The Malik Report

Fox 17’s Stephanie Funkhouser and James Hutton produced a video in which Jared Nightengale and Luke Witkowski discuss this week’s Great Lakes Hockey Camp in Holland, MI:

 

WDIV reports that Little Caesars Arena is going to transition to mobile phone ticketing as its only method of entry:

We expect to learn more later today from Little Caesars Arena as it is set to introduce mobile ticketing as its primary entry method for the upcoming 2018-19 Detroit Red Wings and Pistons seasons.

The move is allegedly being made to protect fans from the risk of obtaining fraudulent or counterfeit tickets.

Instead of using traditional paper tickets to enter the building, a smartphone or other mobile device will act as a fans ticket and a QR code will be scanned directly from the screen and allow entry into the building.

Local 4 has learned the move will mean season ticket holders will no longer receive traditional ticket books with individual tickets for each game as they have in the past.

Detroit Red Wings season ticket holders are slated to receive a commemorative printed ticket to celebrate the upcoming season, with individual game tickets set to be uploaded to their online Ticketmaster account by the end of August.

According to WDIV, printed tickets won’t be accepted any more.

MLive’s Ansar Khan profiles Red Wings prospect Jack Adams this morning. Adams had a so-so freshman season at Union College, but the massive 6’5″ goal-scorer believes that he’ll rebound during his sophomore campaign:

Adams led the USHL in goals (37) and was fifth in points (60) with the Fargo Force in 2016-17. The native of Boxford, Mass. turned 21 midway through his freshman season at Union, in Schenectady, N.Y., when he picked up just four goals and 13 points in 28 games.

He called it an up and down season and a learning experience.

“I didn’t have the year I wanted, but Coach Bennett stressed to work on my 200-foot game,” Adams said. “I definitely improved defensively and improved away from the puck and using my size to my advantage. I think my skating has improved a lot in the last year.

“College is different, you only have 35 games, compared to junior where it’s 60-70, but you get five practices a week, so you get to develop that way. I was in the gym 3-4 times a week, lifted all spring, so it’s basically development all year long while taking classes and getting my degree, which is so important to my family and me (he’s focusing on history and political science). We have a great team coming back. I think we’ll make a good run, so I’m really excited to get back there.”

Continued, and Khan also posted a clip of Adams speaking with the media:

 

Sportsnet’s Rory Boylen picked six players who may break out during the 2018-19 season, and one of his picks is a Red Wings player:

Andreas Athanasiou, Detroit Red Wings

There is some speculation that the Red Wings could still trade Athanasiou before the start of next season as their group of forwards gets a little more crowded with the additions of Filip Zadina and Thomas Vanek. His explosive speed makes him exciting to watch and the offensive upside is still there — the question is whether Athanasiou’s defensive game will become strong enough that a coach can comfortably make him a top-six player.

In Athanasiou’s first two NHL seasons, his shooting percentages were 17 and 15, but that dropped to 9.4 in 2017-18 as he registered 16 goals. It’s fair to say that over a full season he should be at least a 20-goal scorer with the possibility for more.

Remember, too, that the 23-year-old missed training camp and the first 10 games in 2017 due to a contract dispute and that often leads to an underwhelming season. Now he’s locked in with a two-year, $6 million deal so should get off to a better start. On top of that, only three of his 33 points came on the power play despite averaging 1:44 PP minutes per game, so there could be an uptick there as well. The crux of Athanasiou’s breakout candidacy is in how much ice time the Red Wings (or an acquiring team) give him.

If his goals come up as expected, can his assists and ice time rise to a level that allows him to have a true breakout?

Continued, and I am also curious as to whether Athanasiou ends up playing consistent hockey for the Red Wings or another team.

The Toledo Walleye made a significant trade yesterday, and the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe spoke with Walleye coach Dan Watson regarding the haul:

The Toledo Walleye announced Monday the organization has acquired forward Daniel Leavens from Wichita in exchange for forward Colin Jacobs.

Leavens, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound native of Toronto, will be heading into his second pro season after playing for Wheeling, Allen, and Rapid City in the ECHL in 2017-18.

In 47 games with Rapid City, Leavens tallied 42 points with 12 goals and 30 assists. In 16 games in Allen, Leavens posted nine points with three goals and six assists. He did not have a point in three games with Wheeling.

“If you watch his tape, he gets to the net where most of the goals are scored,” Walleye coach Dan Watson said. “He also has the ability to make plays. He’s a good fit for us. He will add a bit of that offensive flair that we lacked a bit last season. He’s a second-year guy that really wants to keep getting better.”

Leavens, a 25-year-old forward, played four seasons at Robert Morris University where he posted more than 20 points in each of his final three years with the Colonials. As a senior, Leavens produced 49 points, including 14 goals, in 38 games, also serving as an assistant captain.

Leavens helped the Colonials win back-to-back Atlantic Hockey Conference championships. In 136 games at Robert Morris, Leavens scored 40 goals, adding 68 assists for 108 points.

Continued

Dylan Larkin speaks with DetroitRedWings.com’s Arthur J. Regner on the latest episode of “The Red and White Authority” podcast:

Dylan Larkin joins us on Episode 74 of The Red and White Authority to discuss several topics including @LarkinHockey School, skating with Filip Zadina, and life.

Listen/Download/Subscribe –> https://t.co/GRhjeY7SqC pic.twitter.com/FtPkoDyAqt

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 17, 2018

Of brief Red Wings-related note this afternoon:

1. This is kind of cool: According to a press release from Men’s Wearhouse, Jeff Blashill, Los Angeles Kings coach John Stevens and Vegas Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant have joined a charitable initiative by which Men’s Wearhouse collects gently-used items of “professional clothing” to help non-profit organizations that specialize in job training and workforce assistance;

2. And the Holland Sentinel’s Chris Zadorozny reports that Luke Witkowski finds himself helping his youth hockey team while working at a youth hockey camp in his hometown of Holland, MI this week:

Witkowski played a few years for the IceDawgs and now he’s back at his old rink coaching and helping kids from his hometown.

“It was good. I guess Monday’s are a little different than the rest of their week,” Witkowski said. “Tuesday we’ll see how it goes tomorrow. There was a lot of kids that showed up, there was 30. Helping out a buddy of mine get some kids in a camp and help out the town, it’s nice.”

And being back in Holland has him visiting family and enjoying family time.

“It’s great, it’s really hot right now,” he said of being back in West Michigan. “It’s good. Hopefully I get out on the water sometime and nice to be back in my old house I grew up in and hopefully see some friends, too.”

Of bummerific news note this afternoon:

1. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski penned a list of teams that have improved, gotten worse, and are…even worse off…after this summer’s free agent frenzy, and Wyshynski suggests that the Red Wings might want to simply skip the 2018-19 campaign altogether:

Detroit Red Wings: The Wings brought back Mike Green (two years, $5.375) and Thomas Vanek (one year, $3M and hilariously a no-trade clause for one of the NHL’s most recently traveled players), and signed goalie Jonathan Bernier (three years, $3M AAV). But this is clearly a franchise waiting on its next wave of talent … perhaps in the lottery.

Elsewhere, the Sporting News’s Jim Cerny penned a column discussing the best and worst contracts on the books of each and every one of the NHL’s 31 teams, and his assessment leaves me scratching my head:

Detroit Red Wings

Best: Thomas Vanek was a nice fit in Detroit two years ago and now he’s back on a one-year $3 million contract with the Red Wings. That’s a decent contract for a consistent scorer coming off a 24-goal, 56-point season.

Worst: Not a lot to choose from here, but Andreas Athanasiou is a three-million a year player? Even understanding inflated bridge deals this seems like a lot for a skilled forward, though one that scored only 18 and 16 goals previous two seasons.

I’d argue that the Wings have far worse contracts on the books than Athanasiou’s “bridge deal,” but that’s just me.

MLive’s Ansar Khan wrote a profile of Red Wings prospect and 2018 36th overall draft pick Jared McIsaac, a gritty shut-down defenseman:

Red Wings director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright described the 6-1, 193-pound left-shooting McIsaac as steady and hard-nosed, a good skater who can play against the opposition’s top line.

“With McIsaac, we liked the defense,” Wright said.

Defense is just what the Red Wings need to upgrade, on their roster and in their system. McIsaac arrived at development camp “wanting to make a name for myself at this camp and moving forward and prove within a couple years that I belong here.”

McIsaac, following Red Wings training camp in September, will return to his junior team, the Quebec League’s Halifax Moosehead, where he collected nine goals and 38 assists in 65 games in 2017-18. One of his teammates was Filip Zadina, who the Red Wings selected sixth overall.

The mobility McIsaac showed at development camp could eventually make him a top-four NHL defenseman.

“My skating allows me to defend other teams’ top lines and puts me in good spots to jump in the play offensively,” McIsaac said. “I think my physicality defensively (is a strength) and being able to make a good first pass out of the zone and control the play and play with the puck. Everything follows my skating. When I move my feet, that’s when I’m at my best.”

Continued, and Khan posted a video of an interview with McIsaac:

 

The Sporting News’s Adam Gretz offers a mid-summer take on the “Red Wings’ ‘rebuild’“:

When we checked in with the Red Wings prior to the 2017-18 season, neither their short-term or long-term outlook seemed to be promising.

Not only was it an older roster with a lot of bad contracts, but it was an older roster with a lot of bad contacts that was coming off of a non-playoff season and looked to be in desperate need of a rebuild. With few marketable assets for trade and the lack of a young, foundational player in which to build around, it seemed like the beginning of a dismal stretch for Detroit — especially as the front office seemed to be hesitant to fully commit to an overhaul.

Now that the Red Wings missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season, the mindset seems to have changed. At least a little bit.

The rebuild is beginning and, if nothing else, it is off to an interesting start.

One thing that stands out so far is even though general manager Ken Holland has finally mentioned the word “rebuild” in association with his team, it doesn’t seem like it is going to be a total teardown to a bare bones roster. He still wants to have veteran players around and attempt to keep things at least somewhat competitive. Their offseason moves so far reflect that approach.

Gretz continues…