Author: George Malik

According to the Detroit News’s Tony Paul, sports fans in Detroit have new choices in terms of sports-based talk radio:

Two local radio stations are getting into the sports-talk radio game.

Beasley Media Group-owned 93.5 and 99.1 FM have launched “The ROAR,” unveiling syndicated but Detroit-centric programming that will air from 3 to 6 p.m. on weekdays. It gives sports-talk powerhouse 97.1 The Ticket its first lick of perceived competition since Detroit Sports 105.1’s four-year run ended in 2016.

As part of the deal, the stations will simulcast programming from the previously all-digital network Woodward Sports Network, funded in large part by Lady Jane’s founder Chad Johnson.

…

Airing from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. will be Woodward Sports Network’s two signature shows — a show with former Lions running back Joique Bell and Red Wings legend Darren McCarty, and occasionally featuring former Detroit News columnist and 97.1 The Ticket host Terry Foster, hosted by Neal Ruhl; as well as a show featuring former Michigan receiver Braylon Edwards, hosted by Ryan Ermanni.

In the mornings, from 6 to 9, the stations will air “X’s & BrO’s” with Anthony Bellino, and in the afternoon from 3 to 6 they will air the west Michigan-based “Huge Show” with Bill Simonson. Both shows are part of the Michigan Sports Network.

National programming from SportsMap Radio, founded in 2020, will be simulcast overnights.

Continued

The Athletic is listing their top prospect pipelines in the NHL, defined as the teams with the best crops of players under 23 years of age, and the Red Wings have finished 9th in Corey Pronman’s rankings. Here are Pronman’s top 2 Wings prospects:

1. Moritz Seider, RHD, Rogle-SHL

Apr. 6, 2001 | 6-foot-4 | 183 pounds

Drafted: No. 6 in 2019

Tier: Projected bubble all-star and top of lineup player

Skating: Average
Puck Skills: Below-average
Hockey Sense: Average
Compete: Above-average

Seider had as good a season as you could have hoped for, as the best defenseman in the SHL last season and at the world championships. He’s so tough to deal with for opposing forwards. He’s a 6-foot-4, highly mobile, highly physical defender who projects to match up versus top NHL players. His skating helps him transition pucks very well to go with a strong first pass. The offense might never be elite, but it will be good to go with elite defending. Seider projects as a true top-pair defenseman with a chance to be a star No. 1 in the NHL.

2. Lucas Raymond, LW, Frolunda-SHL

Mar. 28, 2002 | 5-foot-10 | 170 pounds

Drafted: No. 4 in 2020

Tier: Projected top of the lineup player

Skating: Average
Puck Skills: High-end
Hockey Sense: Above-average
Compete: Average
Shot: Above-average

Raymond is an offensive weapon. He’s an extremely skilled and creative player with the puck who can make dazzling displays of puck handling and passing, and improvise like few forwards out there. Raymond also is a dangerous mid-distance shooter, making him a projected PP1 player in the NHL. He had a good but not amazing season in the SHL for Frolunda. He has the puck talent. The question after watching him versus men the past two seasons at his frame without amazing quickness is how does that play in the NHL. He has great edges and balance but struggles to pull away from checks. It may keep him from ever becoming a star, but I still project him as a top-line forward.

Continued (paywall)

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff posted an article in which he discusses the players most likely to inherit alternate captain’s “A’s” from the outgoing Luke Glendening and Frans Nielsen. At this point, Duff believes that Tyler Bertuzzi and Marc Staal will wear letters on their jerseys this upcoming season:

Tyler Bertuzzi: Locked in to a two-year deal and rebounding from a season-ending back surgery, Bertuzzi is the ideal type of the player to be a leader. He’s willing to do whatever is necessary to help the team.

Issuing an A to Bertuzzi would also be another step toward handing the team over to the future. As longtime Wings like Niklas Kronwall, Glendening, Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm have departed in recent seasons, it’s clearly been a case of a changing of the guard.

It’s no secret that the Detroit brass thinks highly of Bertuzzi and the qualities he brings to the team. Bertuzzi is the ideal lead by example type of player.

Continued, with Staal’s case for an “A”…

From the Toledo Walleye:

(Toledo, OH) – Forward Brett Boeing has agreed to terms with the Toledo Walleye for the 2021-2022 season.

Boeing spent the 2019-20 campaign in Toledo, appearing in 40 games with nine goals, 11 assists, 20 penalty minutes, and was a plus-11. The Barrington, IL, native had a stretch of four straight games with a goal from December 8 through December 14, 2019. He also finished his season with six points (2G, 4A) over the last nine games of the season, his first as a professional.

“He can play multiple forward positions which is a bonus. He creates energy with the way he plays and also contributed secondary scoring when needed. We are excited to continue Brett’s development this season after a very good rookie season.” Head Coach Dan Watson

Boeing finished his college career at UMass-Amherst that included career-highs with 41 games played in the 2018-19 season, ten goals and nine assists while playing as a plus-12. His efforts helped the Minutemen to the Hockey East Regular Season Championships. The 5’8”, 187-pound forward started his college days playing one season at Michigan Tech in 2015-16. In total, he appeared in 101 college games with 37 points (14G, 23A) and 52 penalty minutes.

In a video just posted to YouTube, Grand Rapids Griffins play-by-play announcer Bob Kaser recaps the Griffins Youth Foundation’s golf outing at the American Dunes Golf Club:

From the Grand Rapids Griffins:

DEMARTINO NAMED GRIFFINS VIDEO COACH

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday announced the addition of Justin DeMartino as the new video coach for the Grand Rapids Griffins.

A native of Macomb, Mich., DeMartino most recently served as the assistant coach and video coordinator for the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League during the 2020-21 campaign.

“We are looking forward to Justin joining our staff. He has a great knowledge of the game and will bring a unique perspective based on his background and experiences,” head coach Ben Simon said. “His role is very important both in helping the team prepare for games and in the continued individual development of our players in Grand Rapids.” 

Prior to joining the Phantoms, DeMartino spent three years primarily as the associate head coach with the Topeka Pilots of the North American Hockey League. DeMartino was the team’s interim head coach for most of 2017-18 and added director of scouting duties in 2019-20.

He also has experience in the college ranks with Ferris State University, where he served as an assistant coach and video coordinator during the 2016-17 season.

DeMartino graduated from Ferris State in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in communications with a focus on sports communication. During his four-year playing career as a Bulldog, DeMartino racked up 12 goals, 25 assists and 37 points. The right winger helped the Bulldogs capture the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s regular-season championship in 2011-12.

DetroitRedWings.com’s Carley Johnston speaks with Red Wings defenseman Danny DeKeyser regarding his summer’s worth of training, spending time with his family during the offseason and his preparation for the upcoming NHL campaign:

Former Red Wings forward Frans Nielsen earned a tribute article for his time as a New York Islander, as penned by The Athletic’s Arthur Staple, and Staple does address Nielsen’s decision to leave the Islanders for the Red Wings some five seasons ago (as well the part Nielsen played in helping Denmark qualify for the Olympics last week):

He went for the Wings’ six-year offer at $5.25 million per year with a full no-move clause for two years and a modified no-trade thereafter. It didn’t work out, of course: The Wings fell off quickly, first with Pavel Datsyuk leaving just as Nielsen arrived and Henrik Zetterberg forced into retirement two years later. Nielsen was a healthy scratch for half of last season’s games.

“Of course you look back and wonder,” he said. “I made up my mind a while ago that this would be my last year playing here, so I think, if I took eight years, would I still want to keep going? I’m 37. Playing to 40 doesn’t seem possible for me the way I feel sometimes.”

…

Given the COVID protocols around the world and the fact that Nielsen’s wife, Moa, is due to give birth to the couple’s third child in December, he could end up signing in Sweden or elsewhere in Europe soon. Bringing the whole family back to North America for a part-time NHL role may not be what they want in the run-up to the Olympics in February.

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NHL training camps are still about four weeks away, but NHL.com and other websites are already getting a jump on fantasy hockey rankings. According to NHL.com’s fantasy hockey staff (and quite a few other sources), Jakub Vrana is a Top 10 fantasy hockey breakout candidate:

4. Jakub Vrana, LW, DET
NHL.com rank: 99

He’s tied for seventh in the NHL in even-strength goals (66) over the past three seasons combined and was a great fit with the Detroit Red Wings after being acquired from the Capitals last season. He scored 11 points (eight goals, three assists), including a four-goal game April 22, and had 32 shots on goal in 11 games. Vrana, the No. 13 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, should benefit from the injury return of center Dylan Larkin on the top line and first power play and the Red Wings’ more accelerated rebuild; they landed goalie Alex Nedeljkovic (acquired from Carolina Hurricanes) and could incorporate rookies Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond this season.

Continued; here’s hoping.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen posted a behind-the-paywall article discussing five big questions that will be answered over the course of the Red Wings’ training camp and the exhibition season:

3. Could Jonatan Berggren be more NHL-ready than Lucas Raymond? Absolutely. He’s 21 and Raymond is 19. Raymond has more long-term potential. But counting playoffs, Berggren has more than 100 games of experience in the Swedish Elite League. Berggren finished seventh in the league scoring race last season. It wouldn’t be surprising if he makes the Red Wings coming out of training camp and Raymond is sent for more seasoning.

4. Why did the Red Wings re-sign Sam Gagner? Right-hand shot. Experienced forward. High character. Skilled role player. He will be the only forward who is over 30. Coaches appreciate his attitude. The Red Wings know what they are getting.

5. Should the Red Wings extend Robby Fabbri? Depends on his ask. Fabbri has showed himself to be a productive player, but also has had trouble staying healthy. Since he entered the league, he has been able to play 66.38% of his team’s games. Unlucky. He can be an unrestricted free agent next summer. But GM Steve Yzerman seems comfortable pushing contract decisions down the road to give him more time to determine how the player fits. Fabbri is 25. He can be part of this rebuild.

Continued (paywall)