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!

Severe flu

The last time I remember being on the blog, I was struggling to wrap up the Red Wings’ win over the Toronto Maple Leafs’ on Monday night, and I never did quite get the recap done.

In all honesty, the last two days’ worth of time are a blur of intense pain, suffering and fatigue. I have come down with a flu bug so severe that I had to cancel a physical with my doctor’s office because I don’t have the endurance to get through a check-up–and because I don’t want to give this bug to anyone else.

Tuesday, I was just out of it, and that was a blessing compared to Wednesday, which was full of pain.

I’m creaky, cranky and disappointed to be behind the hockey news curve this morning, but I’m not going to apologize for this absence. I got really, really sick, really, really quickly, and I am just going to do my best to rest up and to recover to get back to work as soon as I possibly can.

I’m sorry for the inconvenience this has caused, but sometimes you get sick, and sometimes, you get really sick. I’m in the latter category right now, and all I can do right now is try to get better.

Red Wings-Maple Leafs Tweetcap: stolen holiday

The Detroit Red Wings headed to Toronto on Monday afternoon, hoping to sweep their home-and-home series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, whose highly-heralded rookie, Easton Cowan, was to make his NHL debut.

On Monday afternoon, the Red Wings pulled off a heist in Toronto, with Cam Talbot stopping 38 of 40 Toronto shots and Detroit earning goals from Dylan Larkin (PPG from DeBrincat and Raymond) in the 1st period, James van Riemsdyk (from Andrew Copp) in the 3rd period, and, after surrendering their 2-0 lead, Mason Appleton of all people with 15 seconds left in regulation to secure a 3-2 lead over the Maple Leafs, who out-played Detroit by a significant margin.

Sometimes a rope-a-dope, ugly win is a beautiful thing, and the only ugly thing that happened in this one was the Wings losing Lucas Raymond to an upper-body injury. Detroit prevailed through adversity and a lot of self-made mistakes to take this game and to improve their record to 2-and-1, sweeping the home and home series with Toronto.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

PREGAME: In Toronto, everything was focused on Cowan’s rookie debut on Auston Matthews’ wing, so his “rookie lap” was chronicled with significant hype:

Continue reading Red Wings-Maple Leafs Tweetcap: stolen holiday

Red Wings lose Lucas Raymond to ‘upper-body injury’ due to Chris Tanev hit

The Detroit Red Wings have lost the services of Lucas Raymond during the 2nd period of their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Raymond was hit from behind into the Maple Leafs’ boards by Chris Tanev, and he came up favoring his right arm:

I will update this post with any news regarding Raymond’s status. Ken Daniels first pointed it out on the U.S. broadcast via player-tracking software; during the 2nd intermission, Larry Murphy said that Raymond was frustrated and threw his stick when crossing his and Daniella Bruce’s paths.

UPDATE:

UPDATE #2: Coach McLellan told the media that Raymond has to be further evaluated in Detroit tomorrow to determine his status. He was healthy going into the game, but he was injured and needs to be further evaluated.

Gobble gobble

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan reports that the Red Wings were going to try to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving after today’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs:

Had the Tigers won Saturday in Seattle, [Monday] would have been the Tigers facing the Blue Jays in the first two games of that league championship series the past two evenings in Toronto, which would have been a brilliant opportunity for Detroit sports fans to make the drive east.

But back to Thanksgiving. McLellan planned on trying to find a Thanksgiving dinner in downtown Toronto, but wasn’t sure if he was goign to be successful.

“With the ballgame and everything else going on, I’m not sure how much we’ll wander around town and be able to find anything that is even remotely empty,” McLellan said.

McLellan enjoys the holiday be it in Canada, or the United States.

“Thanksgiving is much like it is here,” McLellan said. “I know my mom has a big meal made at home, and she still cooks for like we all live there, and it is just the two of them, and my Dad eats like a bird, so she’ll have a lot of food to give to the food bank for sure. But Thanksgiving in Canada means a lot, just like it does here.”

Two things: A Wings-Leafs preview and a note about Detroit’s penalty-killing

Ahead of today’s game between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs (2 PM EDT start on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit/Prime Sports Canada/97.1 FM), there will be no morning skate, so we’ll allow DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills set the scene from the Wings’ side:

Puck drop is now set for 2 p.m., with broadcast coverage on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit and the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket in Detroit). For the Red Wings (1-1-0; 2 points) Monday’s matinee will serve as a great early-season opportunity to build on the confidence gained and positives from Saturday’s 6-3 win over the Maple Leafs (1-1-0; 2 points).

“From Game 1 to Game 2, I thought we managed the game a lot better,” Mason Appleton said. “We made a lot better puck decisions, better reads defensively, limited their speed and time with the puck. We just got to replicate that and have the same type of game plan because when we turned that switch in the second [period], it definitely worked.”

Detroit trailed 2-0 after the first period against Toronto, but scored three unanswered goals in the second period then pulled away in the back half of the third for its first win of the season. As far as offensive standouts go, Patrick Kane (one goal, two assists), Alex DeBrincat (three assists) and Lucas Raymond (two goals) led the way.

Continue reading Two things: A Wings-Leafs preview and a note about Detroit’s penalty-killing

A midnight McLellan minute

We’ll call this one a “McLellan minute.” This evening, Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff discusses the Red Wings’ 2-for-8 power play, as explained by Detroit’s bench boss…

“It’s what the power play has to do at the very least, provide some momentum and some energy and excitement for the team,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said. “It’s impossible to score every time. If they score, great. If not, as we leave and begin to play 5-on-5 again, we feel pretty good about ourselves. They’ve swung the tide our way for a little bit. So momentum’s huge, and when it doesn’t go well, you give the momentum back. Now you’re scrambling.”

The first five who go over the boards when Detroit gets the man advantage remain the same as last season. It consists of forwards Dylan Larkin, Patrick Kane, Alex DeBrincat, and Lucas Raymond, along with defenseman Moritz Seider.

“Those five players, when they’re clicking, they’re moving it quickly,” McLellan said. “They’re dangerous.”

It’s a fivesome that is exhibiting tremendous chemistry. And they want to get better.

“We had a good year last year on the power play, but we want to take steps there as well,” Raymond said. “And when you played a full year together, you learn each other’s tendencies, and at the same time, other teams also do.

“So I think for us it’s about finding new ways to score, being creative out there. And we’re not going to score every power play, but as long as we get momentum for the team and put ourselves in a good spot, I think it’s successful out there. Two games, two goals, so look to keep that going as well.”

And the Hockey News’s Michael Whitaker took note of coach McLellan’s remarks regarding the chemistry between the duo of Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat:

Continue reading A midnight McLellan minute

Practice notebooks: JvR to debut Monday in Toronto, where he once played; on the power play and Detroit’s newest grinding line

Of Red Wings-related note from Sunday’s practice:

  1. MLive’s Ansar Khan’s practice notebook includes this about the potential debut of James van Riemsdyk, who skated on a line with Michael Rasmussen and Mason Appleton during Sunday’s practice:

“He’s played a lot of years on a lot of good teams, so he’s got that stability of being that experience factor,” McLellan said. “He’s a big man with good hands, power play in and around the net. He’s been one of the better ones in the National League over the number of years that he’s played. Really good down in those areas, and I think he’s crafty. He’s got a little wisdom to his game. He uses what he’s got and works his way around the rink and gets the best out of it.”

Van Riemsdyk has practiced with the team for nearly two weeks after missing training camp and the preseason due to a family reason.

“Definitely excited,” van Riemsdyk said. “This is what I love to do, so to get out there and whenever that is, get a chance to join the guys and get in the live action. I’m really looking forward to it. It’ll be a lot of fun.”

He feels he has a good handle on systems and how the team plays.

“Obviously, there’s different chemistry within some of that sometimes playing with different guys. Need some reps in a game to develop that sort of thing,” he said. “But I think I’ve got a good handle on kind of how we’re trying to play and the things we’re trying to do and execute out there.”

2. The Hockey News’s Michael Whitaker noted that van Riemsdyk also played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, so he’s feeling a little bit nostalgic about making his Red Wings debut against one of his former teams:

Continue reading Practice notebooks: JvR to debut Monday in Toronto, where he once played; on the power play and Detroit’s newest grinding line

Videos on Sunday: van Riemsdyk, Appleton and coach McLellan speak with the media; a Swedish-language interview with Lucas Raymond

Prior to heading to Toronto for a Monday rematch with the Maple Leafs (over whom Detroit won 6-3 on Saturday night), the Red Wings practiced at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center on Sunday.

At the Wings’ practice, it appeared that James van Riemsdyk would make his debut on the Wings’ fourth line, while in Toronto, the highly-heralded rookie Easton Cowan will start on Auston Matthews’ line.

After both teams’ practices, Red Wings coach Todd McLellan confirmed that Cam Talbot would start on Monday afternoon (2 PM EDT start on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit/Prime Video Canada), while Leafs coach Craig Berube sounded like McLellan here:

The Red Wings posted a video of James van Riemsdyk, Mason Appleton and coach Todd McLellan speaking with the media:

Also: Hockeynews.se posted a 26-minute interview with Lucas Raymond, discussing his golf game, his fancy car and more…but it’s in Swedish.

Continue reading Videos on Sunday: van Riemsdyk, Appleton and coach McLellan speak with the media; a Swedish-language interview with Lucas Raymond

Post-practice Tweets: Talbot starts for Red Wings on Monday; Cowan to debut for Toronto

Both the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs held noon practices ahead of tomorrow afternoon’s rematch between the two teams (2 PM EDT start on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit/Prime Video Canada), and both teams will make tweaks on their forward lines, though James van Riemsdyk’s fourth-line debut for the Wings will generate less press than top prospect Easton Cowan’s top-line debut for the Leafs.

After practice, the Red Wings’ players and coach spoke with the assembled media:

And in Toronto…

Steve Yzerman weighs in on the Red Wings’ rookie trio, expectations for the team as a whole

Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman made an impromptu appearance with the Wings’ media corps on Thursday, and DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills took note of Yzerman’s remarks about the team’s rookie trio…

Executive Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman didn’t expect prospects Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Emmitt Finnie and Axel Sandin-Pellikka to all earn spots on the Detroit Red Wings’ 2025-26 Opening Night roster, but their strong play over the past several weeks convinced him that the trio of talented youngsters deserved to start this season in the NHL.

“Probably exceeded our expectations,” Yzerman said ahead of Thursday’s puck drop at Little Caesars Arena. “All three of them were in Grand Rapids at the end of the year and all did alright based on what we saw. We kind of anticipated them, at that time, starting in Grand Rapids. But we say it every year, no decision has been made until you come to camp. From Day 1, they started off really good [at the 2025 NHL Prospect Games] and continued that in the scrimmages in Traverse City, the Red & White Game in Grand Rapids and they all looked good in the preseason games. We felt that they all earned the opportunity and see if they can sustain it in the regular season, which we expect them to. It was a very pleasant surprise that we weren’t necessarily expecting in the offseason.”

The three 20-year-olds all made their NHL debuts against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night, marking the first time since 2018-19 that the Red Wings had at least three players make their NHL debut on an Opening Night. That season, forwards Christoffer Ehn and Michael Rasmussen, along with defensemen Dennis Cholowski, Filip Hronek and Libor Sulak all debuted against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 4, 2018.

As well as his take on how long the trio of debutantes may last in Detroit…

Continue reading Steve Yzerman weighs in on the Red Wings’ rookie trio, expectations for the team as a whole