Month: September 2024

I received a Google email alert from a strange source, and it sent me to this page from The Henry Ford, which will be holding an exhibit called: Hockey: Faster Than Ever from October 13th to January 5th, 2025 at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation:

HOCKEY: Faster Than Ever takes you on an exciting journey through the evolution of ice hockey, showcasing the remarkable technical advancements and scientific breakthroughs that have shaped the sport over time. From cutting-edge technologies to the physics of play, the exhibition will leave you amazed by the fusion of science and sport.

Test your skills and knowledge like true hockey pros with a variety of exciting interactives. Have lightning-fast reflexes? Put them to the test in Don’t Blink and see how many lights you can hit in one minute. Feel the adrenaline rush as you step up to Need for Speed and unleash your shot power: measure your slapshot speed and compete with your friends to see who has the fastest shot. Looking to finesse your aim? Hit the targets in Score Like a Pro and prove your precision with a puck. Pay tribute to the pinnacle of hockey at The Stanley Cup® touchscreen, where you can get up close to the most coveted trophy in sports history.

You can also snap a selfie with a real ice resurfacer and explore displays showcasing the evolution of skates and gear from the 19th and 20th centuries. In the hockey Science Lab, unleash your inner hockey player through hands-on challenges in a replica rink. This exhibition also features an impressive locker room outfitted with jerseys and more from NHL star players.

Among the promised exhibit highlights:

Detroit Red Wings artifacts provided in partnership with the team, including jerseys and gear from star players, along with The Russian Five game-worn jerseys, actual boards from the beloved Joe Louis Arena itself and more.

Game-worn gear from Michiganders Kirsten Simms and Megan Keller of the U.S. Women’s National Team, including their jerseys from the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship, all provided in partnership with USA Hockey.

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan ponders the Red Wings’ contract situations with Jonatan Berggren, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider today:

Moritz Seider

▶ Age: 23

▶ Position: Defense

▶ 2023-24 salary cap hit: $863,333

▶ Resume: 2022 Calder Trophy (rookie of the year) winner. Led Wings in ice time (22 minutes 22 seconds per game). Only NHL player with over 200 blocks (212, second in NHL) and hits (211, eighth). Key component on power play and penalty kill.

There have been reports throughout the summer that Seider and the Wings were inching toward a deal. It’s not likely any Red Wings player will surpass captain Dylan Larkin annual average value ($8.7 million), but Seider will come close. Seider faces the opponent’s best players every game, is used in every situation, and will continue to take on a larger leadership role.

“It’s not a big secret I want to be a Red Wing and I’m confident enough that I could be a good asset for this organization, and that really matters to me,” Seider said during his season-ending interview in Detroit. “I want to be part of this team and locker room and want to play in front of those fans.”

Seider had a career-high nine goals with 33 assists, matching his point total (42) from the 2022-23 campaign (he had 50 in his rookie season in ’21-’22).

Seider has shown admirable durability, having not missed a game (246 appearances) in his three NHL seasons

“He battles hard every game,” Yzerman said. “He blocks shots, gets hit, makes plays. We’re asking him to do a lot. He’s got the mental toughness to weather it all.”

Continued (paywall) I believe that it may take until the start of the regular season to re-sign Seider, Raymond and Berggren, but both the Red Wings and the players’ agents clearly want to make a deal happen.

We’re getting closer:

Tis the season. 😍 pic.twitter.com/mLBbPY1Ghf

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 10, 2024

Of Red Wings prospect-related note today:

On the first day of the Finnish Liiga season, Jesse Kiiskinen finished with an assist, a -2 and 4 shots in 14:52 played on the second line as HPK Hameenlinna lost 7-3 to Jukurit.

EP Rinkside’s Sean Shapiro shared some Red Wings-related thoughts on his “Shap Shots” blog today:

On Lucas Raymond: The scouts I spoke to love Raymond’s game, they also see a big boost for the forward coming this season after he put up 72 points (31 goals, 41 assists) in 82 games.

“The league kind of learned him in year two, he went through a bit of that sophomore slump and came out stronger last year,” one scout said. “I love everything he does and to me, he’s just gonna keep getting better.”

From a contract perspective, there was a bit of a consensus that smart business by Detroit would be to get Raymond locked in on a long-term deal to avoid the future cost of a bridge deal.

“He could bet on himself and I would bet he would make himself a ton more money doing that,” one scout said. “You never really know with Steve (Yzerman), but I feel like he’s gotta find a way to get it to a seven or eight-year deal now to avoid the future hurt on the cap when he out plays a bridge.”

On Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat: I spoke to a couple scouts about the pair that had such great chemistry in Chicago and really only showed flashes of it last season in Detroit.

“I think it’s still there, and we saw it here and there, but I think there was a bit more pressure on them to get it right, right away,” one scout said. “Kane played what, 50 games? I think he came in and there timing just took a bit. I think those two with a full camp will be in a great spot.”

Continued; thankfully both Raymond and Seider appear to be ready to sign on the dotted line–once their agents and GM Steve Yzerman agree upon contracts…

Sportsnet is beginning its NHL team previews with division-by-division lists of “one player who must deliver” during the 2024-2025 season, and here’s Emily Sadler’s surprising pick for the Red Wings:

Detroit Red Wings: Jonatan Berggren: The Red Wings ranked ninth in goals per game last year (3.35) but lost a little fire power this off-season with the departures of David Perron, Daniel Sprong, and Robby Fabbri. While the signing of Vladimir Tarasenko and the return of Patrick Kane definitely addresses some of that, the team will also need to lean on internal promotions to fill out the lineup and bring more offence. Is Jonatan Berggren ready to take on a larger role?

After suiting up for 67 games in 2022-23, registering 15 goals and 28 points, the 2018 second-rounder took a step back last year. He appeared in just 12 games in 2023-24, recording six points, but couldn’t stick.

With reliable goal-scorers atop the lineup in Lucas Raymond, Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat, and hopefully Kane and Tarasenko, too, the Red Wings will need some of their younger players like Berggren to deliver on their potential if they are to take the next step into contention.

Continued; the Wings do need their third/fourth line players like Berggren and Veleno to step up and help balance out the team’s scoring.

Bleacher Report’s Adam Gretz listed his “best contract” for every NHL team this upcoming season, and he chose Dylan Larkin as the Wings’ best bargain (for now):

Detroit Red Wings: Dylan Larkin

The term “underrated” gets thrown around a little too loosely in hockey circles, and it usually simply refers to a great player who everybody already knows is great but just so happens to play on a team that nobody really pays much attention to.

Larkin might actually be truly underrated.

The 28-year-old is a No. 1 center who has turned into a point-per-game player and is signed for another four full seasons at $8.7 million per season.

Expensive? Sure.

But if he were to hit the open market right now or be eligible for a new contract, he easily gets more than that number.

Continued;

You get what you pay for.

Lucas Raymond’s agent, Peter Werner, spoke with Hockeysverige.se’s Ronnie Ronnqvist today, and Raymond himself spoke with Goteborgs-Posten’s Johan Rylander regarding his situation. What follows is roughly translated:

Lucas Raymond’s wait for a super contract–still in Sweden

Ice hockey: In just over a week, the Detroit Red Wings’ season starts. But start Lucas Raymond, 22, is still in Gothenburg–waiting for the biggest contract of his life.

“I will not go over until the contract is ready,” he says.

Inside the small rink in Frolundaborg, two brothers sit and collect pucks. Lucas Raymond and his older brother Hugo have just lost the bet against the hired goalkeepers from Stenungsund and Alingsas–and the punishment is given.

The Raymond brothers have run a rough training session with a focus on goal shooting together with hockey coach Andreas Larsson–and there have both been sticks on the sidelines and push-ups as punishment.

But what on earth is the NHL star doing in Sweden?

He’s waiting.

Waiting for the Detroit Red Wings and agent J.P. Barry to negotiate a new contract–the biggest of his career.

“We’ve been talking for quite a while, so hopefully something decent will be done soon! Both parties want to make it happen, but we have to come to an agreement. When it will be remains to be seen,” says Lucas Raymond, shrugging his shoulders.

Continue reading Roughly translated: Lucas Raymond speaks with GP.se’s Johan Rylander regarding his contract, training, and more

Things you don’t expect to read, per the ECHL:

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Icemen, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Buffalo Sabres and the American Hockey League’s Rochester Americans, announced that the team has agreed to terms with goaltender Matt Vernon for the 2024-25 season.  

Vernon, 26, returns for a second season with the Icemen after orchestrating an outstanding rookie campaign last year. Vernon earned ECHL All-Rookie Team and All-ECHL Second Team honors after setting an Icemen team record for wins in a season with 25, while posting a 2.67 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage. In addition, he was named ECHL Goaltender of the Month for February and was named ECHL Goaltender of the Week for the week of Nov. 20-26.

Prior to his professional career, Vernon played at Colorado College, totaling 19 wins, with five shutouts, a 3.02 goals-against average and .901 save percentage. The Calgary, Alberta resident also played two seasons with the North American Hockey League’s Aberdeen Wings where he compiled 57 wins, including a 40-win season with seven shutouts during the 2018-19 season.

Vernon is the son of Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Mike Vernon, who won a Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames in 1989 and with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997. 

I was unaware that Vernon’s son was trying to make a pro career work. I hope he does well!

Yesterday, Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis named five Red Wings prospects to his “Top 75 NHL-affiliated skater prospects“; today, he issues a “Top 25 NHL-affiliated goaltending prospects” list, and both Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine crack Ellis’ list:

6. Sebastian Cossa, 21 (Detroit Red Wings)

2023-24 rank: 5th (-1)

The 2022-23 season was all about getting comfortable against pro competition – he mainly played in the ECHL with Toledo, but was one of the best goalies in the league. This past year was about taking a bigger step forward against tougher competition, and Cossa looked great with Grand Rapids. He’s set to return there for another year, where he’ll look to challenge for the AHL’s top goaltender award, and I wouldn’t bet against him. He’s huge at 6-foot-6 and moves incredibly well for his size while showing all the signs of being a future No. 1 NHL goaltender. I hope we see him get his first crack at an NHL game this year, too.

7. Trey Augustine, 19 (Detroit Red Wings)

2023-24 rank: New

Two Red Wings goalies in the top 10? You love to see it if you’re a fan of the red and white. Augustine had a near-perfect record in his draft year, capped off with a great showing at the U-18 World Championship. He then won gold at the 2024 World Junior and took home the Big Ten championship while earning tournament MVP honors. Add in a few really good appearances at the World Championship and Augustine is truly on the top of his game. He doesn’t have Cossa’s size – Augustine is just 6-foot-1 – but he’s got a winning pedigree, a great glove hand, and an outstanding foundation to build around. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being better than Cossa.

Continued; we’ll just have to wait and see as to how Cossa and Augustine develop.