Author: George Malik

Per the AHL:

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League today announced that Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman Luke Witkowski has been suspended for two (2) games as a consequence of a charging incident in a game vs. Rockford on Dec. 4.

Witkowski will miss Grand Rapids’ games tonight (Dec. 6) at Cleveland and Friday (Dec. 10) at Manitoba.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen posted a column which discusses the status of Marc Staal, who’s been placed under the NHL’s COVID protocol…

Coach Jeff Blashill said it is “yet to be determined” how long Marc Staal will be out. The Red Wings take a five-game winning streak into Tuesday’s home game against Nashville.

“We are all kind of crossing our fingers and hoping that nobody else tests positive,” Blashill said. “But we will see.”

Both the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders ended up with so many COVID-19 cases recently  that the NHL had to postpone some games.

“I would say we are under enhanced measures, some of which are spelled out in the agreement as we moved into the season.” Blashill said.

And Allen took note of Blashill’s remarks regarding Gustav Lindstrom, who has a lower-body injury, as well as Lindstrom’s would-be replacement in Dan Renouf:

“The last game Danny [Renouf] played for us he played really good,” Blashill said. “The depth throughout your organization becomes critical. It gets tested throughout the season. Certainly with Covid, it gets tested even further.”

The Red Wings continued to play well, even after Dekeyser and Bertuzzi test positive. “When Bert got it, I was a little bit  worried because it was right before a game,” Blashill said. “Does that deflate you a little bit when you get that kind of news right before a game? I thought our guys reacted well to it. So far we have reacted well to it.”

Continued

The Red Wings practiced on Monday at Little Caesars Arena’s Belfor Training Center ahead of a three-games-in-four-nights slate, starting with tomorrow’s home game vs. Nashville (7 PM EST start on ESPN+/hulu/97.1 FM).

MLive’s Ansar Khan reported that Danny DeKeyser and Dan Renouf slotted back into the Wings’ defense because Gustav Lindstrom (lower-body) and Marc Staal (COVID protocol) remain out. Tyler Bertuzzi (also in COVID protocol) isn’t back yet, either, and he’s got 4 more games to go before he can return.

After practice, the Red Wings’ coach spoke with the media:

Gus Lindstrom didn’t practice today (lower body) and Coach Blashill says he doesn’t anticipate he’ll be available for the game tomorrow #LGRW— Carley Johnston (@carleykjohnston) December 6, 2021

Blashill said Lindstrom (injury) and Staal (COVID protocol) out tomorrow, status beyond that to be determined. #RedWings— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) December 6, 2021

Coach Blashill’s discussion with the media is available on video…

As is Danny DeKeyser’s availability:

Of Red Wings-related note from Monday’s practice, ahead of tomorrow’s game vs. the Nashville Predators (7 PM EST start on ESPN+/hulu/97.1 FM):

#RedWings practicing. Lindstrom, injured on Saturday, and Staal are not skating. Renouf recalled from ⁦@griffinshockey⁩ is out there. pic.twitter.com/ni2sSNiZwO— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) December 6, 2021

#RedWings lines in practice before Tuesday’s game vs. Nashville at ⁦@LCArena_Detroit⁩
Fabbri-Larkin-Raymond
Veleno-Suter-Zadina
Namestnikov-Rasmussen-Erne
Smith-Rowney-Gagner
DeKeyser-Seider
Leddy-Hronek
Renouf-Oesterle pic.twitter.com/MOAt9U7Btl— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) December 6, 2021

#RedWings power play units:
1. Fabbri (net front), Suter (bumper), Larkin-Raymond (flanks), Seider (point).
2. Rasmussen (net front), Erne (bumper), Hronek-Zadina (flanks), Leddy (point). pic.twitter.com/pIybTXD4I4— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) December 6, 2021

FYI from Grand Rapids:

UPDATE: The Red Wings on Monday recalled defenseman Dan Renouf and reassigned blueliner Seth Barton to GR. In addition, the Red Wings reassigned goaltender Kaden Fulcher to Toledo (ECHL) and netminder Victor Brattstrom to GR.

Details >> https://t.co/Kjl1LlDj0S pic.twitter.com/PlwyKNtyde— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) December 6, 2021

With Marc Staal in COVID protocol, and 3 games upcoming on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday…

UPDATE: The Detroit #RedWings today recalled defenseman Dan Renouf from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

Details: https://t.co/dGQ2I8mql6 pic.twitter.com/xsiruSnS0i— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 6, 2021

The Wings are likely to recall a defenseman from GR, even with Danny DeKeyser heading back into the lineup, with 3 games in 4 nights this week:

UPDATE: The #RedWings have placed defenseman Marc Staal in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 6, 2021

Ilitch Holdings found someone to replace Chris Granger as their president:

Accomplished executive Chris McGowan was announced as the President and CEO of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment on Monday, the new business division of the Red Wings, Tigers, The District Detroit, Olympia Parking & the Ilitch joint venture in 313 Presents.

Welcome aboard, Chris! pic.twitter.com/Rqga2BkX6s— 313Presents (@313Presents) December 6, 2021

Chris McGowan Introduced as President and Chief Executive Officer of Ilitch Sports Entertainment https://t.co/yXsqljk5s0— Ilitch Companies (@IlitchCompanies) December 6, 2021

Here’s the press release:

IceHockeyGifs on Twitter offers us a glance behind the paywall…

Swedish Ice Hockey Association’s Olof Östblom doesn’t think they will be allowed to add Lucas Raymond to Sweden’s Olympic roster.

”-The signals we’re getting indicates it’s not that easy.”

No final decision has been made by the IIHF yet however. #LGRW https://t.co/gWCmqooisa— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) December 6, 2021

Ostblom also spoke to Hockeynews.se’s Mattias Ek, explaining that the Swedes want to revise their “long list” of 55 players to add both Raymond and some European players who have impressed them. They haven’t received an answer from the IIHF as of yet.

From the Red Wings…