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!

Gas pedal vs. brake pedal

When Red Wings coach Todd McLellan spoke with the media today, he emphasized that, as training camp gives way to the Red & White Game, and a looming slate of 8 exhibition games to be played over the course of only 12 nights, the Red Wings’ bench boss wants his team to push itself to play harder, faster, smarter, and much more intense.

The Hockey News’s Michael Whitaker took note of McLellan’s remarks as to whether the Wings’ players have heeded his message to “play effing hockey” yet:

“I’d like to think they have, but we’re going to need to see them play against someone wearing a different color to really determine that,” McLellan said. “They can’t just skate around and think their way through games. They’re really good instinctual players; I think we have a really good skating team, and if we’re riding the brake, that’s for our veterans. If we’re riding the brake, we’re not going to give ourselves a chance.”

The Red Wings began turning things around almost immediately after McLellan was hired on December 26, aside from a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs the following day, when he hadn’t yet had time to run a full practice.

Their intensity increased, their focus seemed renewed, and suddenly they resembled the team that held a nine-point lead at the playoff cutoff in February 2024, rather than the club that stumbled to a 13-17-4 start in the 2024-25 season.

While the Red Wings ultimately fell short of securing a playoff berth last season, McLellan’s overall record since taking over the head coaching duties (26-18-4) would translate into a 96 point total over the course of 82 games, which would have been sufficient to claim the second overall Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

In order to avoid a similar lull in the month of March like what they’ve experienced in the last two seasons, the Red Wings will need to, as McLellan put it, “play with our foot on the gas”.

“We’ve got to push the gas pedal and get after teams,” he said. “Obviously, there’s areas for improvement – penalty kill, defensively, we can’t give up that many goals, but we’ve got to play with our foot on the gas.”

Continued

Tweet of note: ‘Know before you go’ to the Red & White Game

The Grand Rapids Griffins will host the Red & White Game at Van Andel Arena tomorrow at 3 PM (on WXSP and DetroitRedWings.com), and they’ve posted a Tweet and Instagram post which summarize the format, when fans should arrive–as warm-ups start just after 2:30–and the alumni who will be on the concourse signing autographs (Kirk Maltby, Kris Draper, Daren McCarty, Mickey Redmond, Dan Cleary and Jiri Fischer):

Kulfan’s notebook: Axel Sandin Pellikka on adjusting to the North American game, and a bit about the Red & White Game’s implications

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan filed an afternoon notebook which parallels MLive’s Ansar Khan’s discussion of one Axel Sandin Pellikka’s pluses and minuses as a developing prospect who’s not overly big at 5’11” and 185 pounds:

Sandin-Pellikka, similar to Wings defenseman Albert Johansson, has heard the talk of him being a smallish defenseman throughout his career. Sandin-Pellikka has been able to overcome not having NBA power forward size by using his smarts, positioning, and knowing the game.

“Use your brain well,” Sandin-Pellikka said of how to overcome being on the smaller side. “Hockey IQ is a big part of the defensive game sometimes. I don’t want to call it just pure strength. If you use your brain, position yourself right, it’s going to be OK in most situations.”

There are few doubts about Sandin-Pellikka’s skating ability, his poise with the puck, and creating offense. It’s on defense, and adapting to the smaller ice surface in North America, and how quickly Sandin-Pellikka adjusts to those two facets, will likely determine how fast he gets to the NHL.

“It’s a different game, the ice is smaller and it’s going to be quicker,” Sandin-Pellikka said. “(I have to) be aware in the defensive zone, be smart, on the inside a lot more and have your head on a swivel. That’s the thing I’ve been hearing, and what I want to get better at, too. Getting adjusted to that, learning a little bit more about the game here, all over the ice.”

Kulfan also discusses coach McLellan’s take on the likely pace of the Red & White Game, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday at 3 PM EDT in Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena:

Continue reading Kulfan’s notebook: Axel Sandin Pellikka on adjusting to the North American game, and a bit about the Red & White Game’s implications

Axel Sandin Pellikka understands he must become a more robust defensive player to graduate to the NHL

MLive’s Ansar Khan posted an article about Red Wings prospect Axel Sandin Pellikka, who’s well aware of the adjustments he must make as he faces his first fulls season in North America with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins:

How quickly the 20-year-old defenseman adapts defensively to the North American game will determine to a large part how soon he reaches the NHL.

“That’s the thing I’ve been hearing, and this is what I want to get better at, too,” Sandin Pellikka said. “Just getting adjusted to that, learning a little bit more about the game here. Pretty much all over the ice, though, offensive zone, too.”

Sandin Pellikka is experiencing his first NHL training camp this week in Traverse City. Following a strong season with Skelleftea AIK, when he led all players under 21 in goals (12) and points (29) in 46 games, Sandin Pellikka appeared in five games for the Griffins.

“It’s a different game, just that the ice is smaller and it’s going to be quicker,” he said. “Just be aware in the D-zone, be smart, be on the inside a lot more and have your head on a swivel.”

Despite his skills, Sandin Pellikka is almost certain to start the season in Grand Rapids because defensemen typically need more time to develop.

“I want to show the staff that I can play hockey on a good level,” Sandin Pellikka said. “Other than that, we’ll see how it goes.”

Red Wings coach Todd McLellan offered the following observations regarding Sandin Pellikka, who isn’t overly big at 5’11” and 185 pounds:

“There’s the pros to Axe’s game, and we’re certainly looking for that, because if we’re not seeing what really makes him as a player, then he’s probably playing very safe,” McLellan said during his media availability. “There’s some cons. And we look and see when he’s in those situations, how does he handle it against the bigger players or in his zone. I find him to be very confident. Not cocky at all, willing to learn. All good signs.”

Prospect round-up: Kiiskinen 1A, Johansson tossed, LDN 1G on a busy day in Europe

Of Red Wings prospect-related note in Europe today:

In the Finnish Liiga, Jesse Kiiskinen had an assist, finishing at -1 in 20:39 played, and taking 8 shots in HPK Hameenlinna’s 3-2 OT win over Kiekko-Espoo;

In the SHL, Eddie Genborg finished even with 5 shots and 1 hit in 16:33 played (on Timra’s first line) as Timra IK won 1-0 over Farjestads BK;

Anton Johansson took 7 minutes in penalties (a cross-checking minor and a 5-minute major), finishing at -1 with 2 shots and 2 hits in 19:48 played as Leksands IF lost 4-0 to Rogle BK;

Noah Dower Nilsson scored a goal, finishing at +1 with 4 shots in 13:57 played as Frolunda HC won 4-1 over Lulea Hockey:

Continue reading Prospect round-up: Kiiskinen 1A, Johansson tossed, LDN 1G on a busy day in Europe

DHN’s Allen on Sebastian Cossa taking the next steps in his development

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen posted an article about Red Wings goaltending prospect Sebastian Cossa, who is confident in his status as the team’s #3 goaltender this season:

“I’m the highest on the depth chart that I’ve ever been going into camp here,” Cossa said. ” That’s good. But at the end of the day, I still got to put the work in, you know, still have to play.”

The Red Wings are prepared to give him the opportunity to show what he can do. “He’ll play in the preseason — there is no doubt about that,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. “And (Michal) Postava should get some games too, or parts of games. We’ve got to find out a little bit about him. But Cossa’s coming into a really, really important year for himself. At this point, he’s the guy.”

John Gibson and Cam Talbot are the presumptive tandem that will start the season, but it is hard to imagine that Cossa won’t get some games at the NHL level. He played in one game last season.  With Talbot now 38, and Gibson, 32, the Red Wings know the future is now, or at least very soon for Cossa. He doesn”t turn 23 until November, but he is starting his fourth professional season. He has paid his dues with 84 AHL games, 46 ECHL games (with Toledo) and one NHL game.

“We have a lot of confidence in him,” McLellan said. “Our coaching staff has been following his progress. (Assistant coach) Trent Yawney and I both watched the (Griffins) playoff games and he’s been up and practicing with us. There’s a lot of early familiarity. I think he’s going to be a hell of a player. We just have to give him more time to develop.”

Cossa told Allen that he knows he must play more consistent hockey to earn a promotion:

“I didn’t have the best second half last year, wasn’t happy with the playoff performance,” Cossa said. “(There’s a bit of a chip on the shoulder when it comes to that. “(I want) to prove I can play at a really high level in the AHL and hopefully get a shot (at the NHL).”

Cossa said he knows he still must prove he’s worthy to be the organization No. 3 goalie. “It’s step by step,” he said. “I’m happy where I am right now just continue to push it.”

Press release: Red Wings reduce training camp roster by 11

Per the Detroit Red Wings:

RED WINGS REDUCE TRAINING CAMP ROSTER BY 11

  … Fifty-one Players Remain with Detroit Ahead of 2025 Red & White Game …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today returned forward Kevin Bicker to Löwen Frankfurt of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. Additionally, the Red Wings have returned forward Grayden Robertson-Palmer, defenseman Will Murphy, and goaltenders Landon Miller and Michal Pradel to their respective junior clubs.

The Red Wings have released defenseman Nicklas Andrews from his professional tryout. He will report to the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye. Detroit has also released forwards Vincent Collard and Liam Kilfoil, and defensemen Maxim Dirracolo, Wyatt Kennedy and Carl-Otto Magnusson from their amateur tryouts.

Detroit currently has 51 players on its training camp roster: 28 forwards, 17 defensemen and six goaltenders. The Red Wings will continue their training camp with the 2025 Red & White Game on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 3:00 p.m. at Van Andel Arena, home of the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Fans can watch the sold-out game on WXSP-TV across West Michigan or watch the live stream on DetroitRedWings.com and the Red Wings Mobile App. Please note that the live stream will only be available to fans in Michigan and Northwest Ohio.