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!

Tweets of note: Lineups for tonight’s Prospect Games affair, and ‘meet the team’

Here are the Red Wings and Stars’ lineups for tonight’s Prospect Games affair, per Ken Kal:

And the Red Wings posted a pair of Tweets:

Update: More:

The box score will be on PointStreak, too.

Prospect round-up: Forslund, Mora lose; Kiiskinen earns 17:46 of ice time in HPK loss

Of Red Wings prospect-related note:

In the Swedish J20 league, Charlie Forslund didn’t register a point while playing on Mora IK’s 4th line as Mora won 4-2 over Brynas IF;

And in the Finnish Liiga, Jesse Kiiskinen posted 3 shots in 17:46 played as HPK was shut out 2-0 by Assat.

Tweet of note: Prospect Games will only stream on DetroitRedWings.com

Per Daniella Bruce, the Red Wings’ Prospect Games vs. the Dallas Stars are only going to stream on DetroitRedWings.com. They’re not streaming them on YouTube or Facebook this year:

Are the training stakes high for Michael Brandsegg-Nygard?

I initially scratched my head a little bit at The Hockey News prospect guru Tony Ferrari’s list of the “Young NHL Players Needing a Strong Training Camp in the Atlantic Division,” but Ferrari makes a good point here:

Detroit Red Wings: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW

The Red Wings have several players that easily fit into this category. You could look at the blueline where Simon Edvinsson is all but assured a spot in the lineup. Albert Johansson is a low-ceiling defensive prospect who has shown to be a reliable defensive presence and he is no longer waiver-exempt, so does he earn a role on their crowded blueline? Up front, Carter Mazur is looking to find a role in the middle six while recent first-round picks, Nate Danielson and Marco Kasper, are looking to make good impressions in hopes of getting some NHL playing time.

The most interesting player at Wings camp is a player who may not actually have much of a shot at making the team this year in Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, the 15th overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft. He plays a smart, powerful game and he has a number of NHL-ready tools but he is still a long shot to make this team. The winger is going to get a good look at what areas of his game need to take a step forward before heading back to Sweden for the season and that could set him up for his first North American season next year.

Continued; I suppose that’s a fair assessment. MBN probably won’t make the Red Wings’ roster, but he’s going to find out very quickly what aspects of his development need work as he jumps from the HockeyAllsvenskan and SHL preseason to playing with NHL competition.

Praise for Sandin Pellikka as a ‘break-out’ prospect

Bleacher Report’s Hannah Stuart lists 5 prospects who “could break out” this upcoming season, and she includes three likely NHL’ers and two prospects who are not currently playing in the NHL:

Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Detroit Red Wings

Don’t be surprised if this is the last season Axel Sandin-Pellikka spends in the SHL. The highly-skilled defender chose to spend one more season playing at home in Sweden to continue refining his game, a decision the Red Wings fully supported. After attending development camp in July he returned to Skellefteå and while he’s spent some time on the shelf recently due to injury, all signs point to this being a season where he takes the next step in becoming what the Red Wings saw when they drafted him: a player who is essential to the future of their organization’s blue line.

He looked great for Sweden internationally last season, and is expected to see significant power play time for Skellefteå this season. His intelligence, playmaking, and puck skills are all key facets of his game, and he’ll be put in a position to utilize those skills night in and night out in SHL and Champions League play. Our prediction: that he shines, and in doing so doesn’t just come to North America next season, but forces Steve Yzerman’s hand and stays in Detroit.

Continued; my gut feeling is that Sandin Pellikka will play in Grand Rapids for at least half a season, but he’s definitely on a faster track than most to NHL stardom.

Prospect games morning skate Tweets: Wings get underway; Kal and Kaser on the call

Of Red Wings-related note ahead of tonight’s game between the Detroit Red Wings’ prospects and the Dallas Stars’ prospects:

Reminder: Red Wings-Stars Prospect Games take place today at 6 PM and tomorrow at 2:30 PM; games will be streamed online

Just a reminder: the Red Wings will play a slate of two Prospect Games vs. the Dallas Stars’ prospects at Centre ICE Arena, tonight at 6 PM EDT and tomorrow at 2:30 PM EDT.

Per the Wings’ press release:

TICKETS: Tickets for all NHL Prospect Games and Training Camp are available now online at https://mynorthtickets.com/organizations/centre-ice

STREAMING: The 2024 NHL Prospect Games vs. Dallas will be carried live on DetroitRedWings.com and on the Red Wings social media platforms (Facebook, YouTube, DRW App). Both games will feature play-by-play commentary provided by Red Wings radio voice Ken Kal and Grand Rapids Griffins play-by-play voice Bob Kaser.

Prospect round-up: ASP still sidelined; Buchelnikov’s point-per-game streak snapped; Kiiskinen posts assist

Of Red Wings prospect-related note:

In the Champions Hockey League, Axel Sandin Pellikka did not play in Skelleftea AIK’s 4-2 win over the Lahti Pelicans. He’s still nursing an injury suffered in the SHL preseason;

In the KHL, Dmitri Buchelnikov took 6 shots, had a hit and 2 takeaways in 16:54 of ice time, but his point-per-game streak was snapped as he finished even in Vityaz Moscow Region’s 2-1 loss to Lada Togliatti;

In the Finnish Liiga, Jesse Kiiskinen posted an assist and 2 shots, finishing at -1 in 16:28 played as HPK won a 3-2 shootout decision over Sport:

And in the Swedish J20 league, Charlie Forslund didn’t register a point in Mora IK’s 5-1 loss to Brynas IF.

Waiting on Raymond and Seider

Sportsnet’s Emily Sadler asks a pertinent question of every Atlantic Division team today, and here’s what she feels the Red Wings need to answer–and it’s the obvious one:

Detroit Red Wings: Can Yzerman get his young core signed in time for camp?

The biggest topic at the beginning of Detroit’s off-season remains the most talked-about storyline as the Red Wings approach training camp. While the Red Wings’ RFAs aren’t the only high-profile skaters still unsigned as camps loom, it’s easy to understand why there’s some concern around the status of Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider.

The forward and defenceman are franchise cornerstones whose respective roles cannot be understated. Raymond was the team’s leader in assists (41) and points (72) last season while Seider’s offensive gifts were on full display on the blue line with 42 points. Forward Jonatan Berggren, too, has yet to sign a new pact. We’ve seen more and more RFA contract stalemates bleed through camp and come dangerously close to game time… will these be the same? As pricey as these contracts could be, can the Red Wings afford to keep waiting?

Continued; I’d prefer to see Raymond and Seider signed ASAP, but negotiations will take the time they take. “Prior to the regular season” is the goal for me.

Cogent notes

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff filed an article which discusses both the Red Wings’ competition for this weekend’s Prospect Games, the Dallas Stars, and offers a few cogent Wings prospect observations. Among them:

There’s been a buzz about [Michael] Brandsegg-Nygard because he was just drafted three months ago, and the Red Wings wanted him to come to training camp. More often than not, the Red Wings let European players stay in Europe because their leagues start earlier.

Axel Sandin Pellikka and Brandsegg-Nygard both play for Skelleftea in the Swedish Hockey League, and Sandin Pellikka is not coming for training camp. Of course, Sandin Pellikka is a smallish, dynamic puck-moving defenseman, and Brandsegg-Nygard is a strong winger.

My understanding is that Brandsegg-Nygard wants to play for Skelleftea AIK this upcoming season, with Sandin Pellikka, but I will admit that the Red Wings’ management have changed prospects’ minds before.

Rychlovsky is another intriguing player because he led the Czech league with 26 goals last season.

Danielson projects to play this season in Grand Rapids, but he is one of the prospects who could make the team with a memorable preseason. It seems likely coach Derek Lalonde will play Danielson and Marco Kasper often when the Red Wings start playing preseason game. Kasper will not be at the NHL prospect tournament.

The Red Wings’ rule for prospect participation usually works like this: if the player’s skated in a full season at the AHL level, they’re prohibited from participating in whatever tournament the Wings are holding. As such, Jakub Rychlovsky, who played pro hockey in the Czech Extraliga last season, is eligible, but Kasper isn’t.

Sebastian Cossa will not be at this tournament, but Carter Gylander will be. He’s probably third in line behind Cossa and Augustine among Detroit goalie prospects.

One goalie to watch: Gage Alexander. The Red Wings picked him up from the Anaheim Ducks in the Robby Fabbri trade. He’s 6-foot-6, and he’s only 22 years old. This will give the coaching staff to see what they have in this young prospect.

It is entirely possible that the Wings will go with a three-goalie system at the NHL level, a three-goalie system at the AHL level (with Jack Campbell, Sebastian Cossa and one of Gage Alexander or Carter Gylander), and a two-goalie system at the ECHL level, with one of Alexander or Gylander working with the Griffins-contracted Jan Bednar.