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!

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.

McKeen’s Hockey weighs in on the Red Wings’ ‘C’-rated 2023 draft class

McKeen’s Hockey’s Chase Rochon offers a review of the team performances at the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville, Tennessee last month, and here’s what he has to say about the Red Wings’ haul:

#20 Detroit Red Wings (C)

9 Nate Danielson (F)

17 Axel Sandin Pellikka (D)

41 Trey Augustine (G)

42 Andrew Gibson (D)

47 Brady Cleveland (D)

73 Noah Dower Nilsson (F)

117 Larry Keenan (D)

137 Jack Phelan (D)

147 Kevin Bicker (F)

169 Rudy Guimond (G)

201 Emmitt Finnie (F)

Detroit’s draft was very interesting to me because I find it hard to criticize Steve Yzerman’s picks which have been excellent in the past with some home runs to show for it. Nate Danielson and Axel-Sandin Pellika are great players who will be NHLers and good ones. They just didn’t strike me as the types of players Detroit has recently drafted with some hard nose battlers that are going to be warriors. I think it might take a while for either to become impact playoff players relative to some of the skill still left on the board, such as Oliver Moore at pick #9 and still available at #17. They pass with a C as most other picks were good, but just that they were good and not great, where teams ahead of them made some great picks.

Continued; I find it frustrating that people expect the Red Wings to do anything other than “stick to their player lists,” rankings be damned. Thus far, the Wings have made some good picks by going their own way, and they’re not about to stop for the sake of comparing players to the brighter, shinier names on the board.