Wings ‘Forecheck’ previews this week’s games

The Red Wings have posted a video called “The Forecheck,” in which Carly Johnston and Chris Chelios discuss the Red Wings’ games this week–Detroit hosts Boston on Tuesday, February 6th and will play in Brooklyn against the Islanders on Friday the 9th:


Our friends from Boston sit at 31-11-and-8, and  Tuukka Rask won or earned a point in his 20th straight game in Saturday night’s 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Boston has won 7 of its past 8 games  and they’re absolutely dominant over the Wings.

After Friday night’s game, the Wings will play 9 games over the course of 15 nights leading up to the trade deadline on February 26th.

Crain’s Detroit Business: map reveals possible plans for District Detroit

According to Crain’s Detroit Business’s Kirk Pinho, a “conceptual” map from Olympia Development, obtained by Crain’s, shows as-yet-unannounced plans for the District Detroit:

Two high-rise buildings are planned to flank Comerica Park.

The towers, overlooking the home of the Detroit Tigers, are just a few of the developments in the Ilitch family’s District Detroit project revealed in an aerial map that shows the latest vision for what surrounds the 41,299-seat baseball stadium.

In addition, a new hotel where Hockeytown Cafe now stands and retail flanking both sides of Woodward Avenue’s passage over I-75 are planned, according to the map, which Crain’s obtained last week.

All told, it includes nearly 200,000 square feet of new retail space, plus the previously undisclosed hotel, a “tech store” and a market, in addition to the two high-rise buildings referred to as Montcalm Tower and Adams Tower.

Continued

Jiri Fischer talks about his sons’ playing plans

MLive’s Hugh Berenreuter spoke with Wings director of player recruitment Jiri Fischer after his annual “Shocks vs. Saves” game in Saginaw, and Fischer stated that his sons are playing hockey with an eye on their secondary education:

Berenreuter continues…

 

Sunday scuttlebutt, state of the website version

So it turns out that most people start with the logo, then get the website sorted out, and worry about the content last.

I blame being left-handed for thinking backwards, then, because I went with the content, assuming that it would drive a logo and a website.

Did I mention that I’m doing crowdfunding? That the goal at least is to keep ads away from this website (or at least inconspicuous), so that you can go ahead and support the website without having to turn off your ad-blockers or script-blockers that you should probably be using on your browser like a condom for the World Wide Web?

This week, we are having a contest to design a new logo for the website. I will pay real money to the winner.

This week, I will be talking to the couple of website designers that have reached out. I know the website can be buggy with new updates. I plan on hammering that out very soon.

After the logo and website are sorted out, I’ll try to work on merchandise, because the concept here is that a significant percentage of the funds raised go back into the community–and more than just in the form of, “No more fundraisers for Traverse City, ‘selling’ Patreon subscriptions.'”

Yes, I want a nice logo, a pretty, functional website and am aiming for 200 subscribers as part of the larger community, but I sort of figured that you’d be willing to put up with the hiccups if there was content first and foremost.

That’s the message, I suppose, to the stakeholders, a.k.a. you. I’m one human being here, but I’ll work my ass off to churn out content whenever possible. That means working harder than I ever have and smarter than I ever have, but ultimately, it’s about sharing the story for me, and there are always stories to tell.

It’s been six days. There are bugs to iron out. They keep me up at night. I’m working on it. I’m working on a lot, actually, one skate stride at a time.

 

 

Prospect round-up: Walleye beat Indy thanks to Nagle’s 44 stops; Cholowski posts another assist

In the ECHL, Shane Berschbach had 2 assists, Patrick McCarron, Christian Hilbrich, Mike Embach and Kyle Bonis scored goals and Pat Nagle stopped 44 of 46 shots as the Toledo Walleye won 4-2 over the Indy Fuel.

The Walleye’s website posted a recap:

Continue reading Prospect round-up: Walleye beat Indy thanks to Nagle’s 44 stops; Cholowski posts another assist

Red Wings-Panthers wrap-up: controversial goal yields a lost opportunity

The Detroit Red Wings lost a frustrating 3-2 decision to the Florida Panthers on Saturday night, and they lost the game because of a controversial goal scored with 7.9 seconds remaining in regulation:

The Red Wings were frustrated, to say the least…

But the Red Wings made sure to point out that they lost the game to a team that now is tied with Detroit in the Eastern Conference and Wild Card standings. Detroit sits at 21-22-and-8, Florida at 22-22-and-6, with Detroit losing the tiebreaker because they’ve played in 51 games to Florida’s 50.

Our friends from Florida felt that the NHL’s situation room “got it right,” as they told FloridaPanthers.com’s Jameson Olive:

Continue reading Red Wings-Panthers wrap-up: controversial goal yields a lost opportunity

Red Wings-Panthers quick take: Were the Wings jobbed? Maybe, maybe not.

The Red Wings attempted to extend their fledgling win streak to three games while battling a pesky opponent in the Florida Panthers on Saturday night.

Detroit played rope-a-dope hockey en route to a 3-2 loss to the Panthers, who are now tied with the Red Wings in points…

And the Wings lost on a controversial call, with Jonathan Huberdeau first shoving Mrazek, perhaps involuntarily, and then putting the puck past Mrazek with 7.9 seconds remaining in the 3rd period.

Mrazek was furious when the NHL-instituted review for goaltender interference played out, Blashill got kicked out of the game and the Red Wings left the ice reluctantly and left the ice irate.

Update: Here’s the Panthers’ call from NHL.com, 3:24 of it:

Update #2: YouTube version:

Continue reading Red Wings-Panthers quick take: Were the Wings jobbed? Maybe, maybe not.

Wings’ starter vs. Florida won’t be determined until pre-game warm-ups

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill addressed the media ahead of tonight’s game between the Red Wings and Florida Panthers, and the Sun-Sentinel’s Matthew DeFranks reports that Blashill didn’t name his starting goalie:

DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji confirmed:

Update: Here’s Blashill speaking with the media, via the Red Wings…

And…

 

Red Wings-Panthers game-day articles: a Game Day Preview video, Panthers talk and Wings “O from D”

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:

Continue reading Red Wings-Panthers game-day articles: a Game Day Preview video, Panthers talk and Wings “O from D”

HSJ: Goals from defensemen are good, but missing the playoffs is better

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…