The Malik Report

Happy Birthday, Magic Man:

🥳🥳🥳 pic.twitter.com/veyYdiDidM— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 20, 2022

Datsyuk turns 44 today.

A magic day! ✨ pic.twitter.com/cU55nVrMvG— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 20, 2022

A quick note this morning from Rakapuckar’s Henrik Leman:

Leman conducted an interview with former Ottawa Senators forward and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Daniel Alfredsson, who’s attempting to establish the sport of Padel Tennis in the Canada, the U.S. and Sweden. According to Leman, Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall have established a company called ZMP International to invest in the sport.

Interesting, anyway.

The Athletic’s Max Bultman and Shayna Goldman assess the defensive impact of the Red Wings’ free agency additions this morning, and they compare the potential improvement of the Red Wings to the models presented by last year’s Los Angeles Kings:

Los Angeles – where [Olli] Määttä has been for the last two seasons – is a good example of what Detroit is likely hoping to see result from these additions. The Kings had been on a largely parallel track to the Red Wings until L.A. made some big offseason additions – highlighted by a strong 200-foot center in Philip Danault and scoring winger Viktor Arvidsson – that propelled them into the playoffs last year.

“I think those were really big pieces for us,” Määttä said. “We had more depth, and I think everybody being more comfortable with the system. I think the depth was the biggest thing. We were a good team before, but we didn’t have that two or three lines … and I think last year we found that. And it’s hard to play against when you can roll with three or four lines and you’ve got three ‘D’ pairs you can play. It’s tough to match up against that.”

The Red Wings – partly due to playing in the Eastern Conference’s loaded Atlantic Division – likely won’t see quite the kind of jump in the standings the Kings did. But they can still aspire to see a similar level of improvement in their play.

At the very least, these additions of defensive support should help avoid a collapse similar to last year. The Red Wings showed just how quickly those lapses could snowball once a game started heading south, with waves of rushes headed towards their goaltender. Even if Detroit doesn’t dive right back into the playoff race, it can build some level of confidence if it can stay competitive in the defensive end, which should have a positive ripple effect on its offense.

And with all these additions taken together, there is reason to believe that defensive improvement will come.

Continued (paywall)

The Athletic asked its NHL correspondents what needs remain for the NHL’s 32 teams after a week’s worth of free agency moves, and here’s what Max Bultman had to say about the Red Wings:

Detroit Red Wings

Extensions for the core: This is stretching the definition a bit, but after the Red Wings methodically addressed every need in free agency (and via trade), the only major piece of business remaining is getting contract extensions done for Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi. Technically, the Red Wings have another year to do so before either can become a free agent, but getting these deals squared away now would prevent any needless angst or uncertainty that would follow if both go into the season unsigned long-term. — Max Bultman

Continued (paywall); it’s still assumed that Steve Yzerman will hammer out deals with Larkin and Bertuzzi this summer.

The Athletic’s Hailey Salivan and Sean Gentille wonder aloud whether Matthew Tkachuk might accept a trade out of Calgary, and they include the Red Wings as one of seven potential destinations for Tkachuk, should the salary arbitration-bound forward truly want to leave the Stampede City:

Detroit Red Wings

Cap space: $10.3 million
Wheeler’s 2022 prospect pool ranking: No. 7

The Red Wings are in a good spot; they have the cap space and roster construction (22 out of 23 spots filled) that would allow them to accommodate Tkachuk immediately, and a prospect pool more than good enough to net him in the first place. They’re short on established, young NHL players with remaining years of team control — that they’d be interested in trading, at least.

The most interesting, realistic package from Detroit? A win-now player like Tyler Bertuzzi (2023 UFA, $4.75 million AAV) or Jakub Vrana (UFA 2024, $5.25 million AAV), younger pros like defenseman Filip Hronek (RFA 2024, $4.4 million) or Filip Zadina (22 years old, RFA) and some combo of picks and prospects other than Simon Edvinsson and 2022 No. 8 overall pick Marco Kasper.

There’s no shortage of options there for Calgary. The issue — and it’s a big one — is whether Tkachuk would have any interest in signing a long-term deal with Detroit. Age-wise, he fits, especially given the moves GM Steve Yzerman just made. A team with Andrew Copp, David Perron and Ben Chiarot is no longer just rebuilding, and the rest of the team’s core — led by 2023 UFA Dylan Larkin, Calder Trophy winner Moritz Seider and top rookie forward Lucas Raymond — is ready to turn the corner.

Detroit probably isn’t in the same tier as perceived front-runners like St. Louis – and frankly, it’s easy to argue that they should be. Why wouldn’t Tkachuk want to, say, replace Bertuzzi on a line with Larkin and Raymond, on a roster as balanced as the one Yzerman has built? He’d be familiar with the area with his experience in the U.S. National Team Development Program – now based in Plymouth, Mich. And he’d be the biggest star on the Detroit Red Wings. Something to keep in mind.

Continued (paywall); I would argue that the Wings are in fact still rebuilding, and that the price for the 24-year-old Tkachuk is only reasonable should Tyler Bertuzzi’s vaccination status resolve itself in some manner.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen suggests that former Red Wings goaltender and current Bally Sports Detroit analyst Chris Osgood has a better Hockey Hall of Fame resume than some might believe:

Osgood is the only NHL goalie who has both Stanley Cup rings and 400 career wins who isn’t in the Hall of Fame.

Curtis Joseph posted more than 400 wins, but has no Cup. Henrik Lundqvist is another 400+ win goalie without a Cup. But he will likely enter the Hall of Fame when he is eligible. Lundqvist owns Olympic and World Championship gold.

Osgood’s credentials include three Stanley Cups. As Detroit Hockey Now has written, Chris Osgood would likely be in the Hall of Fame had Detroit won the Game 7 against Pittsburgh in the 2009 Stanley Cup Final. He might have won the Conn Smythe if the Red Wings won.

Over his career, Osgood was chosen to play in four NHL All-Star Games. He was selected to the NHL’s Second All-Star Team in 1995-96, when he led the NHL with 29 wins. He’s a two-time winner of the Jennings Trophy, was a Vezina Trophy runner-up in 1995-96 and played for five President’s Trophy-winning teams.

Osgood’s 401 wins rank 13th all-time in the NHL. He’s ninth in playoffs with 74 wins and owns a .574 postseason winning percentage.

Continued

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen posted a Tuesday-night column discussing the urgency with which the Red Wings face in terms of re-signing or trading Tyler Bertuzzi this summer:

Tyler Bertuzzi is a 30-goal scorer. He’s a belligerent player, always frustrating to play against. Whenever there,’s trouble on the ice, Bertuzzi is first in line. Bertuzzi is tough and fearless. He’s is character. Funny. Over-the-top. Crazy. On a podcast, Red Wings forward Oskar Sundqvist called Bertuzzi a “hillbilly goofball.”

He means that as a compliment. Sundqvist enjoys Bertuzzi’s personna. Without question, Bertuzzi is one of the more popular players in the dressing room.

Bertuzzi contributes in a variety of ways to the Detroit organization. He has such a unique skill set that it would be impossible to replace him.

Their first priority is to re-sign him. That’s best for the team. But if the Red Wings can’t reach an agreement with Bertuzzi on new contract, they need to trade him. It’s not complicated. It’s simple. He is such a valuable asset that it would be irresponsible for a rebuilding team like the Red Wings not to deal him.

Continued

Red Wings free agent signing Olli Maatta spoke with NHL.com/fi’s Teksti Simo Jarvinen, and Suomi Kiekko’s Joni Alatalo took note, of the conversation:

Olli Maatta is excited about this upcoming season with the Detroit Red Wings, and he also praised the team’s potential: “Able to raise his level tremendously”

The Detroit Red Wings made some tough additions to their team in recent weeks. They include, among others, Ville Husso, Andrew Copp, David Perron and Dominik Kubalik.

Finnish defenseman Olli Maata, who signed with Detroit on a one-year contract after a season with the Los Angeles Kings, can be added to that list. The 27-year-old Maatta has high expectations for the upcoming season.

“I”m excited about this opportunity. The team had good players even before the free agent market started, and now the recent signings have raised hope that the team wants to succeed. I really want to be a part of it,” said Maatta, according to the NHL’s Finnish website.

Maatta’s NHL career began in the 2013-14 season, and he’s played in 534 regular season games (30 goals, 106 assists, 136 points) and 85 playoff games (5 goals, 22 assists and 27 points) in the NHL. In addition to the Kings, he’s also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks. With the Penguins, he won two Stanley Cups. Maatta believes that he’s going to give the Red Wings some necessary experience.

“I remember how good a team the Red Wings had at the time. I hope I can bring the necessary value to help the team improve its play. Of course, it’s about trying to be yourself and finding your place in the lineup, but I believe that I have a lot to give to the team,” Maatta summarized.

Next season, Maatta will be able to play on the Red Wings together with, among others, the young German star Moritz Seider. The 21-year-old promising defenseman was chosen as the best rookie in the NHL last season, posting 7 goals, 43 assists and 50 points over the course of 82 games. Maatta was excited to discuss Seider’s properties and potential.

“He has good skill and attacking power. In addition, Seider plays excellently both ways. He’s an amazing talent to watch. Detroit has drafted well in recent years, and he’s proof of that. Seider is a defender who can raise his level tremendously over the next couple of seasons,” Maatta said.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Nate Brown continues DHN’s audit of the Red Wings’ prospect system with a profile of big Colgate junior and goaltender Carter Gylander.

Gylander is something of a wild card in the team’s goaltending system: the 21-year-old is a massive 6’5″ and 185 pounds, but he lost his starter’s job last season, which complicated his development.

Here’s Brown’s summary of Gylander’s game and achievements thus far:

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff wrote about Gylander last year and though on a team that isn’t in the spotlight as say a Boston University, or a University of Michigan, he’s held his own, including his freshman year.

…

Gylander is in a line of goaltender prospects that Yzerman has selected to bolster the pipeline. He was at development camp last week and though he might not have the attention that a Sebastian Cossa has, he’s certainly a prospect to keep an eye on.

Gylander’s junior season could be one that raises his profile some more. Gylander’s biggest issue is that his program isn’t as prominent. This certainly isn’t a negative- it’s just a reality. In the aforementioned game where he made 47 saves–it was on 53 shots. Detroit Hockey Now had Gylander ranked fifth in the system in the goaltender snapshot back in June.

The talent is certainly there, and development for goalies is always a bit more of a waiting game. Hammering down an estimated time of arrival is a bit trickier. Gylander’s rights don’t expire until August 15, 2024, which gives him his senior season as well to really showcase where his standing is in the system.

Continued; I think that Gylander’s best chance of making himself stand out in the Wings’ developmental system will to reclaim his starter’s spot next year and to continue developing as a junior and senior at Colgate.

He’s gigantic, and he’s working on tamping down his tendency to boot out big rebounds, but he needs more time to work on his game.

Red Wings prospect William Wallinder spoke with Rogle BK’s website’s Peter Ekholm, discussing the fact that, on his third try, he’s finally made the roster for Sweden’s World Junior Championship team which will take part in the World Juniors in Edmonton this August. Here’s a rough translation of the article:

Finally, camp for Wallinder: “It’s awesome to be here”

William Wallinder has taken part in his first camp with the Detroit Red Wings. Now he’s staying in Detroit to prepare for the World Junior Championship.

Defenseman William Wallinder will hardly get any time off from hockey this summer. Last week, he was on site in Detroit to take part in the team’s summer development camp, and he will soon be playing with the Junior Crowns [Juniorkrona] at the World Junior Championship.

“It was really cool to be on site to see their arena, training facility and explore the city, and of course to meet all the leadership and players,” says Wallinder.

Continue reading Roughly translated: William Wallinder’s excited to be preparing for the World Junior Championship (in Detroit)