Author: George Malik

The Free Press’s Helene St. James examines the Red Wings’ European-playing prospects this morning, attempting to discern which ones will be on the Wings’ NHL team roster a year from now:

[Filip] Hronek and [Filip] Zadina have already established they are NHL players, and will be recalled when the NHL signals teams can start preparing for a 2021 season.

In what is an encouraging sign for the Wings’ rebuild, many of their other players in Europe are having excellent seasons. It’s a good indication that a player is ready to advance when he is dominating at his current level. [Moritz] Seider has not played for the past week because his SHL team, Rögle, has had to postpone games because of COVID-19, but he has averaged nearly a point-a-game, producing two goals and five assists in eight games.

The Wings were planning to bring Seider (6-foot-4, 207 pounds) to Detroit for a few games last season before hockey was shut down March 12 because of the pandemic. He’s in Sweden for this season, but considering that the 19-year-old will, is now in his third season of playing professional hockey, he’s all but guaranteed to be a part of the Wings’ lineup in 2021-22.

[Lucas] Raymond, who general manager Steve Yzerman selected at fourth in the 2020 draft, is also likely to be on the team. He had five goals and seven assists in 19 games, ranking second on his team, Frölunda (which is in first place in the SHL) in his second full year in the SHL. Raymond (5-10, 183 pounds) already has topped the 10 points he recorded in 33 games last season.

Continued

Of prospect-related note:

In the SHL, Djurgarden won 3-2 over the Vaxjo Lakers. Albin Grewe posted 1 shot in 6:14 played;

In their only game this week, the Frolunda Indians got smoked 7-1 by Brynas IF. The good news for Red Wings fans is that Lucas Raymond got a nice assist on Frolunda’s only goal, taking 1 shot and finishing even in 12:17 played; Theodor Niederbach also had 2 shots and finished at -1 in 10:17 played, which is a lot for a rookie.

Here’s Raymond’s assist, which was registered to tie the game at 1-1:

Sportsnet’s Ryan Dixon spotlighted 10 NHL prospects who are playing in Europe at the present moment, and his list includes two Red Wings prospects:

Moritz Seider, D, Detroit Red Wings: Steve Yzerman’s decision to start his GM tenure in Detroit by drafting Seider sixth overall in 2019 has made more and more sense as times whizzes by. The six-foot-four German has put up seven points in eight contests skating for Rögle in the Swedish Hockey League this year.

“I don’t know if they’re going to put him on their team right away, but he certainly has the upside to be a legitimate top-four, if not a top-pair guy,” the scout said. “I just like the balls. A little like [Boston Bruin Charlie McAvoy], just willingness to try to make something happen. [And] I haven’t that seen that be a risk thing, where he’s always [taking risks] to make things happen.”

From what I’ve seen of Seider in Europe, he’s definitely a high-risk, high-reward player, willing to skate up into the rush all by himself if he feels that there’s an opportunity to generate offense, but his strength of self-belief is a positive there…

Filip Zadina, RW, Detroit Red Wings: For kids who grow up filling nets in Europe, dreaming of an NHL career, the reality of starting off in the AHL is — let’s be honest — not something that has them turning backflips. For every Euro prospect who comes over and embraces the bus rides, there are handfuls — especially top-10 draft picks — who find it tough to get fired up.

“You don’t tell them when you draft them, ‘See you in Grand Rapids,’” the scout said.

Zadina, drafted sixth overall in 2018, spent most of his first North American season and a chunk of last year with the AHL’s Griffins before joining the Red Wings. He was starting to hit his stride in Detroit when an ankle injury torpedoed his season in early February. He has five goals in seven contests in his native Czech Republic this year, skating for Trinec Ocelari.

The scout thought Zadina showed something during his time in Detroit last year. While his play away from the puck and work ethic will continue to be scrutinized, he’s on the right track. “His shot and ability; he’ll get all kinds of opportunity in Detroit,” he said.

Continued; if I may be frank, the Red Wings do expect their players to spend some time in Grand Rapids riding the bus and learning to be a pro; Zadina has been lucky in that he’s playing for his hometown team with his dad as his assistant coach, and there’s no doubt that he’s enthusiastic about playing “at home”…

DetroitRedWings.com’s Josh Berenter filed a profile of Red Wings free agent signing Thomas Greiss, per Greiss’s comments on last week’s “The Word on Woodward” episode:

The 6-foot-2, 232-pound goalie has started 250 games throughout his 11 NHL seasons, earning a career record of 137-90-28 with a goals-against average of 2.63 and a .915 save percentage. He went 16-9-4 in 31 games for the Islanders last season and said one of the biggest factors of signing with Detroit was the chance to play for executive vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman.

“A big part was Yzerman, his personality and what he’s achieved in the past,” Greiss said to Johnston. “I had a long phone call with him after (I signed). It was a very positive call and I look forward to working with him more. He’s achieved great things in the past in his playing career and his GM career, and I’m looking forward to the season.”

The free agent was signed to replace veteran goaltender Jimmy Howard, who played for the Red Wings since 2005. Greiss will battle for the No. 1 goalie spot with Jonathan Bernier, who emerged as Detroit’s starter last season amid Howard’s struggles.

Greiss had several other suiters seeking his services in free agency, but he chose Detroit because of Yzerman, as well as familiarity with former Islanders teammates Frans Nielsen and Valtteri Filippula and simply an opportunity to play in Hockeytown.

“(It’s) a great hockey city, a great organization that treats people well, very professional in every regard,” Greiss said about Detroit in a Zoom press conference when he signed. “I’m just looking forward to being in a real hockey city. I’ve played in the desert (and different markets) and just looking forward to being in a real hockey city.”

Continued

Former Red Wings forward Darren McCarty spoke with Fox 17’s Zach Harig regarding both his playing career and his battle to stay sober during and after his hockey-playing days:

“When you’re everything to everybody else but don’t know who you are, that’s a very dark, dangerous place. On November 11, 2015, I was literally 70 pounds heavier, my organs were going to explode, that’s how bad of shape I was in.”

Now, the Red Wings fan favorite is celebrating five years of sobriety and wants to serve as an inspiration to those seeking help.

“If you’re not happy with who you are or where you are, you can change, you can get out of it, I just want to be a driving force of proof to that,” he said.

McCarty is now an advocate for canabis and says the plant saved his life after his alcohol abuse. He’s also a radio host on Friday nights on WJR in Detroit but most importantly he says, he’s a people person and wants others to know they aren’t alone in their struggles.

“There have been a lot of different versioons of me at places but where I am right now and what I’m doing, I found my mission to help people,” McCarty added.

Continued

Of prospect-related note:

In the Finnish Liiga, Otto Kivenmaki had a goal and an assist, finishing at +3 with 1 shot in 16:23 played, and Kasper Kotkansalo finished at +1 with 2 shots in 23:32 as Assat Pori won 4-0 over KalPa. Here’s Kivenmaki’s goal:

Otto Kivenmäki 0-2?

Kaikki Liiga-videot https://t.co/TPQ85dUjGM#Ässät #Liiga #YHDESSÄ pic.twitter.com/dasOuAe9D3

— Porin Ässät (@PorinAssat) November 20, 2020

In the Swedish Allsvenskan, Gustav Berglund had 2 shots and finished even in 14:23 played as Vasteras IK lost 5-2 to Sodertalje SK;

In the ICE Hockey League, Michael Rasmussen had 2 assists, finishing at +2 with 4 penalty minutes in the Graz99ers’ 5-3 win over the Bratislava Capitals;

In the Czech Extraliga, Filip Zadina had an assist taken away from him, finishing with no points but at +1 with 4 shots in 16:19 played as Ocelari Trinec won 3-1 over HC Skoda Plzen;

And Jan Bednar stopped 28 of 30 shots as HC Energie Karlovy Vary won 4-2 over HC Kometa Brno;

Later tonight, in NCAA Hockey, Sam Stange and the University of Wisconsin will entertain Michigan, while Ryan O’Reilly and the Arizona State University Sun Devils will battle Michigan State;

And in USHL play, Kyle Aucoin’s Tri-City Storm will battle Fargo.

Update: Sam Stange had 2 shots and a blocked shot in the University of Wisconsin’s 2-1 overtime loss to Michigan;

Ryan O’Reilly had 4 shots and finished even in the Arizona State University Sun Devils’ 2-0 loss to Michigan State;

And in the USHL, Kyle Aucoin had 2 shots, took a penalty and finished at -3 in the Tri-City Storm’s 5-2 loss to Fargo.

Yesterday, Hockeysverige.se reported that Gustav Lindstrom had extended his loan with Almtuna IS of the Swedish Allsvenskan, and today, Hockeysverige.se’s Robin Olausson reports that Red Wings goaltending prospect Filip Larsson and Chicago Blackhawks prospect Tim Soderlund have extended their stays with Almtuna as well.

Both players’ contracts with Almtuna expired on November 15th, but with the AHL starting in February and the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye starting their 2020-2021 season in early January, it makes sense for Larsson to continue playing in the Allsvenskan.

DobberProspects’ Tomas Zahorak posted an “SHL Report” for November of this year, and he mentions Moritz Seider, Joe Veleno, Albert Johansson and Lucas Raymond in his SHL prospect update. Among his observations are the following:

Moritz Seider, RHD, Rögle BK (Detroit Red Wings): What a debut month for Seider! Two goals and seven points in his first eight games in the SHL speak for itself. The 19-year-old Red Wings prospect has quickly become one of the most important players on the team. Since his arrival, he has been paired with former Devils and Avalanche defenseman Éric Gélinas, who has taken the german youngster under his wing. 

Seider has been given a lot of trust from the coaching staff as well. He has been a vital part of the team’s second power play unit and penalty kill, which has been strongly reflected in his average ice time (19:38). He has been steady, reliable, very efficient in all situations, and I think he is going to be even better down the line. 

…

Albert Johansson, LHD, Färjestad BK (Detroit Red Wings): A complete, fearless player. Johansson has done a lot of good work since the season began. He has been one of the most exciting prospects to watch, mainly because of his offensive boldness and great confidence. He likes to take the puck on his stick, rush up the ice, and create some stir in the offensive zone with a smart shot or a very well executed pass to his teammates. 

Sometimes he does not even look like a defenseman out there, but more like a fourth forward with a responsible defensive game. It is just great to see that he has been having a lot of fun out there. As every month passes by, he seems to be closer and closer to being ready for the NHL. 

Continued with observations on Veleno and Raymond…

Red Wings forward Robby Fabbri spoke with last year’s Hockey Fights Cancer Night honoree Blake Beers during this Thursday’s “The Word on Woodward” episode, and the Wings posted a video of Fabbri making the young man’s day:

It’s time for my least-favorite part of running my own blog–the very necessary attempt to raise funds in order for this blog to survive. The “NPR Model”

I’m trying to make due with means that you don’t have to deal with inline ads, commercials or pop-ups; that also means that if, as Thanksgiving is around the corner, I’ve got to ask the same folks who helped me to purchase the laptop from which I’m typing (and what a Moonshot that was!) to please help support the Moonbase blog.

If you can possibly lend a hand so that I can pay my bills this month, I’ve got a Paypal account at https://paypal.me/TheMalikReport, I accept payments to rtxg@yahoo.com through Giftly, and I take payments via Venmo as well.

After consciously not fundraising for the first three weeks of the month, I’m in a tight place, and I do hope that you can afford to lend a small hand so that this blog can continue to flourish as we slowly move toward the 2020-2021 season.

Thank you for your time and your readership.