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!

Red Wings-Islanders game-day articles: As season winds down, Wings count their blessings in light of Humboldt tragedy

Updated 5x at 2:33 PM: The Red Wings will start Jared Coreau opposite Thomas Greiss as Detroit hosts the New York Islanders this evening (7:00 PM EDT on FSD/MSG +2/97.1 FM).

Tonight is “Fan Appreciation Night” at Little Caesars Arena, but some fans might argue that the best thing the Wings can do tonight is lose.

The Wings are attempting to let fans get in on the giveaways and prizes:

In terms of the game itself, Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill explained his rationale for starting Coreau to MLive’s Ansar Khan:

Continue reading Red Wings-Islanders game-day articles: As season winds down, Wings count their blessings in light of Humboldt tragedy

Red Wings waive Coreau to send him to Grand Rapids

No surprise here: the Red Wings have placed Jared Coreau on waivers with the intent to send Coreau to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins on Sunday:

 

Wings alums go to the dogs (and cats)

The Romulus News-Herald’s Jackie Harrison-Martin reports that the Red Wings Alumni Association will be taking to the ice for a four-legged cause on April 14th:

They won’t be fighting like cats and dogs, but they will be fighting for them.

Members of the Romulus Police Department plan to square off against alumni from the Detroit Red Wings in a feisty, yet friendly, game of hockey that will benefit the city’s animal shelter.

The puck will drop at 4 p.m. April 14 at the Taylor Sportsplex, 13333 Telegraph Road.

Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Children ages 5 and under can enter free of charge.

They are available at the Romulus Police Department, 11165 Olive Street, and can be purchased online at Facebook.com/RomulusPD (click on “events,” and then “get tickets”).

Continued

 

HSJ Tweet: Larkin probable to head to World Championship

According to the Free Press’s Helene St. James, Dylan Larkin may very well play for Team USA at the World Championship despite his status as a restricted free agent-to-be:

 

Wallner: Will Tyler Bertuzzi be assigned to Grand Rapids?

The Grand Rapids Press’s Peter J. Wallner examines the sticky wicket that is the Red Wings’ decision as to whether Tyler Bertuzzi would be better served by taking a break and spending a full summer training for his 2018-19 campaign, or whether it might better serve Bertuzzi to reprise his role as the Grand Rapids Griffins’ resident playoff performer:

The 23-year-old Bertuzzi, who has been with the Red Wings since December, was put on the Griffins roster on the Feb. 26 trade deadline in a procedural move that made him and Coreau eligible for the AHL postseason.

At the time, [Red Wings assistant GM Ryan] Martin said, Bertuzzi was excited about the idea. But that was before Tomas Tatar was traded and before Bertuzzi took off. He has seven goals, five in the past seven games playing with Henrik Zetterberg and Gustav Nyquist. He has usually averaged between 15 and nearly 20 minutes per game since mid-March.

“The amount of ice time he’s gotten and how many games he’s played certainly plays a role in it,” Martin said. “Say he plays into June. He has to take some time off prior to his training (and) all of a sudden he may only get into the gym in July and August. That’s probably not enough for a player who needs to increase his body strength and work on his quickness. Those are the things we have to assess.”

Bertuzzi has thrived the past three postseasons for the Griffins. Last year, his nine goals and 19 points earned him postseason MVP as the Griffins won the Calder Cup. That 19-game run also went into June and left him with a short offseason as he also healed from a hand injury.

Continued, and Wallner confirms that Jared Coreau will be waived and sent to Grand Rapids…

 

Red Wings-Islanders morning skate Tweets and articles: Coreau to start in regular-season finale

Updated 3x at 11:37 AM: The Detroit Red Wings face the New York Islanders this evening (7:00 PM EDT on FSD/MSG +2/97.1 FM), concluding both teams’ 2017-18 campaigns.

The Red Wings took to the ice first at Little Caesars Arena, per MLive’s Ansar Khan…

Coreau first goalie off the ice, so he’s starting for second game in row for #RedWings

The Free Press’s Helene St. James…

Luke Glendening partaking in morning skate. Had been ruled out with upper-body symptoms, but maybe not.

And the Red Wings:

The Islanders website’s Cory Wright also penned a game preview:

Continue reading Red Wings-Islanders morning skate Tweets and articles: Coreau to start in regular-season finale

What can you say about the bus crash in Saskatchewan?

This isn’t Red Wings-related, but it’s a topic that’s generating a lot of discussion, and sadly so. I don’t know how one faces this, other than acknowledging its presence and offering what one can in the awfully inadequate “thoughts and prayers” department. Per the Canadian Press:

RCMP say 14 people are dead and 14 people were injured Friday after a truck collided with a bus carrying a junior hockey team to a playoff game in northeastern Saskatchewan.

Police say there were 28 people including the driver on board the Humboldt Broncos bus when the crash occurred at around 5 p.m. on Highway 35 north of Tisdale.

“We can now confirm fourteen people have died as a result of this collision,” RCMP said in a release early Saturday.

“The other fourteen people were sent to hospital with a variety of injuries; three of these people have injuries that are critical in nature.”

No names were released and police would not say whether the dead include players or coaches. There was no mention of the truck driver.

The team president said parents from across Western Canada were rushing to the scene as they struggle to cope with the tragedy.

“It’s one of the hardest days of my life,” said Kevin Garinger. “There have been multiple fatalities — our whole community is in shock, we are grieving and we will continue to grieve throughout this ordeal as we try to work toward supporting each other.”

I’ll try to update the charitable endeavors surrounding this horrible tragedy.

Update: Here’s a link to the GoFundMe account:

Prospect, “Where Are We Now?” Checking in on the Griffins, Walleye, SHL, USHL, OHL and WHL

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to update the statuses of the Red Wings’ prospects and their developmental teams, so here’s a summary as to where things stand as of April 7th:

In the AHL, the Grand Rapids Griffins dropped a 3-0 decision to the Tuscon Roadrunners on Friday night, snapping a 7-game point streak, and the teams will play again in Arizona this evening.

The Griffins need to earn 3 more points to clinch a playoff spot in the AHL’s Central Division, and Grand Rapids has 4 more games on its schedule. The AHL’s playoff format is a little weird in that it involves win percentage over points as its playoff determinant.

In recent Griffins happenings: Continue reading Prospect, “Where Are We Now?” Checking in on the Griffins, Walleye, SHL, USHL, OHL and WHL

Monroe: A.J. Jenks earns ‘My Favorite Walleye’ honor

According to the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe, Toledo Walleye forward A.J. Jenks won the “My Favorite Walleye” fan poll:

Many Toledo Walleye fans admire veteran forward A.J. Jenks for his toughness and willingness to stick up for his teammates, while others appreciate his charisma and leadership abilities.

Many others think the laid-back Jenks is one cool dude.

With his combination of physicality and personality, Jenks won The Blade’s My Favorite Walleye poll for 2017-18.

Jenks earned 17.0 percent of the votes in the sixth edition of the exclusive online poll.

The native of Wolverine Lake, Mich., is in his fourth season with the team and is a skilled center who doesn’t mind the physical side. The 27-year-old has played in 181 games and has produced 141 points (70 goals, 71 assists) in a Toledo uniform.

Jenks was presented with the honor Friday before the Walleye’s final regular-season home game against Fort Wayne at the Huntington Center.

“It’s a tremendous honor,” Jenks said. “We have so many high-end players on this team. With our fan base, we have such a loyal following, it’s pretty special.”

Continued