Month: July 2022

Gordie Howe makes the Sporting News’s ‘Detroit’s Mount Rushmore of Sports’

This just makes sense: Detroit’s Mount Rushmore of Sports, at least according to the Sporting News’s Bill Bender, consists of Al Kaline, Barry Sanders, Isaiah Thomas and one Gordie Howe.

SANDERS. HOWE. KALINE. THOMAS.

Your Detroit Mount Rushmore has officially arrived 👀

📰: https://t.co/SUuVWuvE8r pic.twitter.com/qvFP7dLAxd— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 (@sportingnews) July 28, 2022

GORDIE HOWE (Red Wings, 1946-71): Gordie Howe played 1,687 games with the Red Wings and remains the franchise’s all-time leader with 1,809 points. [Detroit News columnist Bob] Wojnowski still did not fully comprehend what the Red Wings right wing meant to the game until Howe died. Wojnowski attended Howe’s funeral at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit on June 15, 2016. 

“I was amazed just at how many average hockey fans had personal stories with him,” Wojnowski said. “He would show up after retirement, which took a long time, at local rinks and have a game with them. He couldn’t have been nicer and couldn’t have been friendlier. It was the amount of tears I saw from people who met him maybe once.” 

Howe endeared himself to hockey fans with the “Howe hat trick,” which was a goal, an assist and a fight in the same game. He was a “Hockeytown” hero as part of Stanley Cup championship teams in 1950, 1952, 1954 and 1955. He played for 25 more seasons in the NHL after that and still wasn’t done. 

“He couldn’t get hockey out of his blood,” Wojnowski said. “He wasn’t the fastest skater. No, he didn’t have the best hands or best wrist shot, but he was the ultimate power hockey player.” 

Continued, with comments from Mitch Albom and Bally Sports Detroit’s Johnny Kane…

A bit of praise for the Wings’ ‘sneaky good offseason’

Daily Faceoff’s Mike McKenna posted a list of his “Five NHL teams having sneaky good offseasons,” and the Red Wings made his cut:

Detroit Red Wings: Most of the work done so far this offseason by GM Steve Yzerman has been via free agency, but don’t discount the move to acquire goaltender Ville Husso’s rights from the St. Louis Blues. Detroit was able to sign the RFA to a four-year deal, solidifying the crease in tandem with incumbent Alex Nedeljkovic.

Then the Red Wings went to work during free agency, signing veteran defensemen Ben Chiarot and Olli Maatta. Detroit gained scoring at the forward position by signing David Perron and Dominik Kubalik. Michigan native Andrew Copp came home on a five-year deal.

I’m a huge fan of Copp’s game and think an elevated role in the Motor City will be beneficial for both sides. Yzerman has been patient during his time at the helm of the Red Wings. But the rebuild was just kicked into high gear for the 2022-23 season. I think Detroit has a legitimate chance of making the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

Continued

The Athletic’s Pronman: Marco Kasper won’t take part in the World Junior Championship

Bummer news from The Athletic’s Corey Pronman:

Also:

Tweets of note: Dylan Larkin speaks with WXYZ’s Jeanna Trotman

Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin spoke with WXYZ’s Jeanna Trotman while taking part in the “AREA 313 Celebrity Scramble” at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit yesterday afternoon:

Tweet of note: Bobby Ryan takes to Twitter to thank fans for support

As Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff noted, former Red Wings forward Bobby Ryan suffered a relapse yesterday in Nashville, and was arrested at Nashville’s airport for public intoxication. Ryan took to Twitter this morning to thank fans for their support:

Just get better, Bobby.

Does Taro Hirose have enough ‘runway’ left to make the Wings’ roster?

Red Wings prospect Taro Hirose isn’t really a prospect any more as the 5’10,” 161-pound center is already 26 years of age, but Hirose had a spectacular season in Grand Rapids this past season, posting 38 assists and 53 points in only 56 AHL games, so Detroit Hockey Now’s Nate Brown includes Hirose among DHN’s audit of the Wings’ prospect system:

Playing 15 games this past season in Detroit, Hirose’s hand-eye can set up a slick pass and he has been known to generate offense. In Grand Rapids, Hirose was just six points shy of being a point-per-game player.

Re-signed in May, Hirose is a depth player for the organization and has shown flashes of contributing for the Red Wings.

Hirose has been a player Red Wings fans have wanted to see more of. The problem has been that roster spots haven’t been there, and as mentioned above, those spots have been reduced even more.

Where does it leave Hirose? He’s certainly a skilled forward with his vision, but his skating at times can be a hair short of what the team needs in tighter contests, be it beating an opponent to the puck, or having that needed burst of speed to open up a scoring chance. While he’s scored goals at the AHL level, it hasn’t translated with the Red Wings.

During his 26-game chance with Detroit in the 2019-20 season, he had seven points (2-5) and there wasn’t enough of an argument to bring him back for a longer stint in the following seasons. As the roster improves, it will be tougher for Hirose to find a spot to carve out.

Continued; at this point in his career, Hirose is an AHL scorer and NHL depth forward. He could squeeze his way back into relevancy as a prospect by having a strong, point-per-game campaign early in the 2022-2023 season in Grand Rapids.

ESPN’s Wyshynski lists Red Wings among seven possible destinations for Nazem Kadri

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski wrote a column for ESPN+ which discusses seven possible destinations for free agent forward Nazem Kadri, and he says the following about Detroit as a possible landing spot:

Detroit Red Wings

Cap space: $10,296,111

Does Kadri fit into the Yzer plan? Detroit GM Steve Yzerman has made some money moves in the offseason, signing David Perron ($4.75 million AAV), Andrew Copp ($5.625 million AAV), Ben Chiarot ($4.75 million), Dominik Kubalik ($2.5 million AAV) and Olli Maatta ($2.25 million AAV) in free agency and trading for goalie Ville Husso. That’s an entire starting lineup!

The Red Wings still have the flexibility this season to bring in Kadri and then have a bunch of players coming off their cap in 2023-24. If they don’t have to go too long in term with Kadri, he makes a lot of sense. Kadri slots in behind Dylan Larkin as the No. 2 center. Copp could fill that role or shift to the wing or drop down to No. 3 center — his versatility made him a trade deadline darling last season.

Perron brings a ring to the Red Wings dressing room. So would Kadri. That’s important for a young team learning how to win. But that’s also part of the consideration for Kadri: Detroit is trying to turn the corner, but is it close enough to contention for Kadri?

Continued; I don’t see a fit, but that’s just me.

DRW.com notebook: Simon Edvinsson doesn’t believe the hype

DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills posted an article this morning which discusses defenseman Simon Edvinsson’s background and attempts to earn a roster spot on a stacked Red Wings blueline:

Detroit Red Wings defenseman prospect Simon Edvinsson is aware of the high expectations surrounding him. And while the 19-year-old is anxious to prove himself in North America, he’s not letting the hype distract him.

“I’ve heard it and what’s being said,” said Edvinsson, who was Detroit’s sixth overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. “But it’s positive because you want to take a (roster) place and make things happen for the team. You want to be part of the team and you want to help the team win the Stanley Cup.”

Edvinsson made an impact for Frolunda HC’s Swedish Hockey League team in 2021-22, tallying two goals and 17 assists in 44 games while finishing as an SHL Rookie of the Year finalist.

“You always need to have those (experiences), especially if you’re gonna take a place in the roster,” Edvinsson said. “The SHL is a hard league. There’s a lot of good players and hard games.”

When asked where he felt he improved last season, Edvinsson believes he is a better defensive player.

“I had a great mentor in Sweden,” Edvinsson said. “Christian Folin, who is a former NHL player, helped me a lot with defensive work, how to think in all situations and how to build muscle to be able to compete against those guys.”

Continued

DHN’s Duff: Bobby Ryan suffers relapse, arrested in Nashville

Sad news from Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff regarding former Red Wings forward Bobby Ryan’s battle with alcoholism:

Former Detroit Red Wings forward Bobby Ryan, who won the Masterton Trophy in 2020 after overcoming substance abuse issues and returning to play in the NHL, apparently has suffered a relapse.

Ryan, who spent the 2020-21 NHL season with the Red Wings, spent Monday in a Nashville jail. Police ended up placing him under arrest for public intoxication at the Nashville International Airport.

According to reporting from ScoopNashville.com, Ryan was seen taking several items from an airport store without paying. Airport police were given notification of this, setting out searching for Ryan. Abandoning the stolen items on a counter, Ryan ended up entering Little Harpeth Brewing with the police in pursuit. He was found sitting at the bar, awaiting a drink he’d just ordered.

Continued; here’s hoping that Ryan gets the treatment he needs.