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NHL’s DOPS suspends Trevor Zegras for 3 games

Per the NHL:

Ducks’ Zegras Suspended Three Games for Interference

NEW YORK (Feb. 24, 2025) – Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras has been suspended for three games, without pay, for interference against Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen during NHL Game No. 908 in Detroit on Sunday, Feb. 23, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incident occurred at 17:17 of the second period.

Under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, Zegras will forfeit $89,843.76. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

For a full explanation of the decision, complete with video, please click on the following link: https://www.nhl.com/video/topic/player-safety/zegras-suspended-three-games-6369275462112.

Allen on the McLellan effect; Raymond, Larkin still surging

Of note from Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen’s “The Daily”:

Detroit is now 16-5-2 under Todd McLellan. Since he took over on Dec. 26, the team is 12-0-1 if it scores first.

McLellan thought both Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin looked a bit weary in Sunday’s game, as a result of their participation in the 4 Nations Face-off.

Raymond is the first Red Wings player to record back-to-back 40-assist seasons since Larkin (from 2017-18-2018-19). Larkin tallied an assist on Alex DeBrincat’s power play goal Sunday, giving him 27 points (12-15-27) in 23 games since McLellan took over.

Larkin (323 career assists) is one assist away from tying Brendan Shanahan (324) for 12th place on Detroit’s all-time list.

Continued; good to know!

Video: coach Todd McLellan speaks with the Wings’ media corps after Monday’s practice

The Red Wings practiced at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center ahead of tomorrow night’s game vs. Minnesota (8 PM EST start on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/FanDuel SportsNet North/FanDuel SportsNet Wisconsin/97.1 FM), and they did so without Andrew Copp, Michael Rasmussen, Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond.

Larkin and Raymond took “maintenance days” after exhausting their reserves on Saturday and Sunday; coach Todd McLellan told The Athletic’s Max Bultman that Michael Rasmussen was “day-to-day” with his head injury, but Andrew Copp’s shoulder-or-arm-or-wrist injury will require “longer-term” healing.

Here’s coach Todd McLellan’s post-practice presser:

Post-practice Tweets: Coach McLellan says Rasmussen is ‘day-to-day,’ Copp out ‘longer-term’

The Detroit Red Wings practiced on Monday at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center, ahead of a Tuesday rematch with the Minnesota Wild (8 PM EST start on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/FanDuel SportsNet North/FanDuel SportsNet Wisconsin/97.1 FM).

Andrew Copp (upper-body injury), Michael Rasmussen (upper-body injury) and both Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin (maintenance days) were absent from Monday’s practice, so the lines were shaken up significantly.

After practice…

SO…

Continue reading Post-practice Tweets: Coach McLellan says Rasmussen is ‘day-to-day,’ Copp out ‘longer-term’

Reminder: Red Wings’ alums to battle United Cerebral Palsy team on March 15th

From the C&G Newspapers’ Scott Bentley:

The annual MI-UCP Skating to Close the Disability Divide charity hockey event with the Detroit Red Wings Alumni team will take place March 15 at St. Mary’s Arena in West Bloomfield.

For the 23rd time, the Red Wings Alumni will face off against the MI-UCP Pucksters, which is a team composed of amateur supporters of the Michigan United Cerebral Palsy organization. The annual sled hockey game between the MI-UCP Sledsters and a sled hockey program representing Belle Tire will also take place during the event, prior to the game between the Red Wings Alumni and the Pucksters.

“We started it in 2000,” said Mike Ward, who is a MI-UCP board member. “We were trying to think of new ways to fundraise.”

According to Ward, he reached out to Dennis Hextall, who was the previous president of the Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association.

“So I contacted him,” Ward said. “The guys that would play against the Alumni would raise funds to skate against them and get their butts kicked.”

Several years later, the event added a sled hockey exhibition game. According to Ward, the addition of the sled hockey game has been a massive success, with both games included as part of the event for about 15 years. 

“It really changed the event in a big way,” Ward explained. “Once we did that, we were able to expand our fundraising and expand our awareness.”

Continued

Tweets from Monday’s practice: Copp, Rasmussen absent; Larkin, Raymond take ‘maintenance days’

The Detroit Red Wings hit the ice at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center just before noon on Monday, the day after the Wings’ 5-4 OT win over the Anaheim Ducks.

Detroit heads to Minnesota to wrap up their season series with the Minnesota Wild (who won a 4-3 OT decision over Detroit on Saturday) tomorrow night.

The Wings recalled Sheldon Dries from Grand Rapids and put Andrew Copp on IR this morning, and we won’t know the status of Michael Rasmussen, who was elbowed in the head by Trevor Zegras yesterday night, until later today.

At least Zegras will have a hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety today.

So:

Meanwhile, in Minneapolis…

Zegras’ hit on Rasmussen may or may not yield a suspension

Daily Faceoff’s Jeff Marek doesn’t think that the Trevor Zegras hit on Michael Rasmussen was legal, but the NHL’s Department of Player Safety has not made a decision as to whether to give Zegras a hearing or a fine as of yet:

So we wait…

Press release: Red Wings recall Sheldon Dries, place Andrew Copp on IR

Per the Detroit Red Wings:

RED WINGS RECALL SHELDON DRIES FROM GRAND RAPIDS

  … Detroit Places Andrew Copp on Injured Reserve …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today recalled center Sheldon Dries from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Additionally, the Red Wings have placed center Andrew Copp on injured reserve.

Dries, 30, has skated in 48 games with the Griffins during the 2024-25 season and ranks among the team leaders with 19 goals (1st), 27 points (4th), a plus-six rating (4th), 29 penalty minutes (T6th), three power play goals (T4th), six power play points (T5th), one shorthanded goal (T3rd), six game-winning goals (1st) and 108 shots (T3rd). The 5-foot-9, 178-pound forward spent the entire 2023-24 campaign with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks and placed among the team leaders with 29 goals (1st), 23 assists (7th), 52 points (T3rd), a plus-six rating (5th), 45 penalty minutes (6th), six power play goals (T2nd), 16 power play points (3rd), four shorthanded goals (1st), two game-winning goals (T7th) and 167 shots (1st) in 55 games. Dries also recorded three points (1-2-3) in six Calder Cup Playoff games with Abbotsford. Originally signed by the AHL’s Texas Stars as a free agent on May 10, 2017, Dries has tallied 26 points (16-10-26) and 59 penalty minutes in 122 NHL games with the Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks since 2018-19. Dries has also compiled 231 points (132-99-231), a plus-32 rating and 251 penalty minutes in 322 AHL games with the Stars, Colorado Eagles, Canucks and Griffins.

Continue reading Press release: Red Wings recall Sheldon Dries, place Andrew Copp on IR

ESPN talks trade deadline plans for the Red Wings

ESPN’s Ryan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton posted an Insider-only article which discusses the trade deadline plans which they believe each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams should follow, and here’s what they have to say about the Red Wings:

Detroit Red Wings

Deadline status: Optimistic adders
Cap space: $7.84 million
Players, picks in play: Amadeus Lombardi, Alex Lyon, Carter Mazur, Jeff Petry, Vladimir Tarasenko

Detroit has pushed its way into the playoff picture this season, and GM Steve Yzerman would be well-served in helping the team stay there by making a few key additions at the deadline — namely, another center and a defenseman.

Yzerman could target players on expiring contracts such as Jake Evans, or even guys with some remaining term like Ryan Strome or Connor Murphy. Regardless of which players Yzerman brings on board, his strategy should be to see the Red Wings get better by March 7 and take advantage of their impressive surge.

Detroit has waited a long time to be in this position again, and it would behoove Yzerman to give his players confidence in their ability to stay in the hunt through April.

Continued (paywall); Mazur is practically a unicorn in terms of his combination of grit and scoring ability, so I don’t see the Wings moving him, or Lyon, frankly. I know that not everyone is an untouchable player, but I just wouldn’t mess with those two…

And I guess that the Wings are probably buyers on the secondary market, but that’s okay. Again, rentals aren’t a great idea in terms of spending assets–instead, as Yzerman himself has suggested, adding players that will be part of the long-term plan would be much more useful.