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Spotlighting Marco Kasper and Emmitt Finnie

Of Red Wings player-related note this morning:

  1. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski lists 30 players which he believes will “break out” this upcoming season, as well as the reasons why said players are to flourish, and he suggests that Marco Kasper will prove that “the wait is over“:

Marco Kasper
C, Detroit Red Wings

Kasper was set up for success in his rookie season, spending a good portion of his season (273 minutes) with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond on the team’s top line. For an encore, Kasper will be asked to drive his own line this season, potentially in the middle of Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane.

That line actually produced strong defensive results (1.2 goals against per 60 minutes) last season to go along with its offensive pop.

2. And The Athletic’s Sean McIndoe suggests that one of the Red Wings’ rookie trio is a player of “intrigue” to watch this season:

Emmitt Finnie, Detroit Red Wings

The rebuilding Red Wings are counting on their youth to carry them back to the playoffs, and some of that may come from an unlikely source. Two years after being the No. 201 pick in the draft, Finnie has been penciled in on the first line alongside Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. That’s on the strength of a strong camp and exhibition season, one that’s won over a big chunk of the fan base. It’s a fun underdog story. Can it last? They rarely do, but rarely isn’t never.

Casting a vote for Simon

Alex DeBrincat earns an A+ for understanding the assignment here. NHL.com asked players on the media tour in Las Vegas which player they feel will be the NHL’s next break-out star, and most of them mentioned Macklin Celebrini or Wyatt Johnston. DeBrincat wasn’t having it:

A similar thing was said regarding Detroit Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who is 6-foot-6 and 209 pounds.

“I think he has all the tools and obviously a big body that skates well,” said teammate Alex DeBrincat, who skated with Edvinsson in the offseason. “He can be a player that helps our team this year.”

Red Wings-Canadiens wrap-up: recovering from a Winged Wheel Wreck

The Detroit Red Wings dropped a 5-1 decision to the Montreal Canadiens in the Wings’ home opener, with Detroit taking a 1-0 lead, but surrendering 3 1st-period goals and 2 2nd-period goals en route to a difficult opening-night setback.

Things don’t get any easier as the Wings kick off a home-and-home series with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday night.

As you might expect, the Canadiens’ status as a 1-and-1 team had its press corps, both in English and French, exultant, suggesting that nothing can stop the great Canadiens machine. Sportsnet’s Eric Engels marveled at the ways in which the Canadiens’ newer players have “seamlessly” been integrated into the team…

Continue reading Red Wings-Canadiens wrap-up: recovering from a Winged Wheel Wreck

Prospect round-up: Tyurin, Dower Nilsson register assists; Genborg solid; Svrcek languishes on Brynas’ 4th line

Of Red Wings prospect-related note on Thursday:

In the MHL, Nikita Tyurin had an assist, finishing at +1 in 25:31 played as MHK Spartak won 5-4 over MHK Dynamo Moscow:

In the SHL, Noah Dower Nilsson had an assist, finishing at +1 with 1 shot in 13:28 played as Frolunda HC won 6-1 over the Malmo Redhawks:

Anton Johansson remained sidelined with an injury as Leksands IF lost 3-1 to Linkopings HC;

Eddie Genborg finished at +1 with 2 shots and 1 hit in 16:26 as Timra IK lost 5-3 to Orebro Hockey:

And Michal Svrcek finished with 1 shot in 7:07 played as Brynas IF lost 1-0 to Skelleftea AIK. There is speculation that, because Brynas is hesitant to send Svrcek to the J20 league, that he may head to Windsor to join the Spitfires at some point this season:

Update: In NCAA action, John Whipple finished even in the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers’ 3-1 loss to Boston College;

And Trey Augustine stopped 18 shots as the University of New Hampshire defeated the Michigan State University Spartans 4-3.

Red Wings-Canadiens Tweetcap: Detroit loses 5-1 to open centennial season on a sour note

The Detroit Red Wings opened their 100th season with an Original Six match-up with the Montreal Canadiens.

Montreal, which dropped a 5-2 decision to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday (though they insisted they “played good enough to win“), dressed the same lineup that it iced in Toronto, minus Samuel Montembeault in goal.

Jakub Dobes faced off against John Gibson in the Wings’ crease, and the Red Wings stuck with what had worked with them in practice this week.

On Thursday night, the Red Wings started very well, generating a power play goal from captain Dylan Larkin only 3:50 into the 1st…

But a combination of poor neutral zone play, defensive errors and a rough night from John Gibson–and some fine play from a resilient Canadiens team–yielded 3 Canadiens first-period goals, 2 second-period goals (including a PPG marker), and, in the end, a 5-1 victory for Montreal.

John Gibson was pulled after giving up 5 goals on 13 shots against, and Detroit actually out-shot Montreal 31-17, went 1-for-4 on the PP to Montreal’s 1-for-3, and Detroit out-attempted Montreal 63-38, but again, unforced defensive errors and porous goaltending doomed the team.

Things will not get any easier: On Saturday, the Red Wings open a home-and-home series with the Toronto Maple Leafs; then the Wings entertain the Panthers and Lightning, and they also host the Edmonton Oilers before a 2-day break and a 3-in-4-nights slate in Buffalo, on Long Island, and at home against St. Louis, preceding a nasty 5-game West Coast swing.

Long story short, shit happens, and sometimes you fall flat on your face in your home opener. But the schedule does not afford the Red Wings any more “gimme” games.

PREGAME: The Red Wings hit the ice at LCA at 6:35 PM…

Continue reading Red Wings-Canadiens Tweetcap: Detroit loses 5-1 to open centennial season on a sour note

Steve Yzerman offers his thoughts on the Red Wings’ rookie trio

Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman made a surprise appearance on Thursday to discuss the Red Wings’ trio of rookies in Emmitt Finnie, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Axel Sandin Pellikka, as noted by the Free Press’s Helene St. James…

“They’ve all looked good, so we felt that they’ve earned the opportunity and see if they can sustain it in the regular season, which we expect them to,” Yzerman said Thursday evening. “It was a very pleasant surprise that we weren’t necessarily expecting in the offseason.”

The Wings have tended to leave prospects in the minors till deemed well-and-ready for the NHL – last year, Marco Kasper was sent down after an outstanding camp, though he was recalled a week later – but this year, the three were on the 23-man roster from the start.

“Any young player, if we think they’re ready and we think they’re going to play and we meet with the coaching staff and what’s your plan, understanding the plan changes daily, but if they’re going to play and they’re ready to play, we’re more than happy to keep them,” Yzerman said.

‘They’ve been impressive. I’ve watched Finnie skate, and the poise and the smarts of Axel and his puck-handling skills back there. Michael’s shooting the puck and playing hard. He’s got a real element to his game. I think it’s obvious they’re talented young players. I’m hoping that translates now into the regular season. We’re expecting it, too, for all of them to have a positive impact.”

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan…

Continue reading Steve Yzerman offers his thoughts on the Red Wings’ rookie trio

Tweet of note: Lucas Raymond’s ‘red carpet’ interview

WXYZ’s Brad Galli spoke with Red Wings alternate captain Lucas Raymond from the Red Wings’ ‘red carpet’:

Update: Moritz Seider spoke with Galli as well: