Of text-related note ahead of tonight’s game between the Florida Panthers and Detroit Red Wings (7:00 PM on FSD Plus/FS Florida/97.1 FM):
Okay, not just in text: here’s the Wings’ Game Day Preview…
And now, the text stuff:
1. NHL.com’s Alain Poupart does a nice job of setting up tonight’s game from both teams’ perspectives:
The Free Press’s Helene St. James penned an odd column, praising the surge of offense from the Red Wings’ defense on one hand, and offering the this as her conclusion:
These encouraging signs are good for the current team, but it doesn’t mean the organization should scrap plans to sell as the Feb. 26 trade deadline approaches. The Wings are not Stanley Cup contenders. When a good offer materializes for Green — and his offensive prowess is exactly what appeals to teams eyeing a run for the Cup — the Wings are better off long term taking it, even as it will negatively impact this season’s team.
The Wings need a high draft pick, and they won’t have a shot at the draft lottery if they make the playoffs. Defenseman Rasmus Darlin is the prize of the 2018 NHL entry draft, but there are also blue-chip defense prospects in Adam Boqvist and Michigan freshman Quinn Hughes. Andrei Svechnikov, brother of Wings prospect Evgeny Svechnikov, could go second overall.
Last season, the Philadelphia Flyers missed the playoffs by seven points, but moved up from 13th in the draft lottery to pick second overall.
Good for the Wings to play well down the stretch. Better for the Wings to still miss the playoffs.
I get the conclusion, but I’m not quite sure how St. James gets there…
Of mid-Saturday note from TSN’s Bob McKenzie, who was “thinking out loud” (and/or “ruminating,” as Mickey Redmond might say):
A couple of random pre-trade deadline thoughts, given the deadline is three weeks Monday: I’ll be keeping an eye on TB and NSH as perhaps the two teams who could/would conceivably make significant moves, given their firm status as legit Cup contenders…
In the TSN Coaches Poll last week, those two teams were clearly identified as favourites to contend for Cup, although WPG, VGK and BOS also got some support. Point is, given their recent histories (both losing in a Cup final) and rosters that are heavily constructed to win now…
Continue reading Mid-day deadline ruminations from McKenzie–intriguing stuff
The Detroit Red Wings will battle the Florida Panthers this evening (7:00 PM EST on FSD Plus due to a Pistons-Heat game at LCA/FS Florida/97.1 FM).
The Wings hope to push their winning streak to 3 games as they tangle with an opponent that’s vexed them in the 21-22-and-6 Panthers, who sit only 2 points behind the Wings in the Wild Card and Eastern Conference standings.
Florida comes into tonight’s game having won 2 straight games, including a 4-2 decision over Buffalo on Thursday, and the Panthers have won with a “green” goalie, as noted by STATS’ Wings-Panthers preview:
FYI from the Saginaw Spirit, assuming you don’t have any Saturday plans:
‼️TONIGHT‼️
The 11th Annual Shocks and Saves game featuring @RedWingAlumni begins today at 4:30 PM
Following the charity game, the #Spirit host the Flint Firebirds at 7:30 PM
Get your tickets NOW by calling 989-497-7747 pic.twitter.com/eeMLRN57qe
— Saginaw Spirit (@SpiritHockey) February 3, 2018
Red Wings prospect David Pope scored a hat trick last night for the University of Nebraska-Omaha, which lost 5-3 to Saint Cloud State University on Friday night. Red Wings Prospects on Twitter found a highlight clip of the game.
Pope’s wearing #12 for the Mavericks (in black):
The Free Press’s J.C. Reindl reports that the end is coming for Joe Louis Arena:
he City of Detroit has until May to start demolition work for now-empty Joe Louis Arena with a goal of getting the land ready for a new, large hotel that would reshape the downtown riverfront.
That deadline is laid out in a 3-year-old agreement between the city and one of its former bondholders, which received future ownership and development rights to the arena property in exchange for accepting big losses during Detroit’s 2013-14 municipal bankruptcy.
The deal requires the city — which built and still owns The Joe — to begin the demolition process within 90 days of the expiration of the arena’s long-term lease with the Red Wings and the Ilitch family’s Olympia Entertainment.
The lease was initially expected to end by mid-September 2017, according to the agreement and city documents, yet didn’t expire until Wednesday because Olympia exercised options for time extensions. Work crews were spotted in recent weeks removing material from the 38-year-old, windowless building.
In the AHL, Filip Hronek had a goal and an assist, Matt Puempel, Cory Elkins and Matt Lorito scored goals and Tom McCollum became the Griffins’ all-time goaltending wins leader via a 26-save performance in the Grand Rapids Griffins’ 4-2 win over Cleveland.
The Griffins’ website posted a recap of the game in which McCollum won his 110th game as a Griffin:
The Detroit Red Wings did a fine job of winning a 4-1 decision over the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday evening; the Wings will attempt to extend their winning streak to 3 games as they face the Florida Panthers on Saturday night (7:00 PM EST on FSD Plus/FS Florida/97.1 FM).
The Red Wings played at least a solid 50 of 60 minutes against the Hurricanes, and the Hurricanes’ players tipped their hats to the Red Wings’ desire and determination, as noted by the Raleigh News & Observer’s Chip Alexander:
Continue reading Red Wings-Hurricanes wrap-up and Red Wings-Panthers set-up:
The Detroit Red Wings attempted to build a modest 2-game winning streak as they faced the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday evening. Carolina had won 3 straight games, and was looking to slide back into one of the Eastern Conference’s Wild Card spots.
The Red Wings did an excellent job of out-playing the Hurricanes for the game’s final 50 minutes, out-scoring Carolina 4-1 and out-hustling the Canes by a substantial margin. Darren Helm had 3 points (1G, 2A), Anthony Mantha had 6 shots, Petr Mrazek had 37 saves and Henrik Zetterberg passed Pavel Datsyuk on the team’s all-time assists list.
Henrik Zetterberg collected the 605th assist of his NHL career (all w/ DET) to pass former teammate Pavel Datsyuk for sole possession of fifth place on the @DetroitRedWings all-time list. #NHLStats #DETvsCAR pic.twitter.com/MzofNqoGPe
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 3, 2018
Regardless of the team’s playoff fate, it’s good to watch the Wings play such a strong game.
Continue reading Red Wings-Hurricanes quick take: Helm, Wings out-hustle the Canes
