Hello and goodbye, Wings Twitter style

The Red Wings posted a quartet of Tweets commemorating a changing of the guard on defense:

Quite the Krug rumor from WIiM

I’m not quite sure what to think about this one. Barstool Sports’ Spittin’ Chicklets blog offered this Tweet on Sunday, as noted by Winging It in Motown’s Kyle McIlmurray:

I have little doubt that the Bruins are going to move Krug’s rights before losing him to free agency outright, but whether they move him this early is a question mark to me.

Wings on Twitter: Fox Sports Detroit to air ‘2020 Red Wings Draft Preview Special’ today

From the Red Wings:

Be sure to catch our 2020 #DRWDraft Preview Special premiering today at 1:30 PM on @FOXSportsDet!

Schedule ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/0jcXcmB5BE— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 27, 2020

UPDATE: The 1:30 PM airing has been pushed back due to the Tigers game.— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 27, 2020

A bit about ‘veteran presence,’ Marc Staal and Sam Gagner

The Athletic’s Max Bultman penned an article regarding the Red Wings’ addition of 33-year-old defenseman Marc Staal on Saturday. After analyzing Staal’s impact (it’s not huge), Bultman notes that both of the Red Wings’ moves on Saturday (the other was re-signing Sam Gagner to a 1-year deal) involved keeping a veteran presence on the roster:

“Trying to add these veteran guys that can help our younger players, not only fill a hole in the roster, but help the culture, help the locker room, and I guess help the entire organization, really,” Yzerman said.

Of note on Gagner, in particular, are his right-handed shot and ability to help the Red Wings’ power play, Yzerman said. Luke Glendening is currently the Red Wings’ only other right-handed forward. The general manager did acknowledge Gagner’s ability play all three forward positions, including center, and also said the team plans to give Robby Fabbri at least a look at center.

But with both Gagner and Staal on one-year contracts, the second-round pick will likely stand as the most significant of Saturday’s acquisitions to the future of the Red Wings. Second-round picks are not sure things, but with three in three straight drafts, Yzerman certainly is giving his staff as many chances as possible to find difference-makers for the rebuild.

It’s now been more than six months since the Red Wings last took the ice. But with the 2020 draft just 10 days away, and free agency not far behind, what looks like a busy offseason for the second-year GM is officially ramping up.

Continued (paywall); what do you feel is the right balance between veteran players, the Wings’ ready-to-play core, and the youngsters they’re trying to promote?

Do the Red Wings need to add any more veterans, or should they continue to press forward with a relatively youthful movement?

For what it’s worth, the New York Post’s Larry Brooks had this to say about Staal’s battle scars:

Staal, of course, has been a mainstay through the Rangers’ past four coaches. He made his debut under Tom Renney, and had his best days under John Tortorella as Dan Girardi’s first-pair partner before suffering the memorable concussion-inducing hit delivered by his brother, Eric, at Carolina on Feb. 22, 2011. Marc Staal played through the remainder of that season, then missed the first half of 2011-12 with post-concussion syndrome, making his debut at the 2012 Winter Classic in Philadelphia. But he was never quite the same.

Staal worked his way back from third-pair duty with Stu Bickel to a second-pair assignment with Anton Stralman. The following season, on March 5, 2013, he was struck around the right eye by a Jakub Voracek deflection of a Kimmo Timonen slap shot. Staal effectively lost the vision in his right eye, yet played a significant role in the run to the 2014 Stanley Cup finals under Alain Vigneault. Then, after a string of unprecedented healthy scratches under David Quinn this year, Staal steadied and provided the stay-at-home work that complemented DeAngelo.

Staal has been a hockey warrior, a particular irritant to Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin through all of the playoff duels. He has been hard on the puck and an exemplary teammate.

FYI: WXYZ’s Brad Galli filed a report about the Gagner re-signing and Staal trade:

Kulfan ‘grades’ the Wings’ last 10 drafts

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan has filed a subscriber-only article in which he examines the Red Wings’ last 10 NHL Drafts–which have been spotty in terms of drafting (and developing) talent–and I suppose we should accentuate the positive:

2019

Picks: (1st) Moritz Seider (D); (2nd) Antti Tuomisto (D); (2nd) Robert Mastrosimone (LW); (2nd) Albert Johansson (D); (3rd) Albin Grewe (LW); (4th) Ethan Phillips (C); (5th) Cooper Moore (D); (6th) Elmer Soderblom (LW); (6th) Gustav Berglund (D); (7th) Kirill Tyutyayev (LW); (7th) Carter Gylander (G).

Analysis: Steve Yzerman surprised everyone by drafting Seider sixth overall, but the pick looks shrewd today. Seider had a good season in Grand Rapids and could be in the NHL next season. All the others are years away, but Tuomisto, Johansson Soderblom and Berglund offer promise.

►Grade: B

Continued (paywall); all drafts are hit-and-miss to some extent, but the Red Wings’ GM overhauled the amateur scouting staff for a reason, and I do think that the Red Wings are doing a better job of developing the players they’ve drafted, which is essential going forward.

Red Wings post clips of Yzerman, Gagner’s pressers on YouTube

The Detroit Red Wings posted a pair of YouTube clips of note this evening, including one of GM Steve Yzerman addressing the Marc Staal addition…

As well as Sam Gagner, who spoke about his 1-year extension signed with the Wings today:

Update: Wise words from Yzerman, via NHL.com:

Continue reading Red Wings post clips of Yzerman, Gagner’s pressers on YouTube

Rumor via KK: Rangers defenseman Marc Staal heading to Detroit?

Updated repeatedly: It’s a real deal. 33-year-old defenseman Marc Staal and a 2021 2nd round pick from the Rangers for future considerations.

Via Kukla’s Korner comes a hot rumor from Boston Bruins scribe Joe McDonald:

The Athletic’s Shayna Goldman is saying it’s happening…

Staal, 33, comes to Detroit for a low price:

UPDATE: The #RedWings have acquired defenseman Marc Staal and a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft from the New York Rangers in exchange for future considerations. pic.twitter.com/EO9cWDACOE— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 26, 2020

Strict salary dump. Staal is still productive, and he waived a no-move clause to bring his $5.7 million salary to Detroit.

TRADE: #NYR send D Marc Staal and their second-round pick in 2021 to the #RedWings for future considerations. #NHL— Brian Compton (@BComptonNHL) September 26, 2020

Staal has a full NMC and agreed to waive it to go to Detroit.

Rangers receive future considerations https://t.co/jWDn3FSGwC— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) September 26, 2020

The Rangers confirm:

OFFICIAL: Rangers announce they have traded defenseman Marc Staal and a second-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft to Detroit in exchange for future considerations. pic.twitter.com/5TNeohQhtm— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 26, 2020

Staal has a $5.7 million cap hit with one year remaining on his deal. He’s 33 and played in 52 NHL games this season. https://t.co/tYHsVjKfzo— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) September 26, 2020

This deal is done: Rangers send a 2nd and Marc Staal to Red Wings for future considerations. Detroit using cap space to gather assets. https://t.co/zo1zwqnh58— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) September 26, 2020

Staal is not a big point producer, but he’s a steady defenseman who helps stabilize the Wings’ blueline.

The pick is in 2021. https://t.co/27eHXiBg7c— John Shannon (@JShannonhl) September 26, 2020

Here’s the Wings’ press release:

Continue reading Rumor via KK: Rangers defenseman Marc Staal heading to Detroit?

Prospect round-up: Berggren posts 1A, Kivenmaki scores, Brattstrom stops 19 shots on a busy Saturday

Of prospect-related note on a Saturday evening:

In the SHL, Jonatan Berggren had an assist, 3 shots, and finished at -1 in 15:46 of ice time as Skelleftea AIK lost 3-1 to Matias Brome and Orebro HK; Brome finished at +1 in 12:56 for Orebro. You can watch the highlights of the game here;

Albert Johansson registered 2 shots and a -1 in 17:20 of ice time as Farjestads BK lost 5-3 to Brynas; highlights are available in the game recap;

In the Finnish Liiga, Victor Brattstrom stopped 19 of 20 shots as KooKoo won 5-1 over Jukurik;

Otto Kivenmaki scored the only goal in 19:37 of ice time and Kasper Kotkansalo played 19:30 as Assat Pori won 1-0 over the Jared McIsaac-less HPK;

And in Belarus, per Red Wings Prospects on Twitter, Kirill Tyutyayev had an assist as Yunost Minsk won 5-4 over Mogilev.

‘Intelligence from Edmonton’: former Wings GM Holland expects trading season to begin after the Cup Final concludes

I perused my Google email alerts a couple minutes ago, and I found an interesting take on exactly when NHL fans might be able to expect some trades to happen. The answer, from Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland (as told to the Edmonton Sun’s Terry Jones), is “soon”:

“We had some pretty complete [staffing] meetings on Zoom about 10 days ago. Now it’s up to me to work the phones,” said Holland, who actually resides in a condo a few floors above the ones currently being occupied by the Stars and Lightning in the J.W. Marriott.

“I would say to you that it’s going to get very active in very, very short order here,” the Oilers general manager said in a one-on-one interview with your correspondent as he anticipated the walk from his condo in the J.W. Marriott to his office in Rogers Place no longer requiring a detour around the bubble, since the Oilers’ departure from the playoffs four games into the play-in qualifying series.

“I’ve been on the phone almost constantly with other general managers in the past several days. I think there going to be a lot of movement next week. Right now, everybody is working the phones and trying to find fits. If philosophically there look to be some possible fits between your team and somebody else’s team, you start to dive a little bit deeper.

“I would anticipate most of the trades happen next week leading up to the draft.”

When I asked the Oilers GM just how active he thought he could be with his salary cap complications, there was a bit of a pause.

“Not very,” he finally said. “We’re probably like at least half the teams in the league, and maybe more.”

Continued; as Yzerman is so averse to speaking with the media, one must take one’s estimations of the marketplace from where you can get ’em.