Month: July 2023

Wojnowski talks ‘rebuild fatigue’ for both the Pistons and the Red Wings

The Detroit News’s Bob Wojnowski reflects upon the moves made by the Detroit Pistons and Detroit Red Wings over the course of the past two weeks’ worth of drafts and free agency periods this evening, noting that neither team has added the star player they were hoping to find as of yet:

Both teams improved their future outlooks and were salary-cap responsible, but neither got significantly better in the short term. Disappointing? Sure. Surprising? Not really. Out of necessity and circumstance, Yzerman and [Pistons GM Troy] Weaver keep making moves for a future that remains hazy, and distant.

By nature, I think both would prefer to be aggressive deal-makers. Amid playoff droughts of seven seasons (Wings) and four seasons (Pistons), fans want bigger and bolder, understandably so. Many saw two prime possibilities, and both teams passed.

Yzerman apparently didn’t aggressively pursue Ottawa scoring wing Alex DeBrincat, figuring the cost in trade assets and cap space was too high. DeBrincat, 25, is a two-time 40-goal scorer who would seem to fit on the scoring-starved Wings. He does have defensive deficiencies, and as we’re learning with Yzerman, defensive deficiencies matter. That’s one reason he traded Tyler Bertuzzi, who just signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with Toronto.

DeBrincat is in limbo, as teams perhaps find his price tag too steep. If it comes down, maybe the Wings revisit it. There hasn’t been a trading-and-signing frenzy around the NHL. No team dealt a single first-round pick. Stars mostly stayed put. Instead of spending upwards of $8 million per season for DeBrincat, Yzerman opted for former Michigan center J.T. Compher at $5.1 annually over five years. Compher, 28, is coming off his best season with the Avalanche and is a good two-way player. He figures to plug in as a second-line center behind Dylan Larkin.

Yzerman loaded up with veteran depth guys, including two goalies, and decent players on one-year prove-it deals, such as Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere ($4.125 million salary). Seattle forward Daniel Sprong, 26, could be an under-the-radar prize with a one-year contract ($2 million) after a career-high 21 goals. Same with forward Klim Kostin, 24, acquired from Edmonton to provide a much-needed physical presence.

Savvy and solid, not spectacular. Same with the Wings’ two first-round picks — center Nate Danielson and defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka. Same with the Pistons’ two first-round picks — Thompson and Marcus Sasser.

Continued (paywall)

Khan on Compher’s desire to join the Red Wings

MLive’s Ansar Khan posted a profile of Red Wings free agent signing J.T. Compher this evening, discussing the former Colorado Avalanche center’s decision to join the Red Wings on a 5-year contract:

Compher rattled off reasons why he joined the Red Wings, including familiarity with the area having played for the U.S. National Team Development Program in Plymouth prior to three seasons at Michigan. He also cited good conversations with general manager Steve Yzerman and coach Derek Lalonde.

“There are a lot of attractive parts about playing for the Red Wings,” Compher said. “I think at the end of the day it was my conversation with Steve and hearing about the direction of the Wings and what he was trying to build. I really believed in what he’s doing, the sort of people they want to bring in. You want to have a great team on the ice, but you need to have good guys in the room.

“But overall, it was the direction of the team, the desire to win. I could hear it in their voice. That’s what we want as players, a chance to build and try to win championships.”

Larkin and Copp gave Compher the lowdown on what it’s like playing for the Red Wings.

“They said they love the room and they have a really good group of guys that want to win,” Compher said. “I was excited to work together and try to make the playoffs and push the team into being as good as it can be. They both had really good things to say about management and coaches.”

Continued

Allen profiles Shayne Gostisbehere

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen posted a post-press conference profile of Red Wings free agent signing Shayne Gostisbehere:

Even Gostisbehere’s hockey start was unusual. He grew up in South Florida where his French father was a professional jai alai player. His older sister was a high level figure skater and Gostisbehere’s first memories of going to an ice rink were trying to find a place to sleep there when he accompanied his sister to her pre-dawn practices. Soon, he was always hanging out at the rink.

“I had a grandpa from Montreal, so that helped a lot,” Gostisbehere said. “He was a season ticket holder to the (Florida) Panthers and I went to every game as a kid. Just fell in love with the game.”

Union College was the only college that recruited him strongly. He was passed over in the NHL draft the first year he was eligible. Gostisbehere was undersized and scouts weren’t sure he was big enough to handle the rigors of the NHL.

But he proved himself with the Philadelphia Flyers, finishing second in the Calder Trophy voting after scoring 17 goals. He also enjoyed a 65-point season with the Flyers before falling out of favor there. Two strong seasons Arizona has restored his confidence. He also played impressively for the Carolina Hurricanes when he was dealt there before the trade deadline

“I’ll forever be grateful and thankful for the Coyotes organization giving me that opportunity over the last couple of years,” Gostisbehere said. “It’s spring-boarded me into the opportunity I got with Carolina.”

Continued

Wyshynski explains why Bertuzzi signed with Toronto

FTR:

DetroitRedWings.com’s Mills highlights Sunday’s free agent signee pressers

The vast majority of the Red Wings’ 2023 free agent signings took part in media availabilties on Sunday afternoon, and DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills posted highlights from the press conferences of Justin Holl, Shayne Gostisbehere, T.J. Compher, Daniel Sprong, Christian Fischer and James Reimer:

After Round 2 of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Executive Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman said he wanted to add more offense to the Red Wings’ lineup. Detroit did just that by inking four free-agent forwards over the weekend, highlighted by the signing of Compher to a five-year deal.

Compher earned 52 points (17-35-52) in 82 games last season with the Colorado Avalanche, adding two points in seven playoff contests.

According to the 28-year-old, he is “super excited” to join the Red Wings organization and to reunite with former University of Michigan teammates (2014-15) Andrew Copp and Detroit captain Dylan Larkin.

“There was a lot that attracted me to be a Red Wing,” Compher said. “First off, playing at Michigan and growing up in Chicago were both things that have helped me see the great legacy and tradition the Red Wings have. I have a lot of respect for the organization.”

Continued

Tyler Bertuzzi signs 1-year, $5.5 million contract with Toronto

He’ll be in the division again:

Tyler Bertuzzi Correction:

Breakdown:
$775k base salary + $4.725M in signing bonuses

Apologies for the mistake, was moving too fast on that. https://t.co/YN0IUMvuir— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) July 2, 2023