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!

Edvinsson, Kasper and Sandin Pellikka crack The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler’s Top 50 drafted NHL prospects list

The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler posted a list of his 50 top drafted prospects this morning, and three Red Wings prospects made his cut in Simon Edvinsson, Marco Kasper and Axel Sandin Pellikka:

11. Simon Edvinsson, LHD, 20 (Detroit Red Wings — No. 6, 2021):

After an excellent post-draft season playing big minutes in the SHL and a leading role at the world juniors, Edvinsson had a strong first pro season in North America. The Griffins were not good, and he was impactful at both ends considering that context and his age.

He has really cleaned up areas of his game that needed (and still need) some development.

His ceiling has always been high and is backed by a unique set of traits and skills for a 6-foot-6, 215-pound player (let alone a defenceman). These include his uncharacteristically soft hands and control of the puck, his fearlessness with and without it, and his strong foundational knowledge of how to use his towering frame to defend in a variety of ways (with a good, active stick, with step-up physicality when opportunities present themselves, with good neutral-zone gapping and steering, on box-outs, etc.).

If he can develop his shot (one of those areas that still needs work), continue to smooth out his game and make better choices, the potential is there in spades. It has also been nice to see him begin to make more play-ending passes and create a ton of chances to add to his standout transition game as a surprisingly confident carrier and transporter for a big man.

I hate this cliche but you really can’t teach hands like his at that size. When he tries things, he usually pulls them off, and he’s extremely comfortable handling the puck under pressure. He has also found greater control of his gangly frame (he’s a good skater and always has been, but his stride can splay from the knees) and takes up a lot of space defensively. I like how vocal he is for his age out there — a sign of his confidence. I like how hard he makes it for players to get around him. I like how his head is always up (easier said than done when you’re as tall as he is). I like his creativity banking and playing pucks off the wall in the defensive zone.

He’s going to be a very good — and different — player if he can maintain his take-charge mentality on both sides of the puck and put it all together at the NHL level.

I wouldn’t normally post this much text from a subscriber-only website, but, well, I’ll make it up to them by being more spare over the course of the next couple of posts:

Continue reading Edvinsson, Kasper and Sandin Pellikka crack The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler’s Top 50 drafted NHL prospects list

DHN’s Duff discusses the Red Wings’ ‘third goaltender,’ Alex Lyon

I still believe that the Red Wings may add another forward of the depth scoring or checking variety, as well as a depth defenseman, over the course of the remainder of this summer, because one wants to “over-build” a team in case injuries hit.

This morning, Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff suggests that the Red Wings should be set in terms of a goaltending pipeline whose professional ranks consist of Ville Husso, James Reimer, Alex Lyon, Sebastian Cossa and John Lethemon. Duff believes that Lyon is something of an “ace in the hole,” should Husso or Reimer suffer an injury:

[Alex] Lyon went 9-4-2 with a .914 saver percentage between the pipes for the eventual Eastern Conference champions. In fact, when the Stanley Cup playoffs got underway, it was Lyon who was in net for the first three games of the Panthers’ opening-round series against the President’s Trophy-winning Boston Bruins.

“I think sometimes, when things happen that are unexpected, it is better,” Lyon told Florida Hockey Now. He spent much of last season in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers.

Logically, Lyon will be the No. 1 goalie for Detroit’s top farm club, the Grand Rapids Griffins. With 202 AHL games on his resume, Lyon, 30, gives the Griffins a reliable AHL puckstopped. He should also prove to be the perfect mentor for Sebastian Cossa. Made the 15th overall selection by the Red Wings in the 2021 NHL entry draft, Cossa figures to be making his full-time AHL debut next season.

However, the fact of the matter is that should something happen to either Husso or Reimer, Lyon will be looking very comfortable between the posts of an NHL net. It’s been quite some time since Detroit could say that about the club’s No. 3 goaltender.

Husso and Reimer figure to be filling the NHL roles in goal for the Red Wings next season. But if one of them is struggling or ailing, Detroit GM Steve Yzerman won’t be scouring the waiver wire in search of a capable netminder. In Lyon, he’ll have one on standby in Grand Rapids.

Continued; I would not be surprised if the Red Wings add one more “minor-league” goaltender to fill out the Walleye’s depth chart, but Alex Lyon definitely strengthens the depth chart considerably.

Monroe: Lalonde, Watson and Vitucci weigh in on Pat Mikesch’s credentials for the Walleye’s coaching job

The Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe spoke with Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde, Grand Rapids Griffins coach Dan Watson and Toledo Walleye pro scout Nick Vitucci–all of whom have coached the Walleye–about the hiring of Pat Mikesch as the new bench boss for the Red Wings’ ECHL affiliate. All three gentlemen suggest that coach Mikesch’s lack of professional experience isn’t a real concern:

“I know people were probably not overly excited when I was hired in Toledo just because of [my] not having the pro background like that,” Lalonde said. “But I think Pat’s level of experience, his attention to detail, and his work ethic will allow him to be successful there. He’s worn all the hats. He’s been a coach and general manager and he’s played in [the ECHL]. That will set him up very well for success.”

Mikesch, who coached the [Green Bay] Gamblers for eight seasons, was alongside Lalonde when Green Bay won a USHL title in 2012.

“He was a huge resource for me,” Lalonde said. “I was growing a ton as a coach and that was kind of a team effort, together with those seasons and runs we had with Green Bay. He was a very calming personality but had a quiet intensity about him and that’s why we were successful.”

Three former Walleye coaches offered ringing endorsements for the organization’s new headman. Lalonde, Nick Vitucci, and Dan Watson all echoed similar sentiments in describing the franchise’s fourth head coach.

The trio of coaches used the terms “confident,” “well-prepared,” and “genuine” when describing Mikesch.

Vitucci said Mikesch’s background as a developmental coach in the USHL will be invaluable.

“He checks so many boxes,” Vitucci said. “The USHL is such a good league and his experience there will certainly help him in Toledo. The number of games, bus travel, and roster changeover are very similar to the ECHL.”

Continued

THN’s Stockton examines the RFA’s and UFA’s still available to Detroit

I’ve just got a gut feeling on this pleasant, if smoky July Tuesday that the Red Wings aren’t quite done pursuing roster additions. I still fully believe that the Wings might add a third-line forward if there’s someone who’s willing to take a discounted one-year deal, and that the Wings may add one more defenseman for depth purposes.

The Hockey News’s Red Wings correspondent, Sam Stockton, examines both the restricted and unrestricted free agent marketplace this evening.

Sam agrees that the Red Wings could still sign somebody on a below-market-value deal, and here’s how he breaks down his potential candidates:

The Un-Gettables: This group is composed of players who would be a worthwhile fit in Detroit, but whose circumstances dictate that to be an unlikely fit for one reason or another.  The biggest sub-category in this group is restricted free agents, whom we know NHL general managers to be constitutionally unwilling to target with offer sheets.

The Old Friends: This group includes former Red Wings who might make sense for another year in Hockeytown.

The Old: This group features players who might have been exciting to sign as free agents three-to-five seasons ago, but now…

The Intriguing: This final group features players who might just be able to fill a void in the 2023-24 Red Wing line-up.  They might not have been top of mind on July 1st, but they could be worth a cut-rate flyer. 

Continued; Sam lists free agent forward Jesse Puljujarvi, who had double hip surgery, restricted free agent winger Alexis Lafreniere, center and Port Huron/U of M-connected Tyler Motte, former Wing Pius Suter, and defenseman Matt Dumba as possibilities.

All realistic in my opinion.

DHN’s Allen discusses the plucky Kevin Bicker

The Red Wings took a late-round flyer on German-born forward Kevin Bicker late last month in Nashville, picking the 6’1,” 176-pound Bicker with the 147th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

During the Red Wings’ 2023 Summer Development Camp, Red Wings assistant GM and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper spoke about the plucky, speedy Bicker’s abilities, as noted by Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen:

“He can absolutely fly,” said Kris Draper, Detroit’s Assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting. “He’s a great skater. Played for Germany at the U-18s. That’s the first time I saw him play and all the sudden I saw this kid flying down the left wing and you’re like, ‘This kid can go.’”

NHL’s Central Scouting had him ranked 124th among European prospects and Red Line Report had him ranked 327th overall. Some scouting services projected him as a bottom six forward prospect. Some scouts liked him, but said there was a good chance he wouldn’t be drafted.

But the Red Wings liked his tools enough to use a fifth-round pick on him.

“Talked to a couple of Mannheim coaches and they were bringing him up (to the DEL),” Draper said. “…He’s a competitive kid. Those are the best assets. So, for us we’re able to get another skater. Anytime you have an opportunity to add some speed and there’s a defining element that sticks out and skating is definitely his.”

Allen continues, adding Dan Cleary’s take to the mix; Bicker is definitely scrawny, but from what I watched of him over the four days of skill drills and 3-on-3 tournament at development camp…

Bicker was talented enough to keep up with the Wings’ top prospects, he was speedy, and he had a bit of an asshole’s mentality when it came to dealing with physical challenges.

The Jungadler Mannheim product should be intriguing to watch as he tries to go pro with the DEL’s Lowen Frankfurt this upcoming season. I don’t see him playing a top-line role at this point, but as he attempts to establish himself as a pro, Bicker’s got “speedy, pesky grinder” written all over him.

Tweet of note: Dan Watson weighs in on the expectations shouldered by Toledo Walleye coach Pat Mikesch

Per the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe:

Toledo Walleye re-sign F Sam Craggs

Per the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye:

Here’s their press release:

(Toledo, OH) – Forward Sam Craggs has agreed to terms to make it a third straight season with the Toledo Walleye.

The native of Elmhurst, Illinois finished last year appearing in 60 games for the Walleye, reaching double digits in both goals (10) and assists (10), while posting 51 penalty minutes and a plus-5 rating. He finished the season strong with eight points (4G, 4A) over the final ten games of the season. Craggs made his professional debut with Toledo at the end of the 2021-2022 season, appearing in 11 games with a goal and four assists.

Craggs left the Falcons as their all-time leader in career games played with 181 and finished ranked ninth all-time in penalty minutes with 295. The 26-year-old also scored 30 goals with 34 assists and was a plus-21 in his college career. Three times in his career he was named not only a WCHA Scholar-Athlete but also three times he landed on the WCHA All-Academic list.

Tweets of note: Griffins break down their schedule; Vitucci weighs in on Walleye’s Mikesch hiring

Of Red Wings affiliate-related Twitter note today:

  1. The Grand Rapids Griffins break down their schedule by opponent in a 2-minute Twitter video…

2. And Toledo Walleye pro scout and former coach Nick Vitucci discusses his take on the Walleye’s hiring of Pat Mikesch as head coach:

Update: Here’s a YouTube version of the Griffins’ “Chel” video:

Continue reading Tweets of note: Griffins break down their schedule; Vitucci weighs in on Walleye’s Mikesch hiring

Giving the rebuild a solid ‘C?’

Bleacher Report’s Joe Yerdon assesses the progress made by 11 teams which he deems to be in the rebuilding process this afternoon. Here’s what he has to say about the Red Wings’ rebuild:

The Red Wings have been rebuilding for years and even now they don’t seem to be settled with what they’re doing.

They’ve made great draft picks in recent years with Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, Sebastian Cossa and Marco Kasper. They’ve also had some picks not pan out, most notably Filip Zadina (No. 6 in 2018) whom they recently parted ways with and signed with San Jose. Joe Veleno (No. 30 in 2018) hasn’t lived up to his high-scoring days in the QMJHL and Michael Rasmussen (No. 9 in 2017) has been more of a heavy than a scorer with the Wings.

Since Steve Yzerman took over as GM, the drafting has been a bit smarter but the free-agent signings make us tilt our heads like curious puppies.

Adding Andrew Copp made sense for defensive help with scoring touch up front, but at five years and $28.5 million, the goals haven’t been there consistently. Ben Chiarot had questionable analytics but played the prototypical defensive defenseman game which earned him four years and $19 million in Detroit. Ville Husso’s three-year, $14.5 million contract shows he might be there to keep the crease warm until Cossa is ready to compete for the NHL gig.

Justin Holl and J.T. Compher’s signings stick out from this year, but trading for Alex DeBrincat and signing him for four years at $31.5 million could be a superb addition.

The Red Wings believe they are right there and their offseason moves show their hand. There are some prospects coming, but Yzerman and his scouts are trying to play a little catch-up after Ken Holland struggled to keep up at the end of his Detroit tenure.

Grade: C

Continued; I’m sticking to the line that Yzerman had to tear down for a couple seasons before truly beginning the “Yzerplan” in earnest last season, and, as a result, the “Yzer-timeline” might take a little longer than any of us would have hoped.

That being said, I wouldn’t knock Steve for what Ken Holland did or didn’t do.