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Never telegraph your shot. I’m still on the wrong side of sick and hope to get my butt back to work Friday. I’m sorry. This bug has been wretched.

My apologies for my extended absence due to illness. I’ve been flat on my back in bed since Saturday, and I’m just starting to feel human again. I’m hoping to be back up and running for tomorrow’s morning skate.

I’d like to thank the folks in the comments section and on Twitter for keeping the conversation going while I’ve been out. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

From the Grand Rapids Griffins:

RED WINGS ASSIGN THREE TO GRIFFINS

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday assigned defenseman Joe Hicketts, forward Evgeny Svechnikov and goaltender Tom McCollum to the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Hicketts, 21, has skated in five games with the Red Wings this season, tallying three points (0-3—3), a plus-five rating and two penalty minutes while averaging 17:20 of ice time. Hicketts banked his first pro points with a pair of assists in the team’s 5-2 win against Pittsburgh on March 27. The 5-foot-8, 180-pound blueliner became the 168th Griffins alumnus to play in the NHL when he made his debut with the Red Wings on Jan. 22 at New Jersey.

In his second campaign as a pro, Hicketts has produced 10 points (3-7—10) and 32 PIM in 63 games with the Griffins this season.

A 2017 Calder Cup champion with Grand Rapids, Hicketts paced all Griffins defensemen in scoring with 23 points (7-27—34) in 73 games last season. Among the AHL’s first-year blueliners, the Kamloops, British Columbia, native placed seventh in point production and tied for third with a plus-15 rating. Among the league’s rookie defensemen, Hicketts placed second in playoff points with eight (1-7—8) while skating in all 19 contests of the Griffins’ title run.

Svechnikov, 21, has accounted for four points (2-2—4), eight PIM and 15 shots in 14 games with Detroit this season, averaging 8:49 of ice time. The 6-foot-3, 208-pound winger notched his first NHL goal on March 20 versus Philadelphia.

Detroit’s first-round draft selection, 19th overall, in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Svechnikov became the 164th Griffins alumnus to play in the NHL when he debuted with the Red Wings last April 3 against Ottawa.

A second-year pro, Svechnikov shows 22 points (7-15—22) and 56 PIM in 52 appearances this season with the Griffins.

During his rookie campaign in 2016-17, the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia, native ranked third on the Griffins in scoring with 51 points (20-31—51) in 74 games while also placing among the American Hockey League’s first-year leaders in points (4th), goals (T7th), assists (9th). Svechnikov suited up in all 19 of the team’s playoff games and added 12 points (5-7—12), third-most among the league’s rookie players, helping the Griffins win the 2017 Calder Cup. Svechnikov made his AHL debut with the Griffins during the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs and posted one assist in two games, joining the team after two years with Cape Breton of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

McCollum, 28, served as a backup to Jimmy Howard in last night’s 5-4 overtime loss at Columbus.

Detroit’s first choice, 30th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, McCollum became the 117th Griffins alumnus to play in the NHL when he made his debut with the Red Wings on March 30, 2011 at St. Louis. Appearing in three career games with Detroit, he shows a 2.96 goals against average and a 1-0-0 record.

McCollum posts an 18-13-3 record, a 2.72 GAA, a 0.909 save percentage and one shutout in 34 appearances with the Griffins this season. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound netminder is on a six-game winning streak, one shy of equaling his career high. Since Jared Coreau was recalled by Detroit on Feb. 20, McCollum posts a 10-5 record, a 2.18 GAA, a 0.923 save percentage and one shutout in 15 appearances.

In his eighth season with the Griffins, McCollum is the franchise’s all-time leader in goaltender wins, games played, minutes and saves, while owning a 121-104-19 record, a 2.78 GAA and eight shutouts in 260 career appearances with the club since 2009. A 2013 Calder Cup champion with Grand Rapids, McCollum adds a 12-9 record and a 2.53 GAA in 23 Calder Cup Playoff games.

A ninth-year professional, McCollum shows an all-time AHL mark of 133-106-23 alongside a 2.73 GAA, a 0.907 save percentage and nine shutouts in 278 appearances.

The Griffins continue their push for the playoffs on Friday and Saturday when they travel to take on the Pacific Division-leading Tucson Roadrunners. Both games will start at 10:05 p.m. EDT.

From the Grand Rapids Griffins:

FILIP HRONEK NAMED TO 2017-18 AHL ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman Filip Hronek on Wednesday was named to the 2017-18 AHL All-Rookie Team, as voted by coaches, players and media in each of the league’s 30 member cities.

In his first full professional season, the 20-year-old Hronek has posted 33 points (9-24—33), 42 penalty minutes and a team-leading plus-21 rating in 62 games for Grand Rapids. Among the league’s rookie defensemen, Hronek ranks second in points, tied for second in goals, third in assists and second in plus/minus rating. He adds four game-winning goals, which ties for the most among all league blueliners.

Hronek’s 33 points are the fifth-most by a first-year defenseman in Griffins history. He paces all team defensemen in power play production with 17 points (3-14—17) and has been instrumental in Grand Rapids’ power play ranking third in the league (21.0%).

Hronek was drafted in the second round, 53rd overall, by Detroit in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Hronek becomes just the fourth defenseman in team history to be named to the All-Rookie Team – joining current teammate Robbie Russo (2015-16), Ryan Sproul (2013-14) and Brendan Smith (2010-11) – and the eighth Griffin overall to garner such accolades (Teemu Pulkkinen 2013-14, Gustav Nyquist 2011-12, Justin Abdelkader 2008-09, Jimmy Howard 2005-06). All seven previous All-Rookie Team members from the Griffins have gone on to play at least one game in the NHL.

A native of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic, Hronek joined the Griffins at the end of the 2016-17 season after concluding his junior campaign with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit and scored two points (1-1—2) in 10 regular season contests. He helped Grand Rapids win the Calder Cup after appearing in a pair of postseason games.

Hronek will receive a custom-designed crystal award in recognition of his selection to the 2017-18 AHL All-Rookie Team.

The other members of the 2017-18 AHL All-Rookie Team are: goaltender Ville Husso (San Antonio), defenseman Sami Niku (Manitoba), and forwards Mason Appleton (Manitoba), Daniel Sprong (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) and Dylan Strome (Tucson).

The Griffins continue their push for the playoffs on Friday and Saturday when they travel to take on the Pacific Division-leading Tucson Roadrunners. Both games will start at 10:05 p.m. EDT.

The Detroit Red Wings attempted to sustain their winning streak as they hosted the Ottawa Senators for a matinee game on Saturday afternoon.

In a somewhat sleepy game, the Red Wings won 2-0 thanks to goals from Larkin and Athanasiou, superb positional and systems play by the Red Wings, a 31-save shutout by Howard and…lackadaisical, un-energetic play by the Senators.

 

Continue reading Red Wings-Senators quick take: Wings take their 3rd straight over sleepy Sens

Here’s the Red Wings’ Game Day Preview video ahead of today’s match-up vs. Ottawa…

And here’s Ottawa Senators coach Guy Boucher’s pre-game media availability:

 

I’m a little late with this one, but Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman posted the following in his “31 Thoughts” column:

Detroit’s Ken Holland is in the cone of silence, not revealing much about his future. I’m loathe to say he’s 100 per cent coming back, because nothing is done until it is done, but all indications are pointing in that direction. The Athletic’s Craig Custance quoted sources as expecting a three-year extension; I heard rumblings about a two-year move. Whatever the case, the organization is working through the process.

Owner Marian Ilitch has a place near the site of last week’s GM meetings and it is believed they met. There are some GMs who know the end is coming and give off a “Dead Man Walking” impression, but Holland isn’t acting that way. He’s spent much less time around the team than normal, throwing on his scouting beret for a hugely important draft.

Continued, and, not surprisingly, Friedman states that Pavel Datsyuk is not contemplating a return to the NHL…

My apologies for the absence of posts of late. I’m very ill and have been unable to do much of anything but rest. I will return as soon as I can sit up.

As MLive’s Ansar Khan notes, Joe Hicketts made a very positive impression during the Red Wings’ 4-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins last night, registering 2 assists…

But Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill used his post-game remarks to challenge Hicketts to continue improving his skill sets:

“Joe has got lots of swagger, lots of confidence,” Red Wing coach Jeff Blashill said. “With that kind of swagger, he’ll have to manage his turnovers, he’ll have to manage certain mistakes, but he plays to win hockey games. That’s why he’s had success at the Canadian world junior level, that’s why he had success in the WHL, that’s why he had success in the American League.

“He doesn’t look like a normal NHL defenseman with his size, skating combo. He’s been able to defy odds. Can he keep defying odds? We’ll see. Careers certainly aren’t defined in one game or two games. They’re defined time after time after time.”

Some of the Red Wings’ more prominent players are pulling for Hicketts.

“Hicketts comes in and plays really good again,” Henrik Zetterberg said. “I thought he was one of the best defenseman the last time we played him (his NHL debut Jan. 22 at New Jersey) and he got sent him down. I told him hopefully he’ll stick around this time.”

Niklas Kronwall, who recorded his 400^th point (a goal) on the night Hicketts got his first, said: “He’s just a big smile that comes in, brings a lot of energy. That stuff’s contagious. That’s something we definitely need right now.”

Khan continues, and here’s Hicketts’ on-the-bench interview with Fox Sports Detroit’s Trevor Thompson:

 

The Detroit Red Wings managed to get the Pittsburgh Penguins on an “off” night, and the result of a superb effort by the Wings and a not-so-superb effort by the Penguins was a 4-1 win for Detroit.

I’m quite ill, so I tried to watch the game as as spectator, and I can’t say that it made me any smarter or wiser to the means by which the game’s result is authored than I am when I’m nervously typing instead. Long story short, I think the rambly game recaps are coming back when my health does.

Here are the game’s goals…

Continue reading Red Wings-Penguins super quick take: Wings surprise the Pens with competitive effort, big win