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!

Michal Svrcek is being recruited by the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires

The Windsor Star’s Jim Parker reports that Red Wings prospect and Brynas IF forward Michal Svrcek has been selected by the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires in the CHL Import Draft, and as such, the Spitfires are actively recruiting Svrcek to come over from Europe and play Major Junior hockey in North America:

Detroit took the five-foot-11, 189-pound forward with the 119th pick overall and Svrcek wrapped up four days at the team’s prospects camp on Thursday.

“I felt like Detroit could draft me,” the 18-year-old Svrcek said. “I talked to them a lot and had great meetings. I was not surprised. It was a great moment. I’ve enjoyed every moment (at camp). I’m so happy.”

Svrcek is an intriguing prospect, but at this point not a lock to be in Windsor for the 2025-26 season. 

“There’s a rather complex process involved in the decision of Michal coming to the CHL this year or not,” said Allan Walsh, who represents Svrcek. “We’re actively involved in the process with Michal and Detroit in figuring out where the best place is for him to play and working quickly to make a decision in collaboration with each other.”

Svrcek played for several clubs in 2024-25, but spent the majority of the season with the Brynas IF’s under-20 team in Sweden’s top junior league where he had 14 goals and 30 points in 30 games. While known for his speed and skill, Svrcek also brings some grit to the game.

“I like to play a fast game,” Svrcek said. “I try to play on the boards. That’s kind of the North American game. Now, I’m going to decide what’s best for me.”

Continued

Data and the lack thereof

I had hoped to watch the Red Wings’ 4-on-4 game at the 2025 Summer Development Camp today, and then weigh in with some cursory observations, but the Wings had to cancel the game due to what assistant player development Dan Cleary said were about 5 players injured, so…

It’s going to be very hard to discuss the roster as it pertains to player growth without any data with which to go upon.

The Red Wings did a very good job of offering interviews with Dan Cleary, Kris Draper and Shawn Horcoff over the course of their hour-long stream, but…

Between free agency and the passing of Alex Delvecchio, there just wasn’t the usual amount of content this week, neither from the Red Wings nor the beat writers. There was no media availability on July 1st, which is the usual rule of engagement, and the summer development camp was also a day shorter than the usual 5-day camps…

So we’re all doing the best that we can with the data available, and that’s mostly through player interviews.

I’ve done my best to chronicle everything that’s taken place over the last week, and what’s not gone on in terms of the Red Wings’ free agency moves, but you can only do so much if you don’t see the prospects play.

Tweet of note: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard discusses growing up as a player

DetroitRedWings.com’s Kara Wolfbauer spoke with Red Wings prospect Michael Brandsegg-Nygard regarding his development as a player and a person over the last year, as well as his new nickname, “Captain Knowledge.” This is just a 20-second clip from the longer interview…

Which is available here:

Red Wings assistant GM and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper and assistant GM Shawn Horcoff also speak with Ken Kal and Bob Kaser over the course of the 54-minute stream archive, and assistant director of player development Daniel Cleary has an interview as well.

Tweet of note: Red Wings to stream Summer Development Camp 4-on-4 games later this morning

The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects are scheduled to take part in a 4-on-4 tournament this morning, and Red Wings broadcaster Ken Kal reports that the team will stream the game:

Sebastian Cossa against the clock

The Athletic’s Jesse Granger suggests that Red Wings prospect Sebastian Cossa is a “free agency loser” because the Red Wings chose to shore up their goaltending with John Gibson:

Sebastian Cossa

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman upgraded his starting goalie with the aforementioned trade to bring in Gibson. For a Detroit team fighting to break out of the rebuild stage and back into the playoffs, the potential of Gibson is enticing.

The acquisition also creates another hurdle for 2021 first-round pick Sebastian Cossa to break through with the NHL club. Taken with the No. 15 overall selection, Cossa is the third-highest drafted goalie in the last 15 years, but with Gibson and Cam Talbot in Detroit, it appears he’s destined for a fourth season in the minor leagues.

It’s not the end of the world for a 22-year-old goalie to get more seasoning, but Cossa has already played more games in the minors than every first-round pick since Jack Campbell in 2010.

In speaking with a few goalie coaches around the league, 100 games in the minors is considered a good amount for a young goalie prospect. Considering Cossa’s pedigree one would expect fewer for him, especially when you add in the fact that Detroit hasn’t exactly been settled in net.

Trey Augustine, whom Detroit drafted in the second round in 2023, has looked great at Michigan State and with Team USA at the World Junior Championship. He’ll soon be nipping at Cossa’s heels. The big, athletic Hamilton, Ont. native needs an impressive camp, and an even more impressive season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, to maintain his place as Detroit’s goalie of the future.

Continued (paywall)

Waiting on ‘magic’ trades

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen suggests that Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman needs to find a little “magic” in terms of his attempts to add to the team’s top six forward corps and top four on defense:

Yzerman did upgrade his goaltending by acquiring John Gibson, and whether fans want to believe it or not, James van Riemsdyk for $1 million is a plus-signing. He scored 16 goals last season, and it’s not unthinkable that he could score 16-18 this season. The man knows what to do in front of the net. But while Mason Appleton is a coach-pleasing, dependable player, he has not historically been a dangerous scorer.

The preliminary assessment is that the Red Wings, who now have a full roster of players, will again struggle to score enough goals this season and their defense still will put too much pressure on their goaltending.

That’s a fair review based on what we’ve seen thus far.  Perhaps younger players, particularly Marco Kasper and Simon Edvinsson, could provide more offense this season. That will help. Maybe Axel Sandin Pellikka makes the roster, or Michael Brandsegg-Nygard. But none of that feels like it will be enough help.

The only true hope for the Red Wings is that Yzerman can conjure up help in the trade market. He still has $12 million in cap space and there are players available who can score goals.  Yzerman really needs to pull off the show-stopping trick of making Detroit’s problems disappear.

Continued

A trio of articles about James van Riemsdyk

Three Red Wings beat writers posted articles regarding new Red Wings forward James van Riemsdyk’s press conference from yesterday morning, and we’ll begin with MLive’s Ansar Khan:

Van Riemsdyk, 36, looks forward to being reunited in a way with Patrick Kane. They were the top two picks in the 2007 draft, Kane to Chicago and van Riemsdyk to Philadelphia.

“He’s one of my really good buddies and we’ve been kind of through this whole journey over the years together in a lot of ways through some different USA Hockey things and with training or bouncing ideas off each other,” van Riemsdyk said. “I think there was one game last year at Columbus where we had a couple of points … I think he said something to me on one of the faceoffs like, ‘We still got it.’ Just the love that he has for the game, it’s fun to kind of be around and be in kind of his orbit for some of that.”

Van Riemsdyk has multiple ties with the Red Wings. He was skating with Justin Holl Tuesday in Minnesota when he accepted their offer. He also knows Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat and some others.

van Riemsdyk also confirmed to the Free Press’s Helene St. James that he’s almost found himself in Detroit multiple times over the past couple of years…

Continue reading A trio of articles about James van Riemsdyk