Month: June 2023

The Free Press’s Helene St. James discusses the Red Wings’ 2023 NHL Draft haul this morning, framing the Wings’ 11-player crop as viewed by GM Steve Yzerman and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper.

As I tend to tell people, the reason that the Red Wings stick with their list of players that the team’s amateur scouting staff wants to pick as opposed to the more well-known players at the draft, and that’s why their drafts are so…Unique:

Steve Yzerman looked relieved and sounded hopeful as he prepared to head back to Detroit. He had just wrapped up his fifth NHL draft as general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, adding four forwards, five defensemen and two goaltenders to the farm system. A busy week now shifts to Saturday’s start of free agency, but at least all the work leading up to the draft is in the books.

“We added to the prospect pool and hope some of them turn into players,” Yzerman said Thursday. “Once you get your list in order, you just kind of OK, let’s not overthink this. It’s much like as a player before a big game, you’re all nervous. Once the puck drops, you just play and you feel good. That’s the way it is here. Get a bit of a breather and get back to Detroit and get ready for the first [of July] and see what we do.”

The biggest picks were made Wednesday, when the Wings took center Nate Danielson at No. 9 and defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka at No. 17. On Day 2, the Wings used their draft capital to add players at every position.

“We added four defensemen and generally all of them were on the bigger size,” Yzerman said. “We like them as prospects. It’s nice that they’re big and if they can play, that’s even better.”

Continued (paywall) with player profiles…

ESPN’s Ryan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton have posted a massive article which plans free agency roadmaps for each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams.

Here’s what they suggest the Red Wings attempt to accomplish when free agency begins tomorrow at 12 PM EDT:

Detroit Red Wings

Key players hitting UFA: F Pius Suter, G Alex Nedeljkovic
Key player hitting RFA: F Joseph Veleno
Cap space: $27,565,278

What they should do: The Red Wings have two clear areas of need: scoring depth and a suitable No. 2 to play behind Ville Husso in net. Detroit finished 24th in goals per game last season (2.89), and trading away Tyler Bertuzzi certainly didn’t help there. It’s time to restock.

The free agent market up front is veteran heavy, and GM Steve Yzerman has already explored the trade route adding Kailer Yamamoto and RFA Klim Kostin in a transaction with Edmonton on Thursday. Pending Senators RFA Alex DeBrincat is another option on that front. The Red Wings just can’t go another year without addressing their offensive inconsistencies. As for the goaltending dilemma, it’s time to give Husso a real partner. Even a Cam Talbot or Semyon Varlamov could do the trick, leaving Husso to shine as Detroit’s No. 1 while providing the right amount of support.

Continued (paywall); regardless of how the Red Wings do it, I agree that the team must address its offensive issues, physicality and goaltending.

The Detroit Red Wings drafted eleven players over the course of two days at the 2023 NHL Draft.

I posted a massive wrap-up of the Red Wings media corps’ takes on the first day of the draft last night, and tonight, we’re going to review the Wings media’s observations regarding the second day of the draft, on a source-by-source basis:

A. MLive: Ansar Khan posted capsule articles regarding the Kailer Yamamoto/Klim Kostin trade, the Red Wings’ three second-round picks in Trey Augustine, Andrew Gibson and Brady Cleveland, and he noted the Wings’ drafting of Noah Dower Nilsson, brother of Wings 2021 pick Liam Dower Nilsson, and Khan offered scouting reports on the Wings’ eleven picks.

Khan also focused on the comments made by GM Steve Yzerman at the conclusion of the draft:

Continue reading Summarizing the ‘Local takes’ on the Red Wings’ 2023 Draft haul

The Detroit Red Wings drafted a total of eleven players over the course of Days 1 and 2 of the 2023 NHL Draft. Here are the takes/grades the Red Wings received from several experts:

Yahoo Sports’ Ian Kennedy gives the Wings a great grade for both their draft picks and the Yamamoto/Kostin trade..

Detroit Red Wings: A

The Red Wings didn’t get Alex DeBrincat (yet) as was rumored, but they added so much organizational depth that it’s an undeniable win for Detroit. Some questioned how high the Red Wings reached for Nate Danielson, but there’s no denying he’s one of the most complete, polished players in the draft. Even if his ceiling is lower, so is his risk.Getting Axel Sandin Pellikka at 17 was a steal, followed by taking Trey Augustine, Brady Cleveland, Noah Dower Nilsson, and Andrew Gibson. To top it all off, Detroit got a pair of low-risk, high-reward young wingers in Kailer Yamamoto and Klim Kostin for nothing. Both have upside and Detroit has had success with reclamation projects (see Robby Fabbri and Jake Walman.

Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis gives the Wings a solid “B“…

Continue reading ‘Expert Takes’ on the Red Wings’ 2023 Draft class

The Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch offers an Ottawa Senators-side update as to what’s going on with Alex DeBrincat–or what’s not going on, in this case:

General manager Pierre Dorion has cautioned everybody that he’s not about to give the 25-year-old winger away just because DeBrincat has refused to sign a long-term extension with the Senators. Throughout this process, Dorion has been open to making a trade involving a first-round pick in 2024, but he spent a lot of time during the draft trying to move DeBrincat just the same.

While DeBrincat and Toronto-based agent Jeff Jackson would prefer the Senators move on as soon as possible, Dorion wants to make sure he gets the right return and is in no hurry to make a deal.

The Senators have filed for reverse arbitration with DeBrincat to try to get a 15-per-cent reduction in his $9-million salary for next season. That will likely create a pressure point for DeBrincat and Jackson if they don’t want him playing at $7.65 million.

DeBrincat had 27 goals and was minus-31 in his first season with the Senators, which won’t bode well for him in front of an independent arbitrator. The best bet is for a deal to happen before the Senators can take the case to arbitration in late July or early August.

Sources say the Senators would like to get back someone who can offer immediate help as part of the return for DeBrincat. In addition to the 27 goals scored last season, he played significant minutes on the power play.

The Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings all have varying degrees of interest. The New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, Seattle Kraken and St. Louis Blues are also looking for scoring.

It’s believed DeBrincat wants to go to Detroit, but the Senators haven’t been able to find common ground with Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman.

Continued

The Detroit Red Wings acquired Kailer Yamamoto and the rights to restricted free agent forward Klim Kostin from the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday, and both players came for future considerations.

For the Oilers, the decision was difficult, as GM Ken Holland told the Oilers’ website’s Michael Arcuri:

“I think if the cap was $86 or $87 million, it would work out. It’s just that the cap never moved,” Holland said. “Skinner’s due a raise. Bouchard’s due a raise. McLeod’s due a raise. We made a deal for Ekholm at the deadline.

“It’s just the evolution of the way the system works, so the money gets moved around. I like Yamo. When we did [his contract] it last year, I had no idea what the cap was going to be this year. I was hoping that maybe we could catch up and get the cap moving. The cap doesn’t move, it goes from $82.5 million to $83.5 million, so we’ve got to make difficult decisions.”

In the case of Kostin, the forward was a restricted free agent looking for a significant raise over the $750,000 he made last season after a solid breakout campaign that saw the Russian winger notch 21 points (11G, 10A) in 57 games with the Blue & Orange. Due to Kostin’s excellent performance and Russian roots, the Oilers also had to deal with the looming threat of the KHL (Kontinental Hockey League), where the forward was reportedly receiving overtures from teams within his home country to add another wrench into an already difficult negotiation.

“I talked to Klim Kostin’s agent multiple times. Really, I was negotiating against the KHL, so I knew we weren’t going to be able to find a way to keep him. So, I had to trade the player,” Holland said about the negotiations. “[Detroit Red Wings Executive Vice President & General Manager] Steve Yzerman was really interested in Klim Kostin, and obviously the $3 million for Yamo, I had to get some money off the cap.”

TSN’s Ryan Rishaug confirmed that the Oilers were going to buy out Yamamoto to gain salary cap space, the Edmonton Journal’s David Staples simply called the move a “poison pill” for the Oilers, and Kostin may have signed in the KHL, as Sportsnet’s Mark Spector confirmed…

How about Yamamoto, a first-round draft pick in 2017 who played his first 244 NHL games with this organization? Like a game of Snakes and Ladders, he goes from a team that is within spitting distance of the Stanley Cup to Detroit, where the Red Wings finished 24th last season and are reminiscent of the team Yamamoto joined in Edmonton in 2018-19.

Detroit is on the come, but are likely three more seasons away from where the Oilers are today. Maybe four. Why didn’t it work out in Edmonton for Yamamoto?

“Well, if the cap was $86 or $87 (million), I think it would have worked out. It’s just, the cap never moves,” said Holland. “(Stuart) Skinner’s due a raise, (Ryan) McLeod’s due a raise, (Evan) Bouchard’s due a raise, we made a deal for (Mattias) Ekholm at the deadline… So there’s got to be (sacrifice).”

….

As for Kostin, he was a luxury the Oilers simply could not afford to keep.

In Edmonton, Kostin is a fourth-line player. As such, he can not be paid more than about $1 million.

His agent had been negotiating with Avangard Omsk of the KHL, where he could receive a sum that would approach what the Oilers would pay — but with the tax differences, his take-home would be far better.

The Edmonton Sun’s Robert Tychkowski concurred…

“Everything is cap-related,” Holland said. “This is my fifth year here and the cap has moved $2 million. It should probably move three to four million every year if there was no pandemic. It’s unique times. It just gets tighter and tighter and tighter.”

This closes the book on Yamamoto, the Oilers first-round pick (22nd overall) in 2017. The 5-foot-8 winger made a big impact when he first joined the Oilers in the winter of 2019-20, putting up 26 points in 27 games on a line with Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to help spark a slumping team back into a playoff spot.

But things trailed off after that and he struggled to stay healthy last season. In 58 games, he generated 25 points and had four points in 12 post-season games.

This a tough one for Yamamoto, a hard-working and popular member of the Oilers who moves from a Stanley Cup contender close to his home in Spokane, Wash., to a bottom-dweller in Detroit.

Nobody will ever question the 24-year-old’s heart and determination, just making the NHL at 150 pounds is an accomplishment in itself, but the wear and tear caught up with him and his production in a top-six spot isn’t where a contending team needs it to be.

“I like Yamo,” Holland said. “When we did (his contract) last year I had no idea what the cap was going to be this year, hoping that maybe we could catch up and get the cap moving. The cap doesn’t move. It goes from $82.5 million to $83.5 million so I have to make difficult decisions. If the cap was $87 million, it would have worked out, it’s just that the cap never moves. And now Stuart Skinner is due a raise, Bouchard is due a raise, McLeod is due a raise. We made a deal for Ekholm at the deadline, who makes $6 million. It’s just the evolution of how thew system works. The money gets moved around.”

NHL.com’s Derek Van Diest offers us both Holland and Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman’s perspectives on the move…

“Kostin is a big guy who skates well, and it looks like he took a step in Edmonton this year and has a chance to maybe get a bigger opportunity in Detroit,” Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said Thursday. “We’ll see what the plan is for Kailer, we’ll kind of get back (to Detroit) and evaluate. He has a lot of skill, he’s useful and can play in all situations.  

Yamamoto had 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 58 regular-season games for the Oilers and four points (one goal, three assists) in 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The 24-year-old forward has one season remaining on a two-year contract ($3.1 million average annual value) he signed with the Oilers on Aug. 3, 2022, and can become a restricted free agent after next season.

“I like ‘Yammo,’ and when we did (his last contract) I had no idea what the (NHL salary) cap was going to be this year, hoping that we could catch up and get the cap moving,” Oilers GM Ken Holland said. “The cap doesn’t move, it goes from 82.5 to 83.5 (million) so we have to make difficult decisions.” 

…

Kostin set NHL career highs in goals (11), assists (10) and points (21) in 57 regular-season games this season and had five points (three goals, two assists) in 12 playoff games. The 24-year-old forward can become a restricted free agent July 1.

“I talked to Klim Kostin’s agent multiple times and was really negotiating against the [Kontinental Hockey League], so I knew we weren’t going to be able to find a way to keep him, so I had to trade the player,” Holland said. “Steve Yzerman was really interested in Klim Kostin and obviously $3 million for Yammo, I had to get money off the cap.” 

The Detroit Red Wings may very well be able to take advantage of the NHL’s relatively flat $83.5 million salary cap this summer via a combination of trades and free agent signings to reinforce what’s still a somewhat thin roster, especially in terms of offense…

But GM Steve Yzerman didn’t sound overly optimistic about where he’s at when he spoke to the AP about the Flat Cap Summer:

As for free agency, Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman said he’ll make usual inquires, while acknowledging there’s “probably more needs than there are players at this point.”

…

Ths year’s free-agent class has talent, but lacks the high-profile players of past summers.

The group is headed by 34-year-old Patrick Kane, who will miss the start of the season after having hip resurfacing surgery. Kane’s former Blackhawks teammate Jonathan Toews is available, though he has combined for just 27 goals and 68 points over the past two years since missing the entire 2020-21 season due to chronic immune response syndrome.

Tampa Bay forward Alex Killorn, who put up career-best numbers with 27 goals, 37 assists and 64 points, will attract attention, though he’s 34, and the Lightning are still hoping to re-sign him. Dmitry Orlov is regarded as the free agent class’s top defenseman, while Frederik Andersen, Tristan Jerry and Antii Raanta are among the goalies expected to be available.

The flat cap has led to more teams going the trade route to acquire talent because the player’s salary is already established, as opposed to the uncertainty that comes with having to negotiate a contract in free agency, and the potential of other teams entering the mix and upping the price.

“Ultimately, I think people are looking at the free agency market and it’s kind of thin this year. So if they want to improve their team, they’re looking at the trade market,” Yzerman said. “You get some certainty if you make a trade, as opposed to going in there two days from now, and we have no idea who or what you’re getting and what it’s going to cost you.”

The Red Wings posted media availabilities for the first day of the 2023 NHL Draft on Wednesday night, and this evening, they posted videos of several prospects, director of amateur scouting Kris Draper and GM Steve Yzerman speaking with the media:

Here’s Trey Augustine…

Continue reading Videos: Second-day-of-the-draft media availabilities

Per the Red Wings comes a massive press release reviewing the nine players selected over the course of the second day of the 2023 Draft:

RED WINGS SELECT NINE PLAYERS ON SECOND DAY OF 2023 NHL ENTRY DRAFT 

  … Four Defensemen, Three Forwards and Two Goaltenders Chosen By Detroit in Nashville …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today selected nine players during the second day of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

The Red Wings used three selections in the second round, adding goaltender Trey Augustine (41st overall) and defensemen Andrew Gibson (42nd overall) and Brady Cleveland (47th overall). From there, Detroit chose left wing Noah Dower-Nilsson (73rd overall) in the third round and defenseman Larry Keenan (117th overall) in the fourth round. The Red Wings picked defenseman Jack Phelan (137th overall) and left wing Kevin Bicker (147th overall) in the fifth round before taking goaltender Rudy Guimond (169th overall) in the sixth round and center Emmitt Finnie (201st overall) in the seventh round.

Continue reading Press release: Red Wings review second day of the 2023 Draft

Per the Detroit Red Wings:

RED WINGS TO HOLD 2023 DEVELOPMENT CAMP AT LITTLE CAESARS ARENA JULY 1-5

  … Five-Day Camp Featuring Red Wings Prospects Returns to BELFOR Training Center … 

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today announced the schedule for their 2023 Development Camp, which returns to the BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena from July 1-5. The camp begins on Saturday, July 1 and features on-ice skill development and off-ice workouts each day, ending with a three-on-three tournament on Wednesday, July 5.

The camp will be split into three teams – Team Howe, Team Lidstrom and Team Lindsay – and will feature daily on-ice instruction and skill development from a team of coaches, led by the Red Wings player development staff. Attendees will also take part in NHL-level off-ice workouts and attend presentations designed to help players transition to professional hockey, while experiencing the state-of-the-art player amenities offered at Little Caesars Arena and receiving feedback from Red Wings coaches and management.

Continue reading Press release: Red Wings to hold development camp from July 1 to July 5