The Detroit Free Press posted the full video of Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman’s 27:50-long press conference a few minutes ago:

Update: Here’s the Red Wings’ YouTube version:

Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman’s press conference is still ongoing, but here are a few Tweets of note from said presser:

Yzerman said the Red Wings plan to name a captain but haven’t determined how they will announce it.— Nick Cotsonika (@cotsonika) December 22, 2020

Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman says plan is to name captain this season. Team hasn’t had one since Henrik Zetterberg retired in September 2018. Dylan Larkin expected next captain.— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) December 22, 2020

Asked about a potential sponsor logo on the Red Wings uniform or helmet, Steve Yzerman said he doesn’t have an issue with it.

Undertands creating revenue is important in any business. pic.twitter.com/1TNPdEkHko— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) December 22, 2020

“It’s about as close as I could ever get to getting accepted at University of Michigan.” – Steve Yzerman, wearing a ‘Block M’ Red Wings hat for his presser pic.twitter.com/toj30NfAcj— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) December 22, 2020

Just got off Yzerman Twitter call: says no fans at LCA to begin the season— Ted Kulfan (@tkulfan) December 22, 2020

Zadina, Hronek, Rasmussen, Lindstrom, Brome being brought back; Veleno and Seider staying in Europe— Ted Kulfan (@tkulfan) December 22, 2020

Yzerman said he didn’t know if the Red Wings would have ads on their helmets this season, as at least some other NHL teams will. Remember when they had an ad for Eastside on their jerseys, on the back on the lower left? pic.twitter.com/GsYzK3Be3j— Nick Cotsonika (@cotsonika) December 22, 2020

Notes from Yzerman’s media call:
–will name a captain before season, as planned
–Zadina, Hronek, Rasmussen, Lindstrom, Brome only players recalled from Europe
–w/ cap space might make another move before season.
–3rd goalie will be Pickard or Boyle, on taxi squad#RedWings— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) December 22, 2020

Says #RedWings plan to name a captain this season— Ted Kulfan (@tkulfan) December 22, 2020

Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman said 2021 schedule will feature road games of 2, 4 or 6 games – Wings will travel to opponent, play 2 games, then either go on to another city or go home. 56-game schedule.— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) December 22, 2020

Here’s the full presser from the Free Press’s Helene St. James:

Of note from Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston:

More NHL schedule intel: With better symmetry in the U.S.-based divisions — eight teams, eight games apiece — some there received a draft featuring a whole season played in two-game blocks.

That includes the odd home-and-home … so four straight games against the same team.— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) December 22, 2020

From the Red Wings:

Things we know: 1: Hockey is coming back! 2: The Word on Woodward is all new at noon! 3: Steve Yzerman joins us live at 2:30 PM!

Also:

It’s a BIG Day! We’ll be joined by @KenKalDRW, Mickey Redmond, @jonmorosi, Larry Murphy & @tigers GM Al Avila!!! Plus we’ll be going live to @DetroitRedWings GM Steve Yzerman as he addresses the media at 2:30. Don’t miss the #WordOnWoodward starting at 12pm! Happy Holidays???— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) December 22, 2020

The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta wrote an extensive article which chronicles the attendance policies of each and every one of the NHL’s 31 teams, and one should not be surprised to hear that, should Little Caesars Arena open up to fans at some point this season, season ticket-holders will get first dibs on the seats:

Detroit – So far, neither the Red Wings nor the Pistons can have fans at Little Caesars Arena for their start of their respective seasons. Once restrictions begin to ease, season ticket holders (Winged Wheel Nation members) will have first priority for attending home games.

Continued (great read)

This is cool to see:

We teamed up with the @Tigers and @Meijer to deliver some unforgettable moments for families from @salmich’s Pathway of Hope Program this holiday season. ?? #HockeytownCares pic.twitter.com/Ba1QCFyzBe

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 22, 2020

Also in YouTube form:

Red Wings prospect Lucas Raymond was profiled by GT.se’s Adam Johansson ahead of the World Junior Championship. What follows is roughly translated from Swedish:

“It could be embarrassing when friends came over”

Lucas Raymond had all the conditions to succeed, but it was he himself who chose to become a hockey player.

With joy, before the “must.”

That’s how Swedish ice hockey’s biggest forward crown jewel was formed.

“There have never been any ‘musts’ in our family,” says his mother, “Cia.”

In a long report before the World Junior Championshp, SportExpressen now tells the story of the Junior Crowns’ big star, Lucas Raymond, 18.

“His pacifier blanket was a stick”

It is Cecilia “Cia” Wosse Raymond who describes her son–and she does so with excessive love.

“He’s just such a damn good person. Stubborn, too. That’s what makes him who he is. I’m very proud of him. Especially when I know what work he’s put in, from a young age to today. There’s never been any whining. He just chews onward. It’s mighty impressive. And we’ve never had to bother him. He has known what he wants to do from the first moment.”

Continue reading Roughly Translated: GT.se profiles Lucas Raymond (and his mom) →

The Red Wings’ seven participants at the World Junior Championship will be playing under the watchful gaze of both the team’s scouting staff and hockey-starved fan base starting on Christmas Day. Ahead of the WJC, The Athletic’s Max Bultman has outlined the expectations facing each and every one of Lucas Raymond, Theodor Niederbach, Elmer Soderblom, Albert Johansson, Gustav Berglund (all playing for Sweden), Eemil Viro (Finland) and Jan Bednar (Czech Republic).

Let’s examine what Bultman has to say about Niederbach, who’s probably going to center Raymond and Alexander Holtz on Sweden’s #1 line:

Theodor Niederbach, C (second round, 2020 draft): Niederbach’s blistering start to the season (he has 35 points in 19 J20 games) thrust him into the public eye quickly after Detroit picked him 51st overall. Now, that attention may be going up a notch if Niederbach indeed ends up between Raymond and Holtz on Sweden’s top line.

Niederbach told The Hockey News he wants to step up and take on [Karl] Henriksson’s defensive zone responsibilities, allowing the two dynamic wingers to do their thing. Obviously, the Red Wings will be elated if he can — Detroit has emphasized defensive responsibility with young centers such as Dylan Larkin and Joe Veleno in recent years. But certainly playing with two linemates that offensively gifted will be a prime opportunity for Niederbach to show off his hockey sense and playmaking ability, too.

Red Wings director of player development Shawn Horcoff praised Niederbach’s creativity, vision and sense earlier this fall, so the 18-year-old may very well make the most of that chance. But it’ll also be his first time playing in the tournament, so it’s important to temper the expectations. Detroit should be looking for Niederbach’s skill and instincts to pop between the two high-end wingers, but some mistakes are likely to come, too.

Continued (paywall)

I’m starting to wonder (aloud) whether the Red Wings’ “Taxi Squad” will consist of the team’s AHL-bound prospects for the first month of the NHL season, and I’m wondering whether the development of players like Evgeny Svechnikov, Dennis Cholowski and Michael Rasmussen will be best-served by practicing instead of playing hockey, at least over the longer term.

That being said, of the Red Wings’ European-loaned prospects, Rasmussen, who played in the rarely-covered ICE Hockey League in Austria, had a better half-season with the Graz99ers than his game-to-game stats may have indicated. Is Rasmussen ready to take the next step and squeeze his way on to a deep Wings roster?

I’m not sure of the answer to that question, but NHL.com’s Mike G. Morreale named Rasmussen as a “prospect to watch” this week, and I’m intrigued to see whether the big forward can reverse course after an inconsistent and injury-shortened 2019-2020 AHL season:

Michael Rasmussen (Detroit Red Wings), F, Graz99ers: The 21-year-old (6-6, 229), chosen No. 9 in the 2017 NHL Draft, has scored 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 18 games on loan in the ICE Hockey League, the top professional men’s league in Austria. Rasmussen scored 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 35 games with Grand Rapids (AHL) last season.

Continued; we’ll talk more about the “Taxi Squad” in the as-yet-unnamed podcast that’s going to be airing this week (hopefully!).

Former Red Wings forward and player agent Igor Larionov has taken on a new role, coaching Russia’s World Junior Championship team. Ahead of the WJC (which begins on Christmas day), Larionov engaged in a Q and A session with NHL.com’s Mike G. Morreale, and his answers were very…professor-like:

What is your coaching philosophy and how might it differ from Valeri Bragin?

“My philosophy is to teach hockey the right way. To be professional, pay attention to detail and play good, enthusiastic hockey that requires skill, the mindset and the work ethic needed to be successful. I guess maybe it’s not appropriate to compare to a previous coach and someone who I have a lot of respect for, but at the same time I’ve tried to go back to the roots of Russian-style hockey, when we played at high speed and used quick minds and quick feet. I enjoy the smart team play and playing an offensive style that requires imagination. We will play with skill, play for each other and give maximum effort.”

What are the strengths of the Russia team we’ll see at the World Juniors?

“We don’t have that much experience in returning players from last year, other than goalie Iaroslav Askarov (Nashville Predators), and forwards Vasily Podkolzin (Vancouver Canucks) and Maxim Groshev (Tampa Bay Lightning). Since I couldn’t view players during this difficult time (in a pandemic), with no camps and nothing to see from exhibition games in the traditional Canadian Hockey League Canada Russia Series during the November tour in Canada, it gave us an opportunity to see the boys play in the Kontinental Hockey League level, playing against men. I’m looking for skill, character, speed and a mind that’s ready to sacrifice and play for the team.”

Continued;