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!

HSJ: Red Wings waive Ouellet for buyout purposes

Per the Free Press’s Helene St. James…

The Detroit Red Wings are parting with Xavier Ouellet.

General manager Ken Holland told the Free Press that Ouellet is being placed on waivers to enable a buyout.

It has been clear for some time Ouellet, 24, no longer fit into the Wings’ plans. He played only 45 games in 2017-18, unable to gain a foothold and passed on the depth chart by Nick Jensen.

It’ll cost roughly $166,000 against the salary cap next season and $266,000 the following season. The benefit is it clears a roster spot. The Wings are banking that at least one prospect from a group that includes Dennis Cholowski, Filip Hronek, Libor Sulak and Joe Hicketts will push for a spot in Detroit out of training camp this autumn.

…

They are in contract talks to re-sign Mike Green, who is a pending unrestricted free agent. The issue is the length of the deal – the Wings would prefer to keep Green at two years, where he’s looking for more security.

Ouellet, yesterday:

 

More draft discussion from Wings director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright

Red Wings director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright spoke with DetroitRedWings.com’s Arthur J. Regner regarding the Red Wings’ draft haul for the latest episode of “The Red and White Authority”:

Krupa’s concerned about the Wings’ dearth of draft focus on defense

The Red Wings’ draft haul earned consensus A-minus-to-A-plus grades from assorted draft experts, especially given that Filip Zadina is seen as an offensive force who may compete for a spot out of training camp.

The Red Wings were unable to address their need for a top-pairing, offensive defenseman, however, and that particular unresolved personnel issue troubles the Detroit News’s Gregg Krupa:

There is no one in the organization currently or prospectively capable of long NHL minutes and careers as a top-pairing defenseman.

Novenas and fasting may be dedicated to the hope that Danny DeKeyser, Filip Hronek, Dennis Cholowski or someone eventually fits the bill. But the grade for drafting and developing defensemen in Detroit for longer than a decade is failing.

The Wings’ inability in the 2018 draft to arrange for anyone who rates as likely to break through, despite [Jared] McIsaac’s clear strengths, only points to the essential tasks of 2019 and 2020. And, yes, in fact, maybe 2021.

The Wings can trade for top-tandem defensemen. Good luck. Teams rarely do, these days, especially without offering one in return.

They can also sign a huge free agent. But since the last collective bargaining agreement, for which some still may have been booing Commissioner Gary Bettman this weekend, teams lock up top-pair defensemen.

When they escape, the defensemen are often shopping for a Stanley Cup.

More reason to put Hronek, Cholowski and Joe Hicketts into the Red Wings lineup. But, also, more explanation for the difficulty of the task at hand.

Continued;

And at this point–despite my belief that at least one of Dennis Cholowski, Gustav Lindstrom, Filip Hronek, Vili Saarijarvi or Libor Sulak will pan out thanks to a combination of talent, inevitability and/or dumb luck, I have to believe that the Red Wings believe they have enough offensive talent to import a top-pair defenseman via trade or free agency.

 

Post-draft mishmash II: good grades, collective draft philosophy and individual spotlights

Of Red Wings draft-related note this evening, having been posted after this afternoon’s draft wrap-up post:

A. On a collective basis:

1. The Red Wings’ brass, namely director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright and director of European scouting Hakan Andersson, spoke about the 2018 draft class as building toward the “rebuild on the fly,” as noted by MLive’s Ansar Khan:

Continue reading Post-draft mishmash II: good grades, collective draft philosophy and individual spotlights

Wings video: Hakan Andersson breaks the second day down

Red Wings director of European scouting Hakan Andersson spoke with the assembled media regarding the Wings’ second-day draft haul, including the Swedish players drafted:

Update: And here’s Red Wings director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright:

 

Post-draft mishmash: from Zadina to Kivenmaki, plus multimedia

Updated 2x at 4:33 PM: Of Red Wings-related note regarding the following prospects:

A. Forward Filip Zadina, taken 6th overall:

The Free Press’s Helene St. James suggests that Zadina could “boost the Wings’ rebuild“:

Continue reading Post-draft mishmash: from Zadina to Kivenmaki, plus multimedia

Red Wings pick Otto Kivenmaki 191st overall

With their final pick in the 2018 NHL draft, the Detroit Red Wings picked Otto Kivenmaki 191st overall.

Continue reading Red Wings pick Otto Kivenmaki 191st overall

Red Wings select Victor Brattstrom 160th overall

The Red Wings selected goaltender Victor Brattstrom with the 160th overall pick.

 

Red Wings trade 159th pick to Columbus for 2019 5th rounder

Never mind the 159th pick…

 

 

Red Wings select F Ryan O’Reilly 98th overall

The Red Wings have selected forward Ryan O’Reilly with the 98th overall draft pick.

Continue reading Red Wings select F Ryan O’Reilly 98th overall