Werenski: ‘We hate these guys until the game is over’

From The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline’s Stadium Series notebook:

• Werenski and Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin grew up playing hockey together in Michigan. Werenski has said they first met when he was 8 years old. But that friendship hits pause whenever they play. During the Blue Jackets’ family skate on Friday, Larkin and other Red Wings were warming up with a soccer ball near the rink. Here’s Werenski: “My fiancee (Odette Peters) was like, ‘Should we go say hi to him?’ I was like, ‘No, no, no. We’re not doing that. We hate these guys until the game is over.’ We’re going to battle, we’re going to play hard, and after the game I’ll give him a hug and we’ll talk about it.”

• The Blue Jackets and Red Wings both enter today’s game with 66 points. The Red Wings own the first wild-card playoff spot, and the Blue Jackets the second, because the Wings have more regulation wins. It marks the third time in the NHL’s 43 outdoor games that the two opponents are tied in points. In 2014, Toronto and Detroit were tied (45 points) when they played in a Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium. Two months later, Pittsburgh and Chicago were tied (84 points) when they played a Stadium Series game in Soldier Field.

Continued (paywall)

ESPN’s Ocal recalls the first unofficial NHL outdoor game

ESPN’s Arda Ocal discusses the Red Wings’ participation in the first unofficial NHL outdoor game–which took place at Marquette Prison in 1954:

In June 1953, Wings general manager Jack Adams and team captain Ted Lindsay, both of whom have NHL trophies named after them, went on a promotional tour around Michigan. One of the stops was Marquette State Prison, a maximum security facility nicknamed the “Alcatraz of the North.” While they were there, the warden, Emery Jacques, repeatedly asked Adams to bring his team to the prison to play a game against his inmates, who called themselves “The Pirates.” After some back and forth, Adams said that if Jacques could provide funding for transportation, lodging and food, he would return with his team.

Jacques called Adams’ bluff and got everything sorted. And so, in the middle of the 1954 season, the Red Wings were true to their word and went to the prison to play a game of hockey against the inmates.

It was said to be a brisk 22 degrees. The official score wasn’t kept, but with the likes of Gordie Howe, Terry Sawchuck and Lindsay on the ice, by some accounts it was a pretty lopsided first period. The teams made “trades” and played out the rest of the game, with goalie Sawchuck tending net against Detroit. Sid Abel and Alex Delvecchio switched jerseys as well. An inmate got the hockey thrill of a lifetime, centering Howe and Lindsay.

Howe did recall one particular moment that made him laugh: “I deked around their goaltender, put in the far side and their defenseman was laughing,” Howe said after the game. “The goalie says to him, ‘I’ll kill you, you bastard.'”

The ice at the prison was created by Marquette athletic director Leonard “Oakie” Brumm, who played for Michigan, winning the inaugural NCAA men’s ice hockey national championship in 1948. At the time, Marquette was the only penal institution in the nation with either an organized “varsity” hockey team or a boarded regulation hockey rink.

There are differing reports of the final score — as eye-opening as 5-2, and a more realistic-seeming 9-0 and 18-0. After the game, the Wings were awarded the Doniker Trophy, also known as the Honey Bucket.

Continued

Morning notebooks: a percolating rivalry and outdoor conditions

Both Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen and MLive’s Ansar Khan filed morning notebooks based upon yesterday’s post-practice press conferences.

Duff focused upon how the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry may play into the game…

“It’s probably the ugliest stadium I’ve ever been in,” Larkin suggested.

Granted, the bitterness of the Ohio State vs Michigan rivalry might be coloring Larkin’s opinion somewhat. At the same time, that Michigan vs Ohio factor is just one of many layers making this arguably the NHL’s most enticing outdoor game ever.

“For sure,” Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond said. “I mean, I think it adds to it. With the Michigan-Ohio rivalry and obviously the importance of a game where the standings is at, but at the same time, I think most guys enjoy playing those type of games. It’s a big-time game and I think most guys thrive in those environments.”

That’s the other factor ramping up the intensity of this game. The Red Wings and Blue Jackets are deadlocked in the standings with 66 points. Both sit tied for seventh overall in the Eastern Conference. This game could play a vital role in determining playoff seedings, or even playoff appearances for that matter.

Add in the fact that Columbus whipped Detroit 5-2 on Thursday at Little Caesars Arena and there’s another element for the Red Wings to embrace. They’d love to spoil the first outdoor appearance ever made by the Blue Jackets franchise.

“This one, it has a lot at stake to it,” Detroit forward Patrick Kane said. “Especially with them coming into our building (Thursday) night and taking two points from us. We’d like to do the same to them here in Columbus.”

And MLive’s Ansar Khan discussed the novelty of playing outdoors:

“It’s exciting to get back outside and see that feeling of just like walking into a rink in the middle of a football field and seeing the lights and how many people the stadium could fit,” [Patrick] Kane said during his media scrum in Columbus.

Temperatures are expected to be in the mid- to high 20s, which is good, but strong wind gusts are possible, which isn’t so good, at least for one team.

“I’m sure the ice will be a little bit better (tonight), being colder,” Kane said. “Sometimes today I noticed it a little bit, you’re skating into the wind, and then the other way, you’re skating with the wind at your back. That could be something that comes into play where maybe they might switch the sides with 10 minutes left in (the third) period.”

Lucas Raymond is among the players taking part in his first NHL outdoor game.

“Just looking up, seeing the big stadium and all the seats, it’s great,” Raymond told reporters. “The challenge of playing on a rink like that, I don’t know what it’s going to be like in a game, but from practice, the ice isn’t going to be perfect, but it’s the same for everyone out there.”

McLellan didn’t reveal his lineup, but Cam Talbot is expected to start in goal. It would be his third outdoor game as a starter.

“For goalies the biggest thing is depth perception,” Talbot said. “There’s nothing behind the glass, so it throws your depth perception off on a shot. It’s different when you can see the people behind the glass, so anything from distance or (the puck) gets flipped up in the air you can lose it a little bit easier. From a goalie’s perspective, I don’t think the conditions are always ideal. Both goalies have to deal with the same conditions, so there’s no excuses.”

Playing ‘banged-up’

I had a massive anxiety and panic attack on Thursday afternoon. It was so physically painful that I had to lie down to simply endure the physical pain that it caused–and you’d be surprised how “physical” anxiety and depression can be.

Today is the NHL’s Stadium Series game between Detroit and Columbus (6 PM EST on ESPN/TVA Sports/FX-CA/97.1 FM), and I’m not going to miss it…

But I am very far from 100% in terms of my recovery from what I can only describe as feeling like I’ve been run over by a toxic snowball of anxiety, and the after-effects are still shaking themselves out of my system.

There’s only so much that coping skills and medication can do, however, so…

I’m gonna do my best to give you some Stadium Series coverage today. I don’t know how comprehensive it’s going to be, but it’s going to be there, and I’ll try to take things a task at a time and go from there.

I may need to take a maintenance day tomorrow, but we’ll come to that when we come to that.

Tweet of note: ESPN’s Emily Kaplan previews the Stadium Series

From ESPN:

Rudy Guimond is on a roll

NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman profiles Red Wings prospect and Moncton Wildcats goaltender Rudy Guimond, who has a 12-0-and-0 record thus far with his new QMJHL team:

The Detroit Red Wings goalie prospect has prospered since joining Moncton of the QMJHL on Nov. 27, following a tumultuous start to the season with Cedar Rapids of the United States Hockey League. Since making his Moncton debut Dec. 8, the 19-year-old is 12-0-0 with a 1.56 goals-against average, .948 save percentage and two shutouts. He’s allowed two goals or fewer in 10 of his 12 games.

“Things weren’t going that great in Cedar Rapids this year, with a lot of guys leaving the organization,” Guimond said. “And then once I got the opportunity in Moncton, at the time they were still second in the country [CHL Top 10 rankings], and I was like, I can’t turn this down. So I came over.”

Guimond wasn’t playing poorly in his second season with Cedar Rapids, with a 2.88 GAA and .887 save percentage in six games. But he felt the situation wasn’t going to be conducive to him reaching his full potential.

“There was a lot of movement going on, there wasn’t much stability in the team,” he said. “I think it must have been four or five guys that left before me. Just a really unstable time. I’m not here blaming Cedar Rapids for anything. I wasn’t playing my best hockey as well, and I thought that a change of scenery would be really, really good for me and it has.”

The Red Wings, who selected Guimond in the sixth round (No. 169) of the 2023 NHL Draft, were aware of his issues, and were on board with him joining Moncton.

“Certainly for how it’s worked out for Rudy, it’s been a great advantage,” Detroit assistant director of player development Dan Cleary said. “I think early on, as you can imagine, the adjustment going from the USHL to [the QMJHL], it is a step above, it is a little bit stronger league, obviously. But he’s adjusted well. I think it’s been great for him. Rudy’s really adjusted well, he’s enjoyed his time. He’s worked hard, he’s been a good teammate, and most importantly, he’s playing well in net.”

Continued

Red Wings-Blue Jackets Stadium Series preview: Wings aim to spoil the Blue Jackets’ party

The 30-23-and-6 Detroit Red Wings and 29-22-and-8 Columbus Blue Jackets are tied in the NHL standings as the teams play in the NHL’s Stadium Series tonight (6 PM EST start on ESPN/TVA Sports/FX-CA/97.1 FM).

The Red Wings are hoping to avenge an ugly 5-2 loss to Columbus on Thurdsay, and, quite frankly, spoil what is Columbus’ “coming out party” as a debutante on the NHL stage today. Today is all about Columbus, the Blue Jackets, Ohio State traditions and how the Blue Jackets are supposed to be the “story of the year”…

And it’s up to the Red Wings, who are playing in their 5th outdoor game, and their 4th as a visitor (what’s up with that?), to spoil Columbus’ party.

The Associated Press’s Joe Reedy discussed the significance of the Stadium Series game at Ohio Stadium to ESPN in his game preview:

The Stadium Series usually has significance due to the location, but it carries huge implications in the Eastern Conference playoff race. After Thursday night’s 5-2 victory, Columbus is tied with Detroit for the first wild-card spot. Both have 66 points, and are four points clear of Ottawa, Boston and the New York Rangers.

The Red Wings haven’t been to the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2016 while the Blue Jackets are in contention even while mourning the deaths of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew in August.

Besides the Ohio-Michigan rivalry being manifested on ice, Ohio Stadium should provide a great backdrop because college stadiums seem to be more conducive to NHL Stadium Series games with not a lot of sideline room. The fans are also more on top of the rink and closer to the ice compared to when the outdoor games have taken place in baseball parks.

“The NHL does a really good job of finding these iconic settings. And ‘The Horseshoe’ just screams that,” Levy said. “If you’re naming five iconic college football stadiums, this is one. Just like ‘The Big House’ in Michigan (which has also hosted a Stadium Series game) is on that list.”

Continue reading Red Wings-Blue Jackets Stadium Series preview: Wings aim to spoil the Blue Jackets’ party

Twitter video: Dylan Larkin speaks with the NHL Network about today’s Stadium Series game

The Detroit Red Wings face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets in today’s Stadium Series game (6 PM EST on ESPN/TVA Sports/FX/97.1 FM), and last night, Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin spoke with the NHL Network’s Mike Rupp and Lauren Gardner about the game:

Monarrez praises coach McLellan for criticizing captain Larkin

The Free Press’s Carlos Monarrez praises Red Wings coach Todd McLellan for calling out Dylan Larkin after Thursday’s 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, as only Monarrez can:

Larkin is a very good — sometimes excellent — player. He’s also the captain, which is a heavy burden on a team that has had very little success during his tenure. I would hope Larkin’s skin is thick enough and his mental fortitude is strong enough to take this kind of public criticism from his coach. If it isn’t, I can think of 69.6 million reasons why it should be.

If the Wings are going to make the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and then do something when they get there, they’re going to need Larkin to be at his best.

But this really isn’t about Larkin. This is about the guiding light the Wings have been waiting for. It’s about a coach who’s more interested in doing his job than keeping his job. The kind of tough love we’re seeing from McLellan — who also wasn’t shy about sharing his reasons for benching defenseman Justin Holl in January — is exactly what this team has needed.

And let me assure you it’s becoming increasingly rare for coaches to publicly criticize any player. The last time I remember a coach in Detroit castigating a high-profile player was when Jim Caldwell benched Matthew Stafford during a game in 2015. Caldwell paid the price when he was fired following the 2017 season, when Stafford refused to support him.

Stafford essentially won a power struggle with Caldwell because he understood he was playing on a Ford Family Scholarship and, thanks in part to his carefully curated image, had more organizational equity than Caldwell.

That’s the question we’re facing now with McLellan and Larkin: Who has more organizational equity?

Is it the franchise player who hasn’t gotten his team to the playoffs since his rookie season? Or is it the guy who’s the hottest coach in the NHL and has led the Wings to 17 wins and 36 points since Dec. 27? No team entered Thursday with more points or wins in that time.

Monarrez continues, and it’s not paywalled…

Two things: talking trade deadline turkey

The NHL’s trade deadline hits on Friday, March 7th at 3 PM EST.

This morning:

  1. Ahead of the deadline, Bleacher Report’s Sara Civian offers “6 mistakes [that] NHL teams should avoid” at the deadline, including some advice for the Red Wings…

DETROIT RED WINGS: The Athletic published a player agent poll earlier this week that confirmed at least two big shots in the hockey world hold the same opinion as a multitude of social media accounts: There are some doubts about the Yzerplan.

“They’re really unstable,” one said. “There’s no plan, although they may say there’s one.”

Take these things with a grain of salt. If anyone is going to have an agenda, it’s an agent. But you have to admit that the Yzerplan has been confusing and shrouded in mystery when it comes to direction.

Regardless, the hiring of Todd McLellan turned everything around to such an extent that whatever the Yzerplan was supposed to be has a real chance to end in success now. 

The biggest problems ailing Detroit before the coaching change were brutal lack of sustained zone time, a weak penalty kill, and some general lack of cohesion. Goaltending wasn’t—and still isn’t—perfect, but it’s not the gravest concern.

The Red Wings could help their present and future with a few skaters built to move the puck and to bridge the gap between their youth movement and veterans. Especially with center Andrew Copp out for the season, it’s time to target all-around players who are effective in entering the zone and protecting the net.

GM Steve Yzerman has a great opportunity here to clarify and strengthen his plan. Will he take it?

2. The Athletic also makes one “bold prediction” for each NHL team at the deadline:

Detroit Red Wings

Prediction: They will add a defenseman.

The attention in Detroit has been on the center position, especially after Andrew Copp was ruled out for the season after undergoing surgery on his left pectoral tendon. And they could look to do something there. But the Red Wings have more internal options available at center than they do on the blue line, which is already thinned out after Jeff Petry’s injury. We’ll see if the Red Wings do anything major at the deadline (in a similar position last year, they stood pat), but if they do, defense seems like the better bet. — Max Bultman

Having William Lagesson as the team’s 7th defenseman is not ideal, but I remain fairly sure that Yzerman isn’t adding anybody unless they’re part of the long-term future…

Though the most probable position to add a rental is definitely on the blueline.