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, when MLive hired me to work their SlapShots blog, and I joined Kukla's Korner in 2011 as The Malik Report. I'm starting The Malik Report as a stand-alone site, hoping that having my readers fund the website is indeed the way to go to build a better community and create better content.

Prospect Round-up: Larsson, Eliasson lose in Sweden; Cotton 2G in WHL

Of Red Wings-related prospect note in Europe on Wednesday:

In the Finnish Liiga, Eemil Viro was absent from TPS Turku’s 3-1 loss to KooKoo as he’s going to Canada with the Finnish World Junior Championship team;

In the Swedish Allsvenskan, Filip Larsson stopped 18 of 22 shots in HV71 Jonkoping’s 4-3 shootout loss to Mora IK, who remain without Albin Grewe (concussion);

In HockeyEttan, Jesper Eliasson stopped 26 of 29 shots in Vasby IK’s 3-2 loss to Mariestad BoIS;

In the scheduling department, we know when Frolunda HC (Simon Edvinsson, Theodor Niederbach and Elmer Soderblom) and Rogle BK (William Wallinder) will tangle in the Champions League’s semifinal games:

The games consist of a two-game playoff in which the team who scores the most goals wins. Kinda lame.

And of Red Wings-related prospect note in North America on Wednesday:

In the QMJHL, Oscar Plandowski finished at +2 with 2 shots in the Charlottetown Islanders’ 8-2 win over Halifax;

In the WHL, Sebastian Cossa’s Edmonton Oil Kings won 5-2 over Calgary;

And Alex Cotton scored 2 goals, finishing at -2 with 5 shots in the Vancouver Giants’ 7-3 loss to Prince George.

Belated: Red Wings recall Criscuolo and Hirose

The Detroit Red Wings lost Robby Fabbri and Michael Rasmussen to COVID protocols, so the Wings have recalled Kyle Criscuolo and Taro Hirose from Grand Rapids:

DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings today recalled center Kyle Criscuolo and left wing Taro Hirose from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

Criscuolo, 29, has played parts of four seasons with the Griffins over two separate stints with the club, rejoining the organization in 2020-21 after signing with Grand Rapids to begin his professional career in 2015-16. Criscuolo logged his 10th career NHL game in Detroit’s 4-3 shootout win over Seattle on Dec. 1, marking his Red Wings debut after previously appearing in nine NHL games with Buffalo during the 2017-18 campaign. In 265 AHL games between the Griffins, Rochester Americans, Lehigh Valley Phantoms and San Diego Gulls, he has totaled 155 points (66-89-155), a plus-29 rating and 96 penalty minutes. As a first-year pro in 2016-17, Criscuolo helped the Griffins capture a Calder Cup championship, contributing 41 points (17-24-41) in 76 regular-season games and adding nine points (5-4-9) in 19 postseason contests. This season, the 5-foot-9, 175-pound forward leads the Griffins lead in points-per-game, racking up 17 points (9-8-17) in 15 games.

A native of Southampton, N.J., Criscuolo spent four seasons at Harvard University from 2012-16 and logged 113 points (53-60-113), a plus-42 rating and 46 penalty minutes in 124 collegiate games, serving as captain of the Crimson as a junior and senior. Harvard won an ECAC conference championship in 2015, and Criscuolo was a back-to-back ECAC Student-Athlete of the Year, All-Ivy League Second Team and All-ECAC Second Team member. Prior to his time at Harvard, Criscuolo spent the 2011-12 season in the USHL with the Sioux City Musketeers, notching 44 points (21-23-44) in 59 games.

Hirose, 25, has split his professional career between the Red Wings and Griffins. He has appeared in 42 NHL games since debuting in 2018-19, totaling 16 points (3-13-16) and eight penalty minutes, while adding 74 points (14-60-74) and 18 penalty minutes in 86 games with Grand Rapids over the last three seasons. In 2021-22, Hirose has logged 22 games for the Griffins, ranking among team leaders with four goals (T5th), 15 assists (1st and T7th in the AHL), 19 points (1st) and 40 shots (3rd). He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent after spending three years at Michigan State University and logged seven points (1-6-7) in 10 games during his first NHL stint in 2018-19.

A native of Calgary, Alberta, Hirose appeared in 106 games at Michigan State from 2016-19, totaling 116 points (33-83-116) and 39 penalty minutes. As a junior in 2018-19, Hirose led the nation in points (50), points-per-game (1.47), assists (35), multi-point games (15) and three-point games (9) en route to being named the Big Ten Player of the Year. Prior to his collegiate career, Hirose played two seasons (2014-16) with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the British Columbia Hockey League where he totaled 121 points (33-88-121) in 116 games. During the 2015-16 campaign with the Silverbacks, he ranked 13th in the BCHL in points (71) and fourth in assists (56), both of which led the team. Hirose also led the Silverbacks in scoring (18-32-50) in his first season with the club (2014-15), while being named the team’s Rookie of the Year.

Wednesday’s post-practice videos: Larkin, Blashill

The Red Wings practiced on Wednesday without Robby Fabbri and Michael Rasmussen (COVID Protocol) as well as Tyler Bertuzzi (maintenance day), ahead of tomorrow’s game vs. the Carolina Hurricanes, and after practice, Dylan Larkin spoke about the Olympic decision facing NHL players, while coach Blashill addressed the Wings’ need to call up players.

Wednesday’s post-practice Tweets: Larkin on the Olympics, Blashill on call-ups

Okay, so the Red Wings practiced on Wednesday minus Tyler Bertuzzi (maintenance), as well as Robby Fabbri and Michael Rasmussen (COVID protocols) ahead of Thursday’s game vs. the Carolina Hurricanes, which is still scheduled to take place as of now.

The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Canes may go with 16 skaters and 2 goalies due to salary cap constraints; they still possess a 19-7-and-1 record, and their most recent loss (in Vancouver) snapped a 4-game winning streak.

The shorthanded “Jerks” will be looking to stick it to Nedeljkovic and the 14-12-and-3 Wings on Thursday, so the Red Wings better be at their best as they head to Raleigh tomorrow night.

After Wednesday’s practice, Dylan Larkin spoke with the media, and he addressed more than the state of the Wings…

Larkin, on the Olympics: “I think it’s … There’s a lot going on right now. We’re dealing with COVID here. We had calls and talks, and you guys read the reports on what it could be like in China, and that’s unfortunate, but it is what it is.”— Nick Cotsonika (@cotsonika) December 15, 2021

Larkin, on the Olympics (continued): “It would be very unfortunate to get stuck in quarantine for that long, and you know, [there’s] a serious unknown of when you come home. So I think it’s unfortunate for all athletes.”— Nick Cotsonika (@cotsonika) December 15, 2021

(Players who test positive for COVID in China may be stuck there for 3-5 weeks)

And coach Jeff Blashill addressed the Wings’ COVID situation:

Coach Blashill says they will call up players today, with the absence of a few guys on the team. When asked if it would be Jonatan Berggren, he said no. He doesn’t want to throw off Berggren’s confidence when he’s playing so well in the AHL. #LGRW— Carley Johnston (@carleykjohnston) December 15, 2021

Good news here:

Maintenance day for Bertuzzi but expected to be available tomorrow— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) December 15, 2021

Toledo Walleye announce Red Wings Alums who will take part in their alumni game at Winterfest

Per the Toledo Walleye:

JUST ANNOUNCED: Darren McCarty, Joey Kocur, and more will compete for the @DetroitRedWings during the #Winterfest2021 Alumni Game. ??

?️: https://t.co/AOu31vz1gL pic.twitter.com/Jx8r0LRXSk— Toledo Walleye (@ToledoWalleye) December 15, 2021

Tweet of note: If you’re in Gander, Newfoundland this weekend…

FYI:

The @Rogers #HometownHockey tour is making its way over to Gander, NL and we’re bringing you a special guest!

NHL alumni, Daniel Cleary will be joining us all weekend for autograph signings! ?

FREE tickets are available now: https://t.co/txmfDXzCFO pic.twitter.com/zd7moPGOcJ— Rogers Hometown Hockey (@hometownhockey_) December 15, 2021

The Hockey News’s power rankings: Hey Ned

The Hockey News’s Jason Chen posted a set of power rankings today, and he mentions the Red Wings’ goaltender in his rankings:

20. Detroit Red Wings (14-12-3, -17. CF%: 30th, xGF%: 23rd. Last Week: 20)

Admittedly, the Wings faced three tough teams during their losing streak – Preds, Blues, Avs – and Alex Nedeljkovic has been quite good this season even though there were doubts about his ability to be a starting goalie (ahem, Carolina).

Continued

Tweets from Wednesday’s practice: Fabbri and Rasmussen in COVID protocol, Bertuzzi absent

The Red Wings hit the ice at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday afternoon hoping to build a foundation for a winning streak, with last night’s 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders still in the Wings’ minds as they prepare for a Thursday night game vs. the COVID-decimated but ever-dangerous Carolina Hurricanes in the offing(???).

The Wings got their own bad news on Wednesday as Robby Fabbri and Michael Rasmussen were placed in COVID protocols, taking two important contributors off the Wings’ roster.

And, well…

Don’t see Tyler Bertuzzi out there for Red Wings practice today pic.twitter.com/A4s0tj0A8P— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) December 15, 2021

Ugh. Bertuzzi not at practicing today either. Hopefully just a maintenance day. https://t.co/GMl3VVmNGP— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) December 15, 2021

Hurricanes announce that Thursday’s game vs. the Red Wings is still ‘on’

From Twitter:

Tomorrow’s game vs. Detroit is ON! #LetsGoCanes pic.twitter.com/BjU35zNOvV— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) December 15, 2021

Update from the Canes after zero positive cases today https://t.co/9Z8abQZvzJ— Sara Civ (@SaraCivian) December 15, 2021

The Raleigh News & Observer’s Chip Alexander confirms:

The Canes’ scheduled home game Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings will be played. That decision was made a day after the Canes’ road game at Minnesota was postponed because of the Canes’ COVID issues.

It has been a rough stretch of days for Carolina. First, forwards Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis entered the COVID protocol Monday. Aho had been held out of Sunday’s game in Vancouver, but then tested positive for the coronavirus. Then, Jarvis and a team trainer, who has not been name, entered the protocol.

The Canes, after four games in Canada, were to finish their road trip Thursday against the Minnesota Wild. But after further COVID testing, forwards Jordan Staal, Andrei Svechnikov, Steven Lorentz, and defenseman Ian Cole were placed in the protocol.

The new positives came just as defensemen Brett Pesce and Tony DeAngelo were set to return to the lineup after their stint on the protocol list. The two D-men had not played since Nov. 28 against the Washington Capitals, missing seven games.

At this point, plan is for the Hurricanes to ice a lineup that’s short two skaters under normal lineup. But it’s play on at the moment. https://t.co/ESYeXdbxjB— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 15, 2021