Tweet of note: It’s Archie vs. ‘Trick’

Via CBS Detroit’s Rachel Hopmayer:

For context, per Ms. Ruch:

Meanwhile, in Chicago…It’s officially ‘Patrick Kane Day’

Updated at 2:47 PM: 8/8, a.k.a. August 8th, is now officially “Patrick Kane Day”:

Per WGN’s Charlie Roumeliotis:

Continue reading Meanwhile, in Chicago…It’s officially ‘Patrick Kane Day’

Tweet of note: Red Wings add ‘Hockeytown’ to centennial center ice logo at LCA

From the Detroit Red Wings:

Per the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan and DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills:

“The center ice fan vote, launched in partnership with Meijer, was a great way to get fans involved in Red Wings Centennial right from the start,” said Asia Gholston, senior vice president of brand marketing for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, in a statement. “Through an incredible response to this vote, fans have made it clear they’re fired up for what’s to come in celebrating 100 years of Hockeytown, which is only possible due to their unwavering support for the Winged Wheel.”

The design of the “Hey Hey Hockeytown” center ice logo pays homage to a century of hockey tradition in Detroit, while also representing the team’s present and future.

The logo merges a redrawn version of the 1934 Winged Wheel with a modernized “100” design. The ‘1’ and ‘0’ also echo the curves of the original markm rendered in the club’s red and vintage white color scheme. Combined with the classic Hockeytown wordmark, introduced in 1996, the special logo creatively honors the city and culture of one of the NHL’s most iconic franchises.

“We saw over 20,000 votes in the first 72 hours alone after opening the poll to fans,” Gholston said. “That response is proof of how passionate and engaged they are, and know this is a meaningful step in their eyes towards honoring our legacy.”

DobberProspects’ ’32 in 32′ series examines the Red Wings’ crop of prospects

DobberProspects’ Emmanuel Alforque examines the Red Wings’ prospect pool today, discussing the Red Wings’ draft class of 2025, some of the Wings’ top prospects, those on the rise, and those who have fallen in terms of their overall value. He offers a top 20 list of prospects as well, and there are glimmers of NHL team moves and an NHL team prediction, too.

Here’s one of his three in-the-system prospect profiles…

Dmitri Buchelnikov, RW (52nd overall in 2022) 

Buchelnikov put up 54 points (15 goals, 39 assists) in 65 games on a very bad Vityaz team in the KHL. Despite that, he finished top-20 in points in the league. This season, he’ll get the opportunity to play on a prestigious CSKA team in Russia so it’ll be interesting to track his progress. 

He seems to fly under the radar when it comes to Red Wings prospects because he plays in Russia but he is a heck of a player. I see a lot of Mathew Barzal when I look at his skating, his maneuverability and his playmaking. Being 5-10, he’s smaller than him but he still plays that smart, heads-up hockey. What Buchelnikov lacks in size, he makes up for in speed. He explodes off the rush and has the escapability to find himself 1-on-1 against a goalie. He also won the fastest skater challenge during the KHL All-Star Competition, skating a 13.7 seconds lap. For reference, Larkin owns the NHL record at 13.1 seconds. Not only is he fast, but his brain keeps up with his feet. He sees the ice extremely well and has killer offensive instincts. Buchelnikov has the unique ability to skate his way out of trouble and serve the puck on a platter to his linemates. If given the right opportunity, I could see him excelling at the NHL level in a top-six role. 

And he gives a thumbs-up to the Red Wings’ 2025 first-round pick, too:

Round 1, 13th Overall: Carter Bear, LW 

The biggest concern heading into the draft for Bear was the injury he suffered this year in early March where he partially tore his achilles from a skate laceration. Despite that, he resumed skating ahead of schedule which quickly silenced any doubts surrounding his health on draft day. Since then, he’s signed his entry level contract with the Wings but is expected to return to the WHL for his D+1 season. 

Finishing with 82 points (40 goals, 42 assists) in 56 games, Bear exploded offensively last season for the Everett Silvertips. There’s a lot to like about his game but his compete level is what stands out the most. In his own end, he’s positionally sound and rarely gets caught out of coverage. He transitions up the ice with speed and intent to create scoring chances off the rush. He has great vision to find teammates and has a knack to score goals around the net. Bear dominates in all three zones and there is a reason why he led his team in every offensive category. He is impressive along the boards, winning the majority of his battles. Bear gets involved physically using his body during puck pursuit and uses his motor to overwhelm opponents. Trusted in all situations, Bear has top-six forward written all over him. I have no doubt he’ll have a long NHL career. 

Continued; this is a very good prospect-centric read.

Duff wonders whether Brandsegg-Nygard can crack the Red Wings’ roster this fall

Red Wings prospect Michael Brandsegg-Nygard turns 20 on October 5th, just before the Wings’ home opener, and MBN will probably begin his North American sojourn in Grand Rapids of the AHL.

That being said, Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff posted a subscriber-only article in which he questions whether Brandsegg-Nygard could use strong training camp and exhibition performances to propel Brandsegg-Nygard on to the Red Wings’ roster:

He decided to summer in North America, partially at the urging of Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman.

“He said it will be an important summer and that anything can happen,” Brandsegg-Nygard told Norwegian website Nitten.no. “If I continue, train hard, and do what I have to do, it is not impossible (he could make the NHL roster). I will do everything I can. Of course it’s the dream. This is what I’ve worked for my whole life. It would be incredibly cool.”

At 6-foot-1, 202 pounds, the right-shot right-winger is built for the NHL. Or is it the NHL style that was built to suit him?

“It’s a game I like to play,” Brandsegg-Nygard said. “Tight hockey and physical hockey with a lot of power. So, I mean, that’s a game I want to play.”

He’s also the big body, physical presence that the Red Wings are desperately seeking to add more of to their equation.

Certainly, Brandsegg-Nygard wants to crack the Red Wings roster out of training camp in the fall, so he allows himself to engage in that vision quest.

“Of course,” Brandsegg-Nygard admitted. “I mean, that’s my dream and my goal, to make the team. So we see what happens. But I mean, I’m happy with GR, too. So I’m just seeing what happens. I’m just gonna do my best to hopefully make the team one day.”

Continued (paywall); anything can happen over the course of training camp and the exhibition season, but it’s going to take an exceptional performance and the supplanting of a top-nine forward for Brandsegg-Nygard to make the Wings’ roster.

He and Axel Sandin Pellikka will be given every opportunity to impress, but they’re headed to Grand Rapids unless they are truly extraordinary come late September.

Three things: Today is Patrick Kane Day in Chicago; Wings single-game tix go on sale at 10 AM; Seider, Raymond to take part in ASG in Zurich

Just a quick reminder as to what’s happening today:

  1. Today is Patrick Kane Day (8/8) in Chicago, which will involve several autograph-signings, a sold-out dinner event, and likely media appearances where Kane will regale the audiences with tales of his Stanley Cup wins with Chicago;
  2. Red Wings single-game tickets go on sale to the general public today at 10 AM EDT;
  3. And in Zurich, Switzerland, Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond will take part in an All-Star Game called “Fiala’s Friends” to benefit Zurich-area charities.

Update:

Have the Red Wings delivered a middling ‘Summer Splash,’ or are they a cannonball not yet taken?

Perhaps in a sign that the NHL’s summertime free agency period and post-draft trades haven’t been exactly scintillating, the Hockey News’s Adam Proteau affords the Red Wings the 11th-best “Summer Splash” ranking of the NHL’s 32 teams.

Proteau makes sure to state that the middle-of-the-pack “summer splash” teams have not necessarily improved, nor have they necessarily gotten worse, and, after analyzing the Red Wings’ additions and subtractions, he issues the following “Bottom Line“:

The Bottom Line

Let’s be clear – the Red Wings are where they are in our summer splash rankings primarily because of the Gibson move. Goaltending had been an issue in Detroit for a long time, and Yzerman finally found the big fish in net that he and Wings fans have been aching for.

However, when you look at the big picture in the Atlantic, the Red Wings are still going to face a hellacious battle just to land a wild card playoff berth, let alone contend for a top-three spot in the division. Yzerman didn’t do much to address his team’s defense corps, and at forward, Yzerman is still banking on a group of young players rising and justifying Yzerman’s belief in them. 

The Wings are still in the mid-tier of our summer splash ranks because, even with Gibson in town, they’re not quite a top-10 team in terms of summer improvements. Yes, they’re technically better, and that’s why they’re not 15th or 20th in these ratings. But looking at Detroit as a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference is a major-league stretch. 

By season’s end, it would surprise no one if the Red Wings were on the outside of the playoff picture looking in for the 10th consecutive season. Gibson will have to steal a lot of games just to keep them fighting for a playoff spot, and of course, that’s not guaranteed. And if the Wings falter yet again, Yzerman’s job security will be in jeopardy.

Continued; Gibson, Cam Talbot and Sebastian Cossa will all earn time in the Wings’ crease…

But there’s no doubt that “everybody’s got to give a little bit more” if the Red Wings don’t make any further improvements over the remainder of the summer or start of fall.

“Improvement from within” will mean better consistency from both veterans and young players alike, pushes from the Wings’ prospects to “steal jobs” from veterans, and perhaps some in-season trades for a top-six forward with a scorer’s touch and/or a top-four defenseman with some two-way capabilities.

But you also know my bottom line: the Red Wings’ success or failure during its “Centennial Season” will not determine the course of Steve Yzerman’s managerial career. As long as Mrs. Ilitch is still running the show alongside Christopher Ilitch, Steve Yzerman is the executive vice-president and general manager for as long as he wishes to be the EVP and GM.

Continue reading Have the Red Wings delivered a middling ‘Summer Splash,’ or are they a cannonball not yet taken?

On the athletic art of ‘putting on weight without adding bulk’

Back on June 28th, Red Wings prospect Carter Mazur told DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills that he’s put 15 pounds on a 170-pound-listed frame.

Today, MLive’s Ansar Khan took note of the remarks made by Red Wings assistant GM/director of amateur scouting Kris Draper and Red Wings director of player development Dan Cleary regarding the ways in which players can add muscle without adding “bulk“:

“All these kids that we talk to, they talk about, ‘I got to put weight on,’ ” Kris Draper, Red Wings assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting, said. “But in the end, it’s going to happen over time, and we just have to be patient.

“I’ll give you a perfect example of Carter Mazur. I think he was at 165 when we drafted him (2021), and he’s weighing in at almost 195 pounds right now. He’s 23 years old, and he’s finally been able to put all that weight on. And he’s putting on the right weight, and it’s something that he knows he needed to do. Some kids, it takes a little bit longer.”

I’ve talked to several prospects who say that the first time they put on weight, they ended up finding themselves too heavy or too slow, so they end up losing 5 or 10 pounds to find their optional weight.

The Europeans have said that to me more than anybody else, but it seems to be an issue with a significant minority of prospects (under 50%, but not far under 50%), so it’s incredibly important that Mazur told Mills that he’s worked under the tutelage of the Grand Rapids Griffins’ training staff in order to add muscle but not “bulk” to his wiry frame.

Continue reading On the athletic art of ‘putting on weight without adding bulk’

Fundraising doesn’t have to be fun; it has to get done

We’ve managed to raise $145 of the $617 in server fees and yearly bills that I have to pay this month to keep the website up and running, so that’s good news.

Overall, I believe that we can hit the necessary marks, but it’s going to take daily donations to get ‘er done–the urgency remains, and I’m going to be worrying until we hit our goal–and as such, I have to nag you every day, whether you and I like it or not.

I will admit, however, that this has been a miserable week in terms of anxiety and depression, so I’m fighting through as best I can. I say this not to “milk it” for donations’ sake, but to simply tell you the truth as to how things are going.

So the grind continues, with me working as best as I can to provide content, and we’ll go from there.

In terms of fundraising…

Continue reading Fundraising doesn’t have to be fun; it has to get done

Press release: Red Wings confirm return to Traverse City for training camp from September 18th-20th

Per the Detroit Red Wings:

RED WINGS TRAINING CAMP RETURNS TO TRAVERSE CITY IN SEPTEMBER

  … Centre ICE Arena to Host Practice Sessions from Sept. 18-20 …

DETROIT – Detroit Red Wings Executive Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman today announced that the Red Wings will return to Centre ICE Arena in Traverse City, Mich., to host their annual NHL Training Camp.

The 2025-26 Red Wings hit the ice for the first time for Training Camp on the morning of Thursday, Sept. 18, and continue daily through Saturday, Sept. 20. Red Wings players, prospects and tryouts will be divided into teams that will practice and scrimmage throughout camp before heading to West Michigan for the annual Red and White Game on Sunday, Sept. 21 at Van Andel Arena, home of the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Following the Red and White Game, the team will break camp for Detroit to begin their preseason schedule at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday, Sept. 23 against the Chicago Blackhawks. A full camp roster and the complete training camp schedule will be announced at a later date.

TICKETS FOR TRAINING CAMP ON SALE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13

Advance tickets for all Red Wings Training Camp sessions in Traverse City will be available online this season at www.mynorthtickets.com/organizations/centre-ice starting on Wednesday, Aug. 13 at 10:00 a.m. Ticket prices are as follows: 

  • Training Camp Practice (Thursday, Sept. 18): $20 per day (general admission)
  • Training Camp Practice (Friday, Sept. 19): $20 per day (general admission)
  • Training Camp Practice (Saturday, Sept. 20): $30 per day (general admission)

Select 2025 Training Camp merchandise will also be available for purchase in the arena store on the upper level behind the concession stand. For additional information, please call (231) 933-7465 or visit www.centreice.org.