Hockeynews.se’s Henrik Sjoberg posted a 13-minute clip of Red Wings prospect Simon Edvinsson’s day during the Four Nations Cup in Angelholm, Sweden this past November. The video is in Swedish, but it’s entertaining:
Update: IceHockeyGifs posted a teaser in English:
Simon Edvinsson knows what’s important going into a big tournament.
Sweden enters the WJC on the 26th vs. Russia. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/IybCX3neNN— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) December 24, 2021
Bally Sports Detroit’s YouTube page posted the latest episode of Wingspan, which discusses the Red Wings’ holiday traditions:
Red Wings prospect Red Savage made a bad decision that cost himself and Team USA at the World Junior Championship’s preliminary round in Edmonton.
Savage took 5-and-a-game for this hit on Joakim Kemmell:
Joakim Kemell takes a hit to the head. #WJC2022 #2022NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/AuADR8i0JB
— Lassi Alanen (@lassialanen) December 23, 2021
As a result, Finland rallied from a 3-1 deficit on the 5-minute major penalty assessed to Savage, and Finland ultimately won 4-3 in overtime.
After the game, Team USA coach Nate Leaman spoke with the media, as noted by the Edmonton Sun’s Jim Matheson:
While Kemell, who leads the SM-Liiga in goals as a 17-year-old and could go in the first-round of the 2022 NHL draft, was taking off his gear in the dressing room, the Finns manufactured an improbable comeback from a 3-1 hole, scoring three times on the five-minute penalty for a 4-3 overtime victory.
Finnish captain Roni Hirvonen beat American backup Daniel Silverstein for the winner after Joel Maatta and Ville Ottevainen sent the edgy game to extra time with two more power-play goals.
“Tough lesson to learn but I would rather it happen now,” said USA coach Nate Leaman. “If it’s later, it could cost you the tournament. If this helps us become the most disciplined team, we can look back and say that was a healthy thing for us. Red got a little overaggressive at that moment but that’s what makes him tick.”
The Finns scored three goals on the game’s final seven shots on Silverstein, who replaced starter Drew Commesso after 40 minutes. Commesso gave up one goal to Los Angeles Kings prospect Kasper Simontaival early in the first, after the Finns had the game’s first seven before the USA fought back.
While Savage — the son of former NHL winger Brian Savage — got a game misconduct, Finnish defenceman Ruben Rafkin, who played for the Windsor Spitfires two years ago, was tossed out in the first period for kneeing Brett Berard.
…
Because Savage’s penalty was a match and the International Ice Hockey Federation frowns on hits to the head, he might get suspended. Rafkin’s was a major and less edgy.
SvenskaFans.com’s Andreas Lundskog posted a great profile of Red Wings prospect and Swedish World Junior Championship team defenseman Simon Edvinsson. Here’s a rough translation thereof:
Continue reading Roughly translated: SvenskaFans.com posts a profile of Simon EdvinssonRed Wings captain Dylan Larkin was “Mic’ed up” by the Red Wings when he warmed up against the New York Islanders on December 14th, and he happened to knock over a fan’s beer, paying for the $15 suds with a $20:
And Paul Kukla of Kukla’s Korner/Abel to Yzerman has posted a video in which Larkin explains why he did what he did to ESPN’s John Buccigross, via Jens95 on YouTube:
Update: Buccigross posted the video on Twitter:
I talked to Dylan Larkin about buying fan a beer on “The Point”… pic.twitter.com/04T7ZYEoMI— House of Bucci Mane (@Buccigross) December 24, 2021
This was not a good thing to see, per Yahoo Sports’ Oliver Neven: Red Wings prospect Red Savage was kicked out of Team USA’s 4-3 overtime loss to Finland due to a 5-minute major and game misconduct for a hit to the head of Finland’s Joakim Kemell:
Joakim Kemell takes a hit to the head. #WJC2022 #2022NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/AuADR8i0JB
— Lassi Alanen (@lassialanen) December 23, 2021
Not good. An unnecessary hit.
The Grand Rapids Griffins posted a press release regarding their annual New Year’s Eve game, and it’s noteworthy for both the fact that the Griffins are hosting the Milwaukee Admirals, as well as the fact that the Griffins hold what they say is the largest indoor fireworks show in Michigan after the game ends:
Continue reading Promotional note: Griffins holding an indoor fireworks show on New Year’s EveThe Grand Rapids Griffins’ website posted an article today which profiles goaltender Calvin Pickard. Derek Patterson discusses the netminder’s steady presence for the Griffins over the course of the past two seasons:
Two years ago, goaltender Calvin Pickard signed a contract with the Detroit Red Wings. Since then, he has been the key goaltender for the Grand Rapids Griffins, the primary affiliate of Detroit.
During this 2021-22 campaign, Pickard has been between the pipes in 20 of the 23 Griffins’ games and has solidified himself as one of the top goaltenders in the AHL. Pickard has played in a career-best 16 consecutive games, which he set from Nov.5- Dec. 22. The netminder is fifth on the circuit with a save percentage of 0.927, and his 2.44 goals against average is tied for 11th in the league. He is also tied for sixth in the AHL with nine wins.
The Moncton, New Brunswick, native first broke into professional hockey in 2010 when he was the Colorado Avalanche’s second-round draft choice. Since then, he has played for eight different franchises between the AHL and NHL. Pickard has seen how different systems work, but his experience with the Red Wings has been a particularly enjoyable one.
“My experience has been great with the Red Wings. I’ve played against [Detroit] in the NHL and played a lot of games against the Griffins,” Pickard said. “I was excited for a new organization and a fresh start. I’ve been treated very well since day one here. The staff, players and the fans are great.”
One of Pickard’s favorite things about the Red Wings has been the easy transition when he first arrived and the professionalism that the organization carries at all levels of competition.
“I’ve definitely been with my fair share of organizations, and a couple of them try to make you into something that you’re not,” Pickard explained. “But when I came over here, they treated me like a true professional from day one. For the most part they make sure I’m ready and comfortable going into each game and that’s where I’ve earned most of my success.”
CBS Sports’ Austin Nivision posted a set of power rankings today, and he reports that Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin’s “fancy stats” back up his offensive flourishing:
21. Red Wings: Dylan Larkin is on pace for a career high in the goals category. On the one hand, that is driven by a 19.2 shooting percentage that is roughly 10 points higher than his career average. On the other, Larkin is 12th in the NHL in individual expected goals at five-on-five, so he is doing something right.
This is an intriguing video from IceHockeyGifs of Twitter and YouTube fame:
