Three things: on the logo contest, crowd-funding and the comments section

Of blog-related note this afternoon:

1. Regarding the logo contest, it’s still on like Donkey Kong! The parameters remain the same: $50 and a cut of merchandise sales for a pair of logos, one 500×100-pixel logo and one watermark-style 150×150-pixel logo. I would prefer if the colors include red, white, black and/or gray, but you’re otherwise allowed to use your imagination. You can email the logos to rtxg@yahoo.com, post them in the comments (a hosted image or PNG file will do), or share your work via Facebook or Twitter. There is no deadline per se: when we get a couple more logos, we’ll hold a fan vote.

2. Freedom isn’t free, at least for me, so I would kindly remind you that http://www.patreon.com/themalikreport and http://paypal.me/TheMalikReport are options by which you may fiscally aid TMR and keep this blog/community ad-free. In terms of Patreon subscriptions, as little as $1 a month is of great assistance, and Paypal offers both single-sum and recurring options. Moreover, if you can tell your friends about this little blog, that would be greatly appreciated!

3. Regarding the comments section, I haven’t been able to read every comment due to the trade deadline’s heavy workload, but I try very hard to read every comment, and I have noticed that our little community’s general angst regarding said trade deadline has resulted in some arguments, some of them not so pretty.

As this community grows, I expect each and every member to treat others as they would themselves, and to “play nice” via making comments in a respectful and courteous manner, even when you may disagree with your fellow community member. This blog is not a democracy–I am running the show as a benevolent dictator, and I will not hesitate to act if any of you feel that you’re being harassed, harangued or otherwise attacked.

This is not a place for “locker room talk”–I want to foster some genuine community here, and that involves you and me both behaving and speaking like adults when disagreements arise. We can disagree and disagree passionately without being jerks to each other.

Tomas Tatar to debut for Vegas Golden Knights tonight on NBCSN

The Las Vegas Golden Knights didn’t hold a morning skate today, but they’re hosting the back half of a home-and-home series against the Los Angeles Kings tonight (10:30 PM EST on NBCSN), and Tomas Tatar will be making his Vegas debut wearing the number he preferred to wear:

Khan: Mike Green on Mike Green’s future

MLive’s Ansar Khan posted both an article and video in which Mike Green discusses his future with the Wings.

First, the article:

“My mind frame was always here in Detroit,” Green said. “With the speculation and the talk and the situation I was in, anything could have happened, but I’m still happy to be here and move forward.”

Asked if he was intrigued about the possibility of a Stanley Cup run with a contender, Green said: “I think it always is, but you know, we’re six-seven points out here. That’s been my focus. Any player wants to play come April, May, June. Weighed the options and this is how it turned out and that’s that.”

The skilled, puck-moving, right-shooting defenseman is in the final year of his contract and would have been dealt if not for a neck injury that has idled him the past six games. Green had agreed to waive his no-trade clause to go to Tampa Bay or Washington. The Lightning acquired Ryan McDonagh from the New York Rangers. The Capitals would have needed to move a player to make room for Green under the salary cap.

“Being out for 10 days, obviously it had to do with the injury,” Green said. “But like I’ve said before, I love it here.”

The Red Wings have told Green they’re interested in re-signing him after the season.

“The situation’s been a little strange, but we had discussions and I hope we’ll have more discussions,” Green said. “We’ll see how things kind of take place over the next six months. I’m just focused on getting back on the ice and in games and playing hockey.”

Then, the video:

 

Griffins Youth Foundation’s home rink one of top 10 in LED lighting contest

The Grand Rapids Griffins have always been good to me, so I’d like to encourage you to vote for their “Griff’s Icehouse” rink in an LED rink-lighting contest:

FAN VOTING CONTINUES AS GRIFF’S ICEHOUSE ADVANCES TO SEMIFINALS OF LIGHTING CONTEST

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Griff’s IceHouse at Belknap Park has advanced to the semifinal round of the “Light Like the Pros” promotion, which will award a free Ephesus LED sports lighting system valued at over $50,000 to one community rink in an American Hockey League market, the AHL and Eaton announced.

Griff’s IceHouse is one of 10 skating rinks in North America that have been voted as semifinalists out of 33 that began as quarterfinalists.

Semifinal voting is underway and will last until March 2. Fans are encouraged to show their support and vote for Griff’s IceHouse by clicking here. Votes may be submitted once per day, per email address. On March 5, four rinks will advance to the finals for two additional weeks of voting.

Continue reading Griffins Youth Foundation’s home rink one of top 10 in LED lighting contest

‘Walleye Weigh-In’: Depleted roster doesn’t stop Walleye from going 3-in-3

Among the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe’s “Walleye Weigh-In” notes:

Despite fielding a seriously depleted roster, the Walleye swept a three-game weekend series at the Huntington Center and moved back into first place in the Central Division.

The Walleye were down to 15 skaters for their third game in three days on Sunday. Toledo was missing three players due to injury (Alden Hirschfeld, Connor Crisp, and Patrick McCarron) and one to bereavement leave (Kevin Gibson). The team also is without four players due to call-ups to the American Hockey League (Zach Nastasiuk, Mike Esposito, Christian Hilbrich, and goalie Matej Machovsky).

“It’s hard. It was a tough weekend,” Watson said. “To grind out [Saturday’s] win was the hardest one. We put a lot of stress of these guys. We had some tired guys today but they pushed through it.”

The Walleye had six defensemen and nine forwards in Sunday’s 5-2 win over Greenville.

Fortunately, forward Mike Borkowski and defensemen Beau Schmitz were back in the lineup after stints on the injured reserve.

Watson said was the key to earning six out of six points with decimated roster was getting to the net and getting shots on goal with better puck management.

Continued

Also:

A bit about Mike Green’s future

The Hockey News’s Matt Larkin discusses Mike Green’s status after not being moved at the trade deadline:

Mike Green

Why he didn’t go: Ugh. This one hurts. Of the clear-cut rentals, Green was the only big-ticket one not to get traded Monday. Karlsson and Pacioretty can still get traded later, but Green, a pending UFA, will now likely be lost for nothing. He agreed to waive his no-trade clause to head to the Lightning or Washington Capitals, but nothing materialized. As GM Ken Holland admitted, teams were concerned about Green’s neck injury, which has shelved him since Feb. 15, and one team even asked for his medical reports. It’s pretty clear the injury scared teams away from a trade, especially when Holland’s asking price would’ve been high, likely including a first-round pick and a prospect.

What happens now: The Red Wings have expressed interest in re-signing Green, and he likes playing in Detroit. But it’s clear the Wings are years away from Stanley Cup contention. Green doesn’t have a ring, has never even played deeper than Round 2 of the playoffs and turns 33 in October. He’s still good enough to earn a multi-year offer – he went to the All-Star Game this year, after all – so he’s not yet at the stage of his career where he has to sign a one-year “mercenary” deal and hope to get flipped to a contender at the trade deadline. Green should receive legit offers from Stanley Cup hopefuls. Maybe a reunion with the Capitals is in the offing if they can’t re-sign John Carlson?

The Red Wings want to re-sign Green and Green is at least amicable to that concept, and if I may be blunt, I’m just not surprised regarding that result. Holland still believes that a veteran core accentuated by a couple of youngsters is the way to go on defense, and Green does provide more offense than anybody else on the Wings’ blueline. That being said, Green would have to take a pay cut on a short-term deal–and the Red Wings should weigh when/and/or/if they feel that Filip Hronek, Joe Hicketts, Dennis Cholowski and Vili Saarijarvi might be able to step in and help.

As a fan, I’m not thrilled with the idea of the Wings’ defense probably looking a lot like it does now, but it would not surprise me if that is the case. It will be up to the player and GM.

Krupa Tweets out Wings’ annual meeting with Detroit Economic Club

The Red Wings held their annual luncheon with the Detroit Economic Club, and the Detroit News’s Gregg Krupa Tweeted out what was said at the event:

Continue reading Krupa Tweets out Wings’ annual meeting with Detroit Economic Club

Articles from practice: Wings will miss Tatar, understand that playoff odds are long

The Detroit Red Wings held an optional practice on Tuesday, preparing for Wednesday’s “NBCSN Rivalry Night Game” against the St. Louis Blues, and after practice, the team addressed several topics.

As noted by the Detroit News’s Gregg Krupa, the Red Wings will miss Tomas Tatar after his trade from the Vegas Golden Knights…

“Tats is one of my favorite guys that I’ve ever coached,” Jeff Blashill said, reflecting how the loss is felt personally, even more than professionally. “He’s an awesome, awesome person. Always came in with a smile on his face. I thought he was passionate. He wanted to win. Always accountable.”

What seemed to trouble Blashill is what he knows, down deep, about Tatar.

“He wanted to be a Red Wing,” the coach said. “He was proud to be a Red Wing.”

…

“As a teammate, it’s always unfortunate to see a guy go,” said Mike Green, who almost “went” himself, until questions about his injured neck, the availability of other defensemen and the Wings desire to keep him trumped any thought of a trade. “You know, Tats was a great player. I got to know him a great deal over the last three years, myself. It’s always sad. It really is. But on the flip side, we understand the business side of things, and we wish him the best. But, yeah, I think collectively, as a group, we’re sad.”

And the Wings continued while speaking with MLive’s Ansar Khan:

Continue reading Articles from practice: Wings will miss Tatar, understand that playoff odds are long

Via KK: Sportsnet’s Boylen talks Wings draft picks

Via KK, Sportsnet’s Rory Boylen took note of the fact that the Red Wings have 11 picks in this year’s draft:

It’s also worth pointing out the teams that have the most picks in the early rounds. While the Red Wings hold the most selections overall, Montreal and the Rangers pick most often in the first two rounds: New York will hold five of the first 62 picks at least, while Montreal (which holds an NHL-high four second-rounders), will also picks five times across Round 1 and 2.

One final tidbit: as the Detroit Red Wings continue to retool, draft picks have become more important to them. This is the second year in a row the Wings could pick six times in the first three rounds, but it’s almost unprecedented for Detroit to hold multiple first-round picks. Remember, in the 16 NHL drafts from 1997 to 2012, Detroit didn’t pick in the first round at all 10 times.

This year, they acquired Vegas’s first-rounder in the Tomas Tatar deal. If Detroit keeps it (which you have to believe they will), the Wings will pick twice in the opening round of the draft for the first time since the 1978 amateur draft. At that point in the league’s history, the draft age was 20 instead of 18, it was called the amateur draft as opposed to the entry draft, and ’78 marked the last selection process before the NHL-WHA merger.