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!

Coach Lalonde on a relatively ‘hot seat’

The Score’s Kyle Cushman posted a “hot seat index” for the NHL’s respective coaches, ranking their “hot seat indexes” from 1 to 5, and here’s what he has to say about Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde:

Derek Lalonde, Detroit Red Wings

Hot seat index: 🔥🔥🔥

The Red Wings narrowly missed the playoffs in Lalonde’s second season behind the bench. Detroit enjoyed an 11-point bump to tie the Washington Capitals for the final wild-card spot, only missing out because the former had fewer regulation wins.

Though that’s positive year-over-year improvement, Detroit has now missed the playoffs in eight consecutive campaigns and hasn’t won a playoff round in over a decade. Young stars Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond have graduated from cheap entry-level contracts to big-money extensions. It’s time to take the next step.

After last season’s push, the Red Wings have to break into the playoffs to call the campaign a success. GM Steve Yzerman isn’t going anywhere and, with the roster’s core largely in place, a disappointing year will put Lalonde’s job at risk.

Continued; Lalonde’s on an expiring contract this year, so he will be coaching for his job.

Patrick Kane’s finally able to get in a full training camp

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan spoke with Red Wings forward Patrick Kane and coach Derek Lalonde regarding #88’s first full-participant training camp in several seasons:

“You can train as much as you want, but it’s different once you get into real games,” Kane said.

For those curious how Kane would look after re-signing with the Wings on June 30, and maybe age and the wear and tear of all these years finally beginning to catch up ― not to mention the hip surgery in the summer of 2023 ― well, Kane certainly hasn’t looked any slower. After an impressive 50-game stint with the Wings after signing a one-year contract in November, Kane has looked much where he left off.

“He’s had great energy,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “We’ve had two very productive camps the last two years, hence our really good starts. This one was designed to be a little bit harder, asking the group for a little more than last year. (I was) probably a little concerned about some of our older guys, but he’s pushed it. It’s a credit to having a full summer where his conditioning is.”

From the start of training camp in Traverse City in mid-September, Kane has said he feels good and credits the ability to train full bore this past summer as a key reason for his conditioning. Lalonde, too, has been impressed.

“He (Kane) just told me this has been one of the hardest camps he’s ever been in, and he said he feels great,” Lalonde said. “A little earlier to the rink, a little later leaving the rink. Some warmup and some cooldown, but I’m taken aback by where his conditioning is at. Good on him and a good sign.”

Continued (paywall)

Red Wings prepare for a ‘unique day’ in Detroit and Buffalo

The Free Press’s Helene St. James discusses the Red Wings’ unique preparations for tonight’s “split squad games” in a game-day notebook:

Derek Lalonde used his weekend well: Divvying up who would play where as the Detroit Red Wings face a rare situation Monday of playing two games at the same time in two different locations.

“Very unique,” Lalonde said Monday after the home-group’s morning skate at Little Caesars Arena. Patrick Kane will be among those who’ll play in that group against the Pittsburgh Penguins, in a game rescheduled from Saturday because the Penguins couldn’t fly. Another group will head to Buffalo to play the Sabres in a previously scheduled game.

“It actually works fine,” Lalonde said. “We get the two teams going. I don’t know if it’s ideal, six games in six days. It will be a little taxing on a couple guys who will do back-to-backs, or three-in-fours, but we’re pretty spread out, so it’s going to work. But we accomplished it where we beat them up so bad in practice, guys are begging for games. So it’s not that bad of a schedule coming up here.”

The Wings play again Tuesday in Pittsburgh, then Thursday at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Friday at home against the Ottawa Senators, and Saturday at Toronto.

Lalonde and his assistants will coach Monday in Detroit, while Grand Rapids Griffins coach Dan Watson and his staff are in Buffalo.

Continued (paywall); Lalonde also continued his train of thought while speaking with DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills:

Continue reading Red Wings prepare for a ‘unique day’ in Detroit and Buffalo

Red Wings ‘split squad’ morning skate Tweets, part 2: goaltending assignments set

The Red Wings’ “first group” held their morning skate ahead of tonight’s home game vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins (7 PM EDT on DetroitRedWings.com/PittsburghPenguins.com), and the Red Wings’ “second group” will play in Buffalo against the Sabres tonight (7 PM EDT on DetroitRedWings.com/BuffaloSabres.com).

Before the “second group” took to the ice, coach Derek Lalonde revealed his teams’ goaltending assignments:

For the Penguins, play-by-play announcer Josh Getzoff reports that it will be a bit of a reunion tour this evening…

And I guess sending the Copp line to Buffalo is underwhelming:

I should note that the Penguins’ “A team” played in Sudbury, Ontario last night, so they’ll be dressing their “B team,” while the Sabres’ stars are in Czechia for the Global Series, so it’s going to be a mixed bag in Buffalo.

Update #2: Here’s the Red Wings’ lineup for the Buffalo game:

Update #1: if you missed it, the Sabres announced their lineup for tonight’s game a couple of hours ago…

Continue reading Red Wings ‘split squad’ morning skate Tweets, part 2: goaltending assignments set

‘Boldly predicting’ a blueline trade

Sportsnet’s Ryan Dixon makes “one bold prediction” for each of the NHL’s 32 teams today, and he’s predicting that the Red Wings will make a trade to bring a Windsorite home:

Detroit Red Wings: The Wings will continue to push for playoff action by acquiring local boy Cam Fowler to bolster the defence corps. Fowler can slide into a second-pair role with Detroit thanks to the step forward Simon Edvinsson is about to have in his first full NHL campaign.

Continued; I fully believe that the Red Wings need to make a move to add a shut-down defenseman of some sort, but I’m not sure whether Fowler is that “fit.”

The Score’s power rankings list the Wings 22nd overall, as per usual

The Score posted its first set of power rankings for the 2024-2025 season, and the Red Wings land where you’d expect them to–far lower than where they finished in the standings:

22. Detroit Red Wings

Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider are locked in, but is Detroit good enough yet to end its playoff drought? A full year of Patrick Kane in the fold should help, but the Atlantic Division is a gauntlet, and we’re not too bullish on the Cam Talbot-Alex Lyon tandem in goal.

Continued; again, the Red Wings will have to battle through the media haze of poor prognostications with strong on-ice performances.

Coach Lalonde and the Red Wings are cheering on the Tigers’ playoff run

DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills posted an article which discusses the Red Wings’ enthusiasm about the Detroit Tigers‘ playoff run:

[Red Wings coach Derek] Lalonde said having both the Tigers and Red Wings under Ilitch ownership is special because the teams share “internal growth, beliefs and approach on some things.”

“What a resource to be owned by the same group under the same umbrella and able to lean on those guys,” Lalonde said.

Andrew Copp, an Ann Arbor, Mich., native, said he’s been a die-hard Tigers fan the last couple of weeks.

“Back when I played baseball, I probably played attention a little bit more,” Copp admitted. “I did go to the first playoff game at Comerica Park against the Yankees though, that was cool. I think everyone, not just the local guys, is pulling pretty hard for [the Tigers] in the locker room.”

Ben Chiarot said it’s cool seeing Detroit sports fans show so much love and support toward their teams.

“I think you saw that last year with the Lions and our run toward a playoff spot,” Chiarot said. “It’s a great sports city, especially when a team is having some success. It’s a fun place to be as an athlete.”

Continued

Making the best of limited opportunities

The Hockey News’s Connor Eargood asks “what should Sebastian Cossa learn from this preseason,” and here’s what Eargood surmises:

Even if Cossa can’t boast a wealth of NHL experience, he can point to success in his limited reps. In those four combined appearances, he let in three goals on a combined 44 shots. The caveats are that he has played mostly short bursts that allow him to stay fresh, and the skill present in a preseason game pales in comparison to an actual NHL matchup. So naturally, the next step is to get Cossa acclimated against tougher competition, hence what [Red Wings coach Derek] Lalonde said about experience.

So far this preseason, Cossa has already played a full period — a 10-save shutout in Chicago to open the preseason. He was scheduled to play the third period of Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh. However, it is unclear how the game’s rescheduling will affect him given that Detroit is splitting its roster between the Penguins game and a road game in Buffalo at the same time. It’s likely that Cossa will play a period in at least one of the games; it’s just a question of which one.

All of these appearances are building up to an opportunity for Cossa to get to the NHL, a future that could be rather near. Detroit has three goaltenders at the NHL level right now — Cam Talbot, Alex Lyon and Ville Husso — but only Talbot is signed through next season. There’s a spot open for Cossa as soon as next season. Getting used to NHL work now, combined with an increased workload in Grand Rapids, could prepare Cossa to claim the backup spot a year from now.

Continued; most of the Wings’ goaltenders are not going to play entire games over the course of the next six games, so they all need to make the most of the time they receive in Detroit’s crowded crease.

Red Wings ‘split squad’ morning skate Tweets: both games will be streamed; Pens, Sabres release game rosters

Updated repeatedly at 11:10 AM: The Detroit Red Wings play two games in two different locations tonight as the team will host the Pittsburgh Penguins at Little Caesars Arena (7 PM EDT on DetroitRedWings.com/PittsburghPenguins.com), and a “split squad” of players will head to Buffalo to battle the Sabres (7 PM EDT on DetroitRedWings.com).

Things are going to be a little confusing tonight as both games will air on the Red Wings’ website:

FYI:

Continue reading Red Wings ‘split squad’ morning skate Tweets: both games will be streamed; Pens, Sabres release game rosters