Month: December 2024

The Detroit Red Wings face off against the Vancouver Canucks today at 12:30 PM EST (FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/Sportsnet Pacific/Sportsnet One/97.1 FM), and the 10-11-and-2 Red Wings will have a difficult challenge in the 12-7-and-2 Canucks.

Vancouver is 9-and-2 on the road this season, and goaltender Kevin Lankinen, the presumptive starter, is 9-and-0 on the road.

As far as the Hockey News’s Adam Kierszenblat believes that the Canucks will set historical records today…

It will be an early start for the Vancouver Canucks (12-7-3) on Sunday as they take on the Detroit Red Wings (10-11-2) for the first time this season. In 2023-24, these two teams split the season series, with each picking up a win on home ice. With a win, Vancouver would improve to 10-2-0 on the road while picking up their fourth win on the current road trip. 

unday’s game could feature multiple historic moments. Not only is Quinn Hughes one assist away from becoming the franchise’s all-time leader for assists by a defenceman, but if he starts, Kevin Lankinen could become the first goaltender in NHL history to start a season 10-0-0 on the road. While it will require a full team effort, both records could easily be set against the Red Wings.

VancouverCanucks.com’s Chris Faber posted a game preview yesterday…

Continue reading Red Wings-Canucks game-day previews

I guess we’re going to start talking about Jacob Trouba again. The Hockey News’s Michael DeRosa suggests that the Red Wings are the “best fit” should the New York Rangers decide to trade their captain:

The Detroit Red Wings were heavily linked to Trouba during this past off-season, so they are a clear team to watch in the sweepstakes. They have had a tough start to the season, as their 10-11-2 record demonstrates. They have also won only four out of their last ten games, so GM Steve Yzerman could look to make a move soon.

There’s no question that the Red Wings could use a defender like Trouba right now. The Rochester, Mich. native would provide them an upgrade for their second pairing and would instantly become a significant part of their penalty kill if acquired. 

If Trouba is more open to a move to the Red Wings this season, they could be the perfect landing spot for the veteran. 

Continued; there’s a “fit” here, but salary cap gymnastics would be needed, and compensation would be an issue–as would Trouba’s 15-team no-trade list.

This morning, the Free Press’s Helene St. James discusses Cam Talbot reaching his 500th career game this past Friday vs. New Jersey, as well as Talbot’s value to the Wings’ team and locker room:

He wasn’t drafted (neither was Lyon) but instead signed as a free agent with the New York Rangers in 2010. From there began an NHL career that also had stopovers with the Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings. His inauspicious beginnings and well-traveled journey play into why it was so special to reach the milestone. (He’s the 82nd goaltender in NHL history to get there.)

“It’s remarkable, especially since his career started a little bit later in the NHL,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “He wasn’t playing in the league at 18, 19. It’s just impressive. I think it speaks volumes of him, his approach. He’s a true professional. He was not the most highly touted goalie coming out of college. The way he kind of built his career — the character along with the competitor and the talent, you can see why he got to this point, to this milestone in his career.”

Talbot’s .916 save percentage and 2.67 goals-against average this season rank in the top four among Canadian goaltenders with at least 10 games played, which should put Talbot on the radar for Team Canada in the 4 Nations Faceoff tournament in February (replacing the NHL All-Star Game), with the roster to be announced Wednesday. It would be another nod of recognition for a goaltender who has forged an impressive career.

“I just always try to come to the rink with a good attitude, good work ethic, and try to do whatever I can every day to try get better, and that’s what I’ve been doing my whole career,’ Talbot said. “Never let anything deter me from going out there and doing everything I possibly can. Being undrafted and taking the route I took makes it that much more special. I just humbly appreciate every day.”

Continued; St. James posted a video of Talbot and captain Dylan Larkin discussing Talbot’s tenure with the Wings thus far:

The Red Wings posted a 2:46 Twitter clip of their “Hardest-Working Plays” from November, 2024:

First NHL goal, OT game-winners & more!

Check out November's Hardest Working Plays, presented by @Carhartt! ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/nMgZvUBZEB

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 1, 2024

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff discusses the Red Wings’ decision to draft Filip Zadina over a slate of defensive help that could have stabilized the Wings’ blueline in the 2018 draft:

Sunday, as the Vancouver Canucks arrive in town to play the Red Wings, there on the ice will be current Norris Trophy holder Quinn Hughes. Someone who was playing in Detroit’s backyard, all Hughes has done as an NHLer is score 48 goals – seven more than Zadina – and collect 358 points.

Vancouver took Hughes with the seventh overall pick. Still, word within Red Wings circles post draft was that had Zadina not been available, Hughes wouldn’t have been their choice. Detroit GM Ken Holland was said to be leaning toward Evan Bouchard.

Again, not a bad option. Holland ultimately got to see what Bouchard could do after taking over as GM of the Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton was making Bouchard the 10th overall selection. His account shows 48 goals as an NHLer. Once again, more than Zadina.

A third stud defender would be chosen 12th overall by the New York Islanders. That was Noah Dobson. While the Red Wings were managing a sweep of the Islanders in three games this season, that wasn’t Dobson’s fault. He’s a presence at both ends of the ice. He’s physically imposing in the defensive zone and possessing offensive acumen. Dobson’s NHL resume shows 41 goals and more than 200 points.

Continued; I have considered this debate many times, and it sure does suck that Tyler Wright and Ken Holland chose to pick Zadina over the defensemen they needed…

But it happened, and all the Red Wings can do about it is draft better in the future.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff discusses coach’s Derek Lalonde’s tenuous tenure with the Red Wings:

What has to have Yzerman and the rest of the Red Wings brass more than a little concerned is Lalonde’s decision to make a coach’s challenge on New Jersey’s first goal during the Devils’ 5-4 victory over Detroit on Friday.

Certainly, it was clear there was contact between Detroit goalie Cam Talbot and Devils forward Stefan Noesen at the net front. What was appearing to be almost as clear to the naked eye was that it was Talbot moving out of the blue paint into white ice who was initiating contact with Noesen.

At the best of times, which way a goalie interference call is going to go is a toss up. In this instance, there didn’t look to be much hope of the goal being overturned.

“I think our group would challenge that 100 out of 100 times,” Lalonde insisted.

Detroit was leading 2-0 at the time of the first Devils goal. The Wings were playing a strong period up until that point. Making a decision that was putting the NHL’s worst penalty-killing unit back on the ice was a risk not worth taking. And it backfired spectacularly whrn the New Jersey power play scored again to make it 2-2.

“Unfortunately, it was a pretty big turning point,” Lalonde was admitting . . . “it was a huge momentum.”

Continued; to me, it’s a “shit happens” decision that Lalonde made, and I don’t think it’s going to cost him his job. Yet.

A little belated…

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan discussed the Wings’ attempts to stabilize their penalty-kill in his Saturday notebook…

“We have to be better with our details, that was the focus of our meeting,” captain Dylan Larkin said. “We know what we’re doing (but) our details aren’t good enough. We’re letting goals slip, and they’re all different ways. It’s hard to say that we’ve done a decent job with the numbers and where we’re at, but it’s not all doom and gloom with the penalty kill. It’s just mental lapses.”

The emphasis Saturday was correct routes. Coach Derek Lalonde felt that was an issue against the Devils.

“Really frustrating,” Lalonde said. “It (the penalty kill) was the difference in the game (Friday). That structure looks a little bit better but literally every chance we’ve given up has gone in. We gave up three chances (against New Jersey) and all three went in.”

Lalonde was optimistic getting an opportunity to go over details and responsibilities on the unit Saturday will be a help.

“We had an opportunity to rep it, which was important,” Lalonde said. “Three weeks ago we were able to rep in practice and it gave the PK a little spark. Hopefully it will again (Sunday).”

Continued; Kulfan also adds this:

Michael Rasmussen understood the Devils’ Johnathan Kovacevic fighting him Friday in the first period. The challenge was in response to Rasmussen flexing over the Devils’ Jack Hughes after an empty-net goal in the teams’ previous game.

“It’s part of the game, stuff happens, emotions,” Rasmussen said. “It’s a little bit out of character for me, but I handled it. I didn’t care one way or another (if challenged to fight). I’d probably do something like that, any of our guys would do that, if something like that would transpire to Razor (Lucas Raymond) or Larks (Larkin). Respect to their team for handling their top guys like that.”