Tweet of note: Fabbri says ‘hi’ to his old teammates (and Blues morning skate Tweets)

The St. Louis Blues are currently holding their morning skate ahead of tonight’s game vs. the Red Wings (7:30 PM EST on Bally Sports Detroit Plus/Bally Sports Midwest/97.1 FM), and Robby Fabbri poked his head out of the locker room to say “hi” to his former teammates:

Good seeing an old friend.

Tonight’s game will be the first time we’ve played against Robby Fabbri since the trade with Detroit in Nov. 8, 2019. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/NAo1WqXCM2— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) November 24, 2021

I’ll try to update this post with anything of note from the Blues’ side of the ice.

Update: Per the St. Louis Post-Distpach’s Jim Thomas:

Looks like Schenn’s in:
Barbashev-O’Reilly-Perron
Saad-Schenn-Kyrou
Buchnevich-Thomas-Tarasenko
Kostin-Bozak-Sundqvist— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 24, 2021

Scandella-Parayko
Krug-Faulk
Mikkola-Perunovich— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 24, 2021

Husso first off the ice.— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 24, 2021

We also knew this was happening:

From Craig Berube: Brayden Schenn (upper body injury) will return tonight against the #RedWings. Missed the past nine games. Said Schenn pushed to play the last game. #stlblues— Lou Korac (@lkorac10) November 24, 2021

Neal came out on the ice for the start of practice, but then left. Berube said he tweaked something that had been bothering him previously, so it was kind of a maintenance day. He’s not in the lineup tonight.— Jim Thomas (@jthom1) November 24, 2021

Sportsnet’s Sadler talks ‘quarter pole’ NHL Awards races

Sportsnet’s Emily Sadler posted an article handicapping the NHL’s major award races at the NHL’s “quarter pole,” and she notes that both Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider are in the running for the Calder Trophy:

CALDER TROPHY

Quarter-season winner: Lucas Raymond, F, Red Wings
In 34 Swedish Hockey League games last year after being drafted fourth overall by Detroit in 2020, Raymond registered six goals and 18 points. Now 20 games into his NHL career, the 19-year-old Swede already has seven goals and a team-leading 19 points and is playing like a veteran on the Red Wings’ top line. He sits atop the rookie stat sheet across all categories, and is on pace for greatness.

More rookies making their mark:

• Moritz Seider, D, Red Wings: The surprise sixth-overall selection of the 2019 draft is making plenty of plays from Detroit’s blue line… and this time, no one’s surprised.
• Dawson Mercer, F, Devils: Six goals and 12 points through 16 games so far has the rookie forward leading his team on the stat sheet.
• Trevor Zegras, F, Ducks: With the Ducks’ youth movement well underway, there’s a lot to be excited about in Anaheim (see: Terry, Troy). We saw flashes of brilliance during Zegras’ 24-game stint last season and this year it’s clear he’s here to stay.

Continued; don’t count Cole Caufield out yet…

Red Wings post-morning skate videos: Raymond on Thanksgiving, and Blashill, briefly

Okay, so there was a bit of an information blackout coming from the Red Wings’ morning skate ahead of tonight’s game against the St. Louis Blues (7:30 PM on Bally Sports Detroit Plus/Bally Sports Midwest/97.1 FM).

It would be safe to assume that it’s Thomas Greiss’ turn to start opposite Jordan Binnington in the Blues’ cage, and the Red Wings-Blues game preview I wrote last night goes into more depth regarding both teams’ lineups, with a note that Brayden Schenn is expected to return to St. Louis’ lineup this evening.

The Free Press’s Helene St. James was first out of the chute with a Wings morning skate video, a 1:59 clip of Lucas Raymond speaking with the media about nutrition, sleep, and American Thanksgiving:

Here’s Raymond’s full 4:13 media availability…

And coach Jeff Blashill speaking for only 2:52:

Red Wings-Blues post-morning skate Tweets: A bit ‘o Raymond, Wings-Blues stats and a ‘behind the paywall’ article

The Detroit Red Wings say hello to an old friend tonight as the Wings host the St. Louis Blues this evening at Little Caesars Arena (7:30 PM EST on Bally Sports Detroit Plus/Bally Sports Midwest/97.1 FM).

The Red Wings are 8-9-and-3 and want to get back to .500 tonight, snapping their 0-3-and-1 road streak as they return to Southeastern Michigan for a 2-game home stand; the Blues sit at 10-6-and-2 and are coming off a 5-2 win over Vegas on Monday, and the Blues are going to be fully healthy tonight as Brayden Schenn returns to the lineup.

Before the morning skate, the Red Wings recalled Dan Renouf from Grand Rapids and placed Troy Stecher on injured reserve.

Between Stecher and Mitchell Stephens’ injuries, we may see a rotating cast of characters coming and going from Grand Rapids until Stecher and Stephens return after the Olympic Break.

Anyway, the Wings took to the ice at Little Caesars Arena just before 10:30 AM for their morning skate, and the Wings themselves were the first to say, “Hi” on Twitter:

Boys are back in town. ?

? » https://t.co/a1ZFiGyALB pic.twitter.com/Kv3OAXZkuM— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) November 24, 2021

The lack of morning skate Tweets from the beat writers was downright weird, so we moved on to the post-morning skate media availabilities:

Lucas Raymond speaking on where the team is at— saying it was a rough road trip but they have a good opportunity here at home to get back on track #LGRW @DetroitRedWings— Carley Johnston (@carleykjohnston) November 24, 2021

I feel a little better now…

Talking Turkey:

The Red Wings are 23-11-1-2 on Thanksgiving Eve at home

Detroit is 4-0 vs St Louis on Thanksgiving Eve with all 4 wins coming at JLA— Ken Kal (@KenKalDRW) November 24, 2021

And behind the paywall…

New Pro Reads features @alexned_ sharing tips and tactics in desperation save moments — that’s right, it’s not all another raw athleticism, having a plan helps even on broken plays: https://t.co/zaSs4x2u2O pic.twitter.com/l55vra5Mvt— InGoal Magazine (@InGoalMedia) November 24, 2021

Press release: Griffins sign Blake Hillman to pro try-out with Renouf headed to Detroit

Per the Grand Rapids Griffins:

DETROIT RECALLS RENOUF, GRAND RAPIDS SIGNS HILLMAN

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday recalled defenseman Dan Renouf from the Grand Rapids Griffins. In addition, the Griffins signed blueliner Blake Hillman to a professional tryout. 

Renouf has appeared in 11 games this season for Grand Rapids, totaling two assists, 15 penalty minutes and a plus-three rating. The Pickering, Ontario, native will head back to Detroit for the second time in his career, as he made his NHL debut with the Red Wings on March 27, 2017 at Carolina. The 27-year-old is a sixth-year pro and played in 18 NHL games a season ago with Colorado, logging three assists and 16 penalty minutes.

Hillman comes to Grand Rapids from the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye. The defenseman has registered 13 points (2-11—13) in 11 games this season, which ranks third in the ECHL among blueliners. His 11 assists pace the league’s defensemen while his plus-10 rating is tied for third. The Elk River, Minn., native has skated in 66 AHL games with Rockford, Grand Rapids and Stockton. During the 2019-20 season, Hillman suited up in five contests with the Griffins and totaled one assist and four penalty minutes. 

UPDATE: The Red Wings on Tuesday recalled defenseman Dan Renouf. In addition, the Griffins signed blueliner Blake Hillman to a professional tryout. #GoGRG

Details >> https://t.co/L35wS8LQ2L pic.twitter.com/eWVnOzlvNT— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) November 24, 2021

Red Wings recall Dan Renouf, place Troy Stecher on IR

For depth purposes:

A non-hockey word before the biggest bar night of the year

It might sound campy to do this on a hockey blog, but it’s my blog, and I get to write what I want, so, a word ahead of the Wednesday before American Thanksgiving:

I headed out to Walgreens, Busch’s and Kroger on Tuesday afternoon to pick up a prescription for the aunt, pick up our pre-prepared Thanksgiving dinner, and then do a big grocery shopping run on Tuesday afternoon.

I learned very quickly what all of us have to pack this year when we venture out into the gaping maw of pre-holiday crowds: a lot of patience, some consideration for the understaffed retail workers who are being overworked, and a little bit of kindness for self and others.

It’s going to be a little crazy over the next couple of weeks as there seems to be a real pent-up demand to get out and about among the world again, lingering pandemic or no lingering pandemic, so the crowds will be bigger and more dense, and the retail staff will be smaller, so the wait will be longer (sometimes for less stuff on the shelf).

Anyway, the other thought I have this morning as I stand on my little soapbox is that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the biggest “bar night” of the year.

The only places shittier to visit on the night before Thanksgiving than a sad dive bar (been there, don’t ask) or the push-and-shove of a closing supermarket (which can be a wild scene) are an ER or a police office, so please be safe out there. Plan ahead to have a designated driver, call an Uber, call a cab (they still exist here in Southeastern Michigan), do whatever you need to get home safe.

I know that after two years of pandemic fun, we all want to get out of the house and really let loose, but in this modern world, we all need to take precautions…

And my arm is sore from my booster on Monday, and that’s all I’m going to say about that part of being a good citizen.

Anyway, I wish you a safe and happy American Thanksgiving. Here’s hoping that the Wings get back to .500 for our all our sakes this evening.

Getting through the holiday itself is another missive entirely, of course, but we all have our crazy uncles and aunts. And nephews and nieces, as my aunt would suggest. 😉

Be safe! Be kind! And happy Thanksgiving!

Kulfan’s ‘surprises’ and ‘disappointments’ include Raymond and Seider (as ‘surprises’)

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan has posted a “quarter pole” column this morning, discussing “surprises and disappointments” from around the NHL. Two Red Wings make his “surprises” list, and rightfully so:

Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider: There was so much hype about the Red Wings’ rookie duo heading into the season. To both young players’ credit, they’ve matched the hype. Raymond has thrived while playing on a line with Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi, leading all rookies with seven goals, 12 assists and 19 points. Seider trails only Raymond with 11 assists and 13 points. The two look like cornerstones of the Wings’ organization for a long time. 

Continued; there’s no paywall in this article at the time I’m posting it, so give it a look

ESPN’s power rankings: Raymond is breaking out

ESPN’s Kristen Shilton posted a set of power rankings this morning, and the Red Wings wind up just about where you’d think they would (actually a little higher than I thought the Wings would wind up)…With a spotlight upon a “breakout star”:

24. Detroit Red Wings

Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 0.475
Upcoming schedule: vs. STL (Nov. 24), vs. BUF (Nov. 27), @ BOS (Nov. 30)

Lucas Raymond. No disrespect to rookie Moritz Seider‘s similarly excellent breakthrough season here, but fellow freshman Raymond is really turning things up. The 19-year-old continually seems to improve, especially in how he can drive play. It’s no wonder Raymond is not only the NHL’s top rookie scorer but has passed Tyler Bertuzzi for the Red Wings’ lead in points (19). Raymond also has seven goals. The Red Wings have an exciting young talent on their hands.

Continued; I have really enjoyed watching Raymond play a mature game, and I guess they just make ’em right in Frolunda;

At the same time, I think that Seider is learning a more difficult and unforgiving position in defense in the NHL, and I have great admiration for the learning process he’s been going through over his first 20 NHL games.