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!

Eyes on Seider and Chiarot

The Hockey News’s Connor Eargood offers 3 items of note to watch in tonight’s rematch between the Red Wings and Blackhawks (7 PM EDT start on DetroitRedWings.com/ChicagoBlackhawks.com), and while I must suggest that all preseason games need to be taken with some salt, I’m interested in Eargood’s 3rd item the most:

Moritz Seider and Ben Chiarot Building off Experience Together

The Red Wings’ top pairing heading into both Friday’s preseason game will be Ben Chiarot and Moritz Seider. While Lalonde stressed not reading too much into line combinations, it appears as though this is the most likely top pair duo for the season as well. After playing together parts of the past two seasons, Chiarot and Seider build on a wealth of experience together. The hope is that this experience can make them more effective together.

“I think over the years, I’ve learned (you’re) just not so much complimenting the other guy. You just play your game, and he plays his game,” Chiarot said Friday. “And over time, through camp and over the years now, we’ve played together a decent amount. We know what to expect of each other. I know what he’s going to try and do in most circumstances, and I think he has a good read on what I’m going to do.”

When Chiarot first joined the Red Wings, the vision was that he and Seider would comprise the top pair. But struggles showed up early. He and Seider were one of Detroit’s least efficient units, finishing the 2022-23 season with a meager 44.4% expected goal share while bleeding 2.66 goals against per 60 as tracked by Moneypuck. And on the heels of Seider’s Calder-winning rookie season, a lot of fans pinned these struggles on Chiarot. 

Right or wrong, once Jake Walman and Seider played together after that, they took off as one of Detroit’s better pairings. The Chiarot-Seider pairing was left on a shelf until late last season, when Jake Walman was out of the lineup with an injury. The statistical results were once again poor — an even worse 43.1% expected goal share and 2.98 goals against per 60 compared to their previous campaign. But this came in the context of tougher usage, and they were also the best numbers among all of Seider’s consistent pairings.

So now, the Chiarot-Seider pairing is together yet again, and this time they have more experience to work off of. The hope is that increased experience can help them improve.

Continued; I’m still hoping that the Wings find a way to spare Seider and Chiarot of some of their difficult shut-down minutes, be that by adding a defenseman via trade or by organically finding someone on the team who can step up and play shut-down time (Simon Edvinsson at some point?).

On Alex Lyon’s attempt to re-state his case

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff discusses Alex Lyon’s attempts to earn a regular role among the Red Wings’ 3-goalie rotation:

The Red Wings believe Lyon made considerable gains when he was Detroit’s No. 1 for a good chunk of the season.

“Competition, compete, confidence, I think maybe even a little mental toughness, never getting minutes at this level, maybe going past the threshold for him.

Lyon had previously never played more than 15 games in an NHL season. His 44 appearances for Detroit was the most he made since playing the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the American Hockey League. Lalonde suggests that the Red Wings probably had to play him to much last season.

“You can almost read him because he lost a little of that swagger towards the end of the just being a little bit tired and then that opportunity to have (for Team USA at the) worlds, he had that look going again.”

Lyon had to leave the World Championships because of a hand injury.

“I think the biggest thing (last season) was confidence. Not only that, he believes he can play in this league. He belongs in this league, but he can win in this league, which he did of course.”

Continued; all Lyon can do is attempt to force the Red Wings management’s hand by playing well.

Alex Chiasson explains why he missed last season with a hip issue

Red Wings pro try-out Alex Chiasson didn’t play at all after being released from a PTO by the Boston Bruins last season, and he told the Hockey News’s Sam Stockton that there’s a good reason for his absence:

“Obviously, I went through quite a bit last year, and I decided that I wanted to give myself another shot and play,” said Alex Chiasson after this morning’s skate at Little Caesars Arena. “Obviously, really appreciated my time here in Detroit and in Grand Rapids.”  

The 33-year-old joined the Red Wings—with whom he spent the 2022-23 season—for this year’s training camp on a Professional Try-Out contract.  Chiasson knows he’s a long shot to crack the NHL roster, but he’s beaten long odds before.  What he went through was hip surgery in January and a confrontation with the reality that his hockey career might be over.  Now, he’s ready to make the most of his new lease on NHL life.

“I was able to manage [the pain] for a while,” he said, when asked how long the hip had been nagging him. “It just got to a point where life outside the rink was just not great.”  

“If we go back maybe a year from today, I wasn’t sure where my career was at,” Chiasson reflected.  “Thought maybe that was it for me.  Hockey was hard physically, but just life in general wasn’t much fun.  So went through the process and ended up getting surgery in January, and here we are today.  [I’m] grateful for the opportunity to be here, obviously worked really hard to come back.  It’s not easy at 33 to put in the work and all that, but you can only do this for so long, and hopefully I can show what I can do.”

Continued

Tweet of note: Blackhawks release roster vs. Detroit

The Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings battle in the back half of a home-and-home series tonight (7 PM EDT start on DetroitRedWings.com/ChicagoBlackhawks.com), and here’s Chicago’s game-day roster:

J.T. Compher has fantasy hockey potential if he plays alongside Kane and Tarasenko

ESPN’s fantasy hockey columnist Victoria Matiash suggests that fantasy hockey poolies pick up one J.T. Compher in a “deeper fantasy hockey league” as he may keep good company this upcoming season:

J.T. Compher, C, Detroit Red Wings

If he slots in on a new scoring line between Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane — which is plenty possible — Compher is set to kick it up another scoring notch in his second season with Detroit. No one needs to be reminded of what the two veteran wingers are capable, when fit.

Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should monitor how it all shakes out in Red Wings training camp.

Fantasy stack: Kane/Compher

Continued

Parking will be a pain in Downtown Detroit tonight

According to Fox 2 Detroit, parking is going to be a nightmare downtown today:

Friday’s going to be an incredibly busy evening in Downtown Detroit as the Tigers look to cinch the playoffs, the Red Wings play their first preseason home game, and Drop Kick Murphys perform at The Fillmore.

It’ll be an exciting night in the city, but you’ll want to prepare ahead of time and make a plan for parking and getting around because navigating the traffic is expected to be challenging.

Here’s what to know before you go:

What’s going on in Detroit

  • Dropkick Murphys concert at The Fillmore – doors at 6 p.m.
  • Detroit Tigers vs. Chicago White Sox – first pitch at 6:40 p.m.
  • Detroit Red Wings vs. Chicago Blackhawks – puck drops at 7 p.m.

Continued with good parking options…

Red Wings’ ‘second group’ Tweets of note: Kane rejoins non-game-day group

The Detroit Red Wings’ “game day” group skated ahead of tonight’s game vs. Chicago (7 PM EDT on DetroitRedWings.com/ChicagoBlackhawks.com)…

And the game-day group has already skated ahead of tonight’s affair, so the “second group” is skating at the BELFOR Training Center, including Patrick Kane:

The Hawks are doing the opposite of the Red Wings today, skating their non-game-day group first:

Back in Detroit…

Digging at the Red Wings’ goaltending situation (from a fantasy hockey perspective)

CBS Sports’ fantasy hockey columnist, Janet Eagleson, wrote a column discussing potential “position battles” in goal across the NHL, and here’s what she has to say about the Red Wings’ crease:

Cam Talbot vs. Alex Lyon vs. Ville Husso vs. Jack Campbell – The Yzerplan is more than five years old with nothing to show. Last season, Detroit’s net was a hot mess – Yzerman hated the three-headed goalie system, but the Wings opened camp this year with not three, but four twine-tenders competing for starts. Talbot is first in line, but he won’t replicate his L.A. numbers. The Detroit defensive system pales in comparison to the structure he left. Husso looked like a rising star in St. Louis, so the skills may be there, but he sure hasn’t shown them lately. Lyon was great last season in 44 games, but can a journeyman with 39 previous NHL starts over six seasons really become a No. 1 at almost 32? Then there’s Campbell, who’s beloved wherever he goes, but being liked doesn’t earn anyone a job. He’s likely AHL bound. Talbot will get the majority of starts, at least to start the season, but Husso’s motivation will be high as he tries to earn another contract. Steer clear of this battle – it’s hard to milk value from any three-headed situation.

Continued; Yzerman doesn’t hate the three-goaltender system, nor do the coaches. They simply prefer the conventional model.

Husso has been injured, thus unable to “show his skills.”

Lyon slowed down and broke down a bit over the last 20 games.

Campbell is going to the AHL.

Beats me if this is a fantasy hockey trio worth investing in.

Tweet of note: Red Wings Alumni will play the cast of ‘Shoresy’ on November 11th

FYI: