The Fourth Period on Wings rumors

The Fourth Period has weighed in regarding the current Red Wings-related trade rumors:

Though soon-to-be unrestricted free agent defenceman Mike Green has garnered the most attention, teams are currently balking at the asking price. While trade talks involving Green will pick up steam later this week, Holland’s focus may presently be on some of his other players.

I’m guessing that the Wings are asking for a 1st round pick and top prospect for Green, and the Wings have to ask for that kind of return, but I expect Detroit to ultimately end up with a pair of 2nd-round picks for Green.

As for Luke Glendening, Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist…

The Toronto Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning are among the teams believed to be interested in Glendening, while the Nashville Predators have spoken with the Wings about Tatar, and the St. Louis Blues and San Jose Sharks have expressed interest in Nyquist.

Glendening and Tatar each have three-years left on their respective contracts after this season, while Nyquist has one-year remaining.

Nyquist also owns a full no-trade clause and would have to sign off on any trade the Red Wings attempt to complete.

I hate to say this, because I like Tatar and Nyquist, but they are very similar players, and the Wings are spending over $10 million for two similar players. I expect one of the two–if not both–to be gone by Monday.

Michigan Hockey: Mike Green still lending a charitable hand

Sometimes it’s hard to remember that the Wings’ trade deadline “pieces” are people, too, but Michigan Hockey’s Michael Caples penned a superbly-timed article discussing one of Mike Green’s community contributions:

The Special Olympics athletes knew they were in for a fun time at Meijer in Detroit Monday evening.

They didn’t know they would be meeting Mike Green, though.

For one of their Hockey is For Everyone Month events, the Detroit Red Wings teamed up with Kraft Hockeyville and Meijer to create a special night for the special-needs athletes and Red Wings fans – complete with working on their wrist and snap-shot skills with the team’s most-recent All-Star representative.

“This is great,” Green told MiHockey. “I’m glad everybody showed up, and we had a lot of fun shooting. I hope all the athletes had as much fun as they could.”

Caples continues…

A bit more about Tomas Tatar’s tradeability from TSN’s McKenzie

As a follow-up to TSN’s Darren Dreger’s Tweet regarding the Predators and Tomas Tatar, TSN posted a new episode of “Insider Trading,” and Bob McKenzie made this comment regarding Tatar:

Taking term?

Gino Reda: Evander Kane would certainly be a rental and, Bob, a lot of teams are interested in rentals but there are a number of teams looking at guys with term as well.

Bob McKenzie: What a lot of teams are realizing is that the prices on the rentals are so high – first round plus plus – that teams like the Nashville Predators, for example, while they have interest in those rental goal-scoring wingers, they’re also looking at guys that have term on their contract because they might be able to get somebody like a Tomas Tatar from the Detroit Red Wings, who’s got three years left on his deal at $5.3 million for a price that will be less than some of the rentals. Now the Red Wings are not obliged to trade but with the Nashville Predators and the Detroit Red Wings playing each other on Tuesday night there’s an opportunity there and there has been conversations between those teams about that player.

Red Wings-Predators quick take: Wings work their butts off but can’t Finnish vs. Saros, Predators

The Detroit Red Wings attempted to sweep their season series against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.

Detroit worked its asses off for the final 40 minutes’ worth of play, but the Wings surrendered a 2-0 first period deficit to Nashville, Detroit was not able to close 2-1 or 3-1 deficits, and ultimately the Wings lost 3-2 to a determined Nashville team.

Detroit out-shot Nashville 28-14 over the final 2 periods and 36-29 overall, the Wings were gritty, determined and nasty at times, and I cannot complain about Detroit’s effort, intensity, attention to detail, or anything else other than their finishing skill.

Jusse Saros was tremendous and the Predators’ defense was better, because Detroit fired another 18 shots into Predators’ shin pads and 11 wide of the net.

So the Wings enter the post-Mrazek era 0-and-1. They host the Sabres on Thursday and Hurricanes on Saturday, the Wings head to New York to play the Rangers on Sunday, and a different set of personnel will enter a road-heavy March schedule after next Monday’s trade deadline.

Continue reading Red Wings-Predators quick take: Wings work their butts off but can’t Finnish vs. Saros, Predators

Two Red Wings-related ‘thoughts’ from Friedman

From Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman’s 31 Thoughts column:

11. Toronto certainly has interest in Luke Glendening, but I’m not sure how the Maple Leafs can do it for a draft pick. They’re at 48 contracts, two shy of the max, and they wouldn’t want to get back to 50.

It’s likely they discussed Nikita Soshnikov as part of the trade before the winger was sent to St. Louis, so it makes sense that maybe Josh Leivo could be part of this.

The other key would be a draft pick, and the two sides are a few rounds apart on agreeing.

12. At times, the Red Wings have shown an inclination to move Gustav Nyquist or Tomas Tatar, but not both.

We’ll see where it goes, but while Nashville has shown interest in Tatar, there may be others who like Nyqvist better because he’s got one year remaining as opposed to Tatar’s two.

Nyquist controls more of his future at this time with a no-trade, while Tatar’s doesn’t kick in until July 1.

Continued

All about Pat Nagle

The Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe penned a superb profile of Toledo Walleye goaltender Pat Nagle:

When Toledo Walleye goaltender Pat Nagle started his pro career, he set the bar high. As a rookie in 2012, Nagle won two league championships. Nagle helped lead the Florida Everblades to the ECHL’s Kelly Cup. That same season, he also was a part of the Norfolk Admirals’ American Hockey League title team.

“I came away with two rings and had a pretty fun summer after my first year,” Nagle said, chuckling. “I was pretty spoiled. I didn’t realize how good I had it. I haven’t been too close since.”

But Nagle, who is in his seventh season, has made the playoffs every year of his career and has amassed 147 wins.

“Knock on wood, I’ve made it to the second round every year,” Nagle said. “It’d be fun to go on a run again.”

Nagle has provided a steady and confident presence in net for Toledo this season. Nagle, a 30-year-old native of Bloomfield, Mich., came to the Walleye from Toledo’s arch-rival Fort Wayne in the offseason.

Walleye coach Dan Watson said he gives his team a chance to win every night.

“His yearly records show he is a winner, and that is done through daily preparation, good habits, and having the will to win,” Watson said. “He provides confidence in our players every game he starts.”

Monroe continues…

Wings to ‘evaluate’ Jared Coreau’s play

The Red Wings have recalled Jared Coreau, but Ken Holland stated during his press conference that Coreau wasn’t necessarily guaranteed a spot as Jimmy Howard’s back-up. According to Holland, the Wings will evaluate Coreau, as Hockeybuzz’s Bob Duff noted…

“It’s a huge opportunity,” Coreau said. “I still have to earn things, nothing’s given like we always say. But it’s exciting times.”

Coreau is riding a hot streak. He stopped all 66 shots he faced in the Griffins’ back-to-back shutout wins over the Western Conference-leading Manitoba Moose last week. Coreau ranks third in the AHL this season with 20 wins in 36 appearances, alongside a 2.47 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and two shutouts. He won a Calder Cup title last spring, and like Mrazek, the Wings must make a decision on whether Coreau has a future with the organization.

“It’s a chance now to evaluate him at the NHL level,” Holland said. “He’s an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. I think he’s coming up at a time in his season, in his career, when he’s as ready as he can be.”

And Coreau spoke with the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan regarding his recall:

Coreau is 13-2-3 with a 1.92 goals-against average and .933 save percentage since Dec. 22 with the Griffins, and was just named American League player of the week.

Holland left open the chance of acquiring a veteran backup for Howard, but Coreau, 26, will certainly get a chance to show he’s ready for the NHL.

“Jared has played real well in Grand Rapids,” Holland said. “It’s a great opportunity for Jared. He’s played real well at the American League level, helped GR win a Calder Cup championship (in 2017).”

Coreau was 5-4-3 with the Red Wings last season when Howard was hurt, with a 3.46 GAA and .887 save percentage.

Coreau found out about Mrazek being traded late Monday and hurried to pack.

“The whole night’s kind of been a blur,” Coreau said. “I got a little bit of sleep and woke up this morning and came over. I called my parents right away — think I woke them up. This is a huge opportunity. I still have to earn things; nothing is given. But it’s exciting.”

 

Dreger: Predators interested in Tomas Tatar

It never ends, via CBS Detroit:

Quoting 97.1 the Ticket:

The Red Wings dealt Petr Mrazek to the Flyers on Monday night and have a few more chips to play ahead of the Feb. 26 trade deadline.

One of them, Mike Green, is almost certain to be moved, with early reports connecting him to the Lightning. Others, such as Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist and Luke Glendening, aren’t such sure bets.

If the trade market for that trio isn’t to the Red Wings’ liking in the next few days, they can revisit it this summer or at next season’s deadline. But in the case of Tatar, something could happen soon.

The Predators are reportedly interested in the scoring winger, and they’re in town to play the Red Wings Tuesday night. The 27-year-old Tatar, who carries a $5.3 million cap hit through the 2020-21 season, has 15 goals in 58 games this year.

Red Wings-Predators game-day updates: Blashill says Wings ‘aren’t finished’; more reaction to Mrazek trade; Coreau speaks; half-an-hour of Holland

The Detroit Red Wings host the Nashville Predators tonight (7:30 PM EST on FSD/FS Tennessee/97.1 FM), and the Wings will start Jimmy Howard but play without Mike Green (shoulder); the Predators did not hold a morning skate, so we won’t know who the Preds start until later this afternoon.

In the multimedia department, the Red Wings posted a game-day preview video…

MLive’s Ansar Khan posted a clip of Jimmy Howard addressing his status…

Continue reading Red Wings-Predators game-day updates: Blashill says Wings ‘aren’t finished’; more reaction to Mrazek trade; Coreau speaks; half-an-hour of Holland