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The Detroit Red Wings will be holding a summer development camp tomorrow through Saturday at Little Caesars Arena, and the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan discusses the parameters thereof:

The Red Wings open development camp Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena, providing an education on NHL life to recent draft picks.

The majority of picks from last weekend’s draft will attend, as well as 2018 first-round picks Filip Zadina and Joe Veleno, signed free-agent prospects and undrafted free agent invitees from college, junior or European leagues.

“We get to know the kids a little bit and try to set them up and educate them if they need it,” general manager Steve Yzerman said. “They all have varying experience as far as training and eating properly, so they are at different stages from different countries and backgrounds. We want to educate them on what they need to be doing on and off the ice this summer.

“For the ones we do get to bring back in September (junior league players), make sure they have a real good summer, and for the ones we don’t get back that are in college or have to play in Europe, make sure they understand what they need to do — the lifestyle and dedication, the work ethic, the training to get to the NHL.

“It’s a good week. Our camp will be more about education, instruction and development than conditioning.”

Kulfan continues…

From the Grand Rapids Griffins:

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Monday announced that Josh Chapman has been hired as the Grand Rapids Griffins’ new athletic trainer.

Chapman joins the Griffins after spending the previous three seasons as the head athletic trainer for the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears, managing all medical and training operations for the club. He replaces John Bernal, who served as the Griffins’ athletic trainer for eight seasons (2011-19) before recently accepting a position as a work strategies and sports medicine coordinator for West Michigan with NovaCare.

Continue reading Grand Rapids Griffins name Josh Chapman team’s athletic trainer

Of Twitter-related Red Wings note this afternoon:

1. The Free Press’s Helene St. James addressed the possible return of Niklas Kronwall:

If Kronwall returns, he’s not bumping a young player. As I’ve written, Wings can’t count on Daley/Ericsson to be available all season, plus there’s uncertainty about Green (virus). Kronwall led the team with 79 games played last season. https://t.co/bA059gsaJ9— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) June 24, 2019

They expect him to, but this isn’t a standard timeline like recovering from knee surgery. There’s some uncertainty. https://t.co/oYOg9Jvi0e— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) June 24, 2019

2. And DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji is in attendance at the Larkin Hockey School in Waterford, MI today:

Continue reading Tweets of note: HSJ on Kronwall and going back to (hockey) school

Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman appeared on this morning’s Jamie and Stoney Show on 97.1 the Ticket (audio will be coming along shortly), and Yzerman discussed the team’s decision to draft defenseman Moritz Seider 6th overall:

Most projections had the 6’4 defenseman from Germany going somewhere in the middle of the first round. But Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings had him ranked higher, and they knew Seider would be off the board if they waited until their second pick. So in his first major decision as Detroit’s general manager, Yzerman trusted his instincts. 

“I don’t pay attention to the mock drafts at all. We can’t. We have to do our jobs and hopefully do them well and kind of tune out the noise, so to speak,” Yzerman told the Jamie and Stoney Show on 97.1 The Ticket. “But we had him right at six on our draft list. I wasn’t sure where he was going to go. I know there was a lot of interest in him from a lot of teams.

“I actually looked at the options of trading back and trying to get an extra pick and keeping my fingers crossed that he would be there, or we had a plan B in the event that he wasn’t. Trading back didn’t prove to be an option, so we were comfortable selecting him at that spot. I know he was surprised. But we felt he was going to go if not to us, potentially Buffalo who was picking right after us, and by probably the 12th or 13th pick he would be gone.”

Continued

The annual Bob Probert Ride took place on Sunday in Windsor, Ontario, and the Blackburn News’s Adelle Loiselle reports that the charitable endeavor surpassed a significant financial marker:

A popular event that helps cardiac patients in Windsor-Essex get the treatment they need close to home has raised more than $1-million.

The Bob Probert Ride has brought more than 1,300 motorcycle enthusiasts from across Canada and the U.S. together every year for almost a decade. The ninth-annual event hit the milestone this year.

“From our contribution to the angioplasty suite, to exercise equipment at the cardiac wellness gym, and now towards the establishment of a satellite cardiac wellness program in Tecumseh, we are making a huge difference right here in our community,” said Dani Probert, the widow of former NHL player Bob Probert.

The expansion to Tecumseh will allow patients to take part in a six-month program close to their home.

Of Red Wings-related note this morning:

1. MLive’s Ansar Khan posted an article discussing the Red Wings’ 2019 draft class. Before Khan breaks down the Wings’ 11 picks, he takes note of the Red Wings’ GM’s version of Ken Holland’s “You Can’t Rush the Kids” mantra:

“The danger is we all want our draft picks playing as soon as possible; it helps justify the picks a little bit,” Yzerman told media at the draft. “Ultimately, you really have to make sure you’re doing what’s right for these kids, that they’re playing at a level that they can be competitive and improve and excel at. 

“There is stress. Very few 18-year-olds play in the NHL today. Now that they’re in the fold, we’ll try to set them up as best as we can, educate them and provide them with resources to develop and then we’ll see. If it’s one year, two years, three years … some of these kids will be five years. It doesn’t mean they’re not going to be good players. But it’s going to take five years for some of them.”

Khan continues, and it’s a relief to read Yzerman stating that the Wings will take player development on a case-by-case basis.

2. The Free Press’s Helene St. James also posted a Monday morning article offering “takeaways” from the draft. HSJ also quotes Yzerman as his draft-day comments pertained to this week’s development camp at Little Caesars Arena, which begins on Tuesday:

The newest crop of picks start their immersion into the organization at this week’s development camp. There’ll be daily on-ice activities culminating with a scrimmage Saturday. The value from the Wings’ point of view is more about what happens off the ice. 

“You get to know the kids a little bit, and educate them if they need it,” Yzerman said. “And then try to set them up.”

This entails educating the prospects on what they need to do in the kitchen and in the gym to put themselves in the best position to further their careers. “Make sure they understand what they need to do — the lifestyle, the education, the training, to get to the NHL,” Yzerman said. “It’s more education and development than conditioning.”

St. James also continues…

The Red Wings’ front office has received a few slings and arrows from the media due to its decision to draft a defensively-oriented group of 11 players. This morning, however, the Sporting News’s Steve Kournaios suggests that the Wings’ 2019 draft class might not be nearly as bad as it’s been made out to be:

Steve Yzerman’s first draft as Red Wings GM went relative well for a guy who was armed with double-digit picks at his disposal. Overall, he could have done better, but he also picked up a half-dozen quality prospects with legitimate potential for NHL success. Although his weekend began with his surprising selection of big-bodied puck mover Mortiz Seider at sixth overall, Yzerman went on to overdraft another physical presence in Finnish blueliner Antti Tuomisto (35th). Both can run the power play, skate the puck out of trouble and shoot with authority. But both were taken a nearly a half-round too high while leaving incredible forward talent on the board. The Seider pick notwithstanding, the impressive part of Detroit’s draft was the middle portion, where they scooped up underrated sniper Robert Mastrosimone (54th), physical puck rusher Albert Johansson (60th), abrasive two-way winger Albin Grewe (66th) and speed merchant Ethan Phillips (97th).

In the later rounds, the Red Wings opted for size and two-way play, beginning with high school puck rusher Cooper Moore (128th), who will play college hockey for North Dakota. As expected, the Red Wings continued mining Sweden for talent, taking a huge 200-foot forward in Elmber Soderblom (159th) and project puck mover Gustav Berglund (177th), albeit while passing over more talented (and consistent) Swedes like Victor Hedstrom, Max Wahlgren and Albin Hjalmarsson. Diminutive Russian winger Kirill Tyutyayev (190th) not only has skill, but also was a standout on a veteran Avto team and nearly led them to an MHL championship. Lastly, big goalie Carter Gylander (191st) was solid for Sherwood Park of the AJHL and will play college hockey at Colgate. Grade: A-

Kournaios continues, grading the NHL’s other 30 teams, and it’s a little refreshing to read someone who goes by “The Draft Analyst” on Twitter suggest that the Wings’ amateur scouts did something other than extend themselves beyond their reach.

The Windsor Star’s Jim Parker spoke with Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman and director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright regarding the team’s 11 2019 draft picks. Wright told Parker that the Wings didn’t go into the draft emphasizing defensive additions, but that’s how things played out:

“As a staff, I thought we identified this as being a pretty deep draft defensively,” Red Wings director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright said. “I don’t think we’re quite in a position where we have to start really picking by position. It just happened to be that defence were kind of heavy in this draft.”

In the second round, the Red Wings added six-foot-four, 193-pound Finnish defenceman Antti Tuomisto.

“This is a guy that’s six-foot-(four) with real bite to his game,” Wright said. “We were ecstatic to leave with him.”

With the team’s third pick in the second round, Detroit added Swedish defenceman Albert Johansson, American defenceman Cooper Moore was taken in the fourth round and defenceman Gustav Berglund in the sixth round.

“At the end of the day, we just needed good players,” Wright said. “It just kind of happened it was defence (heavy).”

Parker continues. I understand the Wings scouting staff’s reticence to suggest that they picked a particular position and bolstered it, but that’s how it played out.

Updated at 5:36 PM: Of Red Wings-related note this afternoon:

1. The Red Wings’ amateur scouting staff chose to focus on replenishing the team’s defensive depth during this year’s draft–though they won’t admit as much–as the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan notes:

“As a staff, we identified this as being a pretty deep draft defensively,” said Tyler Wright, the Wings’ director of amateur scouting. “I don’t think we’re quite in a position where we have to start really picking by position. It just happened to be that defense was kind of top-heavy in this draft. You watch the playoffs and you see the size of these guys with St. Louis and Boston being in there – that doesn’t mean they’re just big.”

Meaning, size with skill. And the Wings are optimistic they picked some big bodies who can do a variety of things.

Moritz Seider (first round) and Antti Tuomisto (second round) are both 6-foot-4 with mobility and offensive skill, while being stout defensively.

Getting Tuomisto with Saturday’s first pick was an aim for the Wings, who had targeted the Finnish defenseman for some time.

“We think he’s a good prospect,” general manager Steve Yzerman said. “He’s a big kid with a good shot. He’s a smart player. He moves well for a big guy and he plays hard. We just like the way he thinks the game. We like his tools and size. Somewhat like Seider. They’re different players, but big right-shot defensemen that move pretty well, that can pass the puck and defend reasonably well.

Kulfan continues…

2. Kulfan also posted a story which includes shorter snippets of comments made by Hakan Andersson and Yzerman. This time, he notes that the Red Wings’ draft class is “dog-free”:

Continue reading On defense, ‘dogs,’ Swedish steals, crushing on Tuomisto and more

Early this morning, the Red Wings posted a 45-minute podcast in which Red Wings special assistant to the GM Kris Draper discusses the Wings’ 11 2019 draft picks:

Kris Draper joins us on Episode 114 of The Red and White Authority to review the #RedWings 2019 draft and offer an analysis of Detroit’s 11 picks.

Listen/rate/subscribe: https://t.co/epOmJaeK7Z pic.twitter.com/rMzUZUq7Kp— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 23, 2019