Of Red Wings-related note this evening:
- The Hockey News’s Sam Stockton wrote an excellent article regarding the learning curves which Red Wings forward Marco Kasper and defenseman Albert Johansson face as prospects who are learning the NHL “on the fly”:
As [Red Wings coach Derek] Lalonde explained it Saturday morning, “Today’s NHL…you’re developing on the fly. You get a little extra video, extra reps.” Friday’s practice had been optional, but Kasper and Johansson both took part, because, in Lalonde’s words, “it was important for those guys to get reps and touches and work on some things in their game, so it’s a little more involved.”
At the heart of the learning process for youngsters like Kasper and Johansson are those extra video sessions with Detroit’s coaching staff. “It’s just a conversation,” explains Kasper. “It’s really good to see. It really helps you to understand the game at a high level.” That idea of “seeing” is a crucial one for a young player getting accustomed to life in the NHL. That the meetings function as a conversation rather than lecture offers a chance to share what you saw in real time and juxtapose it with what a coach saw. The objective is to demystify the NHL game for two players who can’t lean on experience to understand what they’re seeing each night.
“Every game here is so hard to win, and there is so many good players here,” Johansson tells The Hockey News Sunday afternoon. “I think my first couple games, I knew it was gonna be a challenge for me. And then I felt like maybe, as the season is going, I think maybe I get a little nervous. You never want to make mistakes, but maybe I was thinking of it a little bit too much, to not make mistakes, and then mistakes come. For me, I’m just trying to work hard every day to get better and play simple hockey that I know I can play: moving pucks and use my feet and skating to be involved.”
2. The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan asked Cam Talbot about the chatter suggesting that #39 may end up being picked as one of Canada’s goaltenders for the Four Nations Cup:
Talbot and his wife have no plans, as of now, during the tournament Feb. 12-20, in Boston and Montreal. Talbot’s schedule is free, and he’d love to be part of the best-on-best tournament.
“Obviously we’re thinking about somewhere, but nothing is booked,” said a smiling Talbot, whose performance this season is making many analysts feel he should be one of the three Canadian goaltenders on the roster. “We’ll wait and see after (the selections announced Dec. 4). Nothing is locked down. If that (the tournament) were to happen, we would not be too upset about not being on a bench somewhere.”
Talbot’s case statistically is strong, with a 5-4-2 record, but 2.62 goals-against average and .921 save percentage. The overall save percentage, or even-strength (.946) or high-danger shots (.870), in any of those categories, Talbot is best among Canadian-born goaltenders.
“The one guarantee he would give that group is you know what you’re getting,” said coach Derek Lalonde, who feels Talbot should be strongly considered. “I don’t see why he would not be in that mix. Last year at this time he was an (NHL) All-Star. He’s playing at a high level. There’s something about when he gets his game in order you know what you’re getting and if you can play the right way in front of him, he’s going to be very consistent.”
3. And the Detroit News’s OctoPulse podcast is out, and it includes an interview with coach Mike Keenan:
