Month: July 2022

iSport.cz’s Miroslav Horak spoke with former Red Wings forward Jiri Hudler regarding the current-day team’s rebuilding effort, but most of the article is stuck behind a paywall. Here’s a rough translation of the introduction to the article, from Czech to English:

Czech Detroit: Yzerman knows what he’s doing, says Jiri Hudler. Will they contend for the Stanley Cup?

He experienced the sweet end of an amazing Red Wings era at the dawn of the summer of 2008. Jiri Hudler lifted the Stanley Cup above his head, fought in the finals a year later. And a gradual fall followed, the departures of first-class icons. Today, hockey in Detroit is as part of a pack of NHL teams working on roster reconstruction. It’s been too long for some. Will the team with a four-Czech enclave restore the once-famous Hockeytown to the next level? “Stevie Yzerman knows what he’s doing,” Hudler says of his former teammate and current team GM.

With several domestic ambassadors, things are building up for Detroit. Filip Hronek is already among the stable players on the team, and he spearheads the defense. Jakub Vrana is considered to be the team’s central sniper, who’s expected to score 30 or more goals over the course of a full season. There’s great potential hidden in Filip Zadina, who hasn’t been re-signed yet. And to all of this comes a fresh purchase in the form of Dominik Kubalik, a capable forward who intends to fight for a return to better numbers. Detroit will attempt to make the playoffs, where it hasn’t been for six consecutive seasons.

What does a former Stanley Cup champion who spent his glory days with the team think about the current Red Wings?

“With the departures of Datsyuk and Zetterberg, Detroit began a new era. I don’t want to say that they declined, but there was a big, fundamental change that began. Stevie Yzerman returned from Tampa, and in my eyes, he’s a definite guarantee that things will rise again in Detroit. Gradually, but 100%”

Up to the very top of the league?

“I’m not saying that the era of Yzerman, Shanahan, Larionov, Datsyuk, Zetterberg and others will return. But I think we will see where the organization will go by comparing it to the one Yzerman led in Tampa. He was the one who built the current Lightning, which has won the Stanley Cup twice in the last three years, and this year only fell in the Stanley Cup Final against the absolutely great Colorado Avalanche. Perhaps up to 90% of it was the work of Stevie, who was behind the assembly of the winning line-up. He made a lot of good moves with the Lightning, and I believe that something similar is in the works in Detroit. He’s made good purchases in the last couple of days.”

The article continues behind the paywall, promising the following…

What is Steve Yzerman’s magic? And is he inclined to pick Czech hockey players? What does he see in players that others don’t? How did the crisis of the city affect Detroit? And what does it look like there now? And what does Hudler say about the Palace in New Jersey?

What is the magic of Yzerman? And is he inclined towards Czech hockey? What do they see in players that others don’t? How did the crisis of the city affect Detroit? And what does it look like there now? And what does Hudler say about the Palace in New Jersey?

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff reflects upon the points made by one Dominik Kubalik during his introductory press conference, discussing Kubalik’s game and his status as a sniper trying to re-set his career after struggling in his 2nd and 3rd NHL campaigns:

From his point of view, Kubalik, 26, looks upon every hockey season as another chance to do something special.

“I kind of feel every season is a new start,” Kubalik said. “You can get better, you can learn something. There is always something you can get better. Even from my first season, I knew that if I want to stay and I’m going to produce the same way I did, I need to do some things better. I think I was trying to make those steps for me, especially defensively.”

He followed that 30-goal [rookie] campaign in Chicago with seasons of 17 and 15 goals. Kubalik felt even though his production was dipping, his overall game was growing.

“From year one to year three I think I got better,” he said. “For me it’s usually not usually the points, I think sometimes it’s better when you grow as a man, a human being. I think every season I made a step forward. From being a rookie, maybe a little older rookie, but still a rookie, learning things, stuff around the league. Right now I feel more confident about it and know what to expect. There is always something and right now I can see a clean table, fresh start, fresh mind. For sure it’s going to be helpful to me.”

Continued

The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler posted his list of the Top 50 NHL Prospects under 23 years of age, discussing his top 50 skaters this morning. Only one Red Wings prospect cracked his list, one Simon Edvinsson:

14. Simon Edvinsson, LHD, 19 (Detroit Red Wings — No. 6, 2021): Things went really well for Edvinsson this year. He played big minutes on a European giant in his first full season at the SHL level, he looked like a force in the short-lived world juniors, and the areas of his game that needed (and still need) some cleaning up got it for the most part.

His ceiling is extremely high and backed by a unique set of traits and skills for a 6-foot-5 player (let alone defenceman). These include his uncharacteristically soft hands and control of the puck, his fearlessness with and without it, and his strong foundational knowledge of how to use his towering frame to defend in a variety of ways (with an active stick, with step-up physicality when opportunities present themselves, on box-outs, etc.).

If he can develop his shot (one of those areas that still needs work), continue to smooth out his game, and make better choices (which he did this year), the potential is there in spades. It was also nice to see him make more play-ending passes and create a ton of chances (he should actually have a couple more goals under his belt) to add to his already-dominant transition game as a confident carrier and transporter.

I hate this cliche but you really can’t teach hands like his at that size. He tries things, he usually pulls them off, and he’s more comfortable handling the puck under pressure than just about any teenage defenceman I’ve scouted (regardless of size). He has also found greater control of his gangly frame (he’s a good skater and always has been but his stride can splay from the knees) and takes up a lot of space defensively. He’s going to be a very good — and different — player if he can maintain his take-charge mentality on both sides of the puck and put it all together at the NHL level.

Wheeler continues (paywall).

Edvinsson’s listed at 6’5″ on some pages and 6’6″ on others, and I’ll definitely agree that he’s got some work to do to “smooth” some rough edges out of his game, especially as he adjusts to the North American rink, but he’s got a borderline arrogance about him that really stands out when he’s carrying the puck, and he’s an excellent skater with size and strength in spades.

I’m not so certain that you’re going to get a lot out of this unless you speak German, but Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider spoke with the website of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga yesterday afternoon, appearing on their podcast, “Eiskalt auf den Punkt” (Ice-cold to the Point). Here’s a translation of the summary of his 31-minute interview:

National team player Moritz Seider on winning the Calder Memorial Trophy in the NHL

He’s an absolute high-flyer in German ice hockey during the past couple of seasons. And he’s really turning it up in the NHL. So much so that, just over three weeks ago, Moritz Seider was named the Rookie of the Year in the best league in the world. Today, he’s a guest here on the podcast!

The last couple of months have been like a dream for Moritz Seider. It doesn’t get much better than this. The defenseman performed incredibly well in Sweden with Rogle BK, and received top marks. And with the Detroit Red Wings, who loaned him to the Swedish team, things got even better. Seider played well, and presented himself physically eye-to-eye with the greats of his position.

Of course, one has to ask how he deals with all of this, and how he processes it. You’ll hear the answers here today, and at the same time, hear a formula for success from Moritz. He doesn’t think too much about it; he enjoys the here and now. And his full focus is on the daily work, both on and off the ice.

He’s currently staying in Germany to recharge his batteries for the new season. He reveals how and why he really wants to improve his golf game, that he’s planned to go on another vacation to Switzerland, and that he’s looking forward to his grandmother’s 70th birthday–all before he goes back to America. With the Red Wings, he would like to take the next step, and take on even more responsibility on the team.

NHL.com is posting late-July assessments of the offseason moves made by each and every one of its 32 member franchises. Tonight, Nicholas J. Cotsonika examines the Red Wings trade, free agency and coaching alterations, suggesting that GM Steve Yzerman is attempting to kick-start the team’s rebuilding effort.

As you know by now, the Red Wings added Ville Husso via a draft-day trade, Andrew Copp, Ben Chiarot, David Perron, Olli Maatta and Dominik Kubalik via free agency, and coaches Derek Lalonde, Bob Boughner, Jay Varady and Alex Westlund are all part of the mix as well.

Cotsonika lists defensemen Marc Staal and Danny DeKeyser as key subtractions, as well as 31-point-scorer Sam Gagner and #1B goaltender Thomas Greiss (among others), and he offers the following take as to who’s “on the cusp“:

On the cusp: Simon Edvinsson, D: The 19-year-old, who signed a three-year, entry-level contract on April 24, will have a chance to make the NHL roster after playing for Sweden at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton from Aug. 9-20. Edvinsson, the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, was a finalist for rookie of the year in the Swedish Hockey League last season after he had 19 points (two goals, 17 assists) in 44 games for Frolunda. … Jonatan Berggren, F: The 22-year-old, who was selected in the second round (No. 33) of the 2018 NHL Draft, led Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League with 64 points (21 goals, 43 assists) in 70 games last season. … Elmer Soderblom, F: The 21-year-old, a sixth-round pick (No. 159) in the 2019 NHL Draft, had 33 points (21 goals, 12 assists) in 52 games for Frolunda last season.

What they still need: General manager Steve Yzerman said he is content with the roster entering training camp, so for now, the Red Wings need their new coaching staff to sort out the returning players and new pieces. They need everyone to jell.

They said it: “I think we’ve addressed some needs. I’m hoping we’re a better team. I think we’re progressing slowly in this rebuilding of the Red Wings. Are we good enough to make the playoffs [this season]? I don’t know.” — general manager Steve Yzerman

I’m not certain that the GM is done adding pieces–as he told us all, he’s going to explore trades with cap-strapped teams–but I do think that the Wings are largely done making moves for the summer, and it’s going to be very interesting to see what a largely new coaching staff does with training camp and the preseason to establish a new message and a new work ethic within an overhauled roster.

Anyway, Cotsonika’s analysis continues with a bit of fantasy hockey talk via NHL.com’s Ana Dua, and he offers an estimate of the Red Wings’ healthy opening-night lines.

As Detroit Hockey Now’s hockey crew continues its audit of the Red Wings’ prospect system, they’ve been weighing in with their observations regarding players in Detroit’s developmental system, and I’ve weighed in as well.

Today’s focus from DHN, one Notre Dame’s Jack Adams–as authored by Nate Brown–is truly one of the most difficult prospects to pin down.

Adams is a massive 6’6″ and 209 pounds, but the right-shooting power forward had his NCAA career derailed by both a knee injury suffered at the Wings’ 2019 development camp, the scheduling hiccups and cancellations of the COVID era, and a set of transfers from Union to Providence College and now Notre Dame.

At 25, there isn’t much developmental runway left for the 5th-year student, and it’s just hard to say whether the Red Wings have a need for what Adams has only recently been able to provide again:

Working on his graduate degree at Notre Dame, Adams‘ path to Notre Dame was affected by tragedy when his brother Mark passed away suddenly in 2018. Then at Union College, Adams played at Providence during the 2020-21 season, donning his brother’s number in the lone season. His season at Notre Dame, then, is one of triumph as he has been challenged by more than just the ups and down of a hockey journey.

As for his time in Detroit, Adams’ rights still belong to Detroit through August 15, 2023. The 6’6 forward will return to Notre Dame for the 2022-23 season, and the Red Wings will be keeping an eye on his performance.

Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson said in the school’s official announcement of Adams’ return that he made “big strides in rediscovering his game.”

His successes, whether or not they result in an entry-level contract, go far past playing the game. From a perspective of where he is in Detroit’s system, he’s somewhere in the middle.

But if he builds on the success of last season, what a story it will become for the Red Wings prospect. It’s one that will go beyond just success on the ice.

Continued; it’s just really hard to peg Adams’ “upside” down given that he’s played so little until last season. Between the knee injury and COVID, he only played 6 games in the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons combined, and while he definitely plays a powerful forward’s game, his status as a point-per-every-other-game forward isn’t exactly “wow” material.

He’s somebody one roots for given that he both lost his brother and had his career interrupted by both the knee injury and COVID, but at 25 years of age, there’s just not a lot of time for him to “make the jump” as he’ll be 26 at the end of this upcoming season.

The dust hasn’t yet settled from the free agency fireworks of a week-and-a-half ago, never mind last week’s blockbuster trades, so I’m hesitant to predict how much the Red Wings have improved within the highly competitive Atlantic Division.

That being said, Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen gives that particular task a go this morning, delving into the topic over the course of a subscriber-only article. Allen’s in-depth analysis of what each Atlantic Division team did to improve itself leads to a logical conclusion, and here’s his logic for said suggestion as to the Red Wings’ ultimate fate:

Continue reading DHN’s Allen weighs in on the Red Wings’ possible improvement in a competitive Atlantic Division

This morning, the Free Press’s Helene St. James attempts to predict what the Red Wings’ opening-night roster will look like, duly noting that the Wings will both experience some training camp injuries and that Robby Fabbri (knee) and Jake Walman (shoulder) won’t be available for the start of the regular season.

Here’s a sampling of her opening-night lineup:

First line: Tyler Bertuzzi-Dylan Larkin-Lucas Raymond

They clicked right away last season, only to be broken up so Bertuzzi could spark another line. Larkin brings speed and sound defensive play, Bertuzzi has a knack for scoring around the net and Raymond has a flair for finding openings. 

Top pair: Ben Chiarot-Moritz Seider

Yzerman signed Chiarot for four years and $19 million. The 31-year-old has been a solid defender with the Winnipeg Jets, Canadiens and Florida Panthers, giving Seider the steady, durable partner he deserves. Seider should be even more fun to watch on a more talented team.

Goaltending: Alex Nedeljkovic and newcomer Ville Husso are both trying to establish they should be No. 1. Nedeljkovic played 59 games for the Wings last season, while Husso played 40 for the Blues. Neither has yet played 100 career games. If they play equally during exhibition, my guess is Nedeljkovic starts the opener — and since the Wings play the next night in New Jersey, Husso won’t have to wait long for his first start. 

Continued (paywall), with St. James picking Simon Edvinsson and Mark Pysyk as her 3rd defensive pairing…

This evening, Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen profiles a player I’m not quite so certain about in one Victor Brattstrom, who will most likely split time as the Grand Rapids Griffins’ starting goaltender with World Championship MVP Jussi Olkinuora.

Brattstrom’s 25 years old, and he possesses good size at 6’4″ and 201 pounds, as well as a solid set of fundamentals, but he never really found his form over the course of 32 starts with Grand Rapids this past season, going 11-16-and-4 with a 3.32 goals-against average and .894 save percentage.

Brattstrom has “all the tools,” as they say, but once he gets in the net on the North American-sized rink, the seasoned European pro is a bit wild in the net, acrobatically and athletically bounding from goalpost to goalpost. He’s entertaining to watch, to be certain, but there’s a lack of control in his game that tends to cost him concentration, consistency, and goals against.

As Allen suggests, this is probably a win-or-go-back-to-Europe season for Brattstrom (and Olkinuora), and as the Griffins’ stalwart goaltender, Calvin Pickard, is moving on, it’s going to be up to a Swede and a Finn to stabilize the Griffins’ crease:

Continue reading DHN’s profile of Victor Brattstrom raises questions about the state of the Griffins’ crease

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan recorded his latest “OctoPulse” podcast just before the Matthew Tkachuk-Jonathan Huberdeau/MacKenzie Weegar trade, and as such, it’s already a little dated, but pertinent:

Ted Kulfan takes a look at the Red Wings’ eight new free-agency signings and former Wolverine Mike Cammalleri is the special guest on the podcast.

Before Matthew Tkachuk was traded late Friday night to the Panthers in a blockbuster deal, Kulfan said the odds weren’t in Detroit’s favor in trying to acquire the Flames’ 42-goal scorer, who is arguably the best power forward to potentially come to Detroit since Brendan Shanahan and Brian Glynn were dealt from Hartford in 1996 for Keith Primeau, Paul Coffey and a first-round pick.

“It’s going to take a Simon Edvinsson or a Lucas Raymond to entice Calgary,” Kulfan said on The Detroit News’ podcast OctoPulse. “I don’t get the sense that Steve Yzerman would be willing to trade away some of those young players. 

“As an aside, what a gut punch for Calgary. Here’s a team that was on the verge of a Stanley Cup. Just to see it decimated like that with their two best players gone, that they didn’t want to stay there. On the surface, it looks like these American players did not want to play there long term. What more could the Flames do?”

Continued; you can listen to the podcast here, and yes, it would have taken a package comparable to Dylan Larkin, Filip Hronek, Simon Edvinsson and a first-round pick to get Tkachuk. That’s too rich for my blood.