Author: George Malik

As MLive’s Ansar Khan notes, Joe Hicketts made a very positive impression during the Red Wings’ 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins last night, registering 2 assists…

But Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill used his post-game remarks to challenge Hicketts to continue improving his skill sets:

“Joe has got lots of swagger, lots of confidence,” Red Wing coach Jeff Blashill said. “With that kind of swagger, he’ll have to manage his turnovers, he’ll have to manage certain mistakes, but he plays to win hockey games. That’s why he’s had success at the Canadian world junior level, that’s why he had success in the WHL, that’s why he had success in the American League.

“He doesn’t look like a normal NHL defenseman with his size, skating combo. He’s been able to defy odds. Can he keep defying odds? We’ll see. Careers certainly aren’t defined in one game or two games. They’re defined time after time after time.”

Some of the Red Wings’ more prominent players are pulling for Hicketts.

“Hicketts comes in and plays really good again,” Henrik Zetterberg said. “I thought he was one of the best defenseman the last time we played him (his NHL debut Jan. 22 at New Jersey) and he got sent him down. I told him hopefully he’ll stick around this time.”

Niklas Kronwall, who recorded his 400^th point (a goal) on the night Hicketts got his first, said: “He’s just a big smile that comes in, brings a lot of energy. That stuff’s contagious. That’s something we definitely need right now.”

Khan continues, and here’s Hicketts’ on-the-bench interview with Fox Sports Detroit’s Trevor Thompson:

The Detroit Red Wings managed to get the Pittsburgh Penguins on an “off” night, and the result of a superb effort by the Wings and a not-so-superb effort by the Penguins was a 4-1 win for Detroit.

I’m quite ill, so I tried to watch the game as as spectator, and I can’t say that it made me any smarter or wiser to the means by which the game’s result is authored than I am when I’m nervously typing instead. Long story short, I think the rambly game recaps are coming back when my health does.

Here are the game’s goals…

Continue reading Red Wings-Penguins super quick take: Wings surprise the Pens with competitive effort, big win

The Free Press’s George Sipple reports that the Red Wings have met with NCAA unrestricted free agent Daniel Brickley, a 22-year-old defenseman who played for the University of Minnesota-Mankato this past season:

“We spent the day with him and his agent,” [Red Wings GM] Holland said, declining to give any other specifics about the visit.

Brickley scored 10 goals and 25 assists for 35 points in 40 games as a junior at Minnesota State this season. Brickley ranks 10th nationally among defensemen in points per game (0.88).

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill coached Brickley at the International Ice Hockey Federation 2017 Men’s World Championship last year in Copenhagen and Herning, Denmark.

“I’ve got no comment on him right now,” Blashill said Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena when asked about Brickely. “I know him, but I know he’s going through a process.

“I thought he played good at the Worlds, in the sense that he was able to learn things quickly, some different concepts that he hadn’t done and he learned some things differently. I think he’s an excellent person. I think he’s a big body with good hands. Didn’t play tons though. Again, I’d like to allow him to respect his process.”

Continued

Here’s more from the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan:

The Red Wings will probably find out this week if they’ll be able to sign undrafted college free agent Daniel Brickley, a defenseman from Minnesota State.

According to TSN analyst Bob McKenzie, the Red Wings, Los Angeles and San Jose are expected to visit with Brickley, 22, with two other teams also being considered.

Brickley (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) had 35 points (10 goals, 25 assists) in 40 games this past season.

Considered to be an elite offensive defenseman, Brickley, 22, is projected to walk onto an NHL roster immediately, and could eventually become a top-four defenseman.

From TSN:

The National Hockey League’s last overall team will have better odds of winning the draft lottery next month and selecting consensus No. 1 prospect Rasmus Dahlin in June.

According to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, the team with the worst point total this season will have an 18.5 per cent chance of winning the annual draw, which will take place on Saturday, April 28.

Last year, the worst team in the final standings – the Colorado Avalanche – had a 17.9 per cent chance to win the lottery and secure the first overall pick. The draw ended up favouring the New Jersey Devils, who took top spot with an 8.5 per cent chance as the league’s fifth-worst team and selected Nico Hischier with the No. 1 overall selection.

The second-worst team will have a 13.5 per cent chance to land the No. 1 pick, up from 12.1 per cent last year. The third-worst team will have an 11.5 per cent shot at the first overall selection up from 10.3 in 2017 when the the Arizona Coyotes shared that percentage with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights.

Continued with ranking-by-ranking #1 overall pick odds…

Here’s the Red Wings’ Wings-Penguins Game Day Preview video…

From the Grand Rapids Griffins comes their weekly press release:

Continue reading Here’s the Grand Rapids Griffins’ weekly press release

This is “old news,” but I want to post it in case you missed it:

RED WINGS RECALL JOE HICKETTS
… Second-Year Pro Made NHL Debut on Jan. 22 at New Jersey …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today recalled defenseman Joe Hicketts from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

Hicketts, 21, made his NHL debut with the Red Wings on Jan. 22 at New Jersey and was a plus-one with one hit and three blocked shots in 15:13 time on ice. The second-year pro has also appeared in 63 games for the Griffins this season, registering 10 points (3-7-10) and 32 penalty minutes. In his rookie season with Grand Rapids, the Kamloops, British Columbia, native led the team’s defensemen with 34 points (7-27-34) in 73 games, which ranked seventh among first-year AHL defensemen. Hicketts also led Griffins blueliners in postseason scoring after picking up eight points (1-7-8) in 19 games en route to helping the team capture its second AHL championship in five seasons. In 136 career AHL games, he has tallied 44 points (10-34-44), 72 penalty minutes and a plus-two rating.

Continue reading Just to make it official: Joe Hicketts recalled by the Wings

From MLive’s Ansar Khan:

Ken Holland will return as general manager of the Detroit Red Wings next season, with or without a contact, a source told MLive.

Holland’s future has been in question from the start of the season because, unlike previous years, he wasn’t extended prior to the final year of his contract.

But ownership has decided Holland, the GM since 1997, should head the rebuilding job the franchise faces after missing the postseason two years in a row, following a 25-season playoff streak.

It is unclear whether an official announcement will be made before the end of the season, but some clarity was expected before the team gathers for photo and locker cleanout day, shortly after the season finale on April 7.

Continued, and the Free Press’s George Sipple confirms:

Ken Holland is expected return as general manager of the Detroit Red Wings next season, the Free Press has learned.  It’s unclear how the contract will be structured.

“He’s going to be back as the GM,” a person familiar with the situation told the Free Press on Tuesday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Wings, who will miss the playoffs for the second straight season, have not addressed Holland’s future..

…

Holland, reached by phone on Tuesday, did not say if he will return next season.

“Two weeks from today, there’s going to be a cleanup day and a team picture day and the media is going to be focusing on the ’18-19 season and who is running the team, who is making the decision and what is the plan,” Holland said. “I know in the next 10 days, the answer to all your questions will be settled.”

Update: From the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan:

Ken Holland will return as Detroit Red Wings general manager next season, a source familiar with the organization’s plans told The Detroit News on Tuesday.

The source requested anonymity because the team has not made a formal announcement regarding its leadership plans for next season.

Head coach Jeff Blashill is likely to return to the Red Wings, the source told The News.

In the AHL, the Grand Rapids Griffins were able to sweep their 2-game set against the Iowa Wild, winning 3-2 in a shootout. Axel Holmstrom and Filip Hronek had shootout markers, and Holmstrom and Matt Puempel scored in regulation.

The Griffins’ website posted a recap:

Continue reading Prospect round-up: Griffins sweep 2-game series vs. Wild; Walleye lose to Brampton; Rasmussen 2G+2A, Cholowski 2G in WHL playoffs

The Detroit Red Wings dropped their 10th straight road game over the course of a 4-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.

The Red Wings did their best to out-hustle the Maple Leafs, but the Wings blew 2-1 and 3-2 leads en route to their defeat.

Things don’t get any easier as the Wings will complete a 3-games-in-4-nights slate by heading to Montreal to play the Canadiens on Monday and host the Penguins on Monday.

For our friends from Toronto, Saturday’s win was earned descriptions such as “ugly,” “scrappy,” “plucky” and “gritty.” Coach Mike Babcock told TSN’s Kristen Shilton that the Leafs managed to win against what turned out to be a more difficult opponent than his charges may have believed the Wings to be:

Continue reading Red Wings-Maple Leafs wrap-up: Wings’ youngsters are learning, but losses still feel like ‘Groundhog Day’ to the vets