Month: December 2021

An early Wings-Islanders preview from the Associated Press

The Associated Press has posted a very early Red Wings-Islanders preview ahead of Wednesday’s game between the two teams (7:30 PM EST start on Bally Sports Detroit Plus/MSG+/97.1 FM):

BOTTOM LINE: The New York Islanders host Detroit after Dylan Larkin scored three goals in the Red Wings’ 5-2 victory over the Devils.

The Islanders are 4-9-2 against conference opponents. New York is last in the league averaging just 5.6 points per game. Mathew Barzal leads them with 17 total points.

The Red Wings are 9-7-2 against conference opponents. Detroit ranks eighth in the Eastern Conference recording 7.7 points per game, averaging 2.8 goals and 4.9 assists.

In their last meeting on Dec. 14, Detroit won 2-1.

TOP PERFORMERS: Barzal has 17 total points for the Islanders, five goals and 12 assists. Anders Lee has four goals and two assists over the last 10 games for New York.

Larkin leads the Red Wings with 29 points, scoring 15 goals and adding 14 assists. Lucas Raymond has two goals and six assists over the last 10 games for Detroit.

LAST 10 GAMES: Islanders: 3-3-4, averaging 2.5 goals, 4.4 assists, 3.7 penalties and 10.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game with a .927 save percentage.

Red Wings: 6-4-0, averaging 2.9 goals, 4.8 assists, 2.8 penalties and 6.5 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game with a .903 save percentage.

HSJ in the morning: Wings concerned about testing positive for COVID

The Free Press’s Helene St. James filed her morning article today, discussing Dylan Larkin and coach Jeff Blashill’s takes on the ways in which COVID-19 is affecting the Red Wings, who have 8 players currently unavailable due to COVID protocols:

“You’re thinking about it constantly,” [Larkin] said. “There is a little bit of anxiousness with testing every day, showing up to the rink, wondering if you’re going to be done for 10 days or you’re going to be able to play.

“You have to be a good pro. You have to be ready for whatever comes at you. But it is very difficult and it can be frustrating at times, I’m sure, for the guys that test positive and don’t have any symptoms, but there are protocols and we just try to follow them. But it is a very tough situation showing up and not knowing if you’re going to be positive or negative.”

General manager Steve Yzerman said Dec. 18 that everyone in the organization was being encouraged to get the booster shot, and not being able to practice for one week facilitated that step. 

“Some guys did and certainly it was offered,” Blashill said. “If the booster can help us keep people on the ice, players have been encouraged to do that, with the end goal of trying to stay eligible to play and not contract the virus.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt there’s an anxiety around guys who haven’t tested positive of almost waiting to feel like you are going to test positive, as transmissible as this has been. You are nervous and you feel every little thing with your body that isn’t 100% perfect and you wonder if you’re going to test positive. That’s not an easy thing, but it’s not unique to us, nor is the challenge of being off for a number of days unique to us. Both of those things, we are going to have to make sure we handle and that we have that mental toughness.”

Continued

Prospect round-up, North America: Cotton posts 1A in WHL

Of prospect-related note in North America:

In the WHL, Sebastian Cossa’s Edmonton Oil Kings lost 6-5 to the Regina Pats;

And Alex Cotton had an assist, finishing at +1 with 5 shots–but he also took 9 minutes in penalties (which means he got in a fight)–during the Vancouver Giants’ 3-1 loss to Victoria.

Red Wings at the WJC: Viro’s Finns thump Austria; Bednar’s Czechs lose in OT to Germans; Niederbach scores, Edvinsson plays 20 minutes in Swedish win

Of Red Wings-related note from the World Junior Championship in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta on Monday, December 27th:

Eemil Viro finished at +1 with 3 shots in 17:21 played as Finland won 7-1 over Austria;

Jan Bednar stopped 30 of 32 shots as the Czechs lost 2-1 in overtime to Germany;

And Theodor Niederbach scored the 1-0 goal, finishing at +1 with 2 shots in 12:39 played, and Simon Edvinsson finished even with 2 minor penalties taken in 20:24 played as Sweden won 3-0 over Slovakia.

Bad news, good news from Team Canada’s camp: Cossa passed over for #2 spot? ; more with Mrs. Sebrango

So there’s mixed news from Hockey Canada’s camp today. First, Brett Brochu will start vs. Austria on Tuesday, essentially relegating Sebastian Cossa to the 3rd goaltender’s role–for now…

And second, we get more of Donovan Sebrango’s mom’s discussion with TSN’s Mark Masters after he scored his goal on Sunday:

A third-round pick by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2020 draft, Sebrango has played 51 AHL games over the last two seasons picking up seven assists. Among the final cuts by Hockey Canada last year, Sebrango earned his way onto the World Junior squad this year. 

“Donovan’s always been pretty determined,” Kim said. “I called it stubborn. We’ll say it’s determination now and it’s served him well. He’s been a hard worker since Day 1. He was always the kid who was at the rink two or three hours early because he had to tape his sticks. He was pretty focused from an early age. He’s had a lot of help along the way and I just can’t believe we’re here.”

Even before scoring on Sunday, Donovan had delivered a special experience for his mom. 

“I can’t even explain it,” Kim said. “Trish Power came up to me and was like, ‘Oh, I want to introduce myself,’ and I’m like, ‘Holy cow!’ I’m in awe of her. And then I see her son play. And the Perfettis. I just can’t believe. I can’t believe I’m here. We started out in a small town in Gananoque, population 5,200, so to be here is something special.” 

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DRW.com notebook: The taxi squad takes shape

DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills wrote a notebook article which focuses on the building of the Red Wings’ “taxi squad’s” worth of players–Dan Renouf, Luke Witkowski, Riley Barber and Victor Brattstrom:

“Ultimately, Steve Yzerman handles the Taxi Squad decisions,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said on Monday. “It has a lot to do with just roster management in a lot of facets, there’s a lot that goes into it beyond who’s here. Ultimately, the conversations that I have with it is just about making sure that we have enough guys to practice as best we can, and making sure that we have enough guys, certainly, to play. And then making sure that you don’t get caught with guys testing positive and then you don’t have enough guys. So that’s what the impetus is, and we’ll utilize it as we need to.”

Detroit currently has eight players in the NHL’s COVID protocol, including Adam Erne, Sam Gagner, Nick Leddy, Alex Nedeljkovic, Jordan Oesterle, Lucas Raymond, Joe Veleno, and Filip Zadina. Carter Rowney, Givani Smith and Pius Suter came out of protocol prior to Monday’s skate.

Players and coaches have varying timelines to exit protocol. Raymond tested positive prior to Christmas, so his timeline for a possible return to the club is different than Leddy’s.

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill and assistant coach Alex Tanguay also exited protocol and were with the team on Monday. The Red Wings also held a light skate with available players on Sunday.

It’s clear that Detroit won’t be able to field a full lineup for Wednesday’s scheduled game on Long Island. But most teams across the league are in a similar predicament, and the goal remains the same, to win games with the roster available.

“Well certainly, there will be challenges. But I know that the Islanders won’t care. And they may still have some of their own challenges,” Blashill said. “I know they’ve faced some throughout the course of this year. If the league says that the right thing to do for the National Hockey League is to play the game, then we’re gonna go there and go to win the hockey game. I don’t believe in letting anything be an excuse. So will there be challenges? For sure, there’s challenges. There will be guys that haven’t skated much over the next couple of days that hopefully are able to get out of the protocol and be able to skate.”

Continued

Duff’s notebook: Blashill preparing for Wednesday’s game like ‘we’re going to play’ it

The Red Wings are currently scheduled to play the New York Islanders on Wednesday, and while the NHL may or may not reschedule the game due to COVID concerns for both teams, Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill told Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff that the Wings will do their best to get ready for Wednesday:

“We’re planning on playing until someone tells us otherwise,” Blashill said. “It’s on our schedule and we’re planning on playing. Given the fact the NHL canceled some other games and didn’t cancel ours, I’d assume we’re going to play.

“That’s the mindset we wanted to get across to our players today and the mindset we have. So you kind of move ahead as business as usual.”

[Pius] Suter made the choice of opting to skate on his own on Monday.

“He wanted to avoid coming right off protocol and practicing,” Blashill explained.

Other players could come out of COVID-19 protocols prior to Wednesday’s game.

“You always have the possibility of having no symptoms and two negative tests in a row and then guys can come out,” Blashill said.

Continued

Khan’s notebook: Wings ‘getting through’ COVID issues

MLive’s Ansar Khan spoke with Dylan Larkin and coach Jeff Blashill regarding the Red Wings’ attempts to navigate the team through their COVID outbreak:

“I think the mood in the room is that we’ve kind of been through it, had a lot of positive cases, hopefully we can move on from it and it isn’t really a problem for us anymore,” Dylan Larkin said.

The Red Wings, barring another postponement, will play at the New York Islanders on Wednesday, and coach Jeff Blashill anticipates having most of the roster available.

“Given the fact the NHL canceled some (Wednesday) games and didn’t cancel ours, I’d assume we’re going to play,” Blashill said. “That’s the mindset we wanted to get across to our players today so you kind of move as business as usual.”

Forwards Pius Suter, Givani Smith and Carter Rowney exited protocol on Monday. That leaves forwards Adam Erne, Sam Gagner, Lucas Raymond, Joe Veleno and Filip Zadina, defensemen Nick Leddy and Jordan Oesterle, and goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic in protocol.

All but possibly Raymond and Leddy are expected to come out of protocol in the next two days. Whether they are ready to play Wednesday will be determined on an individual basis.

“Certainly, nobody would play who wasn’t comfortable playing,” Blashill said. “That’s one conversation we’ll have with every player as they come off – are you comfortable playing? If they tell me they’re not comfortable, they just don’t feel ready, then they wouldn’t play. But our expectation, having spoken to all of them already, is that as guys come off, they’ll be inserted into practice and then into the lineup.”

Continued