TSN Tweet/video of note: Mark Masters holds a roundtable discussion with Team Canada’s Sebastian Cossa, Dylan Garand and Brett Brochu

Enjoy:

#WorldJuniors ROUND TABLE: Team Canada’s goalies explain why Mason McTavish & Connor Bedard have been the most impressive shooters so far. Brett Brochu, Dylan Garand & Sebastian Cossa also offer a goalie’s perspective on the ‘Michigan assist’ – https://t.co/CiWnzZeK6g#TSNHockey pic.twitter.com/2RWLMUUmAY— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) December 20, 2021

Tweet of note: Griffins coach Ben Simon briefly addresses his trip to coach the Wings

From TheAHL.com’s Patrick Williams:

Grand Rapids head coach Ben Simon fresh off his “recall” to Detroit, where he coached several of his players this past Saturday night:
“You go through the grind here in Grand Rapids,” and then get to share the moment in Detroit.#AHL pic.twitter.com/TxD2VhQ2CG— PATRICK WILLIAMS (@pwilliamsAHL) December 20, 2021

Just to be proactive and on the safe side, Simon also voluntarily held himself out of today’s practice in Grand Rapids to allow for an extra day after returning from Detroit.— PATRICK WILLIAMS (@pwilliamsAHL) December 20, 2021

Dylan Larkin named the NHL’s First Star of the Week

Pretty cool:

Dylan Larkin (@DetroitRedWings), Vladimir Tarasenko (@StLouisBlues), Nikolaj Ehlers (@NHLJets) named “Three Stars” for the week ending Dec. 19.#NHLStats: https://t.co/585aHPRdTT pic.twitter.com/uxhWWIaF5d— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 20, 2021

The stars are shining bright. ✨

Cast your #NHLAllStar Fan Vote ballot now ? https://t.co/JOMxUndKd8 pic.twitter.com/wlDKtJkhRf— NHL (@NHL) December 20, 2021

⭐ @Dylanlarkin39 led the NHL with five goals and seven points in three games last week for the @DetroitRedWings, including his first career hat trick and four-point outing in a 5-2 W vs. NJD on Dec. 18.#NHLStats: https://t.co/585aHPRdTT pic.twitter.com/OMkKkzWIZU— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 20, 2021

Number 71 in your programs…
Number 1 star of the week in the @NHL!

DYLAN LARKIN!!!

??? pic.twitter.com/PVK7z57I0j— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 20, 2021

Update: Here’s the press release:

Continue reading Dylan Larkin named the NHL’s First Star of the Week

The Hockey News’s Richardson lists Nick Leddy as an Atlantic Division trade candidate

The Hockey News’s Lyle Richardson listed a set of Atlantic Division players who might be strong trade candidates, and I don’t think that Red Wings fans would be disappointed to see this guy go:

Nick Leddy, Detroit Red Wings

The 30-year-old defenseman was No. 6 on TSN’s first trade-bait board of the season on Dec. 8. Like Chiarot, he’s a UFA next summer and could draw interest from playoff contenders. However, the Wings could be unwilling to part with him if they’re still in the Eastern Conference playoff chase by the trade deadline.

Continued; Leddy hasn’t been terrible by any means, but he’s been underwhelming for a player who was supposed to be the Wings’ top-pair stalwart alongside Moritz Seider. Instead, he’s playing with Filip Hronek, and sometimes Hronek carries that pair.

The Score’s power rankings: deck the halls with jabbed Bertuzzi

The Score posted this week’s power rankings, offering a Christmas present to each and every one of the NHL’s 32 teams…

22. Detroit Red Wings (15-13-3)

Previous rank: 16th

? A vaccine for Tyler Bertuzzi. The Red Wings wingeris the only NHL player who hasn’t received his COVID-19 jab yet.

Well, Bertuzzi was the subject of quite the chirp from New Jersey Devils enforcer Mason Geertsen on Saturday, as Yahoo Sports’ Thomas Williams noted:

In a league where, understandably, anyway, you can’t “chirp the way you used to,” I thought this was a creative “jab.”

That, and it would be great to have Bertuzzi in the lineup when the Wings head to Canada in March. The team needs his ability to stir up scoring via his forechecking prowess and energetic game.

Bultman files a mailbag article

The Athletic’s Max Bultman filed a mailbag feature this morning:

Am I alone in thinking Nick Leddy’s been underwhelming so far? — Walking on a wire

You are not. Certainly, the statistics are in your favor, with Leddy having just eight points in 31 games and carrying underlying numbers much worse than the ones he turned in for the Islanders last season. I do think he’s added some much-needed mobility to the Red Wings’ blue line, and his ability to skate with the puck is something that Detroit hasn’t had enough of in recent years. He’s also still their best left-shot defenseman, which matters.

But in terms of the hope he could help provide offense, yes, it’s definitely fair to be a bit underwhelmed.

True or False: If Vrana is healthy at the start of the season, Raymond would’ve started in Grand Rapids. — Seth Walters

I love this hypothetical from Seth, partly because it now seems impossible to imagine Raymond — who has 28 points in 31 games — anywhere but his current spot on the Red Wings’ top line.

And yet, it’s still fair to acknowledge he might never have gotten the chance to play there in the first place had Vrana not been injured. Does Raymond’s talent shine through in the same way if he spends the preseason playing on the wing of Michael Rasmussen or Mitchell Stephens? Probably not, but I do think his shooting talent and smarts would have found a way to earn him a spot regardless.

In addition to his skill, he plays a reasonably mature game, and at some point talent finds a way. So I’ll say FALSE. But it’s a great question.

Continued (paywall)

HSJ in the morning: Moritz Seider vs. Jack Hughes, round 1, goes to ‘Mo’

The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted an early-morning article discussing Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider’s performance against New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes during Saturday’s 5-2 win over New Jersey. Both players were drafted in the first round in 2019, and even though the Red Wings finished lower than the Devils that year, the Wings’ draft lottery luck failed them…On paper, anyway:

Saturday marked the first time Seider and Hughes played against one another in the NHL. Hughes, 20, is in his third season, but Seider spent 2019-20 in the American Hockey League and last season in Sweden. Seider was on the ice against Hughes most shifts, and quickly adapted to limit his effectiveness. Wings assistant coach Doug Houda, who is in charge of the defensemen, pointed out Seider’s teachability after the game.

“I thought he respected the game,” Houda said. “He knew he had to play Jack Hughes. The first couple minutes, I thought Hughes got in behind him, and that was the last time he got in behind him, because he played against him most of the night.

“He’s a great player and he’s just learning the game and every day he’s getting better and better. As you play against these better players every game, there’s something to pick up every night, and he did it again. He defended pretty well against Jack Hughes.”

Hughes was held without a point, giving him five goals, three assists and a minus-8 rating in 12 games this season (he missed 17 games because of a dislocated shoulder). Hughes had 21 points and was minus-26 in 61 games his rookie year, and had 31 points and a minus-3 rating in 56 games last season. In November, the Devils signed Hughes to an eight-year, $64-million extension that kicks in next season and carries an $8 million annual average value.

In addition to his defensive performance, Seider starred offensively. In the second period, he had the puck in the neutral zone, slowed down to make sure the play was not offside, remained poised as he was double teamed, and then slipped the puck through defender’s legs and on to Tyler Bertuzzi, who scored to make it 3-1. It was Seider’s 18th assist of the season, tying teammate Lucas Raymond for the NHL lead in assists among rookies.

Continued (paywall); here’s the goal: