Highlights from the Dylan Larkin/Ken Holland press conference call

Updated 4x at 2:48 PM: The Red Wings signed Dylan Larkin to a 5-year, $30.5 million contract extension today, and both Larkin and Red Wings GM Ken Holland spoke with the media shortly after the contract was announced.

The Detroit News’s Rod Beard took note of Larkin and Holland’s remarks…

“It’s a really good contract for the Red Wings and it’s a really good contract for Dylan,” Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said Friday on a conference call announcing the move.

Larkin, 22, was the Wings’ first-round pick (15th overall) in 2014 after having played a year at Michigan. A Waterford native, Larkin was an All-Star in 2016 ad represented the United States in the 2017 World Championships.

“It’s a huge honor. To be playing in my hometown, to have this commitment of five years, to be a Red Wing for five more years,” Larkin said on the conference call. “I feel really good about this contract getting done.”

As Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg reaches the twilight of his career, Larkin looks to be the heir apparent as a team leader — and could eventually become captain. A long-term deal is a step in that direction, showing the team’s confidence in him as a leader both in the locker room and on the ice.

“The leadership part is natural. I don’t try to be a person I’m not,” Larkin said. “As the years have gone on, I’ve learned a ton and I’m more mature. I’ve grown up in the leadership part and I’ve learned from some of the best leaders in the game in Henrik Zetterberg, (Niklas) Kronwall, Pavel Datsyuk, (Justin) Abdelkader and Trevor Daley. I want to drive the bus and be that go-to guy.”

As did Michigan Hockey’s Michael Caples…

Continue reading Highlights from the Dylan Larkin/Ken Holland press conference call

Grand Rapids Griffins partner with Uni Watch for jersey design contest

From Uni Watch’s Phil Hecken:

Third Time’s A Charm! Your 2018 Griffins Design Contest

or the third consecutive year, I’m pleased to announce what has become our annual design contest, once again in partnership with the Grand Rapids Griffins (a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League, whose primary affiliate is the Detroit Red Wings). The original contest began in 2016 (from which I received 85 submissions), and was held again last year, which resulted in 119 submissions.

I had hoped to kick the contest off on August 1st, but due to some personnel shifting in the Griffins organization, we’re getting the contest off the ground today.

In the past two contests, the winner received a personalized jersey, tickets to the game when the jerseys was worn, and public recognition at the game. An awesome “prize” for the winner. The Griffins have graciously offered this as a prize again for this year’s winner.

This contest will be very similar in set-up to the past two. While last year the team was looking for a “fauxback” design, this year the team is simply looking for a “Third Jersey.” That leaves much to your imagination, designers! As a point of information, back in 2015 the team adopted black, red and white as official colors, with the new logo and unis detailed here. For the contest, the team has NOT specified any particular colors for your jersey design, but the official team colors are (CMYK Colors): Red 12/100/92/3, Gray 31/25/26/0, Gold 43/49/76/21, Black 75/68/67/90, White 0/0/0/0.

According to Hecken, the contest will run until Tuesday, August 21st at 10 AM EDT….

TSN takes note of KH’s conference call comments about Henrik Zetterberg’s health

Updated 3x at 1:57 PM: TSN took note of Ken Holland’s comments regarding Henrik Zetterberg’s health, as issued during the Dylan Larkin conference call:

“I am anxious to know where Henrik Zetterberg is at,” Holland said Friday, per the Detroit Free Press. “He’s a bit of an unknown as far as health. Have talked to his agent – he has had tough summer. He hasn’t been able to train anywhere near where at past summers.

“I’m hoping he’ll play.”

The 37-year-old posted 11 goals and 56 points last season and remains signed for three more seasons at a $6.08 million cap hit, though his salary sits at $3.35 million this year and $1 million in each of the following two seasons.

Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill was noncommittal when asked last month whether the centre would be back with the team.

“At this point, I haven’t heard anything from Henrik to say that he is or is not playing,” Blashill told the Free Press. “The biggest thing with Henrik is how healthy is Henrik? I know he spent the whole second half of last season not practising because of his back. He ground it out because he is the ultimate warrior, one of the best I have ever been around, and was able to still be a real good player. But that continues to take a wear and tear on your body.

“So I think he is in the process of deliberating to see, where is his back at? And only Henrik can answer that and it will be answered I am sure come camp time.”

Update: Here’s more from Sportsnet’s Josh Beneteau:

Continue reading TSN takes note of KH’s conference call comments about Henrik Zetterberg’s health

Walleye re-sign Kevin Lohan

From the Toledo Walleye:

WALLEYE BRING BACK KEVIN LOHAN

(Toledo, OH) – Defenseman Kevin Lohan, who appeared in six games late last season for the Walleye, has agreed to terms with the Toledo Walleye for the 2018-19 season.

Lohan collected three assists and was an outstanding plus six in his six games for the Walleye after completing his college career. The 6’5”, 220 pound defenseman completed playing as a grad student this past year for Boston College season with two goals, six assists and 10 penalty minutes with an impressive plus 14 in 22 games for the Eagles. Prior to that, the Cold Spring Harbor, New York native, spent four years at the University of Michigan, appearing in 64 games with a pair of goals, nine assists and 34 penalty minutes.

“We are excited to have such a steady defenseman like Kevin back on our blue line,” said Head Coach Dan Watson. “In limited time at the end of last year we saw what he can do and that experience will be valuable to him coming into his first full pro season.”

The 24-year-old received a medical redshirt for the 2015-16 season when he skated in just two games for Michigan, allowing to play a grad year at Boston College. He finished his college career with a total of 86 games with 19 points (4G, 15A), 44 penalty minutes and plus 31. Prior to his collegiate career, Lohan appeared in 54 games with the Merritt Centennials of the BCHL. In that one season, he scored five goals with 18 assists with 26 penalty minutes.

Red Wings sign Dylan Larkin to a 5-year, $30.5 million contract (plus conference call Tweets)

Updated with conference call Tweets: It’s finally happened:

Details are pending. Check back for updates.

 

Here’s the Wings’ press release:

Continue reading Red Wings sign Dylan Larkin to a 5-year, $30.5 million contract (plus conference call Tweets)

Joe Hicketts wants to crack the Wings’ roster this season

Joe Hicketts has been training for the upcoming season in his hometown of Kamloops, British Columbia. Hicketts spoke with Kamloops This Week’s Marty Hastings regarding his goal of making the Wings’ roster this season:

“I was only up for a day and a half or two days, but you’re flying to New Jersey, you’re not on the bus,” Hicketts said. “That was kind of the first taste that, you know what, I don’t really want to get sent back down.

“At the end of the season, I was up for another couple games and that was kind of the last little push that said, ‘I’m going to do everything in my power this off-season to work toward being there full-time.’”

Off-season training has been intense and included a trip to Montreal to work on skills and power skating.

Hicketts will be working out in Kamloops before heading to practise later this month with the Victoria Royals, with whom he starred in a four-season WHL career.

There were mistakes, but the 5-foot-8, 180-pound rearguard did not look out of place on an NHL blue line, with his first point coming in a 5-2 victory over Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in Detroit on March 27. He will head to the Motor City in September with no plans to leave.

“Last year, with salary cap and other contract restrictions, it was easy to send me down while they had their 23-man roster,” Hicketts said. “This year, it’s my chance to get in, I think.”

Continued

Pro Stock Hockey guest article: the Red Wings’ equipment choices

Pro Stock Hockey’s A.J. Lee wrote an article about the Red Wings’ equipment choices, and I hope you enjoy this guest post from A.J.:

Red Wings Equipment Choices

The Detroit Red Wings didn’t have a 2017-18 for the record books. Unless you count missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1983 as some kind of record.

OK, they also scored their fewest points (73) ever in an 82-game season, so that is actually a record. And they did it with the oldest team, by average age, in the league, which is nothing if not a signal for a rebuild.

Still, there aren’t many hockey fans more serious about their team than Red Wings fans. And, as Michigan produces more NHL players than any state other than Minnesota, even the state’s amateur players are serious about their gear, as well.

For anyone looking to get their hands on the gear used by the Red Wings, here’s a rundown.

Continue reading Pro Stock Hockey guest article: the Red Wings’ equipment choices

Tidbits from a roughly translated interview with Patrik Rybar

Red Wings prospect Patrik Rybar gave an interview to Pravda.sk’s Pavol Komar, and the interview is hard to translate, so I’ll offer some of the highlights thereof:

  • Patrik is the son of Pavol Rybar, a goaltender who played for Slovakia in the 1998 and 2002 Olympics. Pavol played for HC Slovan Bratislava for most of his career;
  • Patrik says that he’s been told that he’ll battle with Harri Sateri for the starter’s spot in Grand Rapids–per the Red Wings’ coaching staff–and he expects to take some English lessons;
  • Rybar was unable to play at the summer development camp because he had surgery on an ankle injury. His ankle has apparently been bothering him since the 2016-17 season, his first of two played for HC Hradec Kralove, and Rybar’s been rehabbing his injury this summer, yielding little to no summer vacation as a result.
  • Rybar says that he talked to Tomas Jurco about playing for the Red Wings organization, and Rybar says that he will rely on himself, work with the Wings’ goalie coaches in Detroit and Grand Rapids at the end of August…
  • And Rybar says that he’s going to have to adjust to the smaller goalie pants and new NHL-regulated chest protectors required by the league. If you’ve seen pictures of Rybar playing for Slovakia or Hradec Kralove, he wore a very large chest protector, so there may be some significant adjusting involved;
  • It sounds like Rybar will try to make the NHL this year and next year, and if he doesn’t make it, he’ll head back to Europe.

Khan examines Martin Frk’s 2018-19 possibilities

MLive’s Ansar Khan examines Martin Frk’s 2018-19 season outlook this morning:

2018-19 outlook: Frk boasts one of the hardest shots in the league and he’s right-handed, which is in short supply on this team (Thomas Vanek, Luke Glendening and Luke Witkowski are the only other righty forwards). His one-timer is weapon, particularly on the power play. Problem is, where does he fit in at even-strength?

There is no room on the top three lines for Frk, especially if rookies Filip Zadina and Michael Rasmussen make the team. Frk is strictly an offensive player who doesn’t fit the fourth-line mold, but that might be the only place he can play. And even then, it might require an injury or two to get him in the lineup.

He could be the 13th/14th forward. If cap space becomes tight, Frk could be waived and, if he clears, sent to the Grand Rapids Griffins, where his entire salary would be buried.

With so much competition up front, it will be an uphill battle for Frk to crack the lineup.

Quotable: “(Coach Jeff Blashill) is really strict and he wants the players to work on both sides of the ice. It’s definitely a little bit different for me. I’m trying to be as good offensively and (on the) defensive side. Especially on that fourth line you don’t want the line to score against you.” — Frk

Continued