Sam Gagner’s comments regarding his re-signing emphasize his importance as a productive role model

The Red Wings re-signed Sam Gagner to a 1-year, $850,000 contract extension today. It’s a ridiculously affordable signing which provides the Red Wings with a “veteran” leader who isn’t ancient at 31 years of age, and when Gagner himself spoke with the media regarding his re-signing, he emphasized points that summarize his status as effectively a “playing coach” as well as a useful 3rd line center who can contribute on the power play.

The Free Press posted a video of Gagner’s Zoom call…

And the Free Press’s Helene St. James posted some of Gagner’s remarks…

Continue reading Sam Gagner’s comments regarding his re-signing emphasize his importance as a productive role model

Grand Rapids Griffins confirm Turner Elson’s re-signing

Yesterday night, PuckPedia reported that the Red Wings had re-signed Grand Rapids Griffins forward Turner Elson to a one-year contract, and today, the Griffins confirmed the signing:

Elson Signs One-Year Extension

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Saturday signed center Turner Elson to a one-year contract extension.
 
Elson, 28, has spent the last three seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins, totaling 82 points (36-46—82), a plus-32 rating and 174 penalty minutes in 190 games. After compiling career-highs with 18 goals, 21 assists and 39 points in 2018-19, he posted 22 points (9-13—22) in 61 games during the COVID-shortened 2019-20 season, pacing the team with a plus-eight rating while tying for second with three game-winning goals.
 
Including the team-high three shorthanded goals that he scored in 2018-19, Elson’s five career shorthanded tallies tie for seventh in franchise history.
 
Since making his professional debut with the Abbotsford Heat at the end of the 2011-12 season, the 5-foot-11, 185-pound forward has appeared in 365 career American Hockey League contests between Abbotsford (2011-14), Adirondack (2014-15), Stockton (2015-16), San Antonio (2016-17) and Grand Rapids and compiled 148 points (70-78—148), a plus-22 rating and 318 PIM. He has skated in 10 Calder Cup Playoff games, all as a Griffin, totaling six points (4-2—6).
 
Elson made his NHL debut with the Calgary Flames on April 9, 2016, against Minnesota and logged his first point on an assist. He won the 2014 Kelly Cup as a member of the ECHL’s Alaska Aces during his first full season as a pro, tallying 15 points (5-10—15) in 18 regular season games before scoring 11 points (7-4—11) in 21 postseason tilts.
 
A native of New Westminster, British Columbia, Elson appeared in 253 games with Red Deer of the Western Hockey League from 2009-2013 and racked up 151 points (72-79—151) and 337 PIM.
 

The Red Wings confirmed the signing as well.

Red Wings re-sign Sam Gagner for 1 year at $850,000

The Detroit Red Wings are starting to build their 2020-2021 roster. Yesterday, they signed Turner Elson to a 1-year deal to assist the Grand Rapids Griffins, and today, they’ve signed Sam Ganger to a 1-year deal:

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today signed center Sam Gagner to a one-year contract extension

Gagner, 31, was acquired by Detroit on Feb. 24 along with a second-round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for forwards Andreas Athanasiou and Ryan Kuffner. The 13-year NHL veteran went on to score one goal in six games with the Red Wings, totaling 13 points (6-7-13) and 12 penalty minutes in 42 combined NHL games between Detroit and Edmonton in 2019-20. Gagner has appeared in 844 career NHL contests with the Oilers, Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Vancouver Canucks and Red Wings, tallying 459 points (164-295-459) and 380 penalty minutes since 2007-08. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound forward has also appeared in parts of three American Hockey League seasons with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Toronto Marlies and Bakersfield Condors, totaling 47 points (15-32-47) and 21 penalty minutes in 56 games between 2015-20.

Originally drafted in the first round (sixth overall) by Edmonton in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Gagner made the NHL as an 18-year-old after splitting his junior career between the United States Hockey League’s Sioux City Musketeers (2005-06) and Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights (2006-07), logging 46 points (11-35-46) in 56 USHL games and racking up 118 points (35-83-118) in 53 OHL games prior to being drafted. The London, Ontario, native has also represented Canada internationally on several occasions, notably winning gold medals at the 2007 IIHF World Junior Championship and the 2012 Spengler Cup, along with a silver medal at the 2008 IIHF World Championship.

MLive’s Ansar Khan reports that the deal is a 1-year, 1-way contract for $850,000; the Free Press’s Helene St. James confirms and calls it a “no-risk signing.”

Jonatan Berggren discusses his injuries and inspiration with Hockeysverige.se

Red Wings prospect Jonatan Berggren has battled through back and shoulder issues over the past two seasons, having surgery to repair his shoulder last year. This morning, Berggren engages in an interview with Hockeysverige.se’s Mans Karlsson, discussing his injury-riddled past, his healthier present and his goals for the future. What follows is roughly translated from Swedish:

“The injuries will help me get better in the long run”

After two seasons of injury hell, the Skelleftea prospect is ready to take the SHL by storm.

It’s only this year that Jonatan Berggren makes the senior team, but it feels that he hasn’t been with us for any real length of time. His career so far has been defined by injuries as much as his fine play in the Skelleftea jersey. But Berggren himself is convinced that the hell he’s gone through will help him in the long run. This is an interview about the two difficult injuries–but it’s just as much an interview about positivity and the longing to play an entire season.

Continue reading Jonatan Berggren discusses his injuries and inspiration with Hockeysverige.se

Puckpedia reports that the Red Wings have re-signed Griffins forward Turner Elson

Per PuckPedia on Twitter: it appears that the Red Wings have re-signed Grand Rapids Griffins forward Turner Elson:

The #RedWings re-signed 28 y/o pending UFA C Turner Elson to 1 Year Extension:

-$725K NHL, $115K Minors
-22P in 61 AHL GL
-Represented by Jason Davidson @tcnewsfeed https://t.co/QIVlbAK3Q6— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) September 25, 2020

European prospect round-up: Rasmussen not in Graz99ers’ lineup yet; Hronek plays 22 minutes in HK Mountfield win

Of European prospect-related note on a Friday evening:

In Austria’s ICE Hockey League, Michael Rasmussen did not take part in the Graz99ers’ 6-4 win over Fehervar AV19;

And in the Czech Extraliga, Filip Hronek finished at +1 in 22:07 played as Mountfield HK won 3-2 over PSG Berani Zlin.

Three draft-related things: On Zoom call comments, Marco Rossi and possible draft targets

Of NHL draft-related note this evening:

  1. DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji took note of the comments made by top prospects on yesterday’s NHL-hosted Zoom call as they regarded the youngsters’ interactions with the Red Wings’ staff:

Late Thursday afternoon, the NHL had a Zoom call with some of the top prospects who will be available in the upcoming 2020 NHL Entry Draft, including forwards Alexis Lafrenière, Quinton Byfield, Tim Stützle, Marco Rossi, Cole Perfetti and Jack Quinn, plus defensemen Jamie Drysdale and Jake Sanderson.

Perfetti, who had 37 goals and 74 assists in 61 games with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit this past season, said he has spoken to the Wings a couple of times but said Yzerman did more listening than talking.

“With Mr. Yzerman, it’s been limited,” Perfetti said. “He’s been on the calls but for the most part he’s had his camera off and has been very quiet, just kind of listening. He didn’t really ask anything too much. It was mainly Kris Draper (director of amateur scouting) who was running the calls and he was leading it and asking most of the questions. Yzerman, he wasn’t saying too much, he was kind of just sitting back with his screen off and I think taking notes and listening to what I had to say.”

Continued;

2. MLive’s Ansar Khan profiled fellow draft prospect Marco Rossi…

Continue reading Three draft-related things: On Zoom call comments, Marco Rossi and possible draft targets

Two things: Regarding Swedish prospects and two Wings draft targets

Of brief prospect-related note this morning:

  1. DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji took note of a Tweet posted by DobberProspects’ Tomas Zahorak, who posted a notebook article regarding Swedish prospects’ exploits:

Jonatan Berggren, LW, Skellefteå AIK (Detroit Red Wings): Berggren has some similar traits to [Zion] Nybeck. Both are speedy and skilled wingers who can use their body to protect the puck and I have to say that I really like forwards who play this way. However, Berggren has had an edge on the younger forward. Unlike Nybeck, he has been quite frequently used on the power play, and even though he was not able to capitalize in the preseason, he compensated it right at the start of Skellefteå’s first game of the season. Just after four minutes and seven seconds of play, he became the author of the first goal of the 2020-2021 SHL campaign.

Albin Grewe, RW, Djurgårdens IF (Detroit Red Wings): Grewe is an interesting figure who somewhat stands out from this list. It is mainly because he has a different job than any other player mentioned here. He plays more of a grinding role in the Djurgårdens lineup and I have to say that he has done a very good job so far. He was one of the few players that I actually saw throw a hard hit along the boards during a preseason game. However, it was not just hits that got my attention. He was not afraid to block shots or go to the dirty areas in front of the net. Grewe has shown that this might be his trademark throughout the season. A bold mix of fast skating, drive to the net, hard bodychecking, and shot-blocking as the icing on the cake.

2. And, of note from the Hockey Writers’ Mark Scheig, who penned an article discussing yesterday’s NHL-hosted Zoom call with top prospects:

[Marco] Rossi says he’s spoken to the Red Wings three times. The talks were good in his mind. Apparently Yzerman was on the Zoom calls but his camera was shut off. Imagine what the prospects might be thinking knowing he’s there but you can’t see him.

…

Notice a theme yet? [Jamie] Drysdale too has had “a few” interviews with the Red Wings. While I still maintain Perfetti is the leader in the clubhouse, the Red Wings are going to get a great player no matter which direction they go. Silver lining for missing out on first overall.

Wakiji profiles Kasper Kotkansalo

DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji examines Finnish defenseman Kasper Kotkansalo’s career “By the Numbers” this morning, and the most important part of her article, as usual in these prospect pieces, comes from Red Wings director of player development Shawn Horcoff:

Quotable: “He’s over in Europe. He got a little banged up there playing preseason in Ässät back in Liiga. That was kind of his decision. He really just wanted to play more games. One thing with college, and obviously we’ve got uncertainty with them starting, he’s far enough along in his schooling that he really can still graduate, he’s not far away from graduating with turning pro and going back there and playing more games. Really it came down to just wanting to play hockey and the uncertainty of when college was going to start, just the ability to play more games.

“I thought it got better as the year went on. The thing with Kasper, he’s a defensive D-man so it’s hard to look at numbers for those type of guys and really put any sort of gauge on how his year went in terms of numbers because that’s not his game. He’s hard to play against, he’s a defensive D, good on the penalty kill. Once this season gets going, we’ll be monitoring closely because it’ll be good test for him over in the pro league in Finland. The Liiga is a good hockey league and now he’s playing against men, it’s going to be a step up for him and a bigger challenge. It’ll be interesting to see how he plays.” – Shawn Horcoff, director of player development and assistant director of player personnel



Continued