Author: George Malik

My name is George Malik, and I'm the Malik Report's editor/blogger/poster. I have been blogging about the Red Wings since 2006, and have worked with MLive and Kukla's Korner. Thank you for reading!

Custance on Zetterberg’s playing future

The Athletic’s Craig Custance discusses Henrik Zetterberg’s future today, wondering aloud how long Zetterberg might play:

As one Western Conference head coach put it: “He’s made millions and millions and still absolutely loves to compete. That’s why you respect Zetterberg and the Sedins so much. They’re approaching 38 and 39 and they play like a son of a bitch.”

Zetterberg isn’t doing it with high-end skating or some other skill that might fall off a cliff as 40 approaches. He’s successful because he has an iron will. And continues to stay a step or two ahead of the young players populating the league.

So there’s definitely a temptation to rethink that two-year assumption that emerged in the summer.

“If I can go in and have the year I had last year for four more years, I am more than happy to be the guy who can play,” Zetterberg told The Athletic when asked about his plans for the future earlier in the season.

Custance continues (paywall)…

Red Wings-Hurricanes game-day updates: Canes aim for 4th straight win

The Red Wings battle the Carolina Hurricanes this evening (7:00 PM on FSD/FS Carolinas/97.1 FM). Both teams held optional morning skates today, and all signs point to Cam Ward and Petr Mrazek facing off for a battle in the teams’ respective goal creases.

After the morning skates, CarolinaHurricanes.com’s Michael Smith filed a game-day update:

Continue reading Red Wings-Hurricanes game-day updates: Canes aim for 4th straight win

NHL.com talks Wings trade possibilities

The NHL’s website has posted a “Trade Buzz” article that happens to include some familiar “buzz” about the Red Wings’ possible trades:

Coach Jeff Blashill said goaltender Petr Mrazek will start at Carolina on Friday (7 p.m. ET; FS-CR, FS-D, NHL.TV), which could provide another opportunity to showcase the 25-year-old goaltender for a possible trade.

It will be the fourth start in five games for Mrazek, a pending restricted free agent who is looking like a valuable commodity again. After going 3-5-1 with an .885 save percentage in his first 12 games this season, he has gone 3-0-1 with a .965 save percentage in his past five games.

Continue reading NHL.com talks Wings trade possibilities

Red Wings-Hurricanes morning skate Tweets: Canes, Wings ‘take optional’ skates

Updated 2x at 12:36 PM: The Detroit Red Wings kick off a stretch of 2 games to be played over the course of 2 nights as they face the streaking Carolina Hurricanes this evening (7:00 PM on FSD/FS Carolinas/97.1 FM).

Carolina has won 3 straight games heading into tonight’s match-up, and the Canes sit 8 points ahead of the Wings in the Wild Card standings.

If you’re interested, the Hurricanes’ website posted a set of game notes ahead of the Canes’ morning skate, and CarolinaHurricanes.com’s Mike Smith penned a game preview:

Continue reading Red Wings-Hurricanes morning skate Tweets: Canes, Wings ‘take optional’ skates

Griffins’ IceHouse in quarterfinals for LED light system contest

From the Grand Rapids Griffins:

 

Caputo: Wings need to reassess the ‘rebuild on the fly’

The Oakland PRess’s Pat Caputo suggests that the Red Wings require a change in philosophy to get themselves out of their “rut”:

The thought process of striving merely to make the playoffs has to go. More important is building a team that can ultimately contend for a Stanley Cup championship.

It takes more than draft picks and astute trades. It takes properly accessing the value of players and leaving enough cap room to smartly fit in the pieces when a solid nucleus is formed.

Caputo continues at length…

 

Prospect round-up: Griffins lose in shootout; Sulak registers an assist; Fulcher stops Petes

In the AHL, the Grand Rapids Griffins got goals from Eric Tangradi and Dominic Turgeon and 31 saves from Jared Coreau en route to a 3-2 shootout loss to the Cleveland Monsters. Cleveland’s Nathan Gerbe scored the only shootout goal.

The Griffins’ website posted a recap:

Continue reading Prospect round-up: Griffins lose in shootout; Sulak registers an assist; Fulcher stops Petes

The Fourth Period’s Pagnotta discusses Mike Green trade scenarios

Per The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta:

Detroit Red Wings blueliner Mike Green is getting a lot of attention these days, with several teams very interested his services.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets and Pittsburgh Penguins are among the teams, and there are a few more, believed to have serious interest, and some teams may be more inclined to make a move sooner than later.

Green will become an unrestricted free agent this summer and the Red Wings are willing to take on a portion of his salary to help facilitate a trade. I don’t believe a move is close, just yet, but I can see something being ironed out well before the deadline.

Red Wings-Hurricanes set-up: Wings hope to gain ground on Canes

The Detroit Red Wings begin a set of back-to-back road games with a match-up against the Carolina Hurricanes this evening (7:00 PM EST on FSD/FS Carolinas/97.1 FM), and the Red Wings will be looking to close the gap upon a team that they trail by 8 points in the Wild Card standings.

The 24-19-and-8 Hurricanes find themselves sitting a tiebreaker short of the second Wild Card spot after having defeated the Montreal Canadiens 2-0 on Thursday.

Carolina’s earned 3 straight wins and has won 4 of their past 6 games, and they’ve scored 10 goals over the course of their 3-game winning streak.

Continue reading Red Wings-Hurricanes set-up: Wings hope to gain ground on Canes

Articles from practice: on shot production, the hot goaltending hand and Tatar’s ‘sick move’

The Detroit Red Wings held a light practice on Thursday, hoping to build upon their win over San Jose as the Wings prepared for a two-game road trip against a pair of teams that the Wings must catch and hold off, respectively, to earn a Wild Card spot.

The Wings sit 6 points behind the Carolina Hurricanes, who will host the Montreal Canadiens this evening, and Detroit leads the Florida Panthers by 2 points (and the Panthers play in Buffalo tonight).

The Free Press’s Helene St. James reported that Henrik Zetterberg “took a maintenance day” on Thursday, but it’s assumed that Zetterberg will play on Friday; St. James also confirmed that Petr Mrazek will start against the Hurricanes.

After practice, the Red Wings posted Twitter videos in which coach Jeff Blashill and forward Tomas Tatar spoke with the media…

Continue reading Articles from practice: on shot production, the hot goaltending hand and Tatar’s ‘sick move’