Thursday’s practice: Zetterberg takes a maintenance day, Mrazek starts Friday, Canes in tough

Updated with videos of Blashill and Tatar speaking with the media at 2:07 PM: The Red Wings hit the ice at Little Caesars Arena just after 12 PM on Thursday.

Detroit hoped to build upon Wednesday’s win over the San Jose Sharks as the Wings prepared for back-to-back road games in Carolina (on Friday) and Florida (on Saturday):

That was the last practice-related Tweet that anyone posted for over an hour, save a Grand Rapids Griffins giveaway plug:

Continue reading Thursday’s practice: Zetterberg takes a maintenance day, Mrazek starts Friday, Canes in tough

TSN’s Seravalli ‘picks a team’ for Mike Green

TSN’s Frank Seravalli believes that the Vegas Golden Knights are the best fit for Mike Green…

Vegas Golden Knights: No one really knows how GM George McPhee will tinker with his long-range plan for the Golden Knights after their superlative-exhausting start to the franchise. Will he pay the price for a rental? Maybe if that price is offset by also shipping one of his out. If there’s one area Vegas could use help, it’s on their 22nd-ranked power play, where Green has generated half his points last year. McPhee knows Green better than just about anyone out there.

Seravalli also suggests that the Lightning, Maple Leafs and Capitals (the hot rumor team) are possible landing spots for Green.

Video, video: Filthy Tats and extended Wings-Sharks highlights

Of video-related note this morning:

    1. Hockey Webcaster/Robert Soderlind posted a clip of Tomas Tatar dekeing out Martin Jones during the Red Wings’ shootout win over San Jose last night…

2. And AWood40 posted an extended set of highlights from last night’s game:

Update: Sportsnet posted a clip of the Wings-Sharks shootout as well:

Continue reading Video, video: Filthy Tats and extended Wings-Sharks highlights

February is Hockey Is For Everyone month in the NHL; Abdelkader to serve as Wings’ ambassador

The NHL and NHLPA have joined forces to celebrate Hockey Is For Everyone month, and as part of the long slate of initiatives and promotions, the NHL has named 31 player ambassadors for a month focused upon inclusiveness in the hockey community.

Justin Abdelkader will represent the Red Wings during Hockey Is For Everyone month, and it will be interesting to find out whether the Red Wings will celebrate diversity in hockey. As of today, there are no listed HIFE promotions for the month, but that could change very quickly.

I am a big supporter of the concept that hockey really is for everyone–my middle-school friend Joe Kim introduced me to a sport with a dynamic Russian (Sergei Fedorov) playing for the Red Wings, and as my dad wasn’t a hockey person, my mom helped teach me how to play. I truly believe that anyone can develop a passion for the sport, and I believe it’s incredibly important to send that message.

Update: FYI:

Continue reading February is Hockey Is For Everyone month in the NHL; Abdelkader to serve as Wings’ ambassador

Prospect round-up: Lindstrom registers 2 assists; Rasmussen 1+2; Sambrook 1G, 2nd star

In prospect news:

In the Swedish Allsvenskan, Gustav Lindstrom had 2 assists in Almtuna IS’s 4-3 win over Tingsryds IF;

Mattias Elfstrom centered the 3rd line (a promotion!) in Vasterviks IK’s 3-2 win over IF Troja/Ljungby;

Continue reading Prospect round-up: Lindstrom registers 2 assists; Rasmussen 1+2; Sambrook 1G, 2nd star

Red Wings-Sharks wrap-up: Mrazek strong as Wings prevail in shootout

The Detroit Red Wings earned a much-needed victory on Wednesday night, opening the post-All-Star Break portion of their schedule with a 2-1 shootout win over the San Jose Sharks.

Justin Abdelkader of all people delivered the shootout winner, dekeing and dangling Martin Jones:

Continue reading Red Wings-Sharks wrap-up: Mrazek strong as Wings prevail in shootout

Red Wings-Sharks quick recap: shootout steal

The Detroit Red Wings hoped to kick off the post All-Star Break schedule by kicking the San Jose Sharks while they were down, with San Jose struggling through a 3-game losing streak.

Both teams desperately needed to earn two points to help keep their playoff hopes alive, and the Joe Thornton-less Sharks had given up 14 goals over their previous three games.

On Wednesday night, the Red Wings earned their two points, scoring once in regulation and 3 times in the shootout, winning 2-1 over the Sharks. Detroit gave the Sharks a point by not building upon a one-goal 3rd period lead, but Petr Mrazek was excellent, Trevor Daley of all people scored a pretty goal and Athanasiou, Tatar and Abdelkader of all people delivered in the skills competition.

Continue reading Red Wings-Sharks quick recap: shootout steal

Wings-Sharks video previews from FSD and DetroitRedWings.com

Here are two video previews ahead of tonight’s Red Wings-Sharks game (8:00 PM EST on FSD/NBCS Bay Area/97.1 FM), from Fox Sports Detroit and the Red Wings, respectively:

 

Sportsnet: Todd Bertuzzi discusses battle with panic attacks

From Sportsnet’s Megan Stewart:

Todd Bertuzzi was sitting with teammates in a popular Vancouver restaurant mere minutes before he passed out in a hotel lobby.

“I remember sitting at the Cactus Club and, all of a sudden, I started getting the sweats really, really bad. All of a sudden, my heart started going like crazy and I wasn’t sure what was going on. I kind of got scared,” he said today about his final playing days in 2013-14.

He’d managed to call his trainers for help. And then medical staff from the Vancouver Canucks came to the aid of the visiting Detroit Red Wings winger. It was the veteran power forward’s last season in the NHL on what would be his last trip as an active skater to the city where he’d played eight seasons and also where he’d faced criminal charges for a violent on-ice incident 10 seasons earlier.

He was having a panic attack. What started that night didn’t alleviate for years, he said.

Continued, with an audio clip of Bertuzzi addressing the issue: