Author: George Malik

It’s that time again…It’s the first of the month, and with my share of December’s household and blog-related bills staring me in the face, I’ve got to ask for a charitable hand if that’s at all possible on a “Giving Tuesday” that has most folks tapped out.

If you can lend TMR a “break-even” hand, any aid denomination would be welcome. You can donate via Paypal at https://paypal.me/TheMalikReport, via Giftly.com using my email address, rtxg@yahoo.com, and on Venmo at https://venmo.com/George-Malik-2.

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

[edit: I know the timing is bad, but I really need assistance right now /end edit]

According to DetroitRedWings.com’s Daniella Bruce, Red Wings play-by-play announcer Ken Kal and Detroit Free Press beat writer Helene St. James will appear on today’s The Word on Woodward show:

Happy Tuesday!?The #WordOnWoodward is live today at 12pm and we’ll be joined by @mattboyd48, @KenKalDRW, @HeleneStJames, @evanwoodbery, and @ShepMatt !! Tune in on @tigers or @DetroitRedWings Facebook pages, YouTube Channels, and websites. #LGRW #DetroitRoots— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) December 1, 2020

I’ll post the video embed code as soon as it’s up.

It looks like the Red Wings are ensuring that all their AHL players get to play ahead of a late-starting AHL season:

The @viennacapitals have announced the signing ✍️ of @DetroitRedWings goalie Calvin Pickard until end of December, to replace Sebastian Wraneschitz, who will be part of Austrian’s U20 national team. #UnitedByPassion | #ICETransfers
? (c) Detroit Red Wings pic.twitter.com/BX9k5u9rKL— bet-at-home ICE Hockey League (@betathomeICE) December 1, 2020

Update: The Red Wings made it official:

Update: The #RedWings have loaned goaltender Calvin Pickard to the Vienna Capitals (ICEHL). pic.twitter.com/z1hQgUQScG— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 1, 2020

Update #2: The Free Press’s Helene St. James weighs in:

In what does not seem encouraging news that there will be professional hockey in North America soon, the Detroit Red Wings have loaned another player to a team in Europe.

The Wings announced Tuesday that minor-league goaltender Calvin Pickard has been assigned to the Vienna Capitals in Austria.

While hockey leagues across Europe have had to postpone numerous games because of the pandemic, they are in action. That is in contrast to professional leagues in North America, which are aiming to start playing in the new year. The NHL has targeted a Jan. 1 start date, though that grows more unlikely as it’s already December.

FYI:

#GivingTuesday isn’t just about making a donation, it’s about making a difference. Ken Daniels has a unique way for you to do just that this holiday season with @BookCameo at https://t.co/mun2yB8ZDD. Proceeds will go to the @JDanielsFund. #endthestigma #shapethefuture pic.twitter.com/RY00uHxDNQ— FOX Sports Detroit (@FOXSportsDet) December 1, 2020

According to the Journal-Inquirer’s Kyle Maher, Red Wings 2020 draft pick Chase Bradley has decided to play for the University of Connecticut next season:

The UConn men’s hockey team announced the signing of four players in their recruiting class of 2021, including one player who will reportedly join the program early.

Forwards Chase Bradley and Nate Hanley and goaltender Logan Terness will join the program in the fall. The two forwards both flipped from Northeastern.

Daniel Connolly of the UConn Blog reported that the fourth member of the class, Ryan Tverberg, will enroll at UConn after the school’s holiday break.

The Athletic’s Max Bultman and Joe Smith discuss possible trade scenarios in which the Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning work together to alleviate the Bolts’ salary cap crunch this morning:

Joe Smith: I think you have to start with Johnson. The Lightning approached him early in the offseason on working with them on his full no-trade list, and the former All-Star center should get a lot of credit for being accommodating. Johnson gave Tampa Bay a list of eight to nine teams he could get dealt to. But the Lightning got a pretty good feel for the market when they put Johnson on waivers and nobody picked him up.

Killorn is another candidate, coming off a career year (26 goals), and he offers some flexibility with a modified no-trade clause (a list of 16 teams he can’t get traded to). He took a significant step as a leader this past season, so I don’t think Tampa Bay wants to move him, but it will have to be considered. There’s value there.

As for other names, I know captain Steven Stamkos’ name popped up earlier this offseason when it was reported that he wasn’t on the team’s “untouchables” list. But I think it’s highly unlikely that Stamkos, the face of the franchise who has a full no-move clause, is going anywhere.

Continued (paywall)

Sportsnet’s latest “The Greatest: Goal of the 21st Century” match-up pitches Rick Nash’s magnificent goal against the Arizona Coyotes vs. Pavel Datsyuk’s signature move vs. Marty Turco:

Of Red Wings-related note this evening:

1. Red Wings prospect Robert Mastrosimone was named to the 2021 U.S. World Junior Championship team’s roster as one of 29 players selected to play or participate in the tournament in Edmonton starting on Christmas Day of this year;
2. Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill spoke with the Western Michigan University Leadership Center’s podcast, “The Jungle,” speaking with Dr. Doug Lepisto and Dr. Derrick McIver for 35 minutes regarding an assortment of topics:

3. And Pro Hockey Talk’s Adam Gretz posted a list of “power rankings” for the NHL’s 31 teams’ general managers, listing Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman as the second-best GM in the NHL:

2. Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings. His Detroit track record is obviously incomplete, but he was the main architect of a Tampa Bay Lightning team that has been the NHL’s most successful team over the past six years. That counts. A lot. That is also why he gets such a high mark.

Update: Make it four things as NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman gave Red Wings prospect Jonatan Berggren a plug as a “prospect to watch” in Europe:

Jonatan Berggren (Detroit Red Wings), F, Skelleftea: Berggren (5-10, 181) is third in the Swedish Hockey League with 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 18 games. The 20-year-old right wing was chosen by the Red Wings in the second round (No. 33) of the 2018 NHL Draft.

According to reports from the players and The Word on Woodward, the Red Wings’ players have been training and skating at the BELFOR Training Center adjacent to Little Caesars Arena on an informal basis for over a month now. Today, the Free Press’s Helene St. James reported that the Wings took things onto the big ice next door:

There’s on-ice activity at Little Caesars Arena for the first time in nearly nine months.

The facility has largely stood empty since the NHL and NBA shut down in mid-March because of COVID-19, but with an NHL season on the horizon — maybe — ice was put in at the practice rink over the weekend.

Detroit Red Wings players who are in the area — a group that includes Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha — took to the ice there Monday for the first time since March 11. The next day, the NHL paused the 2019-20 season, and in May announced the remaining roughly three weeks would not be played.

Continued

FYI:

In honor of #GivingTuesday, the Detroit #RedWings Foundation will send an autographed hockey puck in exchange for a donation to benefit each participating player's charity of choice. #HockeytownCares

?️ >> https://t.co/AzjG0UxXRC pic.twitter.com/4uSvVtMyn5

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) November 30, 2020