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Tweet of note: Gordie Howe was the greatest of them all

TSN’s BarDown offered us this at 12:43 AM on August 10th…

So I answered honestly:

The answer is an unqualified “YES!” from me.

I loved Steve, Nick, Pavel, Sergei, Henrik, Alex, Ted, so many more Red Wings that you can refer to by their first names and know who you’re talking about…But Gordie is a phenomenon unto himself.

I shook is hand once. He was in Traverse City, and he had gotten pretty bad in terms of his dementia, but I saw Gordie Howe standing there and I knew that it would be my only time to ever say “Hello” to MY greatest of all time.

I said, “Hello, Sir, it’s an honor to meet you” and I grabbed his hand. This absolute meathook of a hand shook back with the strength of ten men.

He just…from stem to stern, from his boyhood until those final days, Gordie was the most vicious player on ice, and the kindest, most dignified and gentle soul off the ice, and they don’t make a player who’s his own enforcer any more.

Squeeze Yzerman’s skill, Fedorov’s natural athleticism and Probert’s brutality into one man, and give him the egoless grace of Lidstrom, and you’ve got a start. But only a start.

NHL.com’s ’32 in 32′ series examines the Detroit Red Wings

NHL.com’s Mike G. Morreale and Pete Jensen offer a 5-article set which examines the summertime changes by the Detroit Red Wings.

We all know by now that the Red Wings believe that they will improve upon the team’s up-and-down 2024-2025 season, but Morreale’s “Inside Look at [the] Detroit Red Wings” asks the same questions most of us have for the team’s players and management:

The Detroit Red Wings feel they have the pieces in place to be the most competitive group in seven seasons under general manager Steve Yzerman.

“[Our team] is maybe constructed a little better than it was at this stage last year, so I’m hopeful that we take a step,” Yzerman said. “Overall, I think we’re a little bit better. How many points does that translate to in the season? We’re going to find out.”

The biggest reason for optimism is the addition of goalie John Gibson, who was acquired in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on June 28. The 32-year-old is 204-217-63 with a 2.89 GAA, .910 save percentage and 24 shutouts in 506 NHL games (494 starts) since 2013-14, all with Anaheim.

“Obviously we make that [trade for Gibson] with the intention that we’re better in net and we stop more pucks,” Yzerman said. “It makes us a better team and we’re expecting that of John and Cam (Talbot) as a pair.”

Detroit took a step back last season following a steady improvement since Yzerman became GM on April 19, 2019. After hitting rock bottom with 39 points (.275) in 2019-20, Detroit’s points percentage improved steadily each of the next four seasons — .429, .451, .488, .555. It dipped to .524 last season, when the Red Wings finished with 86 points, five behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final spot into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

The Red Wings failed to qualify for the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season, extending the longest drought in the team’s 99-season history.

“You grow up playing hockey and you play to win stuff,” forward Lucas Raymond said. “Obviously, not being able to do that is frustrating. It’s not fun at all. I think I speak for everyone when I say that. Everyone is very determined to change that and take that next step very soon.”

Continued, with discussion of the team’s coaching change this past season, the additions and subtractions to the roster, and the team’s yin-and-yang special teams play…

With that, we’re going to kind of skip to the end here, with Morreale asking “3 questions facing [the] Detroit Red Wings” a month before training camp.

The biggest question is a little repetitious here, but we have to ask it:

Will a full season under Todd McLellan and his coaching staff, utilizing a very similar roster to last year’s team, manage to “move the needle” as teams like Ottawa and Montreal more aggressively attempt to improve?

Continue reading NHL.com’s ’32 in 32′ series examines the Detroit Red Wings

Snippet: Red Wings prospect Carter Mazur helps coach in a 3-on-3 hockey tournament in Jackson

WILX’s Ben Shockley reports that Red Wings prospect Carter Mazur took part in a 3-on-3 hockey tournament this weekend–without taking to the ice–in his hometown of Jackson, Michigan:

Detroit Red Wings forward and Jackson native Carter Mazur hasn’t spent much time in the NHL yet, but he’s already giving back to the Jackson community. Mazur, 23, coached at a youth 3-on-3 hockey tournament in Jackson on Saturday and signed autographs for young hockey players afterward.

“It’s easy to give back to this community,” Mazur said. “It’s done a lot for me, so it’s pretty easy to give back and help out the little kids. I did this [tournament] when I was the same age as them and did it my whole Jackson career. It’s something I’ve grown up doing, and to see the kids out there, it’s just a special feeling.”

Hockeysverige.se: Red Wings invite 19-year-old defenseman Carl-Otto Magnusson to training camp

According to Hockeysverige.se’s Rasmus Kagstrom, the Red Wings are inviting towering defender Carl-Otto Magnusson to training camp.

It’s too late for the Red Wings or any other NHL team to sign the 6’7,” 223-pound 19-year-old from the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats (after July 15th, teams cannot sign overseas players until their next regular season ends, and in Magnusson’s case, he’s also still draft-eligible), but Magnusson was passed over in this past summer’s NHL Draft.

As such, Magnussuon can at least improve his standing to be drafted as a 20-year-old next June.

According to Kagstrom, Magnusson will play in the Red Wings’ two-game Prospect Games series against Dallas as well.

Video link: Carter Bear to be honored by Peguis First Nation on Saturday at noon CDT

Red Wings prospect Carter Bear will be honored by his Peguis First Nation chief and council in a public reception today between 12-1 PM Central Daylight Time at the Peguis Multiplex, about two hours north of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

I can’t embed it, but here’s a video link to Chief Stan Bird speaking with the CTV News Winnipeg regarding the event, and the example that Bear’s already setting as an 18-year-old.

As is predictable of a small-town event, they’re serving free hot wings at the reception. Cute.

‘Patrick Kane Day’ was a success in Chicago, but we’d like him back (for now)

Friday, August 8th (8/8) shall henceforth be known as “Patrick Kane Day” in Chicago, and the Red Wings forward and Chicago Blackhawks legend is now hosting a sold-out dinner in the Windy City.

Earlier in the day, the Chicago Tribune’s Kalen Lumpkins offered a chronicle of Kane’s big day:

Patrick Kane’s back — for a day, anyway. And now his name is part of Chicago lore forever. Aug. 8 was always a day of celebration of the career of Kane for Blackhawks fans — after all, he donned the No. 88 sweater for 16 seasons with the franchise. The official recognition came Friday from Ald. Brian Hopkins, 2nd, who officially proclaimed the date as Patrick Kane Day in Chicago, honoring the winger for the accolades he racked up with the organization — including three Stanley Cups.

“Fun to be back in Chicago, and I’m excited for the day.” Kane said. “It’s very special and I’m very thankful for the honor.”

Kane busy day started at Johnny’s Ice House West with a community youth hockey clinic. Young players wearing Blackhawks sweaters practiced drills led by the future Hall of Famer, who later signed various Bauer equipment for the kids. Kane’s son was on the ice, too, even getting into a playful scuffle.

Continue reading ‘Patrick Kane Day’ was a success in Chicago, but we’d like him back (for now)

Raymond, Seider, Lagesson took part in the ‘Fiala’s Friends’ charity hockey game in Zurich on Friday

Red Wings players Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider and William Lagesson took part in a charity hockey game today in Zurich, Switzerland called (Kevin) “Fiala’s Friends,” raising money for several local charities via an exhibition game between a team of mostly Swiss All-Stars and the ZSC Lions of the Swiss league.

According to Blick.ch’s Stephan Roth, all went well:

Fiala’s Friends with heart and a summer gala

Kevin Fiala has done something that has never been seen before. He called, and NHL stars came to Zurich to play against the ZSC Lions.

It’s one of the beautiful sides of North American sports, where the professionals are socially committed, and committed to those who are doing less well. Charity projects are part of the good tone.

So national team star Kevin Fiala proved his heart and that he’s committed. Fiala (29) was nominated by his team, the Los Angeles Kings, for the King Clancy Award this spring, which goes to an NHL player who displays both on-ice and off-rink leadership and social engagement. This year, Florida’s Aleksander Barkov won the award.

Now Fiala has done something that’s never been seen before in Switzerland: A charity game with NHL stars against the ZSC LIons, whose proceeds went to the Children’s Hospital St. Gallen, and junior cash checks for his ex-team Uzwil and the ZSC/GCK Lions charities. Children are important to Fiala, whose wife gave birth to daughter Masyah in 2024, and lost an unborn baby this spring.

Fans are happy about Ambuhl and Cech

So the Eastern Swiss called, and all the Swiss NHL players came, from Roman Josi, who’s still recovering from health problems, to foreign greats such as Lucas Raymond (Sweden), Moritz Seider (Germany, both from Detroit), Tim Stuetzle (Germany, Ottawa), and the 10,119 fans especially enjoyed two other players at Fiala’s friends: Andreas Ambuhl, 41, retired man of records, and soccer goaltender Petr Czech, 43.

The former goalie of London’s football giants Chelsea and Arsenal showed that he cuts a fine figure even in the smaller goal and on ice. He was defeated once before he made way to Akira Schmid at the middle of the game.

Of course, after Bastian Baker gave the national anthem to the stage, the game went on the stage in an All-Star manner. Physical contact was not used.

But the NHL stars won vs. the Swiss League Champions and Champions Hockey League winners comfortably, winning 10-3.

Timo Meier, Raymond, Stützle (2), Marco Rossi, William Lagesson, Ambühl, Fiala, J.J. Moser and Philipp Kurashev provide the All-Stars’ goals, while Yannick Weber, Joel Henry and Jesper Frödén met the Zurich residents.

Sport.ch, SRF.ch and the ZSC Lions’ website also posted recaps, with the ZSC Lions’ recap including some great photos from the game. The Lions’ Facebook page has some good behind-the-scenes pictures as well.

Allen offers an astute suggestion for the Wings’ shopping list regarding defensive depth

While there’s been a significant amount of virtual ink spilled about the Red Wings’ potential interest in Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson…

As I said earlier this afternoon, however, surrendering significant assets for a 35-year-old defenseman who sometimes doesn’t play all that much defense, especially at a $11.5 million cap hit for two more seasons (none of which, the well-connected say, that the Penguins wish to absorb), well, all of that leaves me jittery and less than enthusiastic by an unappealing equation.

If the Red Wings don’t make any further changes to their blueline, however, EliteProspects’ depth chart sums up the fact that the Wings would have to lean heavily on William Lagesson, Griffins signee Ian Mitchell, and, most likely, 23-year-old prospect William Wallinder if the Wings suffer injuries on defense.

Even presuming that Axel Sandin Pellikka is nearly good to go at the NHL level, or that Antti Tuomisto or Shai Buium could be called up safely, the Wings’ blueline is definitely a little thin at this point.

Given that situation, Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen believes that the Red Wings may very well need to sign another depth defenseman or two, and he offers a very specific suggestion this evening in 6’7,” 235-pound defenseman Jani Hakanpaa:

Continue reading Allen offers an astute suggestion for the Wings’ shopping list regarding defensive depth

Afternoon meander: Khan on Axel Sandin Pellikka’s career path

MLive’s Ansar Khan wonders what path Axel Sandin Pellikka might take in terms of his almost inevitable journey to the NHL today:

General manager Steve Yzerman, as you’d expect, didn’t shut the door on the possibility of Sandin Pellikka, the skilled, right-shooting D-man drafted 17th overall in 2023, surprising at training camp.

“I’m not going to rule out any player coming in and being so good in camp that we’re going to keep him and see how he does in the NHL,” Yzerman said last month. “The preseason games are tricky in that like a lot of the veterans are playing (the games) because they know they need to play them, but it’s not the intensity and the pace of a regular-season game. And sometimes depending on who’s in the lineup, you’re not necessarily playing against NHL players. So, it can be misleading, both good and bad. I can answer that question better at the end of training camp.”

Sandin Pellikka (5-11, 185) joined the Griffins late last season after his Swedish club, Skelleftea AIK, was eliminated from the playoffs. He played two regular season games (one assist) and three playoff games (no points).

“It was great that Axel got a feel mostly for playing more games at the pro level on the North American ice surface,” Yzerman said. “I think it was enlightening for him, maybe eye-opening a little bit. It’s a little smaller ice, faster game, albeit it’s only the American League, not the NHL. And he’s got some work to do.

“If he works, and we’re expecting him to, has a good summer, gets a little bit stronger, a little bit quicker, that’ll help him prepare for a good training camp and preseason. But he’s really going to have to just force his way into the lineup. Do I rule it out? No. So we’ll wait and answer that in September. But generally, all the kids come with the mentality that ‘I’m going to show these guys, I’m going to make it hard on them to send me back to junior, to send me to GR, to release me from the ATO or PTO.’ Just the mindset of the athlete.”

Continued with comments from Wings director of player development Dan Cleary…

As Khan suggests, ASP would have to supplant one of the Red Wings’ seven regular defensemen–and probably a “top four guy”–to make the roster out of training camp and the exhibition season, and given his 5’11,” 185-pound size and stature and relative unfamiliarity with North American-sized 85-foot-wide ice rinks, those things suggest that he’s going to have to take some time to adjust in Grand Rapids, especially in terms of his tendency to loop back like a soccer player on those 100-foot-wide international rinks…

But ASP is truly extremely talented offensively, and there are times that talent and moxie make up for relative inexperience.

An Erik Karlsson trade with the Penguins is extremely unlikely, but ‘never say never’

Yardbarker’s Natalie Vaitas discusses the “best fits for fringe NHL Teams to complete their roster(s)” today, and I disagree with her, but I think that we need to read what she has to say:

Detroit Red Wings (39-35-8, sixth in Atlantic Division)

Missing piece: Top-four defenseman | Best fit: Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins

The Red Wings, who missed the playoffs last season, have been quiet this offseason. GM Steve Yzerman’s biggest deals were the additions of goalie John Gibson and depth winger James Van Riemsdyk.

Unfortunately for Yzerman, many players he may have targeted were quickly off the market.

That leaves Detroit with few options to fill its top four on defense. With young stars Mo Seider and Simon Edvinsson playing heavy minutes, the addition of a puck-moving defenseman to take the load off them would greatly improve Detroit’s playoff chances.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in the sellers’ market and would likely love to move on from Karlsson’s $10M cap hit. Luckily for Detroit, the rebuilding Penguins will want prospects and draft picks, something the Red Wings have aplenty.

If Pittsburgh is willing to pay some of Karlsson’s salary, and Detroit is willing to part with some of its future assets, this may be a perfect match.

Continued; I’m still not a fan of a slowing-down Karlsson at 35 years of age, especially given that he sometimes forgets how to play defense, but his puck-movement would certainly be an upgrade on Jeff Petry, for example, and his offensive wizardry is still there.

He’s got 2 years left on that $11.5 million cap hit contract (per PuckPedia), and that’s not ideal, even with the salary cap increasing, and the “rumors” and “insiders” alike have suggested that the Pens have no desire to eat any of that salary…

But if the Pens were willing to eat some of it, I cannot deny that Karlsson would be a tempting target, especially if the price were right in terms of compensation. The biggest problem is that he has a No-Move Clause, so he’d have to approve any trade to any team, and the Red Wings might not be the most attractive destination right now.

I think that the realities of his cap hit not being partially eaten by the Pens (if they can get away with it) and the NMC make things too difficult for a 35-year-old Karlsson to come to a rebuilding Red Wings team. But you can’t ever say “never” in the league I’ve been watching for 35 years now.