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!

Moritz Seider takes a heavy hit playing for Rogle

Yikes! Red Wings prospect and Rogle BK defenseman Moritz Seider’s team is battling Leksand today, and Seider took a heavy hit during the first period, per @IceHockeyGifs on Twitter:

After the first period ended, as the Detroit News’s Gregg Krupa noted, Rogle put out a statement which translates to, “Moritz Seider left after a heavy check, he will not return tonight but is fine under the circumstances.”

Svechnikov, Wings’ other waived players clear

Updated 2x at 12:43 PM: The Red Wings’ waived players cleared the waiver wire today:

CAR claims Forsberg— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 12, 2021

SJ claims Balcers— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 12, 2021

NJ claims Comrie— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 12, 2021

NASH claims Sbisa— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 12, 2021

Everyone else cleared— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 12, 2021

Evgeny Svechnikov cleared waivers today. He can be assigned to taxi squad or @griffinshockey or be on #RedWings season-opening roster. https://t.co/70Mp04jJ8L— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) January 12, 2021

Evgeny Svechnikov not claimed by anyone on waivers; #RedWings don’t lose any players, don’t pick up anyone— Ted Kulfan (@tkulfan) January 12, 2021

Update: Kulfan weighs in in article form:

Continue reading Svechnikov, Wings’ other waived players clear

The Word on Woodward to feature Dallas Drake, Larry Murphy

From the Detroit Red Wings:

Today’s episode features a discussion on the Red Wings’ final roster which will be announced later today, Team USA’s win in the World Junior Championship and interviews with former Red Wings forward Dallas Drake, Hockey Hall of Famer Larry Murphy and FOX Sports Detroit’s Matt Shepard.

Kulfan discusses the Wings’ uphill battle in the Central Division

In a subscriber-only article, the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan notes that the Red Wings will be playing in one of the NHL’s most competitive divisions this upcoming season:

This Central Division hardly looks like a breather, in any way, for the Wings — or, likewise, the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks. The top four teams from each of four divisions qualify for the playoffs; there will be no wild cards.

The race to make the playoffs in the Central will not be easy.

You have the two Stanley Cup finalists from last season — the champion Tampa Bay Lightning, and runner-up Dallas Stars — both in the same division. Both, also, have retained the majority of their rosters.

Columbus and Carolina both won one round in the Return To Play last summer, and appear capable of reaching the playoffs this season.

Nashville and Florida qualified for the Return To Play, lost in the qualifying round, but both have rosters capable of producing winning seasons.

If the Red Wings are to reverse last season’s misery, they’ll have a difficult time doing so.

“Our division is stacked,” Mantha said. “It’ll be a great challenge for us. If we want to prove people wrong, those are the teams we have to beat.”

Continued (paywall)

Will Jeff Blashill be fired? Or extended?

The Athletic’s NHL writers were polled on a variety of topics for an NHL preview article today, and the writers suggest that a certain coach is the odds-on favorite to be fired first this season, as noted by Scott Burnside:

On the other end of the job security scale, Detroit’s Jeff Blashill earned 13 votes as the first coach to be relieved of his duties. Doubt that happens given Detroit’s ongoing rebuild and, in fact, I was one of three who voted that there would be zero coaches fired in-season. Pretty sure Blashill hopes that’s the trend.

Continued (paywall); I wouldn’t be surprised if Blashill lasts the entire season with the Wings, for starters, so I disagree with this assessment…

Bultman predicts the Red Wings’ opening-night lineup

The Athletic’s Max Bultman posted an article in which he offers his best estimate of the Red Wings’ 2020-2021 season opening-night lineup:

Red Wings training camp is now officially in the books, after two warp-speed weeks of practices, scrimmages and mad dashes between players jostling to be in the NHL lineup Thursday night.

Because of three big question marks — forwards Darren Helm, Bobby Ryan and Adam Erne all being deemed “unfit to practice” Monday — that lineup picture still looks a bit murky, even with Monday’s final practice featuring 20 skaters (one fewer than Detroit could carry into the season). Detroit coach Jeff Blashill also stressed Monday that while the NHL’s roster deadline creates a “decision day” feel, those decisions are also not permanent. The roster is, and will remain, relatively fluid into the season.

Nonetheless, as Thursday nears, what appears to be Detroit’s opening night lineup is coming into view, pending the availability of those three forwards. Here’s how it’s shaping up, what could still change and some final thoughts on the roster as camp comes to a close.

Continued (paywall)

Khan expects the Wings to dwell in the Central Division basement

MLive’s Ansar Khan predicts the order of finish in the NHL’s Central Division for the 2020-2021 season this morning, and Khan tells MLive subscribers that the Red Wings will finish at the bottom of their newly-adopted division:

8. Detroit (17-49-5, 39 points)

The Red Wings ranked at or near the bottom of the league in all statistical categories but should be improved offensively, defensively and in goal after several offseason moves. Bobby Ryan and Vladislav Namestnikov will provide some secondary scoring to complement a strong top line of Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi. Marc Staal, Troy Stecher, Jon Merrill and a healthy Danny DeKeyser improve the defense. Thomas Greiss is a significant upgrade in goal. The Red Wings might slip ahead of the Blackhawks to avoid the Central basement, but even that could be a tough task considering how much ground they would need to make up.

Continued (paywall)

Press release: Red Wings partner with PointsBet

If you’re interested in this sort of thing, from the Red Wings….

PointsBet Becomes Official Gaming Partner for the Detroit Red Wings and Little Caesars Arena

Multi-year partnership highlighted by opening of PointsBet Sports Bar at Little Caesars Arena

Follows recent announcement of PointsBet becoming the official gaming partner for the Detroit Tigers

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings have entered into a strategic multi-year partnership with PointsBet, a premier global sportsbook operator and provider of a market-leading sports wagering app. The partnership, designed to enhance fan engagement and game-day excitement, includes the rebranding of Sports & Social Detroit at Little Caesars Arena to the PointsBet Sports Bar. Expected to be operational in 2021, the PointsBet Sports Bar will offer a full-service food & beverage menu, high-definition televisions, live betting odds, special guests, unique programing, VIP access and fun gaming promotions. 

“Our fans will enjoy the lively atmosphere of the PointsBet Sports Bar and the energy this partnership will bring to the game-day experience in and around Little Caesars Arena,” said Chris Granger, Group President, Sports & Entertainment, Ilitch Holdings, Inc. “We are proud to deepen our relationship with PointsBet and we look forward to creating dynamic experiences for our fans.”

Continue reading Press release: Red Wings partner with PointsBet