The Malik Report

MLive’s Ansar Khan discusses Henrik Zetterberg’s status over the course of a mailbag feature this morning:

Khan continues…

DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji examines Justin Abdelkader’s 2017-18 season “numbers” this morning:

174 — Abdelkader was also the team leader with 174 hits, which was tied for 33rd in the league. Glendening was second on the team with 137 hits. Jonathan Ericsson was third with 133 and Helm was fourth with 131.

3 — For the first time in his career, Abdelkader had three straight multi-point games from Nov. 17-19. He had two assists in a 3-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Nov. 17, a goal and an assist in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Nov. 19 and two assists in a 6-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Nov. 22.

35 — Abdelkader had 35 points, which was fifth on the team. Dylan Larkin led the team with 63 points, captain Henrik Zetterberg was second with 56, Anthony Mantha was third with 48 and Nyquist was fourth with 40.

Continued

 

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan has examined the Red Wings personnel at the goaltending and defensive positions, and today, he discusses the Wings’ forward corps, speaking with Dylan Larkin regarding the Wings’ younger roster up front:

“We were the kids, but now there’s even younger kids coming in,” said [Dylan] Larkin, noting, in particular, Rasmussen and Zadina, the last two first-round draft picks. “So myself, Double-A, Mo, Tyler, it’s going to be competitive from within. But we do need to grasp that bigger role of being a leader, doing the right things, setting the example of hard work right from day one in training camp.”

Having missed the playoffs the last two seasons – after a 25-year consecutive stretch of qualifying – Larkin wants to bring back the “winning culture.”

“We need to win games, we need to have that winning culture the veterans have taught us and win games here,” Larkin said. “The fans want it, we want it. The young kids, they want to come in and make an impact right away.”

Larkin recently signed a five-year contract worth $30.5 million, a sign of the faith by the organization in Larkin’s ability and potential going forward after taking a big step in his career last season.

Larkin wants to further grow as a player this season. He had 47 assists and 63 points – both team-highs.

“I need to build on last year and improve,” Larkin said. “For myself and for the team, and be a big-time player where if the game has a minute left, we’re up by a goal or we’re down by a goal, (I’m) taking a big face-off to win it back and score the big goal or score the empty-netter, something just to win games.”

Continued

 

The Hockey News’s Sam McCaig ranks the NHL’s 31 starting goaltenders this morning, and Jimmy Howard earns bottom-of-the-pack status due to his team’s struggles:

28. Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings: It’s not his fault that Detroit is in disarray.

I’d rank Howard as a middle-of-the-pack goaltender, but given the Wings’ results last season, I suppose the ranking is fair.

Niklas Kronwall spoke with Hockeybladet.nu’s Piotr Arvidsson recently, discussing the Detroit’s recent renaissance and the team’s move from Joe Louis Arena to Little Caesars Arena.

If I may be frank, it’s a little annoying to read these kinds of articles, because the “out-of-towners” write as if Detroit is some sort of island cut off from humanity. I understand that the authors of these articles-from-afar are trying to give the city’s comeback compliments, not insults, but the truth is that Detroit is the heart of a sprawling Metro Area that’s the home of five million people, and the region has rebounded from the recession and collapse of the auto industry.

Detroit’s “comeback” is also overstated a bit–it’s very much so still a work in progress–but that’s to be expected.

What follows is roughly translated:

Kronwall: “Detroit was a ghost town”

Swedish superstar Niklas Kronwall begins his 15th season with the Detroit Red Wings this fall. The veteran has experienced the city’s transformation from an industrial city to a ghost town and back to an American metropolis, as well as the departure of the mythical home rink Joe Louis Arena.

“It’s been our home for a very long time. There are mixed feelings for everyone,” says Kronwall.

In the summer of 2003, Niklas Kronwall left Sweden and Djurgardens IF to play for the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL. Now he speaks with Hockeybladet and looks back at the time he’s lived [around] the American car and music city. A city at, during the time of Kronwall, has gone from a thriving industrial city to a ghost town.

“A lot has happened. It was very difficult for the city between 2008 and 2011. It was tough on many sides and edges, many houses that were for sale. Very empty houses with signs everywhere. It was a bit of a ghost town in those places,” says Niklas Kronwall to Hockeybladet.

Continue reading Roughly Translated: Niklas Kronwall discusses Detroit, Wings’ move to LCA

The Athletic’s Max Bultman offers a “state of the franchise” this morning, discussing the Wings’ roster strengths and weaknesses, the team’s top prospects, the Wings’ cap situation, the biggest question facing the team and the team’s special teams play. This is a “season preview”article in spirit:

Here’s Bultman’s conclusion:

It’s hard to overstate how important the 2018 draft was for this franchise. It’s still far too early to make proclamations about how any of the prospects will pan out, but there’s a pretty clear infusion of talent that gives reason to think better days may be ahead. If Zadina makes his debut early in the season, that energy could start to bubble soon.

But the weighty contracts for Abdelkader, Ericsson and DeKeyser are still very much an issue right now. Again, there’s no massive repercussion for a team that’s not likely to contend anyway, but cap space is its own form of asset, and it’s one Detroit simply doesn’t have. Things should begin to balance out as young players continue to trickle up the chain, and that’s where getting them ice time becomes essential. The season will be defined by the strides those players make.

Going forward, the Red Wings still need to add high-end blueliners and another top center — though Larkin’s continued development could certainly ease the urgency there. The franchise is still not in an ideal situation. But it’s definitely farther along than it was a year ago.

Bultman continues (paywall), and his article is worth your time.

 

NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger spoke with Niklas Kronwall recently, and Kronwall addressed the possibility that this year may be his last as a player:

“If this happens to be the end of the road, I would be more than happy with the journey that I’ve had and more than thankful to the Ilitch family and (general manager) Kenny Holland for giving me the opportunity that I have for being able to be with the same team for my entire career,” Kronwall, a veteran of 14 NHL seasons, said this week during the NHL European Player Media Tour. “We’ll see what happens.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to play in Detroit all these years and I have a tough time seeing myself in a different jersey.”

Continued, and Kronwall has this to say about the Wings players’ belief that they can still be a playoff team:

Kronwall said the continued development of young players like center Dylan Larkin, 22, and forward Anthony Mantha, who turns 24 on Sept. 16, will help the Red Wings accomplish that.

“We should be right there,” he said of Detroit, which finished 30-39-13, 24 points behind the New Jersey Devils for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference. “I thought last year we should be right there with the team that we had. I know people on the outside are seeing things differently but within the team, within the locker room, we believe in the team that we have.

“Some of these guys can be difference makers. And it’s time for them to push forward. The organization needs that.”

The aunt is a remarkably efficient “nag,” and she reminded me that I should tell you that I’m raising funds for the annual trip to Traverse City for the Red Wings’ prospect tournament and main training camp.

If you would like to lend a hand as I try to raise about $2,000 (only $1,900 to go!), you can go to https://paypal.me/TheMalikReport or https://www.patreon.com/themalikreport to donate. Every dollar helps pave the road up to Traverse City, and if you’re more of a “check person,” I can provide you with my address via email.

Thank you for your time.

Here’s part of a press release from the NHLPA stating that Red Wings prospects Michael Rasmussen and Filip Zadina will take part in the “NHLPA Rookie Showcase.”

The event is scheduled to take place at Mastercard Arena in Toronto next Monday, August 26th, and it’s a photo shoot in which Upper Deck Hockey takes pictures of the players presumed to earn “Young Guns” rookie cards this upcoming season, as well as a media event in which the players give interviews to the press:

2018 NHLPA ROOKIE SHOWCASE

AUGUST 26 AT MASTERCARD CENTRE

TORONTO (Aug. 17, 2018) – The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) will host its 10^th annual NHLPA Rookie Showcase Sunday, Aug. 26 at Mastercard Centre in Toronto, with 26 NHL® prospects and rookies scheduled to attend. This unique event provides Upper Deck – the official trading card partner of the NHLPA and the NHL – with an opportunity to capture photographs and videos of many of the game’s top young prospects and rookies in their official NHL team uniforms. The content collected will be used for upcoming Upper Deck trading cards, memorabilia products and digital video posts.

2018 NHLPA Rookie Showcase Scheduled Attendees:

The following 26 NHL prospects and rookies are scheduled to be in attendance for the 2018 NHLPA Rookie Showcase:

Vitaly Abramov (Blue Jackets), Rasmus Asplund (Sabres), Rudolfs Balcers (Sharks), Drake Batherson (Senators), Kieffer Bellows (Islanders), Henrik Borgstrom (Panthers), Evan Bouchard (Oilers), Daniel Brickley (Kings), Travis Dermott (Maple Leafs), Ryan Donato (Bruins), Dillon Dube (Flames), Adam Gaudette (Canucks), Jordan Greenway (Wild), Carter Hart (Flyers), Miro Heiskanen (Stars), Jordan Kyrou (Blues), Timothy Liljegren (Maple Leafs), Casey Mittelstadt (Sabres), Michael Rasmussen (Red Wings), Ilya Samsonov (Capitals), Dylan Sikura (Blackhawks), Nick Suzuki (Golden Knights), Robert Thomas (Blues), Juuso Valimaki (Flames), Gabriel Vilardi (Kings) and Filip Zadina (Red Wings).

*Please note the player list is subject to change.

Both Jimmy Howard and Keith Petruzzelli were invited to the Warren Strelow [U.S.] National Team Goaltending Camp in Plymouth this week, and DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji spoke with both the Wings’ goaltenders and Wings goalie coach Jeff Salajko about their experiences at during the five-day camp:

“I’ve worked for USA Hockey in various camps over the years and this is the first year we’ve added a pro segment, a pro division, ironically enough named Team Howard,” Salajko said. “But we have 10 goalies that have played pro here. Connor Hellebuyck was slated to come out but he went to a camp out in BC last week and just got back. It’s great having Jimmy here, just for these young kids to be able to see him and watch him work and do some of the same drills, to see how he handles himself and for some of these other guys, Charlie Lindgren of Montreal, some of these other guys that are pros, to see how they carry themselves. So it’s great having them and just being able to watch them work for the week.”

Often the hockey camps have all positions but the Warren Strelow camp is different because it’s only goaltenders.

“You’re bringing in the top goalies, not only in junior and college-age and pro but the big part of it that has always been has been the younger kids,” Salajko said. “We’ve got kids here as young as 16, 17, 18, a lot of kids that are draft-eligible next season so it’s great to be out here. We’ve got a lot of scouts out here, Las Vegas is here, Minnesota is here, Carolina is here. There are teams here. We’re represented here this week, just watching these guys, getting an early look at them before they start their season, going into the USHL or whatever college teams.”

Because Petruzzelli attends Quinnipiac University, he cannot take part in the prospect tournament in Traverse City so this was his first chance to meet Howard.

“He seems like a good guy, like to have fun, joking around with the guys in the locker room,” Petruzzelli said. “Obviously he’s a damn good goalie out on the ice, too.”

Continued