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!

Red Wings-Hurricanes morning skate Tweets: Lyon starts vs. Andersen as Wings ‘take an optional’

The 30-24-and-6 Detroit Red Wings face off against the 35-22-and-4 Carolina Hurricanes this evening (7 PM EST start on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/FanDuel SportsNet South/97.1 FM).

Carolina has gone 3-and-3 over its past 6 games, most recently winning a 2-1 overtime decision over the Calgary Flames on Sunday.

The Canes’ website posted a quick game preview which notes that tonight’s game is part of their “Fathers’ Trip,” with Fredrik Andersen expected to start in the Canes’ crease this evening.

This is the first of 3 meetings between the Red Wings and Hurricanes down the NHL’s “stretch run,” too, so these games may help determine the Red Wings’ playoff fate.

EliteProspects’ Sean Shapiro reminds us that the Red Wings will be wearing their Stadium Series jerseys tonight…

And he reports that Red Wings assistant director of player development Dan Cleary has an entourage today…

According to MLive’s Ansar Khan, the Wings are taking an optional morning skate today…

Video: Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider and coach Todd McLellan speak with the Red Wings’ media corps

The Detroit Red Wings practiced on Monday at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center ahead of Tuesday night’s battle with the Carolina Hurricanes (7 PM EST start on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/FanDuel SportsNet South/97.1 FM), and while Michael Rasmussen was a full participant, he is not ready to return from his head injury yet.

The Red Wings’ coach and Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider spoke with the media on Monday afternoon, and here is the Red Wings’ video thereof:

Post-practice Tweet of note: Rasmussen still not ready to return

The Detroit Red Wings practiced at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center on Monday morning, ahead of tomorrow night’s match-up with the Carolina Hurricanes (7 PM EST start on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/FanDuel SportsNet South/97.1 FM).

The Wings-Canes game begins a slate of 3 games to be played over the course of 4 nights, with Utah coming to town on Thursday, and Detroit heading to Washington to play the Capitals on Trade Deadline Friday.

After practice, Red Wings coach Todd McLellan told MLive’s Ansar Khan that Michael Rasmussen isn’t ready to return from his head injury yet:

DetroitRedWings.com’s Daniella Bruce confirmed:

A bit of trade deadline temptation

The Athletic’s Chris Johnston and Pierre LeBrun offer “what we’re hearing” regarding every team’s trade deadline plans, and there are no surprises regarding the Red Wings’ decision-making processes:

Detroit Red Wings

With an elusive playoff spot in their grasp and Andrew Copp done for the season, the Red Wings have the right mix of cap space and incentive to do something interesting at this deadline. That doesn’t necessarily guarantee that GM Steve Yzerman will go all in on a headline-grabbing move. But after years of patiently building, and with last season’s near-miss on a playoff return still fresh in mind, there has to be a temptation to put the cap space to use. The Red Wings could certainly use a little more depth both at forward and on the blue line.

Continued (paywall); again, I don’t expect the Wings to make a “rental” move here. At this point, if the Wings can add some players who will fill their needs at center and on defense over the long haul, that’s great; if not, then that’s okay, too.

Two things: Red Wings deadline ‘cheat sheets’

Bleacher Report’s Adam Gretz posted “cheat sheet” for every NHL team ahead of the trade deadline on Friday at 3 PM EST…

Detroit Red Wings:

Buyers or sellers: Buyers

Salary cap situation: $13 million in salary deadline salary cap space 

Best trade assets: All future first-round picks, multiple 2025 third-round picks

Untouchables: Forward Lucas Raymond, defenseman Moritz Seider, defenseman Simon Edvinsson, forward Dylan Larkin

What they need: The Red Wings power play has driven them back into a playoff position, but there is definitely a smoke and mirror element to their recent success. Their 5-on-5 play remains poor and their defense after Seider and Edvinsson is full of holes. That is the area to address ahead of the deadline if the Red Wings are going to make a serious push to end their eight-year playoff drought. It is within reach, but they still need a little bit of help to make the playoffs. They need a lot of help to contend for the Stanley Cup.

And The Athletic’s Shayna Goldman did something quite similar:

Detroit Red Wings: It’s important to remember how much the Red Wings have improved on both ends of the ice since Todd McLellan took over as head coach. Their dreadful start weighed down many of their core players, and it helps explain how few checkmarks there are in Detroit and how little black and gold highlights its checklist.

Marco Kasper’s numbers aren’t a concern, considering his fit on the top line with Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin. However, veterans Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko have fallen short of their projected values. So there is room to add up front. The most obvious spot is at 3C to replace Andrew Copp, but there may be an internal option in Michael Rasmussen when he returns from injury. That could allow management to focus on the wing and maybe the most pressing area: on defense. With one of the more challenging schedules ahead, the Red Wings may want to invest in extra help.

Tweets from Monday’s practice: Rasmussen practicing, not taking line rushes ahead of 3-games-in-4-nights stretch

The Detroit Red Wings hit the ice at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center after this past weekend’s home-and-home series with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Detroit is looking forward to home games vs. Carolina and Utah on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, before wrapping up a 3-games-in-4-nights stretch with a road tilt in Washington on Trade Deadline Friday:

Continue reading Tweets from Monday’s practice: Rasmussen practicing, not taking line rushes ahead of 3-games-in-4-nights stretch

Morning news: Red Wings look back, look forward as playoff race intensifies

This morning, the Free Press’s Helene St. James looks back at some of the Red Wings players’ and coach’s comments regarding their status after losing the Stadium Series game to Columbus…

“We’ve been here before and there’s experience we gained through that,” Dylan Larkin said Saturday, after a disappointing finish to the outdoors game at Ohio Stadium. “We control our own destiny.”

The 2023-24 Wings were inside the playoff picture when March began, but when the month ended, and they had lost 11 of 14 games, they were on the outside. They won five of the eight games they had in April, but ended up missing out on the playoffs on a tiebreaker. That’s how tight the race to advance can be.

“We’ve got to find a way, no matter what,” Larkin said.

They took Sunday off, a chance to rest before taking on the Carolina Hurricanes at home on Tuesday. The Wings go into that game coming off back-to-back losses to the Columbus Blue Jackets; the first time, at Little Caesars Arena, they were definitely the second-best team on the ice — but Saturday, it was a different kind of loss.

“It’s hard to bitch and complain about the effort, the drive and the response,” coach Todd McLellan said. “But yet the game management and the impatience sometimes of our team can come back to bite us. There’s a huge difference playing on your toes and being aggressive, and being impatient. And I thought we got a little impatient at times and they made us pay.”

The Wings (30-24-6) have 22 games left, 13 of them on the road, with a schedule that includes three games against the Carolina Hurricanes (second in the Metropolitan Division), and two trips to the Washington Capitals (including this Friday, the trade deadline), who are chasing the Presidents’ Trophy.

And Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff spoke with Alex DeBrincat and Joe Veleno about the Wings’ status looking forward:

Continue reading Morning news: Red Wings look back, look forward as playoff race intensifies

Khan talks potential trade deadline targets

MLive’s Ansar Khan discusses some potential Red Wings trade deadline deals of the hypothetical variety this morning, offering up several names for consideration. Among them:

Brian Dumoulin, D, Anaheim (age 33, UFA): He’s a big (6-4, 214) stay-at-home defenseman who won two Cups with the Penguins. He shoots left, however, and the Red Wings might prefer a right shooter. Yzerman has swung a couple of trades with Ducks GM Pat Verbeek, his assistant in Tampa Bay and Detroit, sending Robby Fabbri and more recently Ville Husso to Anaheim.

Trent Frederic, C/RW, Boston (age 27, UFA): Big (6-3, 221), physical forward who is hard to play against. He’s listed as week-to-week after suffering a lower-body injury last week, but that shouldn’t affect his trade status if Boston opts to deal. The Bruins are hanging around in the playoff chase and might want to hang onto him. But if they move him, would they ship him to a team they’re competing with for a playoff spot?

Radko Gudas, D, Anaheim (age 34, one year remaining at $4 million): He makes more sense for the Red Wings than Dumoulin because he’s a right shot, would add physicality and toughness to the lineup and is under contract for another season.

Luke Schenn, D. Nashville (age 35, one year remaining at $2.75 million): A good-sized (6-2, 225) stay-at-home defender who shoots right and has won two Cups with Tampa Bay, Schenn fits the profile of players Yzerman might be inclined to pursue because he’s signed for one more year at a reasonable cap hit.

Continued

An early Red Wings-Hurricanes preview

The Associated Press posted an early preview of tomorrow night’s game between the Detroit Red Wings and Carolina Hurricanes (7 PM on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/FanDuel SportsNet South/97.1 FM):

BOTTOM LINE: The Detroit Red Wings host the Carolina Hurricanes after the Hurricanes beat the Calgary Flames 2-1 in overtime.

Detroit is 30-24-6 overall and 16-13-3 at home. The Red Wings have a 24-8-3 record in games they score three or more goals.

Carolina is 35-22-4 overall and 12-15-3 on the road. The Hurricanes rank ninth in league play with 195 total goals (averaging 3.2 per game).

The matchup Tuesday is the first meeting this season between the two teams.

TOP PERFORMERS: Lucas Raymond has scored 22 goals with 41 assists for the Red Wings. Alex DeBrincat has eight goals and six assists over the last 10 games.

Mikko Rantanen has 27 goals and 43 assists for the Hurricanes. Sebastian Aho has scored six goals with two assists over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Red Wings: 6-3-1, averaging 3.1 goals, 5.3 assists, 2.3 penalties and 5.4 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game.

Hurricanes: 4-6-0, averaging 2.4 goals, 3.9 assists, 3.6 penalties and 8.1 penalty minutes while giving up 2.7 goals per game.