Month: September 2022

Take this from Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen, writing his daily blog for Hockeybuzz, for what you will:

No news may not be good news for the Detroit Red Wings in their negotiations with Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi. Both players can be unrestricted free agents next summer. Larkin is Detroit’s captain and a hometown hero. It was assumed that negotiation would go smoothly, but training camp is around the corner. It is not done yet. There has been nothing to suggest that they are close to a deal.

Continued;

1. I am mildly uncomfortable regarding the fact that Larkin hasn’t re-signed, though there’s still time between now and October 14th. I had a feeling that the Bertuzzi negotiations would be tricky;

2. Sometimes we just don’t know. Very little comes out of Yzerman land in terms of any indications as to whether players are going to sign or not sign, whether there is progress or no progress. Even somebody as tuned-in as Kevin Allen is might not to be able to discern that much.

We won’t know until we know. And that’s perhaps the least comfortable part of the equation.

This is a bit of a shock. Per the Free Press’s Adrienne Roberts:

Real estate billionaire Stephen Ross and the Ilitch organization have submitted a development plan for a new $190 million hotel that will be located next to Little Caesars Arena.

The plan for a 14-story, 290-room hotel, which will also include up to 30,000 square feet of street-level retail, food and beverage space, was submitted to the Detroit Downtown Development Authority this week. Construction would start in 2024 and take three years to complete.

“A hotel on the doorstep of the second busiest arena in the nation will position Detroit to attract more of the world’s most-watched entertainment events and invite visitors to extend their stay and experience more of this great city and growing neighborhood,” Andrew Cantor, president of Related Michigan, Ross’ real estate firm, said in a release.

“The hotel, food and beverage and other amenities proposed will create a wide variety of good jobs and attract people from the region, state and beyond to The District Detroit,” Keith Bradford, president of Olympia Development of Michigan and The District Detroit, said in the release.

Earlier this year at the Mackinac Policy Conference, Ross said it would be an Equinox Hotel. The first, and so far, only, Equinox Hotel opened in 2019 within Ross’ Hudson Yards development in New York City. Ross’ firm also owns the upscale Equinox gym chain.

Continued

From the Red Wings’ YouTube channel:

The Hockey News’s Adam Proteau has asked a set of three “Burning Questions” about the Detroit Red Wings, and it’s question #1 that piques my interest, more than his questions as to whether GM Steve Yzerman is done making trades/signings, and/or what the ceilings for Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond’s performance envelopes may be:

1. How quickly will Detroit’s slew of new acquisitions fit in? Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman used much of his salary cap space this summer on veteran free agents at all positions: in goal, he traded for, then signed unrestricted free agent Ville Husso; on defense, he added UFAs Ben Chiarot, Olli Maatta, Mark Pysyk and Robert Hagg; and at forward, he signed UFAs Andrew Copp, David Perron and Dominik Kubalik. Suddenly, Detroit’s outlook for 2022-23 improved significantly, to the point many observers believe they can be a playoff team this season.

Now, it may take all those new acquisitions to pan out as hoped for the Wings to make the post-season, but on paper, they do have a vastly improved group of forwards, a better defense corps, and a goaltending tandem (that also includes the returning Alex Nedeljkovic) that should be an improvement from last season’s dubious duo. Are the Red Wings better? No question. Does new head coach Derek Lalonde have enough talent to work with to at least be in the chase for a playoff berth in the improved Atlantic Division? Yes he does. Is it possible the Wings come up just short and finish fifth in the division? Yes, that also could happen.

But this writer feels like Detroit will be grinding it out in the final weeks of the regular season, and they’ll be in the mix for a playoff spot to the end of the year. It’s not only a question of the Wings being better – it’s also about the Ottawa Senators being better, and the Boston Bruins (who held the fourth and final playoff spot last season) being worse. Much needs to go right for the Red Wings to make a notable jump in the standings, but far crazier things have happened in hockey’s top league.

Continued;

Especially given that the Red Wings have a new coaching staff (save Alex Tanguay) in addition to all their new acquisitions, and a couple of young players who are making strides toward pushing for NHL jobs, I am very curious to see what form this Red Wings team takes come October 14th, and where it goes from there.

The Detroit Red Wings’ annual prospect tournament has gotten underway at Centre ICE Arena in Traverse City. The St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets were the 3 PM game (Columbus won 7-1!), and Dallas and Toronto will play tonight at 6:30 PM.

You’ll note, of course, that the Red Wings’ prospects didn’t participate in a game today, choosing instead to play three games, on Friday vs. Columbus (3 PM, live streamed on the Red Wings’ social media channels), Saturday vs. Dallas (6 PM, also live streamed), and Monday vs. Toronto (11 AM, also live streamed).

Between the fact that it’s a 5-team tournament instead of an 8-team tourney, and given the fact that the Wings could afford to use a “getting to know you” day ahead of a busy three games in four nights, the Wings chose to play 3 round robin games instead of 4, and I believe that it’s the right call.

On Thursday, the Wings’ prospects hit the ice promptly at 11:30 AM, and Grand Rapids Griffins coach Ben Simon, assistant coaches Matt MacDonald, Mike Knuble, video coach Erich Junge and goalie coach Brian Mahoney-Wilson all put the prospects through their paces over the course of a spirited 72-minute practice.

A little panorama. pic.twitter.com/UGc1uUdGev— George Malik (@georgemalik) September 15, 2022

Coach Simon did a lot of teaching in terms of imparting the Red Wings’ systems of play to a set of players who mostly haven’t played together before, and he was emphatic, enthusiastic, and at times, more than willing to bark at the collective group in order to keep the pace of practice high.

Continue reading Impressions from Thursday’s practice at the 2022 Red Wings prospect tournament

One minute of practice footage from the Red Wings:

Game one tomorrow. 😃 #DRWPT pic.twitter.com/ibblAEpfMY— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 15, 2022

DobberHockey’s Jamie Molloy posted a set of “good value” picks for fantasy hockey poolies, and Jakub Vrana leads his list:

#1) Jakub Vrana – LW – Detroit Red Wings

Contract: $5.25M – 2 Years remaining

Vrana has been fairly limited in NHL game action over the past two seasons, only playing in 37 total games (30 points, 21 have been goals). While I don’t think anybody expects that goal pace to continue into next season, this is a player who may be playing on a team that may not make the playoffs, but he has always been a solid producer on the second line during his career with the Capitals. I would say in Detroit there is a better chance of him being on the ice in a crucial moment given the Red Wings lack of elite offensive talent. Realistically he will be deployed on the second line that received an overhaul this summer alongside of Andrew Copp and David Perron (both solid players in their own right). If the Red Wings top-six begin to struggle, maybe we see a duo of Dylan Larkin and Jakub Vrana through stretches of the season. Vrana may not be able to help you in the hits and blocks columns, he can sure help in the pure offensive stats, including the powerplay. If the injuries that he has faced don’t scare you, I would recommend this player.

Continued

Red Wings prospects Elmer Soderblom (over the course of a longer interview) and Simon Edvinsson (in a shorter interview, because the bus was waiting for him) spoke with myself, The Athletic’s Max Bultman, DetroitRedWings.com’s Daniella Bruce and Red Wings play-by-play announcer Ken Kal today.

The gents were affable and forthcoming, and Soderblom discussed everything from the adjustments he’s making to North American hockey to his talent for playing the guitar to his favorite number (or the lack thereof); Edvinsson discussed his adjustments made and his hopes for the tournament:

Per a Tweet:

Another step closer!

🗓️ » https://t.co/VJMJyRUwlb pic.twitter.com/zqb2vNpTJf— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 15, 2022

NEWS: Bally Sports Detroit announces 2022-23 @DetroitRedWings TV schedule.

➡️ https://t.co/MSpk2cXO1r#LGRW | @ThinkFordFirst pic.twitter.com/iAAxNzYOY6— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) September 15, 2022

69 games will be broadcast on Bally Sports Detroit.

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings and Bally Sports Detroit today announced the Red Wings local television schedule for the 2022-23 season.

Bally Sports Detroit (BSD) continues its award-winning production and carriage of Red Wings games by airing a total of 69 regular-season contests with 58 games slated for BSD and 11 on Bally Sports Detroit Extra (BSD EXTRA).

The popular announce team of Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond return to call the action, while Bally Sports Detroit’s comprehensive coverage also includes pregame and postgame editions of RED WINGS LIVE. In addition to live reports from Little Caesars Arena, studio portions of RED WINGS LIVE will originate from Bally Sports Detroit’s studios at its Southfield headquarters.

A total of 13 Red Wings regular-season games will be nationally exclusive broadcasts on TNT and ESPN+ / Hulu. Additionally, the Red Wings’ game on Jan. 4 vs. New Jersey will be broadcast nationally on TNT, but will air exclusively on Bally Sports Detroit in the local market.

Continued

FloHockey’s Chris Peters posted a list of 10 prospects to watch at the various prospect tournaments being held across the U.S. and Canada this weekend, and he picked an obvious choice from Detroit:

Simon Edvinsson, D, Detroit Red Wings; There’s no question that Edvinsson is among the top defensive prospects in the game right now. There is a valid question, however, if he’s ready to play in the NHL this season. He took a big step forward last season with Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League and his overall potential is tantalizing. Now he’ll have a chance to show off that progress even more at the 2022 Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Mich.

As a 6-foot-6 defenseman, he’s such a fluid, comfortable skater who can make some plays. I still think his offensive game has more maturing to do and while at the summer World Juniors, he didn’t necessarily look like a guy that was about to jump into the NHL. This rookie tournament will give Edvinsson a chance to show where he is relative to the other defensemen in Detroit’s system. It will also give the Red Wings another data point in how they need to make their decision about him. Given how cautious and patient they are with their prospects, I would be surprised to see Edvinsson on the team’s opening night roster. That said, he can make that decision a lot harder on them with a good showing this week and in training camp.

Continued; I would be a little surprised to see Edvinsson make the opening-night roster as well, given the Wings’ depth at defense, but the prospect tournament, training camp and the exhibition season will afford him opportunities to change the coaches and management’s respective minds.