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!

Morning news: Power rankings, an ASP update, trade talk, Griffiti and a Wings-Avs preview

Of Red Wings and Grand Rapids Griffins-related note this morning:

  1. ESPN’s Power Rankings reflect the status of the Red Wings among the NHL media this morning, while discussing the Wings’ “Four Nations” participants:

26. Detroit Red Wings

Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 46.15%

Dylan Larkin was reportedly always in the plans for Team USA, and he’ll spot familiar face Lucas Raymond skating for Sweden in this event.

Next seven days: vs. COL (Dec. 7), @ BUF (Dec. 9), @ PHI (Dec. 12)

2. In prospect-related news, Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff reports that Axel Sandin-Pellikka scored his 8th goal of the SHL season (and added an assist) during Skelleftea AIK’s 5-4 win over MoDo Hockey on Thursday:

3. I think that SI’s Jacob Punturi might be a little misinformed when it comes to discussing potential trade acquisitions to bolster the Florida Panthers’ blueline…

Continue reading Morning news: Power rankings, an ASP update, trade talk, Griffiti and a Wings-Avs preview

Press release: Flint Firebirds to host ‘Flint Generals vs. Joe Kocur Foundation/Red Wings Alumni’ game on December 14th

Per a press release from the OHL’s Flint Firebirds:

The Flint Firebirds announced on Wednesday that the team will be hosting a game to take place between Flint Generals Alumni and the Joe Kocur Foundation, featuring Detroit Red Wings Alumni, prior to the team’s Flint Generals Night on Saturday, December 14.

The alumni game will take place at 3:30 p.m. with doors set to open at 3 p.m. Fans must have a ticket to that evening’s Firebirds game against in order to attend. Flint will take on the Owen Sound Attack at 7 p.m. and will be wearing specialty Flint Generals jerseys that will be auctioned live postgame, with proceeds benefitting the Old Newsboys of Flint.

The Flint Generals originally played in Flint as members of the International Hockey League (IHL) from 1969-1985 and won the IHL’s Turner Cup as league champions in 1984. The Generals returned to Flint in 1993 as members of the Colonial Hockey League, which later became the United Hockey League, and operated until 2010, winning two championships (1996, 2000).

The Generals roster, which is subject to change, will be coached by Robbie Nichols, Rob Valicevic and Stephane Brochu. It will feature Jim Duhart, Dale Greenwood, Lorne Knauft, John Heasty, Chad Grills, Brent Currie, John DiPace, Trevor Bremner, Lee Jelenic, Gary Roach, Derek Knorr and Rob Laurie

The Red Wings Alumni roster, playing through the Joe Kocur Foundation and also subject to change, will feature Joe Kocur, Darren McCarty, Kevin Miller, Drew Miller, Ryan Barnes, Dean Kolstad, Corey Potter, Ethan Graham and Jim Slater.

Flint hosts the Owen Sound Attack on Flint Generals Night, which is also the Old Newsboys Toy Drive, and is sponsored by Dort Financial Credit Union. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. and fans can get a free ticket to the games by donating a toy with a recommended minimum value of $10, as part of the Old Newsboys Toy Drive. The toy drive begins on Wednesday, December 4 and will run up to the date of the game, Saturday, December 14, at the Dort Financial Center box office.

Red Wings-Senators wrap-up: ‘no one is coming in to save the day’…or the season.

The Detroit Red Wings lost a 2-1 decision to the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night, and the fact that the Red Wings surrendered the lead with only 42.8 seconds left…

It sucked.

Detroit’s now 0-2-and-2 in their last 4 games, and the mighty Avalanche come to town for a rare home game on Saturday night (7 PM EST on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/Altitude; the Avs lost a 5-3 decision to Carolina in Raleigh on Thursday, so they’re not going to be in a good mood).

This team just doesn’t seem to know how to get out of its own way right now, and at 10-12-and-4, it’s losing ground rapidly in the tightly-packed Atlantic Division.

I’m a little lost as to where I think that the Red Wings are going right now. I’ve tried to remain as positive as possible, believing that this team at least has the talent and wherewithal to extricate itself from its incredibly mediocre start, but if it keeps stumbling over its own collective skates, I don’t know what’s next, other than a coaching change and some personnel moves to attempt to stabilize a ship that’s listing badly.

Thankfully, at a moment where The Fourth Period reports that the Wings are open for trading business, and John Buccigross says that the Red Wings need no less than 4 more good forwards, 3 defensemen, and a star goaltender to turn things around, the Red Wings’ captain is speaking logically:

Whatever this 10-12-and-4 team is becoming, I’m not expecting a savior or multiple saviors to come out of the woodwork to turn the ship around. Whatever happens, until and unless a coach is fired, and until and unless trades are made, it’s up to the coaching staff and players who are here right now to light a fire under the players’ asses and it’s up to each and every one of the Red Wings’ players to be better on a shift-by-shift basis to get the hell out of this mire and muck that is being in the middle of the middle of nowhere.

If you missed this one watching the Lions beat the Packers on “Thursday Night Football,” the Canadian Press offers a bare-bones recap…

Continue reading Red Wings-Senators wrap-up: ‘no one is coming in to save the day’…or the season.

Red Wings-Senators quick take: gut punch

The 10-11-and-4 Detroit Red Wings played something of a “barometer game” against a team with a similar record in the 10-12-and-2 Ottawa Senators on Thursday night.

The Senators are usually a team whose size, strength and after-the-whistle shenanigans tend to vex the Red Wings, so the game promised some potential fireworks for interested viewers–and a reunion of the “Pizza Line” of Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza for Sens fans.

On Thursday night, Detroit was able to keep the Sens to a zero on 5 power play opportunities, Detroit scored a power play goal of its own, and the Wings rallied from a Josh Norris goal in the 1st with a mid-3rd-period PPG from DeBrincat…

But Norris scored again on an easy rush with 42.8 seconds left in regulation time, and Detroit lost 2-1 to Ottawa, which has now tied the Red Wings in points.

Detroit can’t seem to win in Ottawa, and this one was just crushing in terms of the nature in which the Sens won a “walk-off” late.

Continue reading Red Wings-Senators quick take: gut punch

Videos: Larkin, Raymond and Lalonde speak with the media; ‘The Forecheck’ previews Wings-Sens

Ahead of tonight’s game between Detroit and Ottawa…

Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin, forward Lucas Raymond and coach Derek Lalonde spoke with the media this early afternoon…

And DetroitRedWings.com’s Daniella Bruce and Wings radio play-by-play man Ken Kal updated the Red Wings’ situation in a new episode of “The Forecheck”:

Getting my health-related stuff together

I feel that it’s necessary to post a health update:

I’m still having anxiety issues–and Aunt Annie had an anxiety attack on Tuesday, so we were quite the pair–but in my case, things are getting slowly better, though having a lengthy anxiety attack is exhausting and numbing.

I am seeing my therapist today, and that should help sort the situation out…

Aunt Annie has an echocardiogram scheduled for Thursday at 11:00 AM to determine whether she needs a pacemaker installed, so I’m going to miss Thursday’s Wings-Sens morning skates, but my hope is to return on Thursday afternoon/evening.

Having an anxiety disorder and depression can be debilitating, but those of us who battle through these illnesses do our best to make sure that they do not disrupt our daily lives. When that happens, we do what we are able to do to rectify the situation as quickly as possible, and that’s where I’m at right now.

Press release: Red Wings recall William Lagesson, place Patrick Kane on IR retroactive to November 23rd

Per the Detroit Red Wings:

RED WINGS RECALL WILLIAM LAGESSON FROM GRAND RAPIDS

  … Detroit Places Patrick Kane on Injured Reserve Retroactive to Nov. 23 …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today recalled defenseman William Lagesson from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Additionally, the Red Wings have placed right wing Patrick Kane on injured reserve retroactive to Nov. 23.

Lagesson, 28, has recorded five points (2-3-5), a plus-nine rating and 14 penalty minutes in 13 games with the Griffins to begin the 2024-25 season. The 6-foot-2, 213-pound defenseman split the 2023-24 campaign between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anaheim Ducks, tallying four assists, a plus-five rating and 19 penalty minutes in 30 games with the Maple Leafs before logging 13 penalty minutes in 10 games with the Ducks. Lagesson also picked up one assist in five appearances with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies in 2023-24. Originally selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the fourth round (91st overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Lagesson has totaled 11 assists, a plus-two rating and 54 penalty minutes in 100 games with the Oilers, Montréal Canadiens, Maple Leafs and Ducks since 2019-20. He has also collected 77 points (23-54-77), a plus-42 rating and 132 penalty minutes in 186 AHL games with the Bakersfield Condors, Chicago Wolves, Marlies and Griffins. Lagesson began the 2020-21 season with HC Vita Hästen and Kristianstads IK in Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan, posting 12 points (3-9-12), a plus-six rating and 12 penalty minutes in 14 games. He made his professional debut with Djurgårdens IF in the Swedish Hockey League in 2017-18, registering 13 points (1-12-13), a plus-13 rating and 30 penalty minutes in 49 regular-season games, in addition to one assist in 11 postseason contests.

Prior to turning professional, Lagesson played two seasons at the University of Massachusetts from 2015-17, recording 15 points (4-11-15) and 54 penalty minutes in 63 games. He spent the 2014-15 season with the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the United States Hockey League, notching 16 points (2-14-16), a plus-18 rating and 79 penalty minutes in 52 regular-season games, along with two points (1-1-2) in eight playoff matchups. A native of Gothenburg, Sweden, Lagesson developed in Frölunda HC’s system before arriving in North America. On the international stage, Lagesson represented his country at back-to-back IIHF World Junior Championships in 2015 and 2016, combining for four points (2-2-4), a plus-eight rating and 12 penalty minutes in 14 games. He also competed for Sweden at the 2014 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, netting three goals, a plus-five rating and six penalty minutes in seven games. Lagesson played at the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, showing two points (2-2-4) in four appearances. He won a gold medal with Sweden at the 2013 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, contributing one assist and 12 penalty minutes in six games.

Anxiety sucks

My apologies for the lack of posting this afternoon/evening. I’ve been undergoing a severe anxiety attack.

I’ve maxed out my medication for the day and tried to fight through the discomfort, but I’m unable to penetrate the funk.

It sucks. Not being able to function is painful and frustrating, and it just plain physically hurts.

Mental illnesses aren’t pleasant and, at times, my anxiety and depression get the better of me. It’s a daily struggle, just as all chronic illnesses are a daily battle.

I will do my best to restore functioning and will do my best to return to work in the morning.

Prospect round-up: Buchelnikov scores shootout goal, 1A in Vityaz win

Of Red Wings prospect-related note:

In the KHL, Red Wings prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov scored a shootout goal and registered an assist, taking 3 shots and blocking a shot in 17:56 played as Vityaz Moscow Region won a 5-4 shootout decision over Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk.

Per Red Wings Prospects on Twitter: