Author: George Malik

Not great news, Bob:

Darren Helm, Christian Djoos unavailable due to COVID protocols. https://t.co/BqCObK5AjJ— George Malik (@georgemalik) January 13, 2021

Per the NHL:

NEW YORK (Jan. 13, 2021) – The National Hockey League today released the list of Players who are unavailable to play or practice on January 13, 2021, in accordance with the League’s COVID Protocols.

Beginning today, and continuing for the balance of the season, the NHL will be sharing the names of Players who are “unavailable” to the Club (to practice, travel or play in games) due to COVID protocols. Such “COVID Protocol Related Absences” can be the result of a number of factors including, among others: (1) an initial positive test which remains unconfirmed until confirmatory testing is completed pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (2) mandated isolation for symptomatic individuals pursuant to the Positive Test Protocol; (3) required quarantine as a high-risk close contact in accordance with the Positive Test Protocol; (4) isolation based on a confirmed positive test result and/or; (5) quarantine for travel or other reasons as outlined in the COVID-19 Protocol.

The League will maintain a dedicated list, to be launched later this week on media.nhl.com, which will be updated daily to reflect the Players on each Club that are unavailable to practice or play due to a COVID Protocol Related Absence – no additional detail will be provided either by the League or the Club, including the precise reason the Player is unavailable or how long he might be out.

Enlightening remarks here:

Thought there was some interesting stuff in Steve Yzerman’s answer about the challenges of scouting the 2021 NHL draft today, particularly at the end.

Here’s his answer in full: pic.twitter.com/zh7Yc9cNgy— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) January 13, 2021

This is very good–and concise–per WXYZ’s Justin Rose:

“I strongly believe he represents our organization extremely well.”

Steve Yzerman on Dylan Larkin. pic.twitter.com/115JPcEe1N— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 13, 2021

Thanks for helping us celebrate the newest #RedWings captain, @chevrolet! ? pic.twitter.com/j0gmKTKSqR— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 13, 2021

Your 2020-21 leadership group. ✨ pic.twitter.com/GWihsP8uah— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 13, 2021

97.1 the Ticket’s Pat Caputo suggests that the Red Wings need to make some real progress under a mature and having-matured Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha:

It’s time for the Red Wings.

Not for championships. Not to make the playoffs.

But for respectability.

Dylan Larkin, recently named captain, is 24. Anthony Mantha, recently signed to four-year contract worth more than $22 million, is 26. They aren’t kids, but vets.
Todd Bertuzzi and Filip Hronek have taken enough lumps. It’s time for recent first-round draft picks Filip Zadina and Michael Rasmussen to display genuine progress.

The Red Wings should be much improved. General manager Steve Yzerman has been aggressive adding veteran players for reasonable length and term. Robby Fabbri, Vladislav Namestnikov, Troy Stecher, Jon Merrill, Bobby Ryan, Marc Staal and Sam Gagner, all Yzerman acquisitions, represent more viable options than those late in the Ken Holland regime.

Continued; we may have to wait a season or two more before the Wings are truly “respectable,” but progress would be good to see for sure.

The NHL’s website just put up the code for an imminent presser in which Steve Yzerman will speak about Dylan Larkin’s naming as the Red Wings’ 37th team captain. This may not start till 5 PM:

Update: 5:30 start, per Paul Kukla of Kukla’s Korner:

Tweets of note:

Steve Yzerman on naming Dylan Larkin captain of the Red Wings:

“You probably all would agree, and the majority of our fanbase agreed with this decision. It was just a matter of when.” pic.twitter.com/yCNdYyFDga— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) January 13, 2021

Steve Yzerman watched Dylan Larkin since he played for @USAHockeyNTDP.

“He stands out as a leader in his work ethic, competitiveness, work ethic, inner drive to win,” he said. “He’s a really good person.” pic.twitter.com/IYJVJJjCuC— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) January 13, 2021

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan took note of the comments made by new Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin and his coach, Jeff Blashill, made today while speaking with the media today…

“It’s hard to put into words,” Larkin said in a Zoom session with media after Wednesday’s practice. “I understand the significance of this role. I’ve seen it, been around it, I’ve been a fan and been to games. I can’t be more honored. I try to be myself every day and I have a great support system. It doesn’t stop here. I don’t change who I am. It means so much to me.”

Centers Luke Glendening and Frans Nielsen will serve as alternate captains for the 2020-21 season.

Larkin met with general manager Steve Yzerman — obviously himself a legendary Wings captain — Tuesday and gladly accepted the role of captain.

“It was special,” said Larkin of the meeting. “I didn’t need a big announcement or anything like that. Steve asked me whether I was willing to take on the responsibility and I said ‘absolutely.’ He said he wasn’t big on giving guys advice, but said not to put too much pressure on myself and not change who you are because of your role on the team.”

Kulfan continues; MLive’s Ansar Khan also weighed in:

Of prospect-related note:

In the Swedish Allsvenskan, Malte Setkov finished even with 2 shots in 21:11 played as AIK Stockholm won 4-1 over Vasby IK;

William Wallinder played 22:07, finishing even with 2 shots in MODO Hockey’s 5-3 loss to BIK Karlskoga;

Gustav Berglund played only 3:09 as the team’s 7th defenseman in Vasteras IK’s 4-1 loss to Timra;

In the Slovakian League, Donovan Sebrango finished at +1 with 25 minutes in penalties for checking to the head in HK Autoracz Levice’s 4-3 shootout loss to HK 95 Povazska Bystrica;

And in the Finnish Liiga, Victor Brattstrom stopped 23 of 25 shots in KooKoo’s 3-2 OT win over KalPa.

The Red Wings’ full press conferences of Dylan Larkin and Jeff Blashill speaking to the media last over an hour, so if you’re pressed for time, the Wings have posted the Larkin presser, which is 29 minutes long, individually…

As well as coach Jeff Blashill’s 21-minute-long presser:

Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman is supposed to speak with the media a little later this afternoon.

This is a really remarkable video from Dan Mannes and Red Wings TV, in which Ted Lindsay, Alex Delvecchio, Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg all discuss the importance of wearing the “C” in Detroit:

Fits like a charm. ?@Dylanlarkin39 pic.twitter.com/wsDNT1nr7j— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 13, 2021

Honored. pic.twitter.com/SjYikvSAdR— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 13, 2021

The Red Wings held a press conference in which Dylan Larkin, coach Jeff Blashill and GM Steve Yzerman discussed Larkin’s naming as the Red Wings’ 37th captain.

Of Twitter-related note from the press conference: