The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects held a morning skate ahead of tonight’s game against the Minnesota Wild’s prospects (7:30 PM EDT on FSD GO and the Red Wings’ website), mostly focusing on power play work and breakouts.

Coach Ben Simon has a bit of a battle on his hands trying to teach players who are used to deferring on power play shots and skating in the “outside lane” in breakouts to move the puck up the middle and drive to the net, so it made a lot of sense to work on systems play that emphasizes driving the middle from net to net.

It appears that Patrik Rybar will start (barring a sore groin), and the Wings’ power play units will include a 4-forward group of Filip Zadina, Michael Rasmussen, Givani Smith, Joe Veleno and Dennis Cholowski on the first unit, with Axel Holmstrom, Christoffer Ehn and David Pope working with Vili Saarijarvi and Jared McIsaac.

After practice, I took part in the media scrums for Michael Rasmussen and Filip Zadina, both of whom are looking forward to the tournament (though Zadina has heard less about the WJC-like level of play in Traverse City)…

Continue reading Audio from the morning skate at the Red Wings’ prospect tournament ’18

The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted a video in which she speaks with Libor Sulak and Filip Hronek:

Update: Here’s more from St. James in text form:

Hronek is coming off a standout first season of pro hockey, producing 11 goals and 28 assists for 39 points in 67 with the Grand Rapids Griffins, where he also ran one of the power plays. Sulak spent 2017-18 in Finland, where he had nine goals and 23 assists in 42 games and played in every situation with the Lahti Pelicans. One Wings veteran, having seen little of Sulak before this week’s informal skates, sounded excited.

“I think he’s a sleeper in the race, to be honest with you,” Niklas Kronwall said. “Great skater. Likes to join the rush. Seems like a good defender.”

In addition to his skating, Sulak’s assets include his shot. His focus as he prepares for his second camp with the Wings are to play “good defense, have a good gap, support forwards and throw pucks at the net.” Sulak represented the Czech Republic at the 2018 World Championship, where he was partnered with former NHL defenseman Radko Gudas. Sulak had three points in eight games.

“It is good experience for me to play against the U.S., and some guys who play in the NHL,” Sulak said. “It help me. I have to do a good job in here now.”

Likewise, Hronek finished 2018 Worlds with three points in eight games.

“I was playing against good players from NHL, so it helped me a lot,” Hronek said. “I have to work hard here and then we will see what happens.”

The Red Wings’ prospect tournament begins today in Traverse City, MI, and MLive’s Ansar Khan spoke with Red Wings assistant GM Ryan Martin regarding the tournament:

“We’ve got players coming into this tournament that have played one year in the American League and are looking to establish themselves to have a greater presence, at least at that level, and show perhaps they’re ready for more, like Vili Saarijarvi and Axel Holmstrom,” Martin said. “Tournament rules allow for four (AHL players). Because we’ve had so many draft picks the last couple years we’d rather play a lot of those younger players.

“There’s another group of players looking to show they’re ready to push to make Detroit. Givani Smith is looking for show he wants to be an everyday American League player. He wants to impress coach (Ben) Simon and let him know, assuming he’s in Grand Rapids, that he wants to be big part of that program.

“There’s a group of first- or second-year drafted prospects looking to earn contracts. There’s a few free agents looking to show they should have been drafted, like a Joe Hicketts situation where we signed him coming out of camp.”

“Everybody’s development path is different, so I think there’s a lot of different things that we as a staff will be watching. It’s really exciting because it’s a high level of hockey and probably the highest level these guys have ever played.”

Khan and Martin continue…

 

DetroitRedWings.com’s Arthur J. Regner posted a “by the numbers” look back at Evgeny Svechnikov’s bumpy sophomore professional campaign, and he spoke with Grand Rapids Griffins coach Ben Simon regarding Svechnikov’s ups and downs:

Quotable: “I think consistency is a huge thing with any player. I wouldn’t say this is a make or break year, but I do think it is a very pivotal year for The Svech. He’s not the first player to go through that quote unquote sophomore slump. He had a very good rookie year and for whatever reason it didn’t come together last year. He’s not the first player that’s going to go through that, he’s not the last player that’s going to go through that.”

“There’s a lot of things that goes on away from the rink that people just don’t know. In his first year his brother was in Muskegon playing in the USHL and his mother would visit a lot and help him with stuff and all of a sudden, she is gone and his brother is playing in the OHL. Maybe that had something to do with it, I don’t know. What I do know is Svech works way too hard and cares way too much to let that slide continue. He’s a tremendous character player, he works extremely hard and if there is anyone who can dig himself out of that quote unquote hole he was in, it’s going to be him. I saw him at the draft and he’s looking great, he’s working hard, he’s excited to get back to work. He’s excited about the opportunity of this year.” – Ben Simon, Grand Rapids Griffins head coach

Continued

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill took part in the USA Hockey Coaches’ Symposium in Lake Placid, NY this past August.

During the event, he spoke with USA Hockey Magazine’s Jeff Carpenter for a 14-minute interview which focuses on the art and science of coaching hockey:

Credit to The Athletic’s Corey Pronman and Hockey Webcast’s Robert Soderlind for spotting this deke-and-dangle move by Jonatan Berggren during Champions’ League play today:

Jonatan Berggren (@DetroitRedWings prospect) scored this beauty in the Champions Hockey League today. ? pic.twitter.com/fcrqiPBHM0

— Robert Söderlind (@HockeyWebCast) September 6, 2018

DET prospect Jonatan Berggren did the thing in Champions League today @CraigCustance @m_bultman pic.twitter.com/KxyRLgmyZt

— Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) September 6, 2018

ChampionsHockeyLeague.com’s Liam Thomas reports that the goal played a major role in Skelleftea AIK’s win over GKS Tychy:

Continue reading Jontan Berggren dekes and dangles for a highlight reel goal

The Athletic’s Max Bultman discusses the Red Wings’ need to “maintain their culture” should Henrik Zetterberg no longer be able to play hockey:

Trying to define a culture can feel impossible. At its simplest, the concept boils down to the phrase Kronwall used: “That’s what you did.”

How it translates to younger players, however, may not be so simple.

“I think it (varies) from individual to individual,” Kronwall said. “Some guys you gotta talk to, some guys just watch and they just pick right up. And some guys, even though you do talk to them, it takes a little longer. But eventually they’ll get there. In the long run they’ll understand (that) the sooner they come to grips with, ‘What do I need to do to stay at this level and keep pushing?’ the better off you’re going to be and the sooner you’re going to become a better player.”

There’s a distinction to be drawn between this type of leadership and the kind that comes from formal captaincy. While Kronwall could theoretically have a case for that job as well, this is more about setting examples and expectations — something that doesn’t require a “C” on a jersey, but goes a long way nonetheless.

These are subtleties, but things that have made an impression on Kronwall as he was coming up. Right now, at the start of a new season, that matters for setting a tone.

Bultman continues (paywall)…

 

After posting various Tweets and player comment videos, the Red Wings’ beat writers got to work hammering out articles regarding today’s informal practice at Little Caesars Arena.

Today’s main topic of discussion was the future of Henrik Zetterberg, as noted by the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan…

“I’m not optimistic because it’s the National Hockey League and he has to compete against players that are younger than him, and they’ve been in the gym every day all summer,” [Wings GM Ken] Holland said. “That’s what athletes in our sport do. He’s not able to do that.

“He’s not able to train at a level that he needs to train at in order to be at the level to play in the league. If he were able to train, he would have trained all May, June, July. He hasn’t trained at all. So, I’m waiting to see what Dr. Cammisa says. We’re waiting for Hank to go in and see Dr. Camissa and see what he (Dr. Cammisa) recommends, suggests, thinks.”

Zetterberg’s longtime teammate and friend Niklas Kronwall — who has dealt with severe knee issues himself — said Zetterberg must be able to physically prepare to play, before even thinking about resuming an NHL career.

“I know he’s had a tough summer,” Kronwall said. “He might be OK right now on a day to day basis but if you can’t train, it’s tough to play hockey at the level of the NHL. It’s just a reality. If you can’t train, nobody has that kind of talent.

“You feel for him, but at the same time, he has to train to be able to play and compete at this level, regardless of how talented or good he is. If you can’t train, it’s tough to play at this level. Right now, we can hope he can get some answers and hopefully some guidance to do something that makes him able to train again.”

And the Free Press’s Helene St. James:

Continue reading Articles from an informal practice: On Zetterberg’s health, the Wings’ leadership group, Green, Kronwall and the jump to the NHL

From the Red Wings, a little belatedly:

2018 prospect tournament to stream on DetroitRedWings.com & Fox Sports

Catch top Red Wings prospects in tournament play from Sept. 7-11

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings announced today that all games of the 2018 NHL Prospect Tournament, which will run from Friday, Sept. 7 to Tuesday, Sept. 11 at Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City, Mich., can be streamed through DetroitRedWings.com and FOX Sports Go.

FYI, per the ECHL:

ECHL officials to officiate at NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City

September 6, 2018