Category: Uncategorized

DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills asked Red Wings players and coach to weigh in on their Stadium Series jerseys, which they will wear when the Red Wings take on the Blue Jackets at Ohio Stadium on March 1st:

“I think it gets a little bit more real when those jerseys do come out,” Detroit head coach Todd McLellan recently told DetroitRedWings.com. “I know some of our guys were modeling. There’s a little buzz about it, a little excitement. Some of the helmets have been lying around. That just means it’s getting closer.

“It’s a real honor to play in those games. It’s special, different and unique. So many others participate in it. Family members come in and are a part of it, they get to skate on the ice. It’s such a welcome break, yet it’s a competitive night during the season. Teams that get to play in those games are really fortunate.”

Dylan Larkin was one of the players who modeled the Red Wings’ uniforms, and the captain had nothing but good things to say about Detroit’s new look.

“I think the jersey is beautiful,” Larkin said. “It’s classic. [The front crest with the ‘Detroit’ script wordmark] and the helmet are really cool. They did a great job designing them, and I’m just really excited to play at the Horseshoe in front of that many fans. It’s going to be a special night.”

Designed by Fanatics with input and alignment from both teams and the NHL, the uniforms highlight the cultural and historical identities of both Midwest cities. The automotive industry and rich hockey culture of Detroit drove the design of the Red Wings’ sweaters.

More information about the creativity that went into the Stadium Series jerseys is available here. Stadium Series jerseys will be available for purchase at the Red Wings Team Store, with select Stadium Series merchandise becoming available as early as February.

“They look good,” Andrew Copp said. “I think the game is going to be really exciting…Just a storied venue. You only get a couple of these outdoor games in your career, so you’ve got to enjoy it.”

Continued;

The Hockey News’s Sam Stockton took note of comments made by Red Wings coach Todd McLellan and goaltender Alex Lyon after last night’s 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars:

The Red Wings outshot their hosts 34–25 for the evening, but as McLellan pointed out, those shots on net failed to encapsulate the scope of Detroit’s defensive calamities.

“From my perspective or from our perspective [as a coaching staff], we looked at it from the defensive side and what we gave up, and some real egregious errors by individuals again, and the whole group pays the price for them,” McLellan said after the game. “I think the first goal is real preventable…We’re a good hockey club. We’re not a great one yet, and great ones can overcome that stuff.”

When asked about the challenge of preventing the frustration they’d just warded off at the start of the month to creep back in, goaltender Alex Lyon said, “It’s hard.  On a road trip, you’re playing good teams every night, so you just can’t take anything for granted.  You got another team that plays extremely hard here in two days, so we gotta hit reset quick.”

On the same subject, McLellan said simply, “We’re not gonna accept slippage.”

Continued; if you missed it in the wrap-up, here’s the post-game comment clip:

Not bad, Lucas:

Razor is on the rise, after a multi-goal week.

This leaderboard of franchise greats is our Red Wings Moment of the Week.#LGRW | @ThinkFordFirst pic.twitter.com/QF4EiJvCAg

— FanDuel Sports Network Detroit (@FanDuelSN_DET) January 20, 2025

The Athletic’s Max Bultman examines the 2024-2025 season performances of 5 Red Wings prospects who happen to play for the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins:

Nate Danielson, 20, C

Danielson is Detroit’s top prospect in Grand Rapids, and with that comes a bit of a microscope, especially when it comes to his production. And through that lens, it’s been an interesting season for him.

There was a point about a month ago, for example, where it looked like Danielson was really starting to pop statistically. After a quieter start, he had 12 points in 12 games from November 13 to December 13.

In the 14 games since, though, he has just 6 points. Some of that has been across the board for the Griffins, who have cooled off a bit of late, but I was particularly curious what Danielson’s offensive game would look like when I saw him Friday and came away impressed.

He had an assist, hit a post on another chance and used his speed wide to create potential looks as well. The Griffins’ night went sour after they gave up a 3-0 lead to lose 5-4 in a shootout, leading to a frustrated locker room, but I thought Danielson was one of the bright spots of the game.

“He’s been great,” Danielson’s linemate Austin Watson said. “It takes a little bit of time to get used to the physicality of the game — it’s a little tighter, a little quicker — but he’s a really good 200-foot hockey player. He doesn’t shy away from getting in on the battles, getting in on the forecheck, and he’s been a great player for us all year long.”

Continued (paywall); Bultman speaks with coach Dan Watson and forward Austin Watson (no relation) regarding Danielson, William Wallinder, Shai Buium, Elmer Soderblom and Sebastian Cossa.

Bleacher Report’s Lyle Richardson posted a list of 10 teams which he believes should “buy” or “sell” at the trade deadline, and Richardson suggests that Detroit should “buy”:

Buyer: Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings are enduring their longest playoff drought in franchise history. They’re battling to remain in contention for a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference but need to bolster their roster to avoid extending that drought to nine years.

Adding a reliable second-line center could be their most pressing issue. Andrew Copp currently fills that role but the versatile two-way forward would be better employed in a checking-line role.

During the Jan. 10 edition of Sportsnet’s 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, Elliotte Friedman reported the Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres scouted each other before the December holiday break. He said it got out that the Wings were scouting Cozens, with two sources claiming a deal may have been close at one point.

It remains to be seen if Cozens is available, but Friedman’s report suggests Wings GM Steve Yzerman is taking his need for an upgrade at center seriously, preferably one in his twenties with term left on his contract.

Continued; I’ve not bought into the Cozens rumors as of yet, mostly because the Sabres would want quite the haul for a player who’s had one good season…

But I don’t believe that Detroit’s going to “sell” at the trade deadline, regardless of whether they’re still in the playoff chase or not.

NHL.com’s Mike G. Morreale discusses faceoff stats in his “Rookie Watch” for Monday morning, and it’s worth noting that Marco Kasper’s holding his own in the faceoff circle–and everywhere else:

Marco Kasper, C, Detroit Red Wings: The No. 8 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft ranks second among NHL rookies with 348 face-offs taken and 165 face-off wins. The 20-year-old left-handed shot has 14 points (six goals, eight assists) and averages 14:03 of ice time in 41 games. He is second in neutral-zone face-off wins (63) and third in defensive-zone face-off wins (46).

Continued; I believe that production will come for Kasper eventually, but his competitiveness and work ethic already shine through.

The Detroit Red Wings have lost 2 straight games now in the form of Saturday’s 5-1 loss to Tampa Bay and Sunday’s 4-1 loss to Dallas.

Marco Kasper scored the Red Wings’ only goal, a tip shot 12:01 into the 3rd–after Detroit was down 3-0 thanks to 3 1st period Dallas goals–and the Stars got their 3-goal lead back on another rush play against Alex Lyon, who was solid in goal despite stopping 21 of 25 shots.

Regrettably, the Wings were unable to dent Jake Oettinger more than once despite taking 35 shots and 71 shot attempts, and the Wings just lost puck battles and gave up chances on the rush all evening long.

It was an incredibly frustrating process of watching an inevitable outcome take place, and now the Wings have to regroup and try to earn a road split–after losing 2 straight under coach Todd McLellan for the first time–by winning on Tuesday in Philadelphia.

It also bears mentioning that Moritz Seider was tremendous, taking 5 shots and 11 total attempts, landing 6 hits and having a takeaway and a blocked shot in a team-leading 22:36.

For the Dallas Stars, as the Dallas News’s Lia Assimakopoulos noted, the game was all about bouncing back from a difficult 6-3 loss to Colorado on Saturday, snapping their own 2-game losing streak, and not letting losing “seep in” to what has been a strong season for the Stars thus far:

Continue reading Red Wings-Stars wrap-up: Wings hope to learn from a bit of a stinker against the Stars

Both the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars attempted to rebound from difficult Saturday night losses as the teams tangled at the American Airlines Center on Sunday evening.

Detroit had lost a 5-1 decision to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, while the Stars had lost 6-3 to Colorado.

If Saturday night’s loss was a “gut punch,” this was a kick to the groin. Dallas prevailed via scoring 3 1st period goals, over the course of just under 15 minutes of play, and while Simon Edvinsson (or Marco Kasper?) spoiled Jake Oettinger’s shutout late in the 3rd period, Dallas got their 3-goal lead right back, and they won 4-1.

Detroit out-shot Dallas 34-25, Detroit out-attempted Dallas 71-43, forced the Stars into 21 giveaways and out-hit Dallas 27-17, but it was the Stars who made the Wings look slow and plodding as their quick-strike offense victimized the Red Wings’ defense and Alex Lyon, who was fine.

Moritz Seider had 4 shots and 11 attempts on goal, as well as 6 shots, a takeaway and a blocked shots in 22:26 played, but not even Big Mo could help the Wings survive in Big D.

Continue reading Red Wings-Stars quick take: From gut punch to groin kick

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan filed a Sunday evening notebook article which discusses the state of the Red Wings’ goaltending:

Coach Todd McLellan has been with Talbot two previous times (Edmonton, Los Angeles) and will get to more familiar with Lyon, and Husso when needed.

“I probably know Talbs better than (goaltending coach) Alex Westlund does, and that’s a good thing for Cam and I to have that relationship built already,” McLellan said. “Then with the other two, we rely on Westie for his opinion and his thoughts.”

Who plays, though, is a group discussion with McLellan making the final call.

“We talk about it as a group, (and who starts is) a decision that ultimately comes down to me,” McLellan said.

…

Lyon feels the Wings and McLellan have adjusted well to each other since McLellan replaced Derek Lalonde on Dec. 26.

“A lot about being a goalie is blocking out the outside noise, so that objective remains the same,” Lyon said. “They’ve come in and done a really good job and made our lives simpler, so that’s been awesome. But there’s always a nice bump, a feel-good phase, and I always feel like the real work starts after that.

“We just need to be wary of that. There’s been a lot of highs recently, but there will be lows. We have to be mentally prepared for that. It’s going to be difficult (the remainder of the season).”

Continued (paywall)

From the Hockey News’s Caleb Kerney…

Raymond can’t stop collecting points. His goal last night was his 19th of the season and his 50th point of 2024-25. He is the first Red Wings’ player to record 50 points this season.

Last year, it took Raymond 59 games to record the same number of points. He’s only played 45 games this year and is on pace to record 92 points and 34 goals. If that holds true, he will finish the year with a career-high in both categories.

The Red Wings can let the loss roll off their backs tonight in Dallas. Even if they can’t win them all, they can stop the losses from piling up.

And Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen:

Elmer Soderblom continues to raise his offensive profile as he added the empty-net insurance goal in the Grand Rapids Griffins’ 4-2 win against the Cleveland Monsters.

The Griffins lead the AHL’s Central Division by three points over the Texas Stars.

Soderblom has three goals and three assists for six points over the past five games. He has put up five goals and 12 points over his past 17 games. The 6-foot-8 Soderblom started this season with two points in his first 13 games. The Swedish left wing has only had one minus game in his past 10 games.

With Soderblom’s increased offense production comes wonder whether he might be able to earn his way back to the Red Wings if the team has injuries. Soderblom, 23, played 21 games for the Red Wings in 2022-23, but spent all of last season and the first half of this season in Grand Rapids.