Freep: Superior Fish will of-fish-ally close next week

This isn’t hard-hitting news, but it’s still Red Wings-related in an eight-legged way. The Free Press’s Robert Allen reports that the “Of-fish-al” supplier of octopi will close:

A decades-long source of octopuses for Detroit Red Wings fans is drying up.

Superior Fish Co. on 11 Mile near Main Street in Royal Oak is closing. The last day of full service is Saturday, and there’s to be a sale on frozen fish — and pieces of the store “just as they sell the seats to to Joe Louis (Arena)” — the following week.

“We’ve been very fortunate to have that relationship with our Red Wing fans,” said co-owner Kevin Dean. “We became known as the ‘O-Fish-Al Octopi Supplier,’ and we came up with the ‘Octoquette,’ which is the proper etiquette for propelling a cephalopod.”

They’d even provide a kit, with the eight-legged sea creature in a plastic bag, along with a pair of rubber gloves and hand wipes. The store, which opened at a different location in 1940, had by the mid-80s become a popular place for gutsy hockey fans who would sneak octopuses into Joe Louis Arena under their jerseys, hats or even in baby carriers, and throw them on the ice after a goal — especially during the playoffs.

Continued

Update: The Free Press also posted a primer on the Cusimano brothers’ establishment of the octopus-throwing tradition, and Kirkland Crawford offers other fish suppliers.

Grand Rapids Griffins to hold ‘Lids at the Library’ events on June 19, June 26

From the Grand Rapids Griffins:

GRIFFINS TO HOST “LIDS AT THE LIBRARY” BIKE HELMET GIVEAWAYS

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Two hundred children will receive a new bike helmet at no cost over the next two weeks as the Grand Rapids Griffins and Safe Kids Greater Grand Rapids host a pair of events to kick off the 15th summer of the Griffins’ “Put A Lid On It!” (PALOI) bike helmet safety program.

The fun begins with the 11th annual “Lids at the Library,” a two-day event held at branches of the Grand Rapids Public Library and the Kent District Library. KDL’s Kentwood Branch (4950 Breton Rd. SE) will be the site next Tuesday, June 19 at 2 p.m., while GRPL’s Van Belkum Branch (1563 Plainfield Ave. NE) will host the event on Tuesday, June 26 at 2 p.m.

Volunteers from the Griffins, Safe Kids and program sponsors will be on hand to properly fit these free helmets for the first 100 kids at each location. Helmets will be distributed to kids ages 1-12 (subject to availability), and a parent or legal guardian must be present for a child to receive a helmet. A variety of information from the Griffins and Safe Kids will also be available for pickup.

Every child fitted with a new helmet during “Lids at the Library” will also receive a free t-shirt and poster featuring a quote from former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt that serves as this summer’s PALOI theme: “With Freedom Comes Responsibility.”

“Lids at the Library” is the centerpiece event of the Griffins’ award-winning PALOI program, which is presented by Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Since the program’s founding in 2004, the Griffins have worked with numerous local organizations – including police departments, pediatricians, schools, libraries, bike shops and sporting goods stores – to encourage helmet usage during wheeled sports, prevent head injuries, and reward kids who wear their helmets.

PALOI targets elementary and middle school students in a seven-county region of West Michigan. Children age 17 or younger who visit griffinshockey.com/putalidonit with parental permission and sign a pledge to always wear their helmet will be rewarded with a voucher for two free tickets to a 2018-19 Griffins game and be automatically registered for a drawing to win a new bike.

In addition to promoting helmet safety at local bike races and community events throughout the summer, the Griffins will soon distribute PALOI posters to hundreds of schools, libraries, medical offices and businesses throughout West Michigan. The Griffins have also provided their annual grant to Safe Kids, enabling that organization to purchase approximately 140 additional bike helmets for distribution through its other programs and events.

A schedule of 2018 PALOI events and additional information for parents, including tips for choosing a helmet and getting their child to wear it, are available at griffinshockey.com/putalidonit.

The “Put A Lid On It!” program is supported by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Centennial Securities, Huntington, Lighthouse Insurance, and Safe Kids Greater Grand Rapids. In celebration of the “Lids at the Library” kickoff on June 19 at the KDL Kentwood Branch, Huntington will have its ice cream truck on site that day to pass out free treats to library patrons.

Red Wings announce details of development camp

From the Detroit Red Wings:

Red Wings to hold 2018 Development Camp at Little Caesars Arena

Five-day camp to be held on June 26-30 at BELFOR training Center free for fans to attend with pre-registration

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today announced the schedule for their 2018 Development Camp, which will be held at the BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena from June 26-30. The camp begins on Tuesday, June 26 and features on-ice skill development and off-ice workouts each day, including a scrimmage on Saturday, June 30.

The camp will be split into two sides, Team Howe and Team Lindsay, and will feature daily on-ice instruction and skill development from a team of coaches, led by the Grand Rapids Griffins coaching staff and the Red Wings player development staff. Attendees will also take part in NHL-level off-ice workouts and attend classes designed to help players transition to professional hockey, while experiencing the state-of-the-art player amenities offered at Little Caesars Arena and receiving feedback from Red Wings coaches and management.

The Red Wings roster, which will be released following the 2018 NHL Entry Draft on June 22-23, will be comprised primarily of players selected by Detroit over the last several Entry Drafts, including 2017 first-round draft pick Michael Rasmussen and 2016 first-round selection Dennis Cholowski, as well as signed free agent prospects and undrafted free agents from collegiate, junior or European leagues. The past four development camps have included 11 players who played for Detroit over the last two seasons: Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi, Jared Coreau, Martin Frk, Joe Hicketts, Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Alexey Marchenko, Dan Renouf, Evgeny Svechnikov and Dominic Turgeon.

 

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets for development camp are free and available in limited quantities on a first-come, first-served basis, by clicking here and entering “PUBLIC” as the promo code. Fans may reserve up to four tickets for each day. A complete camp schedule is available below.

Fans will also have the opportunity to get to know the next wave of Red Wings with meet-and-greet opportunities and player autograph sessions. Further information about fan-friendly events held at Little Caesars Arena in conjunction with Development Camp will be announced at a later date.

2018 Detroit Red Wings Development Camp Schedule

Continue reading Red Wings announce details of development camp

Jim Paek signs 3-year extension with South Korean hockey team

Former Grand Rapids Griffins assistant coach Jim Paek was assumed to be part of the Griffins’ coaching search after Todd Nelson left the organization; instead, according to the Yonhap News service, Paek has re-upped as South Korea’s head coach and GM:

Jim Paek, a former National Hockey League (NHL) defenseman who has been coaching the South Korean men’s national team since 2014, received a three-year extension on Thursday.

The Korea Ice Hockey Association (KIHA) said Paek, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992, will stay at the helm through June 2021. In addition to being the men’s bench boss, Paek has also been the KIHA’s national team director, overseeing the women’s senior squad, the men’s under-20 side and the men’s and women’s under-18 teams, and will retain his double duty for three more years.

Continued

 

Krupa: No-valchuk on Kovalchuk

Many Red Wings fans find the fact that the Wings are among the teams pursuing Ilya Kovalchuk to be a puzzling situation, and at best, a bad fit.

The Detroit News’s Gregg Krupa would also prefer if the Wings and Kovalchuk steered clear of each other:

As of last season, the [Wings’ rebuilding] process, a generational transformation from a perennial Stanley Cup contender to the next contender, still required some acceleration and upshifting, despite collecting draft choices.

The Red Wings’ decisions to retain some of their support players, at considerable cost and for considerable duration, and the acquisition of more veteran help, in support roles, resulted last season in a team of no stars and, arguably, inadequate support.

Tomas Nosek, who performed well in the Golden Knights’ playoff run to the Stanley Cup Finals, looked good in stints with the Red Wings. But the Wings never made him the $800,000 replacement for some guys now signed for a few to several millions more, who provide about the same performance.

Svechnikov, Dominic Turgeon, Joe Hicketts and Filip Hronek all played too much in Grand Rapids last season and not enough in Detroit.

Faced with a generational challenge, management and coaches are still not churning the roster to the point that younger players either prove their worth or signal they never will, and any reduced performance is accepted as a natural result of rebuilding.

And, its byproduct is better draft position.

The Red Wings are not there, yet. In some ways, the pursuit of Kovalchuk is more evidence.

Krupa continues, and “rebuild on the fly” or no “rebuild on the fly,” I simply do not see a “fit” in Detroit for Kovalchuk.

Khan: If Green leaves, Wings will get into the Carlson sweepstakes

MLive’s Ansar Khan penned an article about Mike Green’s future, both verifying the Athletic’s Craig Custance’s report that the Wings have offered Green 1 and 2-year contracts, and weighing in regarding the Wings’ other free agent options:

If Green doesn’t re-sign, the Red Wings could look to free agency. They’re interested in John Carlson, who is by far the top defenseman expected to hit the market. He’s 28, shoots right and collected 15 goals and 53 assists for the Washington Capitals. But it’s hard to imagine he would go from a Stanley Cup champion to a team that hasn’t made the playoffs the past two seasons.

If Carlson leaves Washington, Green would be a natural fit to return to the franchise where he flourished his first 10 seasons. Green is the second-highest scoring defenseman among pending UFAs. After that, there is a significant dip in quality.

The Red Wings plan on moving in at least one defense prospect from the Grand Rapids Griffins. Filip Hronek, a skilled righthanded shooter who flourished during his first pro season, is the leading candidate. Joe Hicketts is another possibility. Dennis Cholowski, their top pick in 2016, also will compete for a job but probably needs some time in the AHL since he’s just turning pro.

After Green, the Red Wings’ second-highest scoring defenseman was Niklas Kronwall (27 points), followed by Trevor Daley (16 points) and Nick Jensen (15 points).

Khan continues, and unless the Wings offer Carlson an $8-million-plus deal, I don’t see him coming to Detroit.

 

Three things: On Cup anniversaries, Yzerman and the Bolts and a trade rumor

Of Red Wings and Grand Rapids Griffins-related note this afternoon:

  1. Several Wings and Griffins media folks noted that today is a momentous anniversary for both the Red Wings and their AHL affiliate:

2. In the alumni department (of sorts), The Athletic’s Joe Smith reports that the Tampa Bay Lightning expect to extend GM Steve Yzerman’s contract at some point this summer:

[Lightning owner Jeff] Vinik is also believed to have given Yzerman an ownership stake in the team — like he did with former CEO Tod Leiweke — though he wouldn’t confirm that. “Both Steve and Tod were not employees,” Vinik said. “They were partners.”

The popular hope — at least, among some Red Wings fans — is that Yzerman will eventually come back to Detroit. But Red Wings GM Ken Holland, a good friend and mentor to Yzerman, signed a two-year extension this spring.

And those who know Yzerman well believe he takes pride in taking his own path, and seeing it through.

“He’s the kind of guy that when he starts something, he likes to finish something,” said Darren Pang, a long-time friend of Yzerman. “And the mark he wants to leave is he is a Stanley Cup champion with Vinik and the great people of Tampa Bay. He’s never been a guy to look ahead. He’s not a floater.”

Vinik said during the playoffs that he and Yzerman had informal talks about extending his deal. “I want Steve here as long as he wants to be here,” Vinik said. “We have one of the very best in hockey and we’re fortunate to have him.”

Smith continues (paywall), quoting Jimmy Devellano, who believes that the Lightning will be able to retain Yzerman’s services…

3. And USA Today’s Kevin Allen suggests that the Red Wings will be among the bidders for defenseman Justin Faulk, should the Carolina Hurricanes wish to peddle him:

Defenseman Justin Faulk, Hurricanes: At 27, Faulk is a big shot-defenseman in the prime of his career. He has scored 56 goals over the past four seasons. The Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins and Canadiens are among the teams that should be interested. The right-handed shooter has two years remaining on his contract ($4.83 cap hit).

 

Custance on Mike Green’s future

According to The Athletic’s Craig Custance, defenseman Mike Green is weighing whether to remain with the Detroit Red Wings via a short-term contract, or whether he should test the unrestricted free agent marketplace on July 1st:

Green is the second-best defenseman in the free agent Class of 2018. At least if you’re looking for offense. Whether you like his overall game or not, that’s just the reality.

“He had a good season. Teams are always looking for right-shot defensemen. And he’s not 40 years old,” said one NHL source. “If teams are looking to improve themselves on defense this summer through free agency, there’s not much out there.”

And right now, Green is facing a decision. The Red Wings have made him both a one- and a two-year offer to stay in Detroit. For a team in the middle of a rebuild, it doesn’t make much sense to go any longer than that. For a player who could have his choice of better deals on the open market, it might not make sense to accept.

So, here we are. The two sides are close on salary. If this deal doesn’t get done, it’s going to be because of term since it’s realistic that the second-best defenseman in free agency could get at least three years on the open market.

“He might even get four,” said an NHL source.

Custance continues (paywall), quoting Red Wings GM Ken Holland…

Regner speaks with Nick Jensen on ‘Red and White Authority’ podcast

DetroitRedWings.com’s Arthur J. Regner interviews Wings defenseman Nick Jensen in the latest “Red and White Authority” podcast:

Wakiji discusses Zach Nastasiuk’s 17-18 campaign

DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji profiles Red Wings prospect Zach Nastasiuk today, and Nastasiuk is the poster boy for a near-legion’s worth of solid grinding forwards who may or may not make the NHL.

In Nastasiuk’s case, the son of a CFL football player has struggled to gain traction in the AHL, but the affable 23-year-old has played quite well for the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye, and Nastasiuk appears ready to “stick” in the AHL:

Quotable: “He went to Toledo and when we called him up, he played himself into our lineup. He knows how to do everything right out there, he’s dependable and a heavy body. He played very well for us. This was a very important year for him. Seeing him at the end of the year, he was playing with more confidence, holding onto the puck. He knows how to play the right way, play on the right side of the puck. You only have to tell him something one time and he does it right. He’s a pretty smart player. When he first got here, he could keep his speed for about 25 seconds and after that, he would get fatigued and slow down. I didn’t see that at all this year.” — Todd Nelson, former Grand Rapids Griffins head coach

Wakiji continues, examining Nastasiuk’s “numbers” from the 2017-18 season. I’m a fan of Nastasiuk’s work ethic, but I’m not sure whether his skating will improve enough to earn him an NHL spot.