The Malik Report

Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen and defenseman Jordan Oesterle took part in the Wings’ Street Hockey Summer Showcase,” as helmed by Wings ambassador Jason McCrimmon, at Detroit’s Farwell Recreation Center today.

DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills chronicled the scene…

As part of the Red Wings’ groundbreaking Learn, Play, Score platform, the seven-week clinic series is providing more than 300 metro Detroit youth aged 6-14 with an opportunity to learn the basics of hockey, along with fundamental life skills, in a fun, laid-back outdoor atmosphere at eight Detroit Parks & Recreations locations across the city.

“It’s always fun,” Oesterle said. “I always try to give back. Obviously being from Michigan and being able to give back to the community that gave me so much means a lot.”

Oesterle added that working with the city’s youth is a humbling experience.

“They don’t necessarily care about you,” Oesterle said. “Good or bad, they think it’s cool that a professional athlete is coming to hang out with them. They all enjoyed it, they all had a great time and had a lot of smiles on their faces.”

Rasmussen agreed with Oesterle about how rewarding it feels to make a difference in the community.

“It’s nice to be part of the community and help out,” Rasmussen said. “Just seeing kids outside and playing sports, especially hockey, is pretty cool.”

Continued

From WDIV Local 4: Red Wings players Jordan Oesterle and Michael Rasmussen played supporting roles as Red Wings Youth Hockey Ambassador Jason McCrimmon helped teach youngsters in Detroit to play street hockey via the Street Hockey in the D Summer Series:

I love this. I learned how to play hockey on the street, and I wasn’t a kid of “means,” so I love to see the financial roadblocks to participating in hockey be dismantled.

Former Red Wings grinder, Grinder band leader, amateur wrestler, cannabis entrepreneur and sports talk radio host Darren McCarty spoke about the state of the Red Wings in terms of the team’s draft and free agency moves on today’s “Big D Energy” show on the Woodward Sports Network:

Of Red Wings-related note this evening:

1. The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan offered assessments of each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams‘ free agency doings (or the lack thereof), and here’s what he has to say about the home team:

► Detroit: GM Steve Yzerman addressed every need the Wings had, and the lineup is significantly deeper than it was a few weeks ago. Trading for goaltender Ville Husso also looks like a shrewd move right now. 

2. The Hockey News’s Stan Fischler made a slate of observations regarding the free agency moves around the NHL, and those preceding July 13th, and here are his Red Wings-related takes:

Department of So-Nice: Jeff Blashill winding up on his feet behind the Bolts bench as Jon Cooper’s aide is a case of justice triumphs.

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If the Red Wings make the playoffs for a change it’ll be because of the goaltending; specifically Ville Husso; no more, no less.

Another reason to just love Red Wings rookie coach Derek Lalonde. He comes from Brasher Falls, N.Y.

Brasher Falls — as far north as you can get in New York State — is so small that at the last census, its population soared to 669!

Finally, the Toronto Star’s Chris Johnston reminds us that a key member of the Red Wings’ leadership corps this past season is still an unrestricted free agent:

Sam Gagner, Detroit Red Wings

Centre

Age: 32

2021-22 cap hit: $850,000

2021 stats: 13 goals, 18 assists, 31 points in 81 games

The veteran forward is just 33 games from reaching 1,000 in his career. He’s a fourth-line option nowadays, but comes with intangibles in the manner Darren Helm and Andrew Cogliano provided during the Avalanche’s championship run this spring.

I don’t know if there’s room on the Wings’ roster for Gagner unless he’s willing to take a part-time role.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen believes that the Red Wings will have approximately $7.5 million in salary cap space when the season begins, and here’s why:

According to Capfriendly.com, the Red Wings have $10.296 million in cap space remaining with restricted free agents Filip Zadina and Jake Walman still to sign.

Walman filed for arbitration. He made $750,000 last season and could earn $1 million or more for this season.

The low-end comparable players earn $1 million and the high-end comparable is probably someone like defenseman Niko Mikkolo, who received a one-year deal from the St. Louis Blues for $1.9 million. Both Mikkola and Walman are 26. Walman has played 76 NHL games and registered 12 points, while Mikkolo has 88 games and 17 points.

Zadina does not have arbitration rights. His comparables are all over the map, although his best comparable may be Arizona’s Barrett Hayton. Both players had 24 points last season, although Hayton did it in 14 fewer games. Hayton is also a restricted free agent and hasn’t yet signed.

The low-end comparable for Zadina is Detroit’s Michael Rasmussen who is at $1.46 million AAV for a three-year contract he signed after the 2020-21 season. Of course, Rasmussen is now a more productive player.

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If Walman signs for $1 million and Zadina comes in at $1.8 million for two years. that would leave the Red Wings at roughly $7.5 million under the cap. That number will rise if Robby Fabbri stays on LITR (Long-term Injured Reserve) for a lengthy period.

Continued

The Hockey News’s Adam Proteau offers the following set of observations as part of a “Screen Shots” column:

After the first few days of unrestricted free agency, I looked back over the moves teams have made, and the more I look at what GM Steve Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings have done, the more I like them to make a push for a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division this coming season.

With the caveat that, like many people, I don’t like the amount of salary or term Yzerman gave to defenseman Ben Chiarot, the rest of Detroit’s additions should make a big difference for them in 2022-23. The dependable goal-scoring of veteran winger David Perron will be a major boost for their offense, as will the signing of former Jets and Rangers forward Andrew Copp. Although Chiarot is overpaid at $4.75 million, he’ll add bite to the lineup, and if new head coach Derek Lalonde has better luck on the health front with veterans Robby Fabri and Jakub Vrana, Detroit’s offense will be formidable.

All things considered, the Wings have enough punch in their roster now to see them giving the Boston Bruins a run for their money for the fourth playoff berth in the Atlantic. The Ottawa Senators will also be in that mix, and determining that last playoff spot may come down to which team has the best goaltending. Detroit has the relatively inexperienced Ville Husso between the pipes, but if he gets enough offensive support, he could thrive in the No. 1 role.

The other thing to bear in mind with the Wings: Yzerman still has more than $10.2 million in cap space. Some of that will go to restricted free agents Jake Walman and Filip Zadina, but there should still be a good chunk left over for Yzerman to spend on an in-season addition. That could put Detroit over the top in the playoff race. Regardless, keep your eye on the Red Wings this year. They could make the post-season for the first time since 2015-16, and that’s welcome news for Wings fans.

Continued

DobberHockey’s Tom Collins suggests that two Red Wings players have lost fantasy hockey value as a result of the moves made by the Wings’ management over the course of free agency:

8. Jakub Vrana: Vrana missed most of this past season with a shoulder injury, but was productive when he did make it back into the lineup, posting 13 goals and 19 points in 26 games on the second line. Five of those goals and six of those points were with the man-advantage, where he played on the top unit for a good chunk of that time. However, the Red Wings worked this offseason at bringing in more veterans. Andrew Copp signed a five-year deal that sees him get $5.6 million per season. David Perron signed a two-year deal that pays him $4.75 million per year. Dominik Kubalik signed a two-year deal at $2.5 million each campaign. All three of these could make up the second line in Detroit this season, and odds are Vrana will be moved to the second power-play unit.

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5. Alex Nedeljkovic: It’s been a tough few seasons for anyone who has had Nedeljkovic in keeper or dynasty leagues. Like most goalies, he was brought along slowly, but he put up great numbers in the AHL (career 89-45-11 record with 14 shutouts). He was finally given the opportunity in Carolina due to injuries and he was excellent, finishing 2020-21 with a 15-5-3 record with three shutouts, a 1.90 GAA and a .931 SV%. He was then traded to Detroit, where he had a great first half (12-10-4 with a 2.69 GAA, a .918 SV and one really bad start in his first 28 games) followed by a poor second half (8-14-5 with a 3.89 GAA, .884 SV% and 10 really bad starts in 31 games). There was still hope the 26-year-old could be Detroit’s goalie when they became good again, but the trade for Ville Husso and drafting of Sebastian Cossa last summer have put a big kibosh on those plans. With Husso signed for three years for just under $5 million per season and Nedeljkovic a UFA next summer, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Ned play backup this season and move to another squad in a year.

Continued; Vrana will be fine, and Nedeljkovic needed a competent 1A/1B goaltender to push him. He’s not going anywhere for a while.

Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin posted an article in which he analyzes the goaltending tandems of the Eastern Conference’s teams post-free agency, and here’s what he has to say about Alex Nedeljkovic and Ville Husso:

DETROIT RED WINGS: Ville Husso & Alex Nedeljkovic

Reason to be happy: Husso was a breakout star for the St. Louis Blues last season, and Nedeljkovic still has promise despite a challenging first year in Hockeytown. The Red Wings have two talented goaltenders under the age of 27.

Reason to be hopeful: Detroit hired a new coaching staff and signed several key free agents this offseason. The team should be better defensively in 2022-23, which will take pressure off the netminders.

Reason to be nervous: When combined, Husso and Nedeljkovic have played fewer than 200 NHL games. Having $7.75 million in cap space tied to inexperienced goaltending is a risk.

Continued; the Red Wings are definitely taking a risk in entrusting their crease to two inexperienced goaltenders, but the team needed to get younger while adding depth, and Husso gives Nedeljkovic a competent 1A/1B goaltender, as well as someone to push him.

This is pretty cool, via MLive’s Ansar Khan on Twitter, and per CapFriendly:

Based on current 20-man projected rosters these are the youngest teams in the NHL (using average age).

1. Buffalo – 25.9
2. Columbus – 25.9
3. Detroit – 26.1
4. New Jersey – 26.1
5. Anaheim – 26.3
6. Ottawa – 26.3
7. NY Rangers – 26.4
8. Arizona – 26.5
9. Vancouver – 26.5— CapFriendly Depth Charts (@CF_DepthCharts) July 18, 2022

Per the Red Wings on Twitter:

UPDATE: #RedWings executive vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman today announced that the team has hired Jay Varady as an assistant coach.

Details: https://t.co/C5hB16Vwdj pic.twitter.com/D7sTu0r2TA— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 18, 2022

Jay Varady joins coach Derek Lalonde’s staff as an assistant with the Red Wings. Varady spent the past three seasons coaching the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners.— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) July 18, 2022

Here’s the press release:

Continue reading Red Wings hire Jay Varady as assistant coach