Author: George Malik

The Detroit Red Wings’ summer development campers engaged in a 3-on-3 tournament on Friday, with Team Delvecchio taking the crown. Here’s the Wings’ archived broadcast of the event, with Ken Kal and Arthur J. Regner doing the commentary:

A couple of days ago, the Red Wings’ PR corps were ferrying players to a spot that I was unfamiliar with in the bowels of Little Caesars Arena. At the end of the parade of prospects, Trevor Thompson came out of the room and gave the PR guys some firm handshakes and some heartfelt thank-yous.

As it turns out, the very fancy-looking backdrop where the Red Wings give their sit-down interviews with Fox Sports Detroit is sort of jammed into an auxiliary locker room, and that’s where Fox Sports Detroit’s Thompson spoke with half-a-dozen Wings prospects for interviews scheduled to air over the past couple of days’ worth of Tigers games.

Among the interviewees who spoke with Trevor Thompson are one Moritz Seider…

Filip Larsson…

The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects engaged in some 3-on-3 action on Friday, with Team Delvecchio ultimately defeating Team Lidstrom 5-3 to capture the summer development camp’s victory.

Tomorrow, the Red and White game takes place at 12 PM.

Between the “consolation game” and championship game of the 3-on-3 tournament, Filip Zadina spoke with the assembled media, and I was surprised that he was a bit demurring in his answers. Zadina isn’t happy about having injured his hamstring during training, and he was admittedly disappointed that he could only engage in a little bit of skating as his teammates participated in the summer development camp. Zadina said that, save a week back home in the Czech Republic, he’s staying in Detroit and training with his Red Wings teammates at Barwis Methods, and when he was asked what he can do better in this year’s training camp/exhibition season to earn an NHL spot, he said he has to “show his game” instead of focusing on a specific area for improvement:

The ever-quotable Jack Adams was next, and the Union College junior scored 2 goals for Team Delvecchio in its first game, coming ever-so-close to a hat trick on numerous occasions as he used his 6’5,” 207-pound frame to his advantage. Adams discussed his play and the balance between playing against teammates and playing to be evaluated by the Wings’ front office:

Ryan Kuffner could hold a course on media relations with Adams. Kuffner scored a pair of goals in the championship game, and the 6’1,” 195-pound forward who was signed this past season as a free agent out of Princeton was downright bubbly as he discussed the 3-on-3 tournament, his and his teammates’ performances, and the need to turn things around fairly quickly for Saturday’s game:

Both in Twitter and YouTube form:

Hey fans we will be streaming the Red Wings 3 on 3 games from ⁦@LCArena_Detroit⁩ starting at 6pm. Go to https://t.co/1EArXKCYT0 pic.twitter.com/HlYnJBbgPp— Ken Kal (@KenKalDRW) June 28, 2019

The Detroit Red Wings engaged in fitness testing during the first day of this summer’s development camp at Little Caesars Arena, and days two and three involved developing skills with Swedish coach Daniel Broberg and the Power Edge Pro fitness team.

On Thursday, both Teams Howe and Lindsay worked on skating drills with an as-yet-unnamed skating coach. The defensemen and forwards were separated to work with said coach, with each taking part 45-minute skating sessions which emphasized proper posture and skating technique.

There was a lot less jumping over things today, but the skating coach got quite technical regarding working on one’s inside and outside edges, maneuverability drills and a strong emphasis on the skaters’ first couple of strides serving as a foundation for whatever moves they might make, be they c-cut turns, crossovers or explosive strides powering the players in a straight line.

The goalies also were finally able to spend 45 minutes working very specifically with goaltending coaches Jeff Salajko and Brian Mahoney-Wilson, as well as skill development coach Brandon Narauto, doing goalie things like reading passes and dump-ins, stopping shots from oblique angles and recovering from saves to stop secondary and tertiary shots, often with screens occupying their fields of vision.

This evening, the players are going to take part in a 3-on-3 tournament, whose schedule reads as follows, and whose teams can be found here:

The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects will take part in a series of 3-on-3 games this evening, and the Wings just released the rosters of their teams:

A little 3-on-3 #DRWDC action tonight. ?

Game 1: Team Howe vs Team Delvecchio
Game 2: Team Lindsay vs Team Lidstrom
Game 3: Consolation Game
Game 4: Winner GM 1 vs. Winner GM 2 pic.twitter.com/NG3m6bv4ay— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 28, 2019

Each game will consist of two 10-minute periods. All games will be running time, with the exception of the last minute of the 2nd period of each game. If any games are tied after 20 minutes, there will be a three round shootout.

So… WHICH TEAM WILL TAKE IT?— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 28, 2019

Here’s the schedule:

6:00 – 6:20 p.m. – On-Ice Warm-Up (All Players)

6:30 – 6:50 p.m. – 3-on-3 Tournament Game #1

7:10 – 7:30 p.m. – 3-on-3 Tournament Game #2

7:40 – 8:00 p.m. – 3-on-3 Tournament Consolation Game

8:20 – 8:40 p.m. – 3-on-3 Tournament Championship Game

The Wings will be streaming the games.

On a day that the beat writers are predicting the Red Wings’ potential free agent targets, the Windsor Star’s Jim Parker feels that it’s wise to glance back at what Wings GM Steve Yzerman has had to say about his plans for the $12 million in cap space that the Wings have to play with on July 1st:

“We have spots on the roster available,” Yzerman said. “I would look, before doing it through trade, I would look at free agency to fill those roster spots. We also do want to have some opportunity for our younger players to fill those spots, but we will look at free agency.”

With the NHL salary cap set at $81.5 million for 2019-20, the Red Wings are believed to have about $12 million available to spend.

Yzerman could try and make a splash by using some of that money to make an offer sheet to a young, restricted free-agent player, but it doesn’t sound like he’s inclined to go that route.

“The position that we’re in today, I don’t say I definitely wouldn’t do it, but it’s unlikely,” Yzerman said.

He has young players and plenty of draft picks and a philosophy that rebuilding the Red Wings, who have missed the playoffs and posted a losing record the last three seasons, will not come overnight.

“It takes time,” Yzerman said. “I don’t have a ceiling. I’m not going to make any predictions at all. The attitude is we’re all trying to be a part of getting the Red Wings back into Stanley Cups and being a good team.”

Continued; again, I believe that the best move for the Red Wings come July 1st is not to play in free agency at all.

The Athletic’s Max Bultman and the Free Press’s Helene St. James have penned articles discussing the Red Wings’ free agent options, and, this afternoon, the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan joins the fray.

Kulfan duly notes that the Wings will have approximately $12 million in salary cap space with which to work come July 1st, and, among Kulfan’s picks are:

Anders Lee, 28, left wing, N.Y. Islanders, 6-3, 230 pounds

► 2018-19 stats: 28 goals, 23 assists, 51 points in 82 games.

► Outlook: This is the longest of longshots. Lee could very well re-sign with the Islanders, where he’s the captain. But coach Jeff Blashill was impressed with Lee at the world championships, and he would be a great on- and off-ice presence for the Wings as currently constructed. Lee probably will be looking for a team closer to contender status, though.

…

Tyler Myers, 29, defenseman, Winnipeg, 6-8, 229 pounds

► 2018-19 stats: 9 goals, 22 assists, 31 points in 80 games.

► Outlook: Myers would be the top-pair defenseman the Wings are looking for, but it’s difficult to see this match happen. Myers is being recruited by several contenders for a long-term deal with a lot of money. As much as Myers could help the Wings, he isn’t likely to age well – not the swiftest player around – and this could be a contract that gives a team buyer’s remorse eventually.

…

Anton Stralman, 32, defenseman, Tampa Bay, 5-11, 190 pounds
► 2018-19 stats: 2 goals, 15 assists, 17 points in 47 games.
► Outlook: Yzerman signed Stralman in Tampa five seasons ago, and Stralman has been a steadying force in the Lightning lineup. He could stay in Tampa for less money. If he doesn’t, Stralman would provide the same steadying influence to a Wings’ defense that was in total flux last season.

Kulfan continues…

The Red Wings drafted Sherwood Park Crusaders goaltender Carter Gylander with the 191st overall pick in this past weekend’s NHL Draft. Gylander spoke with the Sherwood Park News’s Shane Jones about being drafted by the Wings:

“Its an honour to have been selected by such a great organization and I am really excited about what the future holds for my ongoing journey to the NHL,” Gylander told the News during a break from the Red Wings development camp. “My journey is not a conventional one, for sure. It’s been a long process for sure, but I’ve been enjoying my path and I am excited for my next years to come in Sherwood Park and at Colgate University.”

The scouts didn’t have a lot to go on, but liked what they saw from the six-foot-five goalie.

“He didn’t play much but there was one night in January or February when I was out watching him play and Tyler (director of scouting Wright) was there, the big shots were out to see him,” Rick Jackson, one of Central Scouting’s Western evaluators, told Jim Matheson of Postmedia. “I’m sure he’ll be the starter for the Crusaders this season.”

Continued

On Thursday afternoon, The Athletic’s Max Bultman discussed the Red Wings’ free agent options, and today, the Free Press’s Helene St. James offers her suggestions as to possible options for the Red Wings to pursue on July 1st, including the following:

F Richard Panik: Panik, 28, had 14 goals among 33 points in 75 games last season for Arizona. He had 22 goal in 2016-17. He’s coming off a two-year, $5.6 million contract. He’s another guy who could appeal on a one-year deal, someone who can play either wing and both special teams and adds some size at 6-foot-1, 208 pounds.

F Joonas Donskoi: He’s a right-shot forward coming off a two-year, $3.8 million contract with San Jose. He had 37 points in 80 ages in 2018-19, the second straight season he’s reached 14 goals. He averaged 13.25 per game with the Sharks, and wasn’t a factor on either special teams. 

D Niklas Kronwall : Yzerman has said Kronwall, 38, can have all summer to decide whether to return or retire. Yzerman said he wants to “have some opportunity for our younger players” to fill spots and that is the case especially on defense. Veterans Danny DeKeyser, Mike Green, Trevor Daley and Jonathan Ericsson. Given their injury history, they can’t count on Ericsson nor Daley to be available all season. Filip Hronek has earned a spot with his play last season, and Dennis Cholowski is expected to push for one. So is free-agent signee Oliwer Kaski. There’s also Madison Bowey, acquired as part of the Nick Jensen trade. 

St. James continues, and she mentions a total of 4 Wings alumni over the course of her free agent list.