Tweets of note: Carley Johnston relays highlights of Blashill Zoom call

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill held a media conference call today via Zoom:

Coach Blashill joining us via zoom, his first day out of quarantine will be tomorrow #LGRW— Carley Johnston (@carleykjohnston) December 26, 2021

Coach says today’s “practice” was 10 skaters and a goalie, just trying to get guys who are healthy out on the ice #LGRW— Carley Johnston (@carleykjohnston) December 26, 2021

Coach Blashill anticipates 7 forwards, 5 D and a goalie for tomorrow’s practice #LGRW— Carley Johnston (@carleykjohnston) December 26, 2021

Coach Blash says he does not know when their next game is. His understanding is they’re tentatively planning for the 29th against the Islanders, but he’s unsure. #LGRW— Carley Johnston (@carleykjohnston) December 26, 2021

Coach when asked if they’d be ready Wednesday, “there will be challenges, but I know the Islanders won’t care. They’ve faced their own challenges. If the league says the right thing to do is play the game, then we’ll go and play a hockey game. I don’t let anything be an excuse.”— Carley Johnston (@carleykjohnston) December 26, 2021

Prospect round-up Europe: Johansson posts assist for Farjestad

The Red Wings’ European-playing prospects got back to work on Sunday, skating in games in the Finnish Liiga and SHL:

In the Liiga, Otto Kivenmaki finished at -1 with 2 shots in 13:49 played as the Lahti Pelicans lost 2-1 to IFK Helsinki;

Eemil Viro’s TPS Turku lost 5-1 to Assat Pori;

In the SHL, Albert Johansson had an assist, finishing even with 2 shots in 18:47 played, and Gustav Berglund finished even with 1 shot in 13:51 played as Farjestads BK won 3-1 over Linkoping:

Some SHL action today after a long break, Albert Johansson picks up an assist on Färjestad’s powerplay goal in the first period #LGRW pic.twitter.com/88GHcMn7GQ— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) December 26, 2021

And William Wallinder didn’t play in Rogle BK’s 5-4 OT loss to Djurgardens IF.

Happy Five Goal Fedorov Game anniversary

This game was a wild one…

25 years ago today, Sergei Fedorov scored all five of the @DetroitRedWings‘ goals in a 5-4 overtime win against the Capitals, becoming the first player in NHL history to score all the goals for his team in a game when at least five are scored #Hockey365 #LGRW pic.twitter.com/8Au91WgyNu— Mike Commito (@mikecommito) December 26, 2021

WJC news: Savage escapes suspension for hit on Finland’s Kemell

According to Hockey Sense/Daily Faceoff’s Chris Peters, Red Savage escaped supplementary discipline for his hit on Finland’s Joakim Kemell during the U.S.-Finland exhibition game:

Via USA coach Nate Leaman: Ty Smilanic (FLA) is officially ruled out tonight, status for the rest of the tournament will be better known tomorrow. No supplemental discipline for Red Savage (DET) after his ejection for elbowing in pre-tournament game.— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) December 26, 2021

Leaman also said the U.S. will go with 13 forwards and 7 defensemen in the opener. They did run 12 and eight at times last tournament, but felt 13-7 is a better balance for this group.— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) December 26, 2021

Friedman: NHL, NHLPA bring back taxi squads, emergency call-ups, ‘EBUG’ call-ups

FYI:

NHL/NHLPA working on COVID roster protection, including: Optional use of taxi-squad through All-Star; emergency call-ups as long as player is making no more than $1M; and freedom to add a goalie if a club has less than 2 healthy due to the virus.— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 26, 2021

There are some rules on who is eligible for a taxi squad, including clearing of waivers and time spent on an NHL roster.— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 26, 2021

The NHL has temporarily reintroduced the Taxi Squad system between today and the All-Star break.

Attached are some of the important rules that we have been made aware of so far. pic.twitter.com/TQ4LoycY36— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) December 26, 2021

With 8 prospects participating in the WJC, all four of Sunday’s games involve Wings prospects

Per the Red Wings, there are eight Wings prospects participating in the World Junior Championship this year in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta…

And, as MLive’s Tyler Kuehl notes, all four games today–Finland vs. Germany at 2 PM EST, Russia vs. Sweden at 4:30 PM EST, USA vs. Slovakia at 7 PM EST, and Canada vs. Czechia at 9:30 PM EST will all include Red Wings prospects.

The games will air on the NHL Network in the U.S., TSN in Canada, and…alternate services online.

Griffins-Monsters game scheduled for Monday in Cleveland has been postponed

Per the Grand Rapids Griffins:

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The American Hockey League on Sunday announced that the Grand Rapids Griffins’ away game scheduled for Monday, Dec. 27 against the Cleveland Monsters has been postponed due to league COVID-19 protocols affecting the Monsters. A make-up date has not yet been determined.

The Griffins will return to action this Friday, Dec. 31 when they host the Milwaukee Admirals at 6 p.m. for the 24th Annual New Year’s Eve Celebration.

Get healthy, Cleveland.

Allen on the WJC: Cossa’s Canada’s #2 goalie

I know this news from Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen will disappoint some Wings fans, but it’s what I expected given that Team Canada tends to defer its netminding decisions toward the oldest players on the team–and Dylan Garand is the oldest Team Canada netminder at 19:

Coach Dave Cameron chose Dylan Garand over Detroit Red Wings prospect Sebastian Cossa for Canada’s opening  game against the Czechs at the World Junior Championships (7 p.m., NHL Network).

TSN’s Mark Masters wrote New York Rangers’ prospect Garand  “has a real chance to run with the job.” 

“Generally, guys don’t get benched for [good] play,” Cameron said. “He’s got the net and he’s going to want to keep it.”

It’s disappointing for Red Wings fans wanting to watch the 6-foot-7 Sebastian Cossa in net for Canada. He was the 15th overall pick in last summer’s draft. Garand was a fourth rounder in 2020.

Defenseman Donovan Sebrango, a Red Wings’ prospect, will play for Canada against the Czechs. Red Wings prospect goalie Jan Bednar may play for the Czechs. They plan to rotate goalies.

Continued; Cossa will still serve as Canada’s back-up, and he’ll gain experience and knowledge while getting in a couple of games on back-to-backs during the “round robin” portion of the tournament.