Of Red Wings-related note over the past three days, posted this morning because we lost internet service at Blog Central last night:
Detroit Hockey Now: Bob Duff discussed former Red Wing Billy Taylor, who was banned by the league in the late 40’s for gambling;
In foreign-language news, Duff reported that former Wing Dominik Kubalik told iSport.blesk.cz that he’s still looking for NHL employment;
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod coach Igor Larionov told Sport-Express that he’s turned down offers to join an NHL bench;
Scotty Bowman also spoke with Sport-Express regarding the passing of Sergei Mnatsakanov;
And Kevin Allen posted a paywalled story about six HOF’ers who briefly played for the Red Wings;
DetroitRedWings.com: Jonathan Mills profiled Wings Nate Danielson;
MLive: Ansar Khan profiled John Whipple and Charlie Forslund, two long-shot prospects;
The Hockey News: Connor Eargood wrote quite a bit about Moritz Seider being named to NHL.com’s list of the top 20 defensemen at #20;
Adam Proteau says that the “Division From Hell” is the NHL’s toughest division;
Bleacher Report: Joe Yerdon also ranked every division;
USA Today: Mike Brehm gives the Red Wings’ offseason a “C” grade:
Detroit Red Wings: C
They re-signed Patrick Kane for another year and added two-time Cup winner Vladimir Tarasenko. Kane had 20 goals in 50 games after joining Detroit following hip surgery, so those moves should boost the offense. But Daniel Sprong (18 goals), Fabbri (18) and David Perron (17) are gone as is a 56-point defenseman in Gostisbehere. Detroit signed Erik Gustafsson (31 points and better defensively) to take his place. The Red Wings had inconsistent goaltending last season and added Cam Talbot and Jack Campbell to the mix.
The Athletic: According to Evan Drellich, Diamond Sports, the parent company of Bally Sports Detroit, has an even more uncertain future after Amazon pulled its streaming deal with the bankrupt company;
Daily Faceoff: I thought it was interesting that Paul Pidutti listed Cam Talbot as the 16th-best goaltender in the NHL;
Steven Ellis believes that both Max Plante and Trey Augustine will make Team USA’s World Junior Championship roster;
NHL.com: Simon Edvinsson earned one writer’s endorsement as an up-and-coming NHL defenseman:
Simon Edvinsson, Detroit Red Wings
Keep an eye on Edvinsson, the No. 6 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. For most of the past two seasons, he has been hiding in the American Hockey League, where the Red Wings have had him developing with Grand Rapids. He has played 25 NHL games and shown only flashes of his talent at the highest level. But he’s 21. He has size (6-foot-6, 209 pounds) and skill, and if he puts it together, he could be at least a little like Victor Hedman. — Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist
Was Dominik Hasek the best goaltender to lace up skates, even over Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy? Cotsonika thinks so:
Dominik Hasek
Roy and Brodeur each won more games and more championships. But they played for better teams for the most part, and Hasek was a late bloomer. And consider this: Roy’s best single-season save percentage was .925 (minimum 20 games), and Brodeur’s best was .927. Hasek was .930 or better five times and .922 during his NHL career. At his peak, Hasek was far ahead of his peers. He led the NHL in save percentage six straight seasons between 1993-94 and 1998-99, ranging from .920 to .937, when the League average ranged from .895 to .908. Hasek won the Vezina Trophy six times, the most since 1981-82, when the NHL stopped giving the Vezina to the goalie whose team allowed the fewest regular-season goals and put it to a vote of NHL general managers. Hasek won the Hart Trophy as the League’s most valuable player in 1997 and 1998. He was the first goalie to win it since Jacques Plante in 1962, he’s one of six to win it since 1924 and the only one to win it twice. That’s, well, domination. — Cotsonika
And finally, NHL.com’s fantasy hockey staff posted raw projected point totals for its top fantasy hockey forwards.
Dylan Larkin, F, DET: 80
Alex DeBrincat, F, DET: 73
Lucas Raymond, F, DET: 72
Patrick Kane, F, DET: 68
Vladimir Tarasenko, F, DET: 55
J.T. Compher, F, DET: 52
