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!

Are the Red Wings nothing but free agency ‘losers’ at 6:20 PM?

It’s just the first day of the NHL’s free agency period, but some six hours in, The Athletic’s Shayna Goldman echoes the words of Detroit’s sports talk radio station hosts, suggesting that the Red Wings are “free agency losers”:

Detroit Red Wings: The offseason is far from over for the Red Wings, but it’s gotten off to an underwhelming start. 

The Jake Walman contract dump was an early misstep, but one that could be forgotten with the right corresponding moves that explain why management needed to open up cap space. Those moves just haven’t happened quite yet. 

Detroit missed out on free agents, like Roy, who could have elevated its blue line after subtracting Walman. Erik Gustafsson in place of Shayne Gostisbehere is a pretty lateral move. Extending Patrick Kane should give them a boost, especially after he has a full, healthy offseason to train. But management has yet to identify a David Perron replacement. Back in goal, the Cam Talbot signing crowds the crease unless the plan is to move out one of their existing contracts. 

The Red Wings showed so much promise last season, but management just has yet to punch up this roster to build on it. There is still a lot of time to make it happen, but maybe it’s time to start questioning the Yzerplan. 

Continued (paywall); I happen to believe that the “Yzerplan” is under continued evaluation and question as the Red Wings slowly and surely rebuild, and it’s bloody difficult to do anything other than hold Yzerman accountable for his actions without assuming that he’s infallible–or that he’s a terrible person for not making masterful moves 100% of the time.

Frankly, “It’s time to question the Yzerplan,” or suggesting that “The Yzerplan sucks/is failing” is a crutch in itself.

I’m not saying that the Wings “won” today by any stretch of the imagination–the Walman trade preceded a six-hour-and-twenty-minute swing and a miss at the top free agency targets–but shit happens. You deal with it, adjust your game plan, and learn. Even if you’re Steve Yzerman.

Detroit’s made a whole lot of lateral moves, re-signing Patrick Kane excepted. Now the team has to find other ways to improve itself. It’s gonna take more than six hours and twenty minutes to tell the tale.

A bit about the purpose of the Wings’ summer development camp

As the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan notes, the Red Wings’ summer development camp is underway at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center, with player fitness testing taking place on Monday morning. Kulfan offers this explanation as to why the Red Wings hold said 5-day camp:

There’s been so much news regarding the Red Wings, with the NHL Entry Draft and free agency, that it’s been easy to push the development camp into the background.

But not with the Wings’ talent evaluators, who view this week as one of the most important of the summer.

“You try to give these prospects as much information as we can over the next five days,” said Kris Draper, the Wings’ director of amateur scouting. “The importance of training in the gym, sleep, nutrition, good habits.”

The camp began Monday and will last through Friday morning with a three-on-three tournament. Fifty prospects, including many of the Wings’ recent draft picks, are in attendance. The roster is comprised primarily of players selected by the Wings over the last several drafts, as well as signed free-agent prospects and undrafted free agent invitees from collegiate, junior or European leagues.

Continued

Red Wings make Erik Gustafsson signing official

Per the Red Wings on Twitter:

As of 5 PM on Canada Day, the Red Wings appear ‘stuck in the middle’ of the free agent frenzy

The Detroit Red Wings haven’t stepped backward over the course of the first five hours of unrestricted free agency, but their signings have not necessarily moved the team forward, either.

I posted this when the free agent frenzy was really underway…

And I preached for patience…

But, ultimately, we are where we are:

I think that the next couple of moves are really going to determine whether the Red Wings actually move forward over the course of the summer, or whether they remain “just as good” as they were last season.

Press release: Red Wings confirm Christian Fischer signing

Per the Detroit Red Wings:

Red Wings re-sign Christian Fischer to one-year contract

Forward has skated in 477 NHL games with Arizona and Detroit since 2016-17

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today re-signed right wing Christian Fischer to a one-year contract with an average annual value of $1.125 million.

Fischer, 27, skated in 79 games with the Red Wings during the 2023-24 campaign, recording 19 points (5-14-19) and 36 penalty minutes. The 6-foot, 208-pound forward spent the 2022-23 season with the Arizona Coyotes, logging 27 points (13-14-27) and 20 penalty minutes in 80 games. In 2022-23, Fischer tallied his most points in a single season since achieving career highs in goals (15), assists (18) and points (33) as a rookie in 2017-18. Originally selected by Arizona in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Fischer has accumulated 130 points (61-59-130) and 133 penalty minutes in 477 games with the Coyotes and Red Wings since 2016-17. Additionally, Fischer registered 50 points (22-28-50) and 28 penalty minutes in 63 American Hockey League games with the Springfield Falcons and Tucson Roadrunners from 2015-17, competing at the 2017 AHL All-Star Classic.

Continue reading Press release: Red Wings confirm Christian Fischer signing

Fundraising update: just missing the mark

Okay, here’s my mid-afternoon fundraising update: We’ve raised approximately $600 in funds over the past week, which is awesome…

But it’s not quite enough to get me to Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center for the start of media events at the Red Wings’ Summer Development Camp tomorrow.

We need to raise about $900 to get the car paid for and the deposit taken care of, and it’s going to be up to you to determine whether I end up missing the first summer development camp since 2006…Being there for part of the time is a lot better than being there for none of the time.

If you’re willing to help, here are the details: you can use Venmo at https://venmo.com/george-malik-2, Giftly by using my email, rtxg@yahoo.com, at https://www.giftly.com. And you can contact me via email if you want to send me a paper check. I’m also on Cash App under “georgeums.” I’m on “Zelle” as rtxg@yahoo.com, too.

As always, thank you for your readership and your time.

Update: FYI: Long-time Wings fan TDL says he’s willing to match the next donation of up to $100 :O

Press release: Red Wings confirm signings of Jack Campbell and Sheldon Dries

Per the Detroit Red Wings:

RED WINGS SIGN GOALTENDER JACK CAMPBELL TO ONE-YEAR CONTRACT AND FORWARD SHELDON DRIES TO TWO-YEAR, TWO-WAY CONTRACT

  … Pair of Michigan Natives Sign Free-Agent Deals with Detroit …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today signed goaltender Jack Campbell to a one-year contract with an average annual value of $775,000 and signed center Sheldon Dries to a two-year, two-way contract.

Campbell, 32, split the 2023-24 season between the Edmonton Oilers and American Hockey League’s Bakersfield Condors. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound goaltender made five appearances with the Oilers during the 2023-24 campaign, while posting an 18-13-1 record with a 2.63 goals-against average, a 0.918 save percentage and three shutouts in 33 games with the Condors. Campbell spent the entire 2022-23 season with the Oilers, showing a 21-9-4 record with a 3.41 goals-against average, an 0.888 save percentage and one shutout in 36 regular-season games, in addition to a 1-0 record with a 1.01 goals-against average and a 0.961 save percentage in four relief appearances during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Originally selected by the Dallas Stars in the first round (11th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Campbell has logged a 93-52-18 record with a 2.76 goals-against average, a 0.909 save percentage and 10 shutouts in 176 games with the Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and Oilers. He has also racked up a 117-82-26 record with a 2.72 goals-against average, a 0.911 save percentage and 17 shutouts in 235 AHL games with the Texas Stars, Ontario Reign and Condors, winning a Calder Cup championship with Texas in 2014.

Continue reading Press release: Red Wings confirm signings of Jack Campbell and Sheldon Dries