The Malik Report

The Grand Rapids Griffins posted a video showing their top 5 plays from the calendar month of November:

Of prospect-related note in Europe on Wednesday:

In the Finnish Liiga, if I’m reading the stats right, Eemil Viro finished even with 8 shots in 19:20 played as TPS Turku won 2-1 over Assat Pori;

In the Swedish Allsvenskan, Filip Larsson stopped 22 of 24 shots as HV71 Jonkoping lost 3-1 to Mora IK. Albin Grewe did not play for Mora as he has a concussion;

And in the Swedish J20 league, Liam Dower Nilsson didn’t post a point in Frolunda HC’s 3-1 win over Oskarshamn.

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan filed a game-day notebook article discussing the Red Wings’ improved defensive play on the road:

The Wings’ 2-1 victory was a testament to a different-looking Wings team.

“A week ago, I don’t think we played as mature as we did tonight,” said coach Jeff Blashill after the victory. “Again, some of it stems from the fact that we had a chance to practice, got a chance to get our habits back and get our structure back.

“But also, we’ve got a lot of young players in important roles, and I even as a team sometimes, veteran players have to kind of remind themselves what it takes to be a winning-type hockey team. We took steps forward that way.”

Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic continued his recent hot streak with 41 saves, but Blashill didn’t feel many of those Bruins shots were quality scoring chances.

After a brief defensive dip on the trip through Columbus, Dallas, Vegas and Arizona — the Wings didn’t win any of those games — Detroit has rediscovered its defensive structure with some time to practice and rededicate itself to that part of the game.

“From a defensive standpoint, with the exception of a little bit in the second period when we left the puck in our zone when we should’ve got it out, we did a much better job of playing good defensively, of managing the puck at our line, and overall being pretty disciplined,” Blashill said.

Continued

The Red Wings posted their usual home game pre-scouting show, “The Forecheck,” earlier this afternoon…

As well as an interview with Joe Veleno:

Of note from the Denver University Pioneers’ website:

Carter Mazur Named NCHC Rookie of the Month for November

DENVER – Freshman Carter Mazur of the Denver Pioneers hockey team has been named the NCHC Rookie of the Month for November, the conference announced on Wednesday.
 
Mazur, 19, led all first-year players in the league in scoring during the month, registering five goals and two assists in six games. He tied for Denver’s overall scoring lead in November with sophomore Carter Savoie (5g/2a) and is currently on a four-game goal streak. The four-game stretch with a marker is the longest of Mazur’s career and the longest of the season by a Pioneer.
 
The Jackson, Michigan, native tallied a career-high three points (1g/2a) on Nov. 12 vs. Western Michigan, which included recording his first collegiate game-winning goal. He scored again the next night and went on to earn NCHC Rookie of the Week honors for Nov. 8-14—the first conference honor of his career.
 
After tallying on Nov. 19 vs. Miami, Mazur picked up his second multi-goal game of the season the following day as the Pioneers defeated the RedHawks 7-1 at Magness Arena to stretch the team’s winning streak to four games. The forward closed the month by posting a plus-7 rating in the final four games.
 
Mazur’s seven goals on the year are tied for the national lead by a freshman and ranks tied for second on the team in the category with fellow frosh Massimo Rizzo, as only Savoie has tallied more times (11).
 
This is the Pioneers’ second NCHC monthly honor of the season after Rizzo was named Rookie of the Month for October. This is the first time that Denver has picked up consecutive NCHC Rookie of the Month awards.
 
Mazur is now eligible for the Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) National Rookie of the Month, which will be announced on Thursday.
 
Selected by his hometown Detroit Red Wings in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft (70th overall), Mazur was named to Team USA’s preliminary roster for the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship on Tuesday. He’ll be one of 31 players looking to make the 25-man squad when USA Hockey’s training camp begins on Dec. 12 in Plymouth, Michigan.
 
Western Michigan’s Ethen Frank was named the NCHC Player of the Month, while Ryan Fanti of Minnesota Duluth earned conference honors as the Goaltender of the Month.

Of Twitter-to-video note this afternoon: TSN’s Craig Button (at the 1:45 mark of the attached video, which is available for viewing in the U.S. as well as Canada) discusses the goaltending situation for Team Canada, which has invited Red Wings prospect Sebastian Cossa to its World Junior Selection Camp.

From @CraigJButton: Who is expected to emerge as the starting goalie for Canada ?? at the #WorldJuniors? https://t.co/XfeZlxrD1z#TSNHockey pic.twitter.com/9Lr8OAy40F— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) December 1, 2021

Button believes that “it’s presumptuous to say” who will be named the starter, but he feels that Dylan Garand has an edge, despite Cossa’s size and economy of movement (starting at 3:25).

FYI from the Grand Rapids Griffins:

First ? at the Red Kettle jersey the boys will be wearing on Friday night for our annual Red Kettle Game, presented by the Salvation Army ? ?

Tickets >> https://t.co/YopaFiLj1S pic.twitter.com/dkd7RXxHwK— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) December 1, 2021

Per NHL.com:

Red Wings’ Raymond Named NHL ‘Rookie of the Month’ for November

NEW YORK (Dec. 1, 2021) – Detroit Red Wings left wing Lucas Raymond, who led all rookies with five goals, seven assists and 12 points in 14 games, has been named the NHL’s “Rookie of the Month” for November.

Raymond, who was selected fourth overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, edged Red Wings teammate Alex Nedeljkovic (6-2-1, 2.24 GAA, .934 SV%) Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras (4-5—9 in 11 GP), New Jersey Devils center Dawson Mercer (3-6—9 in 13 GP), Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Michael Bunting (3-6—9 in 14 GP) and Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman (5-2-0, 2.30 GAA, .914 SV%) for the honor.

Raymond found the scoresheet in nine of his 14 November appearances, including a trio of three-game point streaks: Nov. 4-7 (2-3—5), Nov. 13-16 (1-3—4) and Nov. 20-27 (2-1—3). The 19-year-old Gothenburg, Sweden, native registered his first career three-assist performance Nov. 6 at BUF and scored his first career overtime goal Nov. 27 vs. BUF, making him the second teenager in Red Wings history to accomplish the latter feat – after Steve Yzerman on Oct. 26, 1983, also vs. BUF.

Raymond, who joins teammate Moritz Seider (October) as a “Rookie of the Month” winner this season and is the only rookie who currently leads his team in scoring, tops NHL rookies in goals (9), assists (t-12), points (21) and power-play goals (3) through 23 total appearances in 2021-22.

The Red Wings are the first NHL team with different “Rookie of the Month” winners in consecutive months since the Toronto Maple Leafs in December (Auston Matthews) and January (Mitchell Marner) of 2016-17.

Lucas Raymond in November

Date	Opponent	G	A	P	Result
Nov. 2	at Montreal	0	0	0	3-0 L
Nov. 4	at Boston	1	0	1	5-1 L
Nov. 6	at Buffalo	0	3	3	4-3 OT W
Nov. 7	VEGAS	1	0	1	5-2 W
Nov. 9	EDMONTON	0	0	0	4-2 W
Nov. 11	WASHINGTON	0	0	0	2-0 L
Nov. 13	MONTREAL	0	1	1	3-2 OT W
Nov. 15	at Columbus	1	1	2	5-3 L
Nov. 16	at Dallas	0	1	1	5-2 L
Nov. 18	at Vegas	0	0	0	5-2 L
Nov. 20	at Arizona	0	1	1	2-1 OT L
Nov. 24	ST. LOUIS	1	0	1	4-2 W
Nov. 27	BUFFALO	1	0	1	3-2 OT W
Nov. 30	at Boston	0	0	0	2-1 W
Totals		5	7	12	7-6-1

### (12/1/21

WHO ELSE?!

Congrats, Lucas! ? pic.twitter.com/OSNEv0FzNc— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 1, 2021

Lucas Raymond has been named the NHL’s “Rookie of the Month” for November.

Raymond led all rookies with 5-7—12 in 14 GP and joined Steve Yzerman (Oct. 26, 1983 vs. BUF) as the second @DetroitRedWings teenager to score an overtime goal.#NHLStats: https://t.co/ad1oIgZ483 pic.twitter.com/odhirGbFcM— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 1, 2021

Everybody.
Loves.
Raymond. pic.twitter.com/6HKFtbk1Eh— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 1, 2021

I don’t happen to believe that the Hockey News’s Jason Chen is correct in suggesting that the Red Wings don’t have any depth, but the Wings are not receiving strong secondary scoring as of yet:

20. Detroit Red Wings (11-9-3, -9. CF%: 26th, xGF%: 15th. Last Week: 26)

Alex Nedeljkovic stole a win which gives them three in a row, even though all of them were close. Beyond the top line and Moritz Seider, the Wings don’t have enough dependable players to lean on.

Continued

Updated repeatedly at 1:09 PM: The 10-9-and-3 Detroit Red Wings face the 8-13-and-1 Seattle Kraken this evening (7:30 PM EST start on Bally Sports Detroit/ROOT Sports Northwest/97.1 FM), and the Kraken placed Calle Jarnkrok and Chris Driedger on the injured reserve this morning.

The Kraken took to the ice at Little Caesars Arena for their morning skate at 11:30 AM, and the Kraken were without two more important offensive players:

No Jordan Eberle or Jaden Schwartz at #SEAKranken morning skate in Detroit. #NHL pic.twitter.com/5nu1igv44K— Geoff Baker (@GeoffBakerTIMES) December 1, 2021

If you missed it…

With four victories in the last five games, the #SeaKraken need to keep executing the small details and staying vigilant about gaining possession of the puck.

Read more in today’s 3 Game Essentials → https://t.co/zJMh3yg6vM pic.twitter.com/5ogF5JHoFb— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) December 1, 2021

FYI:

Tonight Riley Sheahan is back in Detroit and is the answer to a great trivia question.

Name the player who scored the last ever goal at Joe Louis Arena and the first ever goal at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle? (it was a preseason goal)

I think I just gave you the answer.— Jeff Riger (@riger1984) December 1, 2021

Update: DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills posted a game preview of sorts:

Continue reading Red Wings-Kraken morning skate Tweets: Eberle, Schwartz miss Kraken’s morning skate