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The Free Press’s Helene St. James and Jeff Seidel make Red Wings 2018-19 season predictions today. From St. James:

Best-case scenario: Young players show growth, team looks competitive but comes up a goal short most games. Wings miss the playoffs and luck out in the draft lottery to get the first overall selection. Hello, Jack Hughes.

Worst-case scenario: They win just enough games to squeeze into the playoffs only to get ousted in the first round, depriving them off a shot at the draft lottery. They need at least one more high-end player to nourish the rebuilding effort.

Leading scorer: Dylan Larkin should lead the Wings in points if he improves his power-play production. Anthony Mantha leads them in goals, flirting with the 30-goal mark.

Best rookie: Michael Rasmussen. He’s 6-foot-6 and thrives around the net. He’s only 19, but level-headed and unlikely to get rattled as he adjusts to NHL level.

Continued

 

The Red Wings’ AHL and ECHL affiliates opened their training camps on Monday, and the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe checked in with the Toledo Walleye:

[Defenseman Matt] Register put on a Walleye jersey for the first time Monday as the organization opened its 10th training camp. The Calgary native was one of six defensemen who Watson put through their paces at the Huntington Center, along with 14 forwards and three goaltenders.

“The first day today, I was impressed,” Register said. “There was speed. There was good execution. They have a great track record here. It’s a winning culture.”

Five players in the Walleye’s training camp were assigned to the team from its NHL parent club in Detroit.

Forwards Jordan Topping, Dylan Sadowy, and Bryan Moore as well as goaltenders Pat Nagle and Kaden Fulcher all were in preseason camp with the Red Wings.

Fulcher, 20, led the Hamilton Bulldogs to an Ontario Hockey League title last season. The first-year pro appeared in 55 regular-season games for the major junior hockey team last regular season.

“First off, [Toledo is] a pretty unbelievable place to play,” Fulcher said after practice. “I’ve heard from the guys just how special it is here and how good the fan support is. It’s first class. It’s well run. Everyone is on the same page. I’m really excited to be here.”

Monroe continues, and the Walleye signed a player yesterday, too:

Continue reading Meanwhile, in Toledo, training camp is underway

Toledo Walleye captain Alden Hirschfeld has retired, and he’s heading behind the bench:

We’re extremely excited to welcome @AldenHirschfeld to our coaching staff for the 2018-19 season. ?? pic.twitter.com/4rajqB4UVc

— Toledo Walleye (@ToledoWalleye) October 2, 2018

Per the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe:

Walleye forward and Sylvania native Alden Hirschfeld has been forced to hang up his skates after playing in 200 games for his hometown team.

Hirschfeld, a Northview High School graduate, played for five seasons for Toledo’s pro hockey team and served as the Walleye captain the last two seasons.

 

The Detroit Red Wings made a good choice in deciding to send Filip Zadina to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins this past weekend.

There’s no shame in the fact that Zadina needs to shake off some of his Quebec League tendencies and desire to do all the work himself instead of simplifying his game and relying more upon his teammates.

Making the jump from Major Junior hockey to the NHL is incredibly difficult, and needing more time to adjust is not a failure on Zadina’s part.

Just as importantly, the Grand Rapids Griffins are going to be fairly stacked this year, providing Zadina with an environment in which he can lean upon talented teammates and near-peers as Zadina embarks upon his pro career.

The Grand Rapids Press’s Peter J. Wallner spoke with Zadina at Griffins practice yesterday…

Continue reading Talking about Filip Zadina as the Griffins open camp

The Athletic’s Max Bultman discusses the Red Wings’ 2018-19 season’s expectations this morning, wondering, “What would success look like” for this year’s team:

This season will begin with largely the same, rebuild-centric pillars — success measured by progress more than playoffs, and by prospects as much as the present.

But there is one key difference. A year ago, Detroit still had the unfortunate distinction of being the oldest team in the league. That was out of sync with its rebuilding status, and it was going to have to change before anything got better.

This year, it should. Three rookies, all under the age of 23, have made the team out of camp. A couple of older players were signed in free agency, but an infusion of younger talent should be enough to get the age alignment in order.

That’s a success before the games have even begun. Once that happens, the definition gets a bit more broad.

Continued (paywall)…

 

The NHL Tonight’s Mike Johnson and Barry Melrose were asked to preview the Red Wings’ 2018-19 campaign for “The NHL Tonight,” and, well…It’s not good when you’re seen as a favorite for Jack Hughes before your first game, but Melrose suggests that “being bad” could help the Wings down the road.

 

Hey gang. The bug I brought back from Traverse City has spread to the entire house, so the last week has been an unpleasant one for both myself and the mom and aunt.

The bad news is that I haven’t gotten any better over the last couple of days, and if I’m not feeling better come Monday, I’ll make an appointment with the family physician.

I’m sorry for the interruption in coverage, and as soon as I can sit up and fight through the boogers, I’ll get back to work.

A little belatedly, from the Red Wings:

RED WINGS REDUCE ROSTER TO 41
… Twelve Players Assigned or Released with Two Preseason Games Remaining …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today assigned center Axel Holmstrom and left wing Chris Terry to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins and assigned goaltender Kaden Fulcher to the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye. Additionally, Detroit released forwards Colin Campbell, Carter Camper, Turner Elson, Matthew Ford, Dominik Shine and Trevor Yates and defensemen Marcus Crawford, Trevor Hamilton and Mackenze Stewart from their tryout contracts. All nine tryout players released will report to the Griffins.

Currently undefeated in preseason play (6-0-0), the Red Wings will battle the Toronto Maple Leafs in back-to-back games to wrap up their eight-game exhibition slate. Detroit will visit Toronto on Friday at 7:30 p.m. before hosting the Maple Leafs at Little Caesars Arena on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. (FOX Sports Detroit).

Continue reading Red Wings make cuts, roster stands at 41

Of note from the Detroit Red Wings:

RED WINGS ANNOUNCE THIRD ANNUAL HOCKEYTOWN RED CARPET WALK FOR HOME OPENER ON THURSDAY, OCT. 4

… Red Carpet Walk Gives Fans Chance to Cheer on Red Wings Players and Alumni Up Close Before Home Opener at Little Caesars Arena, Presented by Coca-Cola & Meijer …

… Free Pregame Party Underway at 3 p.m. at Chevrolet Plaza & Arena Live;
Music, Entertainment, Red Wings Experience Interactive Games, Food & Drink and More for Fans in Attendance …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today announced the details for the third-annual Hockeytown Red Carpet Walk, presented by Coca-Cola and Meijer, prior to the team’s Home Opener on Thursday, Oct. 4 against the Columbus Blue Jackets at the award-winning Little Caesars Arena.

The Hockeytown Red Carpet Walk will be hosted in Chevrolet Plaza starting at 4:15 p.m. and will give fans an opportunity to see their favorite current Red Wings players and alumni walk down a red carpet prior to the Home Opener. The event will take place as each player arrives to Little Caesars Arena from approximately 4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. at Chevrolet Plaza.

Starting outside the Little Caesars Arena Garage, all current Red Wings players and select alumni will walk the red carpet down the center of Chevrolet Plaza to enter Little Caesars Arena. Public address announcer, Erich Freiny, will introduce the players as they begin the walk down the red carpet. Red Wings fans are encouraged to arrive early to line the red carpet and cheer on the team as they prepare for the first regular-season game of the 2018-19 season.

The Hockeytown Red Carpet Walk is free and open to the public. Fans do not need a ticket to the Home Opener to participate in the event. Doors to Little Caesars Arena open at 5:30 p.m. for ticketed fans.

Fans can purchase tickets for the Home Opener at the Little Caesars Arena XFINITY Box Office, online at www.DetroitRedWings.com or by calling the Red Wings Ticket Sales and Service Office at 313-471-7575.

OPENING NIGHT PREGAME FESTIVITIES AT CHEVROLET PLAZA & ARENA LIVE BEGIN AT 3:00 P.M.

The fun gets underway to celebrate Opening Night with pregame festivities at Chevrolet Plaza and Arena Live starting at 3:00 p.m. Fans with tickets to the game – and fans without tickets – are invited to celebrate the Home Opener with live music and entertainment, interactive games, food and drinks and much more.

The Red Wings Experience, presented by Coca-Cola, will also be set up in Chevrolet Plaza, featuring interactive games designed to give Red Wings fans an opportunity to test their hockey skills, take part in photo opportunities and have the chance to win great prizes.

The pregame party is free to the general public and no ticket is required. All guests entering Chevrolet Plaza, Arena Live and Little Caesars Arena are subject to a security screening.

Additional information on fan experiences scheduled for the Home Opener will be announced at a later date.

ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski posted a Red Wings season preview this morning. Wyshynski suggests that the Wings won’t soar despite a fleet-footed forward group:

Best-case scenario: This collection of forwards skates opponents out of the building, vastly improving the team’s 2.59 goals-per-game average from 2017-18.

Worst-case scenario: Dylan Larkin had a breakout season and signed a long-term contract but can’t separate himself as the superstar this team needs to build around. Top 2018 draft pick Zadina spends most of the season in the AHL, which means there’s one fewer player for fans to be excited about. At the trade deadline, nobody wants to take a Tomas Tatar-like contract, so GM Ken Holland is still saddled with too many bad deals.

Continued, and there are many Wings pundits who suggest a similar set of possibilities–either “the kids” take flight, or this team needs a couple more years to burn off the difficult deals. I’m hoping for the former fate and bracing for the latter one (and I believe that the team will land somewhere in between).