Month: October 2023

Game-day video: Jake Walman, Jeff Petry and coach Lalonde speak with the media

Here’s the Red Wings’ video of the game-day availabilities of Jake Walman, Jeff Petry and coach Derek Lalonde:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=NKR7WUkSD-A%3Fsi%3DVlQ-27lOjI2V4zuj

The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted a clip of Jeff Petry’s availability as well:

Mills’ game-day notebook: Wings’ preseason work continues vs. Pens

DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills posted a game-day notebook ahead of tonight’s exhibition game between the Red Wings and Penguins (7 PM EDT on SportNet Pittsburgh, DetroitRedWings.com, 97.1 the Ticket):

The Red Wings opened a stretch of three preseason road games in as many days Tuesday, falling to the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-2. Joe Veleno scored two goals and goalies Ville Husso and professional tryout Michael Hutchinson combined to turn aside 30 of 33 shots in the loss.

“(Tuesday’s game) put some of our young D in a vulnerable position being on the road against a predominantly NHL lineup,” Detroit head coach Derek Lalonde said. “But that’s one of the positives about the preseason.”

Although the Red Wings will dress two different lineups amidst this busy three-day stretch, Lalonde said the coaching staff continues to deliver a consistent message to the club’s expanded roster.

“Just manage it,” Lalonde said. “We have two teams going, so a couple guys will get some back-to-backs. Message still hasn’t changed. We’re going to keep working on some things in our game.”

Daniel Sprong is projected to play against the Penguins, and the 26-year-old forward said he has been impressed by the Red Wings’ depth this preseason.

“We’re a deep team,” said Sprong, who signed a one-year deal with Detroit this offseason. “I don’t think it’s just the forwards. If you look at our back end and goalies, we’re a deep team. It reminds me a lot of Seattle last year, where we had depth on all four lines. I think any four lines and our D can step up and make a difference every game.”

Tweet of note from Khan: injury updates regarding Carter Mazur, Matt Luff

Per MLive’s Ansar Khan:

Mazur has a “lower-body injury,” and Luff probably dislocated his shoulder.

Tweets of note: Red Wings, Penguins’ rosters for tonight’s preseason game

Here are the Red Wings and Penguins’ rosters for tonight’s preseason game in Pittsburgh (7 PM EDT on SportsNet Pittsburgh, DetroitRedWings.com and 97.1 the Ticket):

Alex Nedeljkovic will play the entire game for Pittsburgh, while James Reimer will play sixty minutes for Detroit.

FYI:

Morning skate part 2: Wings’ ‘A Team’ skates late

The Red Wings hit the ice for their morning skate ahead of tonight’s game in Pittsburgh (7 PM EDT on SportsNet Pittsburgh, DetroitRedWings.com and 97.1 the Ticket) an hour after the Penguins held their skate:

If you missed it, here’s the Pens’ roster for tonight’s game. Familiar faces in goal:

After the skate ended…

Continue reading Morning skate part 2: Wings’ ‘A Team’ skates late

A bit of praise for MSU’s Trey Augustine

FloHockey’s Chris Peters ranks his top 25 NCAA Division I hockey incoming freshmen this morning, and Trey Augustine of Michigan State earns the 8th spot:

8. Trey Augustine, G, Michigan State (Detroit Red Wings)

A massive piece for a resurgent Michigan State team, Augustine is expected to get a lot of the starts in net for the Spartans. He is likely to be the No. 1 goalie for Team USA at the World Junior Championship, too. After closing out his year by being USA’s best player in a tight gold-medal game against Sweden, Augustine brings a championship pedigree to the Green and White. He’ll also have an awful lot of fans in Red and White as Augustine was a second-round pick of the nearby Detroit Red Wings who will be keeping close tabs on the netminder with an especially high hockey IQ and polished technique.

Continued; Shai Buium’s brother, Zeev, earns a shout-out as well.

It’s preseason interview time for Bally Sports Detroit’s Trevor Thompson

Per Bally Sports Detroit on Twitter/X/whatever…

And from yesterday…

The Athletic’s Joe Smith profiles new NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh

The Athletic’s Joe Smith posted a profile of new NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh, who is attempting to restore a level of trust in his union:

In his introductory news conference in late March, Walsh vowed to bring a “different” style of leadership. And it feels like Walsh is going with a more personal approach. He’s starting his fall tour of team visits next week, heading to Las Vegas for the Golden Knights’ season opener. He plans to meet with every player in the NHL by Christmas. He went to the BioSteel camp in Halifax this summer and the European NHL Media Tour in Stockholm. He’s checked in with many players by phone.

And Walsh is giving them all his personal cell phone number.

The NHL and NHLPA jointly established and launched a hotline, operated by an independent third-party provider, that enables players, staff and anyone else in the NHL ecosystem to report unethical behavior and misconduct. This is separate from the line established by the long-standing NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

But it was telling that Babcock’s behavior was sparked by a whistleblowing player going to “Spittin’ Chiclets,” not the league. Walsh hopes to change that, saying he’s already heard concerns from players on other issues.

“It’s about building relationships,” Walsh said. “I’m working with some players who have come up to me with other things. They didn’t go through the hotline or a podcast; it came directly to me or (Hainsey). Let’s be honest: I’m still fairly early in this journey. So the players know me directly or by hearsay or through somebody. By Christmas, I’m going to have met every single player in the NHL at least once — and a lot of them will be multiple times. After our fall tour, there’s no reason for a player to not call us directly.

“That’s what we’re going to do here.”

Continued (paywall)

Red Wings-Penguins preseason morning skate stuff: Pens skate in P’burgh; prospective Wings roster posted

The Red Wings did not hold a morning skate today, so the Pittsburgh Penguins are our subject ahead of tonight’s game between Pittsburgh and Detroit at PPG Paints Arena (7 PM EDT on DetroitRedWings.com and 97.1 the Ticket):

And the Red Wings haven’t officially posted their roster, but…

FYI:

Big update: the Red Wings did hold a morning skate after all:

Morning mishmash: On Chiarot, Hutchinson, Danielson and the Kraken Plan

Of Red Wings-related note this morning:

  1. Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff took note of Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde’s defense of Ben Chiarot, who was -31 last season:

“He can put a lot of value in,” Lalonde said. “Beating the Ben Chiarot drum, he’s extremely valuable to us. Even last year, fielding some questions on some of his underlying numbers and plus/minus, we think he’s very valuable to us in a lot of ways.”

At 6-foot-3 and 232 pounds, Chiarot is capable of playing a heavy game and being a physical presence between the boards. That was an element that was in short supply with the Red Wings last season. Looking to some other numbers, those digits are telling a story of how Chiarot was delivering the goods in other areas of the game.

He was second among the club’s rearguards in hits (147) and blocked shots (163). Chiarot was parrying pucks at a team-high per-game rate of 6.24.

“I think that’s one of the reasons why people are getting away from that black and white plus/minus,” Lalonde said. “I still think there’s some value to it. But at the same time, there’s a reason that black and white plus/minus is getting faded out around the league. He was culpable for some of it but a lot of it was circumstantial.”

2. The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted an article regarding Wings try-out goaltender Michael Hutchinson:

Continue reading Morning mishmash: On Chiarot, Hutchinson, Danielson and the Kraken Plan