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!

Accentuating a higher standard of performance

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff took note of a familiar thread for the Red Wings’ players and coach over the course of this summer’s media availabilities: every player and coach Lalonde has suggested that the team faces higher expectations in terms of performance going forward:

“I think there’s definitely expectations going into this season, so that’s always a good thing,” Detroit forward Patrick Kane said. “You want those expectations.”

After finishing the season with 91 points and missing out on postseason play via tiebreaker, the Red Wings have given cause for high hopes.

“I think you set expectations high after coming down to Game 82 (and) that (is when) you missed the playoffs,” Detroit GM Steve Yzerman said.

The Red Wings are ready to deal with the accompanying pressure that raised expectations do bring.

“I think that’s great for our group to have expectations like that to come in the next year to get back to that point,” Red Wings forward Christian Fischer said. “I’m honestly fully confident that we could get back there.

“You don’t want to set crazy expectations but I think everybody’s in the same boat. I think we kind of showed last year a big step in the progression of our team and setting the standard that we could be in the postseason, and that we expect to be in the postseason.

Continued; it’s a damn good thing that the Red Wings expect to make the playoffs this upcoming season. Detroit’s not going to finish first in the Atlantic Division, but as the team moves forward, it must attempt to exceed its standard of performance from this past campaign.

Tweet of note: Bally Sports Detroit highlights Red Wings’ ‘Street Hockey in the D’ event

The Detroit Red Wings held a “Street Hockey in the D” event today, and the Red Wings’ media corps attended it in order to speak with Detroit coach Derek Lalonde.

Bally Sports Detroit’s Natalie Kerwin also took part in the event, and BSD posted a 2:30 highlight clip from the event during tonight’s Detroit Tigers game:

I can’t do more than link it, but CBS Detroit’s Rachel Hopmayer posted a 2:13 report about the event as well.

Tweet of note: Babs being Babs, Jimmy Howard’s version

Red Wings alumnus Jimmy Howard appeared on the “Cam & Strick Podcast” early on Wednesday morning, and the “Cam & Strick” Twitter account revealed a bit of a typically Babcockian tale.

According to Howard, at the end of his rookie campaign, Babcock made sure to tell the media that he was going to vote for Tyler Myers as the Calder Trophy winner, instead of his own goaltender (thankfully, coaches don’t get a vote in the Calder Trophy rankings):

If you missed the podcast video/audio, Jimmy Howard appears at the 1 hour and 40 minute mark:

Update: The Detroit News reports that Howard also earns credit for one moment in a superb career more often than he feels is necessary:

Continue reading Tweet of note: Babs being Babs, Jimmy Howard’s version

A bit more from coach Lalonde regarding Raymond and Seider’s roles this upcoming season

Updated at 5:04 PM: Earlier today, Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde took part in a “Street Hockey in the D” event sponsored by the Red Wings organization in Detroit, and both the Hockey News’s Sam Stockton and Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff took note of Lalonde’s remarks at said event.

This afternoon, the Free Press’s Helene St. James and MLive’s Ansar Khan share their commentary on Lalonde’s remarks. St. James took note of Lalonde’s take on both Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider’s expected roles increasing this upcoming season…

“I’ve talked with them two to three times during the summer and we don’t even talk about the contract,” Lalonde said. “That’s between Steve and them. With us, it’s just the same message as with the other guys — we want to progress, we want to keep moving, keep building this. Obviously those two guys are a big part of it.”

Raymond came in last season about a dozen pounds heavier and it showed in his play, as he went on to lead the Wings with 72 points in 82 games.

“He found something in his offseason last year, he came back and he just looked like a different athlete,” Lalonde said. “A little of that was just him maturing — he’s still a very young player and naturally his body matured a little bit. But just keep building on what he did last year.”

Lalonde’s message to Seider was also to keep building. Seider is entering his fourth season and Raymond his third, and given their importance, each is a prime candidate to join the rotation of alternate captains after David Perron’s departure in free agency.

“Those two, the role they’ll play on our team, I think it will be a little increased role with our leadership, too,” Lalonde said. “That’s something we talked about with those two over the summer.”

As did Khan, who noted that Lalonde didn’t want to discuss the contractual negotiations with Raymond and Seider per se:

Continue reading A bit more from coach Lalonde regarding Raymond and Seider’s roles this upcoming season

Coach Lalonde addresses several topics during Red Wings’ ‘Street Hockey in the D’ event

Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde attended the Detroit Red Wings’ “Street Hockey in the D” event this morning, and the Hockey News’s Sam Stockton asked coach Lalonde about the Red Wings’ need to re-sign Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider before training camp begins…

When asked whether he could provide an update on the situation, Lalonde said, “Not a whole lot…This is exactly why we have the GM layer, the agent layer…I’ve talked to them two, three times throughout the summer, and we don’t even talk about the contract. That’s between Steve and them, Steve and the agent. With us, it’s just the same message for all the guys: We wanna progress, we wanna keep building this, we want a little bit more from last year. Obviously those two guys are a big part of it.”

While not quite the revelation Red Wings fans were likely hoping for, it was nonetheless another reassurance that Detroit is in no serious jeopardy of losing Raymond or Seider’s services this summer.  While many fans are no doubt eager to see that set in stone (or ink, as the case may be), Lalonde himself said, “I’m not worried.  It’s all part of it.  I have a little experience with this with past RFAs, so it’s all part of the process” in response to being asked directly over whether their contract status was causing him any stress.

Lalonde went on to note that not only is he fully counting on Raymond and Seider for next season but also he expects their roles to continue to grow, specifically by becoming a greater part of Detroit’s leadership team.

“I think those two and the role they’ll play on our team, I think it’ll be a little increased with our leadership too,” Lalonde said.  “It’s something we talked about with those two.  [I’m] very comfortable with where the situation is exactly.  I sound like a broken record, but this is why coaches coach, managers manage, it’s why players have agents—to avoid the layer of what’s going on with the contract.”  With David Perron (who wore an “A” as alternate captain) off to Ottawa, perhaps one or both of Raymond and Seider could wind up wearing a letter in 2024-25.

And coach Lalonde emphasized improving the team’s defensive numbers while speaking with Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen:

Continue reading Coach Lalonde addresses several topics during Red Wings’ ‘Street Hockey in the D’ event

Is Dylan Larkin a candidate to wear the ‘C’ for Team USA in 2026?

The Hockey News is focusing on the 2024 Winter Olympics this week, and THN’s Jason Duench suggests that Team USA should pick Dylan Larkin as their next team captain:

United States: Dylan Larkin, C, Detroit Red Wings

While it’s worth mentioning American legend Patrick Kane, who is third all-time in NHL points for American-born players, the USA is deep at forward and Kane’s dazzling resume may be passed over completely when he turns 37 in 2026. Besides, Kane has only ever worn an ‘A’ in the NHL.

That’s why the sensical choice is Larkin, who will be 29 and captain of five years for the Detroit Red Wings. He hasn’t been named to the Four Nations roster, but he’s consistently been one of the NHL’s most effective two-way pivots and if he can get Motor City back into playoff contention in the next two seasons, he’ll make an even better case for Team USA general manager Bill Guerin to give him the nod.

Other candidates: Brady Tkachuk, LW, Ottawa Senators; Jaccob Slavin, D, Carolina Hurricanes; Adam Fox, D, New York Rangers; Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs; Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston Bruins

Continued

Duff on the Kane efffect

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff discusses the positive intangibles that Patrick Kane brings to the Red Wings in terms of team “swagger,” suggesting that Kane’s influence upon the Wings might be similar to “Pudge” Rodriguez’s influence upon the Detroit Tigers:

Top MLB players began following Rodriguez to Detroit. That, coupled with a strong influx of homegrown talent, propeled the Tigers back to prominence.

Certainly, the Red Wings were further along the rebuilding curve upon Kane’s arrival last November. Definitely, that was playing a role in his decision to re-up with the club.

“My heart was set on being back with Detroit,” Kane said. “I feel like it was, it was a good fit for me, but I also feel like it was a good fit for the team and I feel like I fit in well with the lineup and with the players and the guys. So I was looking forward to just kind of building on what we went through last year.”

Already, Kane’s decision is having positive ramifications on the roster. Forward Vladimir Tarasenko, the club’s biggest offseason addition, was admitting that Kane’s presence was helping to convince him that Detroit was the place for him.

“I talked to Kaner,” Tarasenko said. “There is a lot of guys who used to play in St. Louis, a lot of familiar faces. They all say only good things about Detroit, the city and the team. That’s why we decided to come.”

Continued; I concur with Duff. The Red Wings aren’t exactly a free agent destination yet, but Kane’s definitely helping the Wings slowly but surely attract free agents like Tarasenko and Gustafsson.

Wednesday round-up: Probert’s PIM’s, Max Plante’s learning curve, a ‘Street Hockey in the D’ event and ‘would’ve should’ve’ trade talk

I’m not feeling particularly well today, so I’m going with a news round-up post as opposed to a bunch of entries. My apologies if this is inconvenient:

  1. Earlier this morning, Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff took note of five impressive statistical performances by the Red Wings team and their players, and, in this case, five statistical performances that fans may not know of:

Bob Probert’s Red Wings PIM Mark:

Bob Probert’s legacy in Hockeytown is timeless. His fights are the stuff of legend. As his 1987-88 Red Wings season also should be. During the 1987-88 season, Probert wound up one goal shy of 30 and two PIM shy of 400. He would serve the equivalent of 6.63 games in penalty minutes and still find enough ice to to score 29 goals.

It was good enough to earn Probert a place in the NHL All-Star Game that season. And, a look of puzzlement from Joe Kocur, his Bruise Brothers teammate.

Kocur would never let Probert forget that all he had to do was hack some opponent in the last game of the season to get to the 400-minute plateau.

2. Shifting focus toward the Red Wings’ future, DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills posted an article about Red Wings prospect Max Plante, who was raised by former NHL’er Derek Plante in a “hockey family”:

Continue reading Wednesday round-up: Probert’s PIM’s, Max Plante’s learning curve, a ‘Street Hockey in the D’ event and ‘would’ve should’ve’ trade talk