The Malik Report

The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun gave the Winnipeg Jets’ fourth line a hell of a compliment after Winnipeg’s 3-2 win over Minnesota on Wednesday.

LeBrun suggested that the Jets’ Lowry-Tanev-Copp line evokes memories of the Red Wings’ Grind Line:

Watching from the press box on this night was Kirk Maltby, scouting the game for Detroit, he of the famous Grind Line from late ‘90s Red Wings Cup glory lore. That was a unit centred by Kris Draper that scored big goals while providing important minutes in big matchups.

“It didn’t really click in for me in terms of what were able to do as a line until we started Game 1 of the Cup final in 1997 against Philly’s Legion of Doom line,’’ Maltby told The Athletic after Wednesday night’s game.

That was an achievement. It was such an asset that the Wings could deploy their fourth line against any line that spring.

“We knew our stars would be stars from Stevie (Yzerman) on down, but for us, we always had the mindset if our line could chip in the odd goal and keep the other team off the scoresheet, that would be huge for our team,’’ Draper, driving back late Wednesday night from a scouting assignment, told The Athletic over the phone.

“We got to play against Gretzky’s line when he was in St. Louis that year in the playoffs, it was a fun challenge,” added Draper. “We had the trust of Scotty Bowman to play in all kinds of situations. That trust from your coach allows you to have the confidence to chip in offensively and play minutes.’’

LeBrun continues (paywall), with Maltby suggesting that the “Lowry Line” does indeed have a boatload of potential…

Of playoff-related prospect note:

In the OHL, Kaden Fulcher stopped 24 of 27 shots as his Hamilton Bulldogs won 4-2 over the Niagara IceDogs.

Fulcher was named the game’s third star, and Hamilton now leads Niagara 3 games to 1 in the teams’ second-round series;

Jordan Sambrook finished even with 2 shots in the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds’ 5-2 win over the Owen Sound Attack.

Sault Ste. Marie tied the second-round series at 2 games apiece;

And in the WHL, Michael Rasmusssen only had an assist on the game-winning goal, finishing +2 with 6 shots as his Tri-City Americans won 5-3 over the Victoria Royals.

Tri-City swept the second-round series, advancing to the WHL’s Western Conference Final…

And Rasmussen now has 10 goals, 14 assists and 24 points over the course of 8 playoff games played, with a +15;

Lane Zablocki had a rough night for Victoria, finishing at -2 with 3 shots and a 3-for-6 faceoff record. It’s possible that the Wings might assign Zablocki to the Grand Rapids Griffins to give him some AHL playoff experience.

Zablocki, a checking forward, ended the year with 12 goals, 19 assists and 31 points registered over the course of 65 games played with the Red Deer Rebels, Lethbridge Hurricanes and Victoria, accumulating 105 penalty minutes.

 

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan led the beat writers to the grading department in issuing 2017-18 Red Wings player grades on Tuesday, and this morning, the Free Press’s Helene St. James gives her final marks.

Let’s take a look:

F Andreas Athanasiou

C

Key stats: 16 goals, 17 assists, 33 points in 71 games.

Salary cap hit: Restricted free agent.

The buzz: With his ability to accelerate and his soft hands, he should not be as quiet as he was at times, going without a goal for stretches of 15 games and 13 games. Lost his spot on the power play because he was a non-factor (three points his first 24 games despite averaging more than two minutes per game in man-advantage time). Very skilled, but needs to show more assertiveness.

St. James continues…

Update: St. James appeared on WDET on Wednesday as well:

Helene St. James covers the Wings for the Detroit Free Press. She says Christopher Ilitch is relying on Holland’s experience to rebuild the roster. The thinking is he did it once, he can do it again.

“I’ve noticed (Holland) has done more scouting this season than he probably has in quite a while, because there’s renewed emphasis on drafting,” St. James says.

Detroit currently stands fifth in the NHL’s 2018 draft order, but that could change depending on how the draft lottery plays out. But it could be years before any of this year’s picks will be ready for the Wings. Even those that are ready might not turn the team around right away.

“Edmonton has a generational player in Connor McDavid, and they’ve missed the playoffs for the 11th time in 12 seasons,” St. James says. “It’s incredibly hard, and you need a lot of luck along the way.”

 

According to the Free Press’s Bill Laitner, all went well at the premiere of The Russian Five film at the Filmore Detroit on Wednesday night…

A sellout crowd in downtown Detroit was set to cheer and applaud Red Wings hockey Wednesday night — on the silver screen.

Sports buffs as well as mavens of documentary films lined up at The Fillmore Detroit — a short walk from the Wings’ new home at Little Caesars Arena — to view the world premiere of “The Russian Five,” a feature-length film about a quintet of Soviet emigres who, from 1990 to 2003, dotted the Red Wings’ roster to blend speed, finesse, muscle and uncanny synchrony like hockey fans had never seen.

By 1995, coaches had all five often playing at once, and it was their athletic chemistry that largely brought Detroit its first Stanley Cup in 1997 in more than half a century.

At this kickoff of the fifth annual Freep Film Festival, appreciative Red Wings fans said they were there to remember.

“We just love the Russian Five,” said Teresa Orr, 61, of Southgate, attired along with her husband, Ian Orr, 63, in bright Red Wings jerseys.

Ian Orr held a copy of the just-published book with the same title as the film, autographed moments earlier by former Free Press sports writer Keith Gave, who was writer-producer for the film while also writing the book.

Laitner continues; the Free Press posted a 63-image gallery from the premiere, and the Free Press’s Brian McCollum revealed that the Wayne Kramer-scored film will air at the Detroit Institute of Arts on Friday:

8:30 p.m. Thu., Emagine Royal Oak. Sold out.

4 p.m. Fri., Detroit Film Theatre at Detroit Institute of Arts (followed by a concert featuring Wayne Kramer & the Kollaborators). $12, $10 advance

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan shares a locker room clean-out day article this afternoon, speaking with Jimmy Howard regarding the Wings’ underwhelming 2017-18 season performance.

Howard was optimistic about the team’s future, but he didn’t spare himself from criticism regarding this season’s struggles:

“I don’t think it’s too big,” Howard said of how far the gap is for the Red Wings to return to contention. “There’s probably some people out there who’ll probably say a lot (bigger gap), but I don’t think it’s necessarily that big of a margin.

“There’s quite a few reasons why (there were) so many one-goal losses (27). All of us as a group, whether it was not making a smart play or me not coming up with a save, it falls on our shoulders to figure it out.”

Howard was, arguably, one of the Wings’ best players the first half of the season, keeping the Red Wings on the brink of the playoff line.

He was forced to play more games with backup Petr Mrazek not playing well, and then after Mrazek was traded and Jared Coreau struggling after was recalled from Grand Rapids. Howard’s statistics dipped as a result.

His 60 games played were the most since he played 63 games in back-to-back seasons in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Howard was 22-27-9 last season, with a 2.85 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. The losses and GAA were career highs. The save percentage fell considerably from the previous season (.927).

“Statistically, probably no,” Howard said of whether his season was good enough. “Far from it. In this league you want to be somewhere around the .920 save percentage and I wasn’t there.”

Kulfan continues, noting that the Red Wings will probably sign an interim back-up to help Howard along next season…

WJR AM 760’s Frank Beckmann spoke with Red Wings GM Ken Holland this morning, addressing the state of the Wings over the course of a 14-minute interview…

And Mitch Albom spoke with Wings coach Jeff Blashill regarding his retention by the team and the coaching and managerial teams’ plans going forward, over the course of a 7-minute interview:

Of Red Wings-related note this afternoon:

1. The Wings posted a clip of their recent Make-A-Wish guest, Lucas Kellogg from Westland, MI…

2. And DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji spoke with Frans Nielsen regarding the 2018 World Championship, which is being held in Nielsen’s home country of Denmark–and his hometown:

Grand Rapids Griffins announcer Bob Kaser issues something of a “State of the Griffins” while previewing tonight’s Griffins game against the Texas Stars (8:30 PM EDT on WOOD Radio).

Kaser discusses the Griffins’ playoff push, the play and leadership of Matt Ford and Eric Tangradi, and more over the course of the Griffins’ Game Day Preview video:

 

Between the slow but steady emptying of the Wings beat writers’ notebooks from locker room clean-out day, the activities of the Grand Rapids Griffins, Toledo Walleye and other Wings prospects, and the World Championship, we’re going to remain quite busy until mid-to-late May here on TMR.

I’m still going to add a category of “blurb” articles to the docket, however, because this kind of stuff will become more common as spring gives way to summer.

As you probably know by now, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and others have told us that Ken Holland is busier scouting than ever before as a consequential 2018 draft looms, and the Sarnia Observer’s Ryan Pyette reports that Holland wrapped up locker room clean-out day by watching the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers play the Sarnia Sting:

Red Wings GM Ken Holland, fresh off his two-year contract extension this week, was in attendance for scouting purposes. Rangers forward Givani Smith, who parked himself in front of Justin Fazio’s crease all night, is a Detroit prospect

Sarnia won last night’s 2nd round playoff game 4-1, and Smith finished at -1 with 5 shots.

Update: Make that “Blurbs du jour,” via the Free Press’s Greg Crawford’s Metro Detroit weekend planner…

MURRAY HOWE, son of Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe, will share stories about life with his father during an appearance Saturday at senior living community Waltonwood Cherry Hill in Canton. Howe, a Toledo radiologist, will speak, answer audience questions and discuss his book “Nine Lessons I Learned from My Father” (Viking, $24.95), which was published last fall. A portion of proceeds from sales of the book at his appearance will go to the Alzheimer’s Association — Greater Michigan Chapter. Howe is devoted to aiding seniors living with Alzheimer’s because both of his parents dealt with dementia in their later years.

2 p.m. Saturday, Waltonwood Cherry Hill, Canton. Seating is limited. RSVP by calling 734-335-1199.

And the Victoria Times-Colonist’s Cleve Dheensaw offered this description of Michael Rasmussen as the big Tri-City Americans forward’s team won 6-5 over the Victoria Royals last night, in no small part due to Rasmussen’s 1-goal, 3-assist performance:

The albatross-like forward Michael Rasmussen of the Americans, selected ninth overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the 2017 NHL draft, was named WHL player of the week and now has five goals and 11 points against the Royals in the series after picking up a goal and three assists Tuesday.

 

MLive’s Ansar Khan posted an intriguing post-locker room clean-out day column this afternoon, discussing Andreas Athanasiou’s potential from the perspectives of both the player himself…

Asked if his compete level has been where it should be, Athanasiou said, “I think I can compete at a high level. I think I can compete in playoffs. I kind of showed that the last time we were in the playoffs (2016) when I got in that Tampa series. I think competing at a high level is very important. There’s a lot of times where the stage is big here and you have to compete on that level, and I think I do a really good job of competing on the big stage and at the highest level.”

And those of his teammates (captain included) and coach:

Zetterberg said on Tuesday that Athanasiou needs to “just keep on the path he is on,” while learning to become a more complete player.

“Compare last year to this year, he played a little bit more minutes,” Zetterberg said. “I still think he is a very productive player.

“But, also, if you see what Dylan (Larkin) did this year, his points went up but also the way he played the game got better. He played both ways. I think that’s something that AA needs to do, too. Obviously, he’s a winger, not a centerman, but if he completes his game on that part, I’m pretty sure his production will do the same.”

Khan continues, noting that Frans Nielsen also believes that AA has more to give…