career, only missing one game since the start of the 2017-18 regular season, as the Islanders were resting players ahead of the last year’s playoffs. 

Trotz said the Islanders will miss Barzal’s presence on the power play, but will have to find a way to win without the center. 

“Mat’s been really good on the power play for us and our power play is getting a little bit of traction and rhythm. We’ll miss him there,” Trotz said. “In terms of game plan, it doesn’t change a whole lot… we’re still going to have to play the way we play, just with the guys who are available.”

Barzal is the ninth Islander to enter protocol this season after Josh Bailey, Kieffer Bellows, Zdeno Chara, Casey Cizikas, Andy Greene, Ross Johnston, Anders Lee and Adam Pelech.

So we’re fundraising. It’s not fun. But it’s necessary.

I may not like fundraising for this blog, but the December drive is two days old and struggling pretty bloody badly, so I’m going to say something I don’t usually do:

I’d like to believe that this blog is worth your time and your support, even when I’m not saving up for a hockey trip. I know that I provide a solid service for your clicks and your readership, including up-to-date updates, game coverage and prospect coverage.

There’s more coming, as they say, but it’s hard to work in a market where the Wings (as of yet) don’t credential bloggers, so I have to get creative as I balance this job with taking care of my 79-year-old aunt and deal with my chronic depression and anxiety…

But I’m working damn hard to balance those responsibilities and battle those illnesses as best as I can, and while I’m in a rough patch health-wise right now, I’m working my ass off to give you as much as I possibly can every day.

Right now, I’m in a rough spot financially as I’m trying to help my aunt pay off her property taxes and I’m trying to raise funds to purchase a new cell phone as my ancient phone is going to get turned off by T-Mobile in a month or two.

And I know that I’m asking you for help during a time when inflation sucks for everyone, when Christmas is near, and when there are a bunch of other non-profits vying for your donations.

But right now I’m asking you to help TMR survive, to deal with the kinds of things that for-profit businesses usually get taken care of through advertising (which I don’t subject you to) or sponsorships (which I don’t have as of yet).

If you’re willing to help, even with a couple of bucks, I’d be very grateful for your assistance. And I promise not to write such a long post next time.

If you’re willing to lend a hand, you can use PayPal at https://paypal.me/TheMalikReport, Venmo at https://venmo.com/george-malik-2, Giftly by using my email, rtxg@yahoo.com, at https://www.giftly.com. And you can contact me via email if you want to send me a paper check.

Khan’s notebook: Fabbri reflects on re-signing with Detroit

Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri spoke with the media today after signing a 3-year, $12 million contract extension with the Red Wings, and, as MLive’s Ansar Khan notes, Fabbri is perfectly happy as a Detroit Red Wing:

“It’s such a great group and improving each and every year,” Fabbri, 25, said. “It’s fun to be a part of. The fans have been great. we’ve been feeding off what they’ve been feeling this year and we’re feeling the same way in the room. We’re just trying to get better every game and it’s fun to be with this group, working towards what we want to be in the near future.”

General manager Steve Yzerman acquired Fabbri from the St. Louis Blues for fourth-line center Jacob de La Rose on Nov. 6. 2019. The Red Wings needed offense and believed Fabbri, the 21st overall pick in 2014, could provide it with opportunity.

“I was excited. A fresh start here with some familiar faces (he played with Tyler Bertuzzi in juniors and knew Dylan Larkin),” Fabbri said. “Things got off to a good start and have been great ever since.”

Fabbri has 32 goals and 63 assists in 110 games with Detroit over parts of three seasons. He has played mostly at wing on the second line but can play center in a pinch or on the top line if needed.

Continued

Tweet of charitable note: Red Wings’ charity poker tournament to take place on February 16th

I missed this when I was out with my cold, but with the Wings’ roster players unable to take part in the annual charity poker tournament, the Red Wings are bringing in their alumni for February 16th’s annual poker tournament at the MotorCity Casino:

ANTE UP! ♥️♠️♦️♣️

Registration for @MotorCityCasino Hotel’s Annual #RedWings Charity Poker Tournament is now open!

Details » https://t.co/MhcRmow2a4 pic.twitter.com/ChAqf1uQqk— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 7, 2021

A bit about Sebastian Cossa’s competitors for the Canadian WJC job, and their goaltending coach

The Canadian Press’s Donna Spencer penned an article which mostly discusses the knowledge which former Team Canada World Junior Championship goaltender and current Team Canada World Junior Championship goaltending coach Olivier Michaud is imparting to his three charges in Team Canada’s net ahead of the 2022 WJC.

There are some items of note regarding Sebastian Cossa’s attempts to earn the starter’s spot on Canada’s roster:

The Canadian team relocated to Banff, Alta., after the 25-man roster was announced Sunday.

The three goalies [Dylan Garand, Brett Brochu and Cossa] played in selection camp’s two exhibition games against a university side, but “because these goalies are picked and because I had so many other decisions to make, I didn’t pay a lot of attention to my goaltenders,” Cameron said.

The competition for starts in Edmonton heats up in pre-tournament games. Canada faces Switzerland on Sunday and Sweden on Monday in Red Deer followed by a Dec. 22 game in Edmonton against Russia.

Those games carry a lot of weight in determining who will be in Canada’s net to open the tournament Dec. 26 against the Czech Republic in Rogers Place.

“You want to go there and you want to play,” the six-foot-seven Cossa said. “You want to help the team win.”

…

Cossa, a first-round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings, also arrived with strong stats of a 15-3-2-1 record, a 2.26 goals-against, a .924 save percentage and two shutouts for the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings.

Continued