Of brief Red Wings-related note this evening:
- WXYZ posted a non-embeddable YouTube video of Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde taking part in the Red Wings’ “Street Hockey in the D” summer showcase in Detroit today, and The Athletic’s Max Bultman was in attendance as well:
Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde and 2023 Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award winner Jason McCrimmon out here this morning for the Red Wings Street Hockey in the D event with local kids pic.twitter.com/bDI9cTfuAO
— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) August 8, 2023
Derek Lalonde says he loved the Red Wings offseason. Wants to be “relevant” as a team and says there is no doubt in his mind they are.
— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) August 8, 2023
Lalonde on Justin Holl: “I like Justin a lot. Obviously we land these kids in free agency and then as coach you go watch them. … He defends, he’s a first pass guy. … There’s still a reason he was playing the minutes he was on a playoff team that was a Stanley Cup Contender.”
— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) August 8, 2023
Lalonde says while the Red Wings improved in every category defensively last season, “still isn’t good enough.”
— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) August 8, 2023
“I’ve been fortunate enough prior to coming here, being around some winning within this league, and it’s still about keeping it out of the net.”
2. Elsewhere, the Toledo Walleye posted this clip of Walleye forward Brandon Hawkins scoring a trick-shot goal in the Columbus “Cap City Summer Elite League“:
What The Hawkins?? @B_Hawkins17 with an absolutely NASTY goal in the @CapCityEliteHKY for @batteryhockey
— Yamo Media (@YamoMedia) August 8, 2023
Seriously….how?!@ryansfingers @gwfranke on the 🎙️@HeartOfaT and @u_x_chewy on the 🎥@HighBankDistill @BLADETECHHOCKEY @espn @NHL @ToledoWalleye @614Hockey… pic.twitter.com/seILLfLKSb
3. Finally, you probably know by now that Red Wings 2019 draft pick Robert Mastrosimone chose not to sign with Detroit while the team held his NCAA rights, and he will be a free agent on August 15th.
According to Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen, there may be some NHL interest in the 5’10,” 170-pound Arizona State University forward, but he probably wasn’t going to be signed by the Red Wings anyway:
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs have been linked to giving Mastrosimone a shot.
The Red Wings were intrigued by Mastrosimone’s combination of energy and skill when they drafted him 54th overall four years ago. But he didn’t live up to expectations in his first three seasons at Boston University. The speedy left wing posted 50 points in three seasons with the Terriers.
He transferred to Arizona State before last season. The change of venue helped his game. The New York native enjoyed his best college season with 11 goals and 31 assists for ASU in 2022-23.
The bottom line is Mastrosimone was never able to make enough impact to be considered a must-have Detroit prospect. There was never an undercurrent about the Red Wings signing him. Detroit currently has 42 players under contract, according to CapFriendly.com. Each team is allowed 50 contracts, although no team carries that many. The St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks and Arizona Coyotes currently have 48.
I can tell you that the Red Wings were at least interested in Mastrosimone enough to draft him, but the rumblings when he transferred to Arizona State after three seasons at Boston University suggested that he wanted a new start in more ways than one.
