Red Wings prospect Red Savage is taking part in the World Junior Championship with Team USA this August, but last month, he attended the Red Wings’ summer development camp at Little Caesars Arena. Savage is briefly mentioned in an article from the Miami of Ohio RedHawks’ website which discusses four members of the RedHawks’ team who took part in development camps:

Savage went through his first prospect camp with the Red Wings after the team took him 114th overall in the 2021 draft. The week concluded with a 3-on-3 tournament, and the Miami sophomore scored his share of goals in the showcase.

“It was a great experience for him,” said Red’s father Brian Savage, a former Montreal draft pick who attended a similar camp with the Canadiens three decades ago and then went on to a 12-year NHL career. “Red got to know some of the other draftees and prospects and sort of see where he fits in. He ended up having a real good camp.”

Continued

The Athletic’s Eric Duhatschek conducted a lengthy Q and A with former WHL forward Rich Preston, and Preston has some stories to share about playing with the Howe family as a member of the Houston Aeros:

In his biography, Mark Howe wrote how in 1973, he and Marty had been living with their parents but were “fighting too much over stupid stuff” so he moved in with you to an apartment complex where he eventually met his wife, Ginger. What were your memories of living with Mark and playing with the Howe family?

Gordie was such a gentleman off the ice, and so tough on the ice. We became really close. Mark and I lived together my second year, his third. Until then, they’d been living with their parents, who had a big house, with a swimming pool in the backyard — so the players used to go over there to swim. Gordie had a deal with Chrysler back then and knew a guy who helped me get a Dodge Van — an old hippie van — and they had a boat, so whenever you’d get an off day, you’d hitch the boat to the van and go down to the gulf and fish. That was Marty’s nickname — Fish because he loved to fish.

So, Mark also mentioned in his book, that he played on a line with you and his dad for a time. I see three natural wingers there. Who ended up playing in the middle?

Gordie did! And he loved it. Here’s a bit of trivia for you. There’s one person who played pro hockey who took Gordie Howe’s position (right wing) away from him. Mark played on the left side, I played on the right side and Gordie moved from right wing to center. And he loved it. He could go anywhere – and stick somebody and do whatever he wanted to. I think it was Terry Ruskowski who said: ‘That’s not a bad line, but it needs a nickname. They came up with, ‘Howe, Howe and Who!’ I was Who.

Continued (paywall)

EliteProspects conducted an interview with Red Wings prospect Simon Edvinsson, and while it’s “locked” behind a paywall, they shared some highlights on Twitter:

A lot of top NHL prospects decided to skip the 2022 #WorldJuniors to prepare for upcoming training camps this fall.

Simon Edvinsson will be in the NHL soon, but he explained why he made the decision to play at the tournament for Sweden first.

🔗: https://t.co/0tCiMx3QON pic.twitter.com/QHLS5ja4TJ— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) August 11, 2022

Edvinsson: “I can only speak for myself, but I said it’s an opportunity, I haven’t played at World Juniors before. It was cancelled. A little bit different from from the other ones because it’s in the summer. But yeah, I see this opportunity. I want to play for Sweden, win gold.”— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) August 11, 2022

Edvinsson cont’d: “So yeah, that was my decision. I talked to Detroit about it. We had a conversation and yeah, everything went good. So focused on this tournament now. And after that, go back to Detroit.”— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) August 11, 2022

DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills filed an article this morning which discusses the Red Wings “Roster Reset” as the team’s offseason changes apply to the team’s defensive corps:

Leading the defensive corps is 21-year-old German Moritz Seider, who won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie last season by leading all first-year skaters in assists (43), power-play points (21) and average time on ice (23:03). He was also one of only three rookies to play in all 82 games.

Seider, who was Detroit’s sixth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, established himself as a fixture on the Red Wings’ blue line in 2021-22, and will look to continue his trajectory in his second NHL season.

Detroit also relied heavily on Filip Hronek, whose 22:02 average ice time per game last season ranked second on the team behind Seider. In his fourth campaign with the Red Wings, Hronek recorded career highs in games played (78), assists (33) and points (38). The 24-year-old finished with five multi-assist games and six multi-point outings in 2021-22.

Since making his NHL debut with the Red Wings on Oct. 4, 2018, Hronek has evolved into a reliable top-four defenseman. His production was rewarded when the Czech native signed a three-year extension last September.

Other returning blueliners include Jordan Oesterle, Gustav Lindstrom and Jake Walman. 

Oesterle enters his second season with the Red Wings after signing as a free agent last July. In his seventh NHL campaign, the 30-year-old played in in 45 contests.

Continued;

From the Red Wings’ website comes this 10:22 clip of Michael Rasmussen speaking with DetroitRedWings.com’s Carley Johnston:

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the Red Wings signed Jake Walman to a 1-year, $1.05 million contract at 9:54 AM.

The Red Wings’ beat writers followed with their own confirmations, noting that Walman’s deal is a one-way contract salary-wise, but that it doesn’t exempt him from being sent down to the AHL if the Wings’ roster situation requires it.

This morning, the Red Wings confirmed the contract extension:

Continue reading Press release: Red Wings confirm Walman signing →

Red Wings prospect and Rogle BK center Theodor Niederbach had a rough start to the World Junior Championship yesterday, taking 2 minor penalties and a major penalty in Sweden’s 3-2 win over Switzerland. It was a particularly difficult performance given the steps forward that Niederbach has taken over the course of the summer.

Niederbach will try to re-set and refocus when Sweden takes on Austria on Friday, August 12th (2 PM EDT start on TSN and the NHL Network), presuming that he doesn’t get suspended for the 5-and-a-match penalty situation.

Niederbach spoke with SHL.se’s Johannes Haggelund on Monday regarding the World Junior Championship, moving to Rogle BK from Frolunda HC, and Simon Edvinsson. What follows is roughly translated from Swedish:

Niederbach: ‘Wants to be a player who contributes to us going far’

After four consecutive seasons with Frolunda, Theodor Niederbach now belongs to Rogle. Before the SHL starts, Niederbach, together with the Junior Crowns, will try to win a WJC gold. “We know that we have the material to go far,” says Niederbach, who also discusses his decision to sign with Rogle, and what it’s like to share a room with Simon Edvinsson.

At the end of December of last year, it was announced that the World Junior Championship was cancelled due to COVID-19, but now it’s time for the tournament to start again. On Wednesday, the WJC started for the Swedes. One of the players included for the second year in a row is Theodor Niederbach, 20.

“It’s obviously fun [to take part]. Nice to get the chance again. It’s a bit special because the tournament is played before the season starts,” says Niederbach.

Continue reading Roughly translated: Theodor Niederbach speaks with SHL.se →

On Thursday, August 11th, the following Red Wings prospects will be taking part in World Junior Championship action:

Team Finland vs. Team Czechia @ 2 PM EDT on TSN and the NHL Network

Eemil Viro plays for Finland; Jan Bednar plays for Czechia;

Team Slovakia vs. Team Canada @ 6 PM EDT on TSN and the NHL Network

Donovan Sebrango and Sebastian Cossa play for Canada, though Dylan Garand will start for the Canadians in goal.

Team Switzerland vs. Team USA @ 10 PM EDT on TSN and the NHL Network

Carter Mazur and Red Savage play for Team USA.

Update: Here’s the Canadian schedule:

#WorldJuniors GAME DAY:

Finland 🇫🇮 🆚 Czechia 🇨🇿: 2pm et on TSN 3/4

Slovakia 🇸🇰 🆚 Canada 🇨🇦: 6pm et on TSN 3/4

Switzerland 🇨🇭 🆚 USA 🇺🇸: 10pm et on TSN4

Also LIVE on https://t.co/BQGeAnElqf and the TSN App: https://t.co/3PTSwVFR94#TSNHockey pic.twitter.com/aYLxuG5z65— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) August 11, 2022

Red Wings prospect Simon Edvinsson had a particularly good outing as Sweden out-dueled Switzerland 3-2 on Wednesday. Edvinsson had an assist, he was even, had 3 shots, and played 26:09.

After the game, he spoke with HockeyNews.se’s Henrik Sjoberg regarding his and his team’s respective performances. What follows is roughly translated from Swedish:

Edvinsson on the Swedes’ premiere: “We were very weak at the beginning”

Edmonton. The Junior Krona won against Switzerland–but not impressively.

“I think that it was quite clear that we were very weak at the beginning. It was good to win, but we need to improve,” says defensive star Simon Edvinsson to HockeyNews.se.

It took until the final minutes of the 2nd period before Daniel Torgersson broke the deadlock and gave Sweden a lead against Switzerland–thanks to a play from the promising defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who has a big role on the Swedish WJC team.

Sweden had a 3-0 lead, but surrendered 2 goals, and it was a dramatic game all the way until the final seconds of the premiere.

“I think it’s quite clear that we were weak at the beginning. We came out and didn’t have any pressure or the pace we wanted. It got a little better in the 2nd period and in the 3rd, we got off to a good start, but I think we’re went down again,” says Edvinsson to HockeyNews.se.

“It was nice to win, that’s what counts, but we need to pick it up a bit. Both from my side and from the team’s side,” he says.

Sweden had to play defense in the final minute, and things got sweaty when Theodor Niederbach took a match penalty after a check in the back of a Swiss player in Niederbach’s own zone.

“I didn’t see it, I had a few players in front of me and I haven’t seen a replay either, but that’s the kind of thing that happens, and we fought it off,” Edvinsson says.

There were no more than around 150 people in the arena when the puck dropped for yesterday’s opener against Switzerland–an extraordinary experience for the players, who usually perform in front of thousands of spectators.

“We hope for bigger audiences in the upcoming games, but it was nice to get started, anyway,” says Edvinsson.

For what it’s worth, between the controversy surrounding Hockey Canada, the news that tickets start at $50 a seat and go up from there at Rogers Place in Edmonton, and the fact that the games are being held on weekdays in August…It’s understandable that the crowds are small.

Fans vote with their butts, either by placing them in seats or skipping games, and right now, fans in Edmonton are letting the World Junior Championship’s organizers know that the controversy is real and the prices are too high.

I mentioned on Sunday that Red Wings prospect Marco Kasper engaged in a wide-ranging conversation with HD.se, but said conversation was stuck behind a Swedish paywall.

This morning, Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff takes us behind the paywall–to some extent–and offers confirmation of the news that’s been confirmed by Kasper himself, both while speaking to the Wings’ media members and elsewhere:

Continue reading Confirming the confirmation →