ESPN asks ‘lingering questions’ for every NHL team, including the Red Wings

ESPN’s NHL staff posted a massive article asking “lingering questions” for each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams heading into training camp, and here’s what they suggest the Red Wings must answer:

Detroit Red Wings

Big question: How good will Detroit be with its new additions?

Red Wings’ general manager Steve Yzerman came to slay this offseason. He signed Andrew Copp, Dominik Kubalik and David Perron up front, added Ben Chiarot to the blue line and Ville Husso to complement Alex Nedeljkovic in net. Yzerman also made his first head-coaching hire in Detroit, replacing Jeff Blashill with Derek Lalonde. The new bench boss has plenty of fresh talent to start with. Where will it all take the Red Wings?

Last season, it was Detroit’s defensive deficiencies that stood out. The Red Wings allowed the second-most goals against in the league (3.78 per game) and the fifth-most shots (33.7). Addressing and improving that area will be critical from the outset for Lalonde, and the new guys should be an asset in doing so. Perron and Copp are both solid two-way players who will lead by example on the defensive side. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin will also want a return to form in that area, after posting a 2.95 expected goals against in 2021-22.

Then there’s Husso. He was a stud in the regular season for St. Louis last season and now has a chance to be Detroit’s No. 1 in a tandem with Nedeljkovic. Detroit had a cumulative save percentage below .900 a year ago (Nedeljkovic was at .901) and Husso should push that number up. If he does, and if those other new players come out firing, Detroit could be flying high. — [Kristen] Shilton

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A bit about the up-and-coming Atlantic teams from NHL.com’s Rosen

NHL.com’s Dan Rosen answered mailbag questions for his Wednesday mailbag (it’s Tuesday night, but this published a little early), and he feels that the Red Wings are one of three (or four) rebuilding teams that may very well impress:

Who are the top three rebuilding teams you see taking the next step this season? — @nyrprpokemon

They’re all in the Atlantic Division, the Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings. I will add the New Jersey Devils, but let’s focus on the three in the Atlantic for the purposes of your question.

Continue reading A bit about the up-and-coming Atlantic teams from NHL.com’s Rosen

Roughly translated: Dylan Larkin discusses Moritz Seider’s present and future with NHL.com/de

We already know that Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin took part in the NHL’s Player Media Tour in Las Vegas, Nevada last week. What I didn’t expect is that the first set of comments from Larkin to come out to the press are from an NHL.com/de article written in German.

Here’s a rough translation of what Dylan Larkin had to say to NHL.com/de’s Axel Jeroma regarding Moritz Seider:

Continue reading Roughly translated: Dylan Larkin discusses Moritz Seider’s present and future with NHL.com/de

DHN’s Allen discusses ‘rookie odds’

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen ranked 10 rookie and/or European free agents’ chances of earning spots on the Red Wings’ opening-night roster:

1.Defenseman Simon Edvinsson (sixth overall in 2021): The Tampa Bay Lightning already had Victor Hedman when the Tampa Bay Lightning hired Steve Yzerman. But Yzerman had to draft his own Hedman once he came to Detroit. Edvinsson is a 6-foot-6 defender who hasn’t yet explored his offensive side. The Red Wings are not handing him a spot, but they are expecting Edvinsson to earn a place on the roster.

Chances of being a Red Wing on Opening Night: Darn Good

2. Right Wing Jonatan Berggren ( 33rd overall in 2018): Berggren improved significantly last season in Grand Rapids when he put up 21 goals, and added 43 assists, or 64 points in 70 game. His confidence expanded as the season wore on.  The question is where would he fit? Is he ready enough to claim a spot in the top six?

Chances of being a Red Wing on Opening Night: Not totally out of the question

3. Left Wing Elmer Soderblom (159th overall in 2019): If you look at Soderblom’s history, he needs time at a new level before he begins to find his comfort zone. He may need time in Grand Rapids just to figure out how he needs to play in North America. But his 6-foot-8 size, long reach and hands around the net give him a better shot than most. The Red Wings are intrigued by him. If he looks sharp in training camp and scores in preseason, Steve Yzerman might keep him.

Chances of being a Red Wing on Opening Night: Not totally out of the question

Continued; I think that Edvinsson’s chances are a little lower given the roster crunch on defense, and that Soderblom may have an edge as he’s a winger…But I don’t expect any of the Wings’ young (or not-so-young) rookies to make the roster unless they can play among the “top nine” forwards or “top four” on defense.

‘Moving the needle’ on Tyler Bertuzzi’s problem entering Canada

MLive’s Ansar Khan reports that there’s news on the Tyler Bertuzzi-playing-in-Canada front:

Canada is planning to drop its COVID-19 vaccination requirement at the border for entry into the country, according to the Toronto Globe and Mail. The change will take effect on Sept. 30, the paper reported.

[Tyler] Bertuzzi was the only NHL player last season who opted not to get vaccinated for COVID-19. It prevented him from traveling to Canada. The Red Wings went 2-7 in Canada without Bertuzzi, who finished as their second-leading goal-scorer (30) and point-producer (62) in 68 games.

Detroit plays 10 games in Canada this season, the first on Dec. 23 at Ottawa.

Here’s the Globe and Mail’s Eric Atkins and Robert Fife’s report, which indicates that it’s not as simple as one might think:

The federal government plans to drop the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for people who enter Canada by the end of September, the same day it ends random testing of arrivals and makes optional the ArriveCan app, The Globe and Mail has learned.

The changes, for arrivals at land, air and sea ports of entry, are planned for Sept. 30, but have yet to be finalized by cabinet, according to four sources The Globe is not naming because they are not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

The mask requirement for people on trains and planes will remain in place, at the direction of Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, according to two of the sources.

The aviation and travel industries have been pushing the government to relax the rules that cover international travel, saying they discourage visitors and are out of step with many other countries as the pandemic eases.

The United States requires all entrants to be vaccinated, and it is not known if the requirement will be lifted at the same time as Canada’s.

Kulfan’s ‘ten things to watch’ as training camp looms include two ‘logjams’

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan posted a list of “ten things to watch” as the Red Wings open training camp on Thursday. Among them:

► Contracts: It’s doubtful we’ll get a ton of clarity on the subject, but it’ll be interesting to see if there’s been any headway into contract extensions with Larkin and Bertuzzi. Both can be unrestricted free agents next summer, though it’s doubtful Larkin comes close to reaching that stage. But with Bertuzzi, there is a slight bit of uncertainty as to whether he’s a part of the nucleus going forward, or whether it would be beneficial to trade him, at age 27, and with his value possibly at his highest in terms of a trade.

► Rookies: The depth chart appears crowded, but young players such as defensemen Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson, goaltender Sebastian Cossa and forwards Elmer Soderblom and Cross Hanas impressed during the recent prospects tournament. Also, forward Jonathan Berggren impressed a season ago in Grand Rapids. Only Edvinsson and Berggren would likely be considered close to being NHL-ready, and odds are beginning to look slim they’ll be able to weave into the lineup. But it’ll be interesting to see how the other young players look like against the veterans.

► Logjam on defense: You can assume Seider, Chiarot, Maatta and Hronek are the top four, and Hagg is likely to make the final roster. Edvinsson may or may not make the roster. If Edvindsson does, and the Wings decide to keep 14 forwards, that means one of either Jordan Oesterle or Gustav Lindstrom may not be there opening night. And then you have injured defensemen like Pysyk and Jake Walman waiting in the wings at some point. There are a lot of defensemen who will be looking to carve out spots in the lineup.

► Logjam among forwards: Along with Veleno, specifically forwards Adam Erne and Givani Smith are two players who suddenly have some uncertainty surrounding them. If eight defensemen are kept, or maybe Veleno has a really good exhibition season and solidifies his roster spot, there may not be room on the final roster for both Smith and Erne. Smith, in particular, is an interesting case because he’s young and has shown flashes of playing a rugged and skilled game. But Smith simply hasn’t been nearly consistent enough.

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Business news: New York Post reports that MLB, NBA, NHL may buy out Bally’s struggling owners

This is really interesting sports business news stuff from the New York Post’s Josh Kosman:

MLB, the NBA and the NHL may orchestrate a buyout of the nation’s dominant owner of regional sports TV networks, whose shaky finances pose an increasing threat to their teams, The Post has learned.

The trio of pro-sports leagues are expected to soon begin talks with Diamond Sports, which operates 21 regional Bally Sports networks that account for more than half the local broadcast markets around the country, sources close to the situation said.

A prospective deal is looming as Diamond — owned by Baltimore-based Sinclair Broadcast Group — has been hemorrhaging cash and could be headed for a possible bankruptcy filing if it doesn’t find a white knight in the coming months, the sources claimed.

Sinclair in early 2019 won an auction to buy Fox Sports Networks from 21st Century Fox for $10.6 billion, giving it exclusive rights to broadcast the games of 42 teams. These included 14 MLB teams like the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres; 16 NBA teams including the Miami Heat; and 12 NHL teams including the Detroit Red Wings.

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A bit more about the day the Red Wings’ prospects went back to (elementary) school

This morning I watched the Red Wings’ prospects take part in a community event at Traverse City’s Traverse Heights Elementary School, and DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills posted a write-up of the event as well:

After wrapping up the 2022 NHL Prospect Tournament, the Detroit Red Wings took some time to give back to the Traverse City community. All 25 members of Detroit’s Prospect Tournament roster stopped by Traverse Heights Elementary on Tuesday to run a hockey clinic in the school gym.

“Traverse City is our second home,” said Kevin Brown, director of community impact for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. “We want to make sure whenever we are here, whether it’s for the NHL Prospect Tournament or Training Camp, we’re giving back to this community as well. Events like today, where the entire prospect team came together to spend a little time with the Traverse Heights kids, are important.”

Upon their arrival, the Red Wings prospects were greeted by students who were holding signs and chanting “Let’s Go Red Wings.”

“It was cool to show up and have all the kids lined up like that,” said Seth Barton, who was Detroit’s 81st overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. “It’s special for us to come to a place like this where we have fans around us and supporting us.”

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Tweet of note: Daniella Bruce and Ken Kal speak with Kris Draper regarding Sebastian Cossa

DetroitRedWings.com’s Daniella Bruce posted a Tweet from the Red Wings’ live stream of Monday’s prospect tournament game vs. Toronto, in which Red Wings director of amateur scouting Kris Draper spoke about Sebastian Cossa’s summertime work put in with the Red Wings’ players in Detroit:

Audio: Grand Rapids Griffins coach Ben Simon appears on ‘The Red and White Authority’

Grand Rapids Griffins coach Ben Simon coached the Red Wings’ prospects through the 2022 Prospect Tournament in Traverse City, and he spoke with DetroitRedWings.com’s Arthur J. Regner for the latest episode of “The Red and White Authority” podcast: