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 in the morning: on Cam Talbot’s journey to Detroit

This morning, the Free Press’s Helene St. James discusses Cam Talbot reaching his 500th career game this past Friday vs. New Jersey, as well as Talbot’s value to the Wings’ team and locker room:

He wasn’t drafted (neither was Lyon) but instead signed as a free agent with the New York Rangers in 2010. From there began an NHL career that also had stopovers with the Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators and Los Angeles Kings. His inauspicious beginnings and well-traveled journey play into why it was so special to reach the milestone. (He’s the 82nd goaltender in NHL history to get there.)

“It’s remarkable, especially since his career started a little bit later in the NHL,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “He wasn’t playing in the league at 18, 19. It’s just impressive. I think it speaks volumes of him, his approach. He’s a true professional. He was not the most highly touted goalie coming out of college. The way he kind of built his career — the character along with the competitor and the talent, you can see why he got to this point, to this milestone in his career.”

Talbot’s .916 save percentage and 2.67 goals-against average this season rank in the top four among Canadian goaltenders with at least 10 games played, which should put Talbot on the radar for Team Canada in the 4 Nations Faceoff tournament in February (replacing the NHL All-Star Game), with the roster to be announced Wednesday. It would be another nod of recognition for a goaltender who has forged an impressive career.

“I just always try to come to the rink with a good attitude, good work ethic, and try to do whatever I can every day to try get better, and that’s what I’ve been doing my whole career,’ Talbot said. “Never let anything deter me from going out there and doing everything I possibly can. Being undrafted and taking the route I took makes it that much more special. I just humbly appreciate every day.”

Continued; St. James posted a video of Talbot and captain Dylan Larkin discussing Talbot’s tenure with the Wings thus far:

A bit of ‘could’a, would’a, should’a’ regarding the 2018 draft

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff discusses the Red Wings’ decision to draft Filip Zadina over a slate of defensive help that could have stabilized the Wings’ blueline in the 2018 draft:

Sunday, as the Vancouver Canucks arrive in town to play the Red Wings, there on the ice will be current Norris Trophy holder Quinn Hughes. Someone who was playing in Detroit’s backyard, all Hughes has done as an NHLer is score 48 goals – seven more than Zadina – and collect 358 points.

Vancouver took Hughes with the seventh overall pick. Still, word within Red Wings circles post draft was that had Zadina not been available, Hughes wouldn’t have been their choice. Detroit GM Ken Holland was said to be leaning toward Evan Bouchard.

Again, not a bad option. Holland ultimately got to see what Bouchard could do after taking over as GM of the Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton was making Bouchard the 10th overall selection. His account shows 48 goals as an NHLer. Once again, more than Zadina.

A third stud defender would be chosen 12th overall by the New York Islanders. That was Noah Dobson. While the Red Wings were managing a sweep of the Islanders in three games this season, that wasn’t Dobson’s fault. He’s a presence at both ends of the ice. He’s physically imposing in the defensive zone and possessing offensive acumen. Dobson’s NHL resume shows 41 goals and more than 200 points.

Continued; I have considered this debate many times, and it sure does suck that Tyler Wright and Ken Holland chose to pick Zadina over the defensemen they needed…

But it happened, and all the Red Wings can do about it is draft better in the future.

Duff: Botched coach’s challenge concerning for Lalonde’s future

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff discusses coach’s Derek Lalonde’s tenuous tenure with the Red Wings:

What has to have Yzerman and the rest of the Red Wings brass more than a little concerned is Lalonde’s decision to make a coach’s challenge on New Jersey’s first goal during the Devils’ 5-4 victory over Detroit on Friday.

Certainly, it was clear there was contact between Detroit goalie Cam Talbot and Devils forward Stefan Noesen at the net front. What was appearing to be almost as clear to the naked eye was that it was Talbot moving out of the blue paint into white ice who was initiating contact with Noesen.

At the best of times, which way a goalie interference call is going to go is a toss up. In this instance, there didn’t look to be much hope of the goal being overturned.

“I think our group would challenge that 100 out of 100 times,” Lalonde insisted.

Detroit was leading 2-0 at the time of the first Devils goal. The Wings were playing a strong period up until that point. Making a decision that was putting the NHL’s worst penalty-killing unit back on the ice was a risk not worth taking. And it backfired spectacularly whrn the New Jersey power play scored again to make it 2-2.

“Unfortunately, it was a pretty big turning point,” Lalonde was admitting . . . “it was a huge momentum.”

Continued; to me, it’s a “shit happens” decision that Lalonde made, and I don’t think it’s going to cost him his job. Yet.

Belated: Kulfan’s notebook talks PK, Rasmussen fight

A little belated…

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan discussed the Wings’ attempts to stabilize their penalty-kill in his Saturday notebook…

“We have to be better with our details, that was the focus of our meeting,” captain Dylan Larkin said. “We know what we’re doing (but) our details aren’t good enough. We’re letting goals slip, and they’re all different ways. It’s hard to say that we’ve done a decent job with the numbers and where we’re at, but it’s not all doom and gloom with the penalty kill. It’s just mental lapses.”

The emphasis Saturday was correct routes. Coach Derek Lalonde felt that was an issue against the Devils.

“Really frustrating,” Lalonde said. “It (the penalty kill) was the difference in the game (Friday). That structure looks a little bit better but literally every chance we’ve given up has gone in. We gave up three chances (against New Jersey) and all three went in.”

Lalonde was optimistic getting an opportunity to go over details and responsibilities on the unit Saturday will be a help.

“We had an opportunity to rep it, which was important,” Lalonde said. “Three weeks ago we were able to rep in practice and it gave the PK a little spark. Hopefully it will again (Sunday).”

Continued; Kulfan also adds this:

Michael Rasmussen understood the Devils’ Johnathan Kovacevic fighting him Friday in the first period. The challenge was in response to Rasmussen flexing over the Devils’ Jack Hughes after an empty-net goal in the teams’ previous game.

“It’s part of the game, stuff happens, emotions,” Rasmussen said. “It’s a little bit out of character for me, but I handled it. I didn’t care one way or another (if challenged to fight). I’d probably do something like that, any of our guys would do that, if something like that would transpire to Razor (Lucas Raymond) or Larks (Larkin). Respect to their team for handling their top guys like that.”

Prospect round-up: Kiiskinen 1A, Sandin Pellikka 24:06 played in European action

Of Red Wings prospect-related note in Europe today:

In the Finnish Liiga, Jesse Kiiskinen had an assist, finishing at +1 with 7 shots in 17:03 played as HPK Hameenlinna won 3-0 over Jukurit;

In the SHL, Michael Bransegg-Nygard finished even with 1 shot in 18:08 played, and Axel Sandin Pellikka finished even with 5 shots in 24:06 as Skelleftea AIK lost 2-0 to Rogle BK;

Noah Dower Nilsson played only 3:56 on the 4th line, finishing even as Frolunda HC won 3-1 over Lulea Hockey;

And Anton Johansson finished at +2 with 6 shots in 14:51 as Leksands IF lost 4-3 in a shootout to Farjestads BK.

Khan: Red Wings concerned about sputtering PK

After today’s practice at Little Caesars Arena, Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde and captain Dylan Larkin spoke with the Red Wings’ media corps, and when they spoke with MLive’s Ansar Khan, they discussed the Red Wings’ league-worst penalty-kill:

“Really frustrating,” [Lalonde] said. “The structure looks a little bit better but literally every chance we’ve given up has gone in. Last night we gave up three chances and all three went in. Overextended on two of the three goals and they end up in the back of our net. Three weeks ago, we were able to rep it in practice and I thought it gave the PK a little spark. Hopefully, it will again tomorrow.”

They need to find the right balance between being aggressive and not overextending themselves.

“The frustrating part of it is even last night, for 70 percent of our penalty kill we did some good things, but the 30 percent end up in the back of our net,” Lalonde said.

It’s all about details, Dylan Larkin said.

“We know what we’re doing … our details aren’t good enough, and we’re letting goals slip, and there’s all different ways,” Larkin said. “It’s hard to say that we’ve done a decent job with the numbers and where we’re at, but it’s not all doom and gloom with the penalty kill. It’s just mental lapses. It’s just goals that are going in in the last 10 seconds, and we have to clean things up and be better, more detailed for the full two minutes.

“That’s why it’s important to get clears and get fresh guys out there. The emphasis — 15, 30 seconds, get a clear, get off. We don’t do that well enough and it costs us. When you’re tired, you’re giving the other teams’ best players looks and they want you to run around and tire yourselves out.”

Continued (paywall)

Video: Larkin and Lalonde speak with the media after Saturday’s practice

The Detroit Red Wings will battle the Vancouver Canucks tomorrow (12:30 PM EST on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/Sportsnet Pacific/Sportsnet One/97.1 FM) without the services of Alex Lyon or Patrick Kane.

Coach Lalonde’s post-practice remarks indicate that Lyon (lower-body) will be out for a while yet, while Kane should return from his upper-body injury on Tuesday in Boston.

Coach Lalonde also stated that Cam Talbot will start against Vancouver on Sunday, which probably means a battle between Talbot and unbeaten-on-the-road Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen, who’s pitched a 9-and-0 road record this season.

Given the Red Wings’ performance in Friday’s 5-4 loss to New Jersey, I think that Talbot will be particularly motivated to end Lankinen’s winning streak.

Here are today’s media availabilities from Dylan Larkin and coach Lalonde:

Fundraising on Small Business Saturday

It’s “Small Business Saturday,” and this one-employee business is about as small as you can get. I try to give you as much Red Wings information as possible, and while I’d love to do this for free, I can’t afford to do so.

As a result, I’m posting another fundraising appeal today, and I hope that you’ll understand that this is done by necessity and need as opposed to enjoyment:

The Malik Report needs your support to function. You receive quite a bit of information “for free,” but providing that information is not done for free. As such, we would like to ask that you kindly contribute to our monthly expenses.

If you’re willing to lend a hand, we have a PayPal option at https://paypal.me/TheMalikReport; there’s Venmo at https://venmo.com/george-malik-2; if you’re into the, “I don’t want to use any of those pages” option, here’s always the Giftly option by using my email, rtxg@yahoo.com, at https://www.giftly.com…

And in the banking options, you can contact me via email if you want to send me a paper check, or “Zelle” me via my email, rtxg@yahoo.com.

It’s my pleasure to provide you with as much information as I can give, but this is also a job, and it requires money, time, energy and effort (a.k.a. work). If you are willing or able to support this endeavor, it is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

Post-Practice Tweets: Lyon out for a while; Kane likely to return Tuesday

The Tweets from Saturday’s practice revealed that Patrick Kane isn’t quite ready to return from his upper-body injury, and that Ville Husso may start on Sunday vs. Vancouver (12:30 PM on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/Sportsnet Pacific/Sportsnet One/97.1 FM).

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

If Lyon is out “for the road trip,” he may not return until after December 12th, when the Red Wings close out a stretch of 4-of-5 away from Little Caesars Arena.