The Toledo Walleye have signed a member of the Larkin family, according to the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe:

The Toledo Walleye have signed defenseman Adam Larkin, the cousin of Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin.

Larkin, 26, last competed during the 2019-20 season when he played in Slovakia and the ECHL with Greenville. Larkin posted 16 points with six goals and 10 assists in 35 games for Greenville. He also played in 20 games for HL Poprad in Slovakia and had nine points (3 G, 6 A).

The native of Clarkson, Mich. turned pro in 2017-18 after completing a four-year college career at Yale University.

Larkin has appeared in 102 ECHL games, playing for Adirondack, Reading, and Greenville. The 6-foot and 190-pound defenseman has produced 45 points (13 G, 32 A) in the ECHL.

In 126 college games at Yale, Larkin had 31 points (5 G, 26 A). Larkin only missed three games in four college seasons and was the Bulldogs’ top-scoring defenseman in his junior year.

Larkin’s cousin Dylan Larkin is an NHL star with the Detroit Red Wings. His cousin Colin Larkin also played in the ECHL.  His brother, Ryan Larkin, played four seasons at Miami University.

Continued

WXYZ’s Brad Galli reported on Filip Zadina’s status as a healthy scratch in the Red Wings’ 6-2 win over San Jose on Tuesday:

Of Red Wings prospect-related note in Europe:

In the Swedish HockeyEttan, Jesper Eliasson stopped 36 of 39 shots as Vasby IK won 5-3 over Kalmar HC.

It’s no fun that Eliasson is playing in the Swedish version of the ECHL, but at least he’s playing regularly–and winning–while on loan from Farjestads BK.

Sports Illustrated’s Kate Yanchulis posted a set of power rankings today, offering New Year’s resolutions for each team, and I believe the Wings’ resolution is achievable:

26. Detroit Red Wings

Last week: 21
Record: 16-15-3

Win the Calder Trophy. Detroit’s Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider are favorites to take home the prize for top rookie, but they’ll have to hold off Anaheim’s Trevor Zegras and New Jersey’s Dawson Mercer, among others.

Continued; it won’t be easy, but Seider and Raymond are more substantive than Zegras in my opinion.

The Griffins open a 3-game home stand by hosting the Milwaukee Admirals tonight, and here’s the Griffins’ Game-Day Preview video ahead of tonight’s game:

Per the Detroit Red Wings:

DETROIT REASSIGNS THREE TO TAXI SQUAD  … 

Barber, Witkowski and Fulcher Added from Grand Rapids …  

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today reassigned left wing Riley Barber, defenseman Luke Witkowski and goaltender Kaden Fulcher to the team’s taxi squad from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

The Hockey News’s Jason Chen posted a set of power rankings today, and I think he’s a little harsh on Alex Nedeljkovic (but that’s just me):

20. Detroit Red Wings (16-15-3, -18. CF%: 30th, xGF%: 22nd. PR: 21)

When it comes to goaltending, Alex Nedeljkovic is either really good or really bad, and it’s tough to say which one will show up most nights. The Wings are a bubble playoff team and that’s more than what most expected. Don’t expect this to change much all season.

Continued; I’ve got no complaints with Nedeljkovic. Greiss has been more inconsistent in my eyes, and the truth of the matter is that the Red Wings’ defense and penalty-killing are the real culprits in my opinion.

Per the ECHL:

Billy Christopoulos of the Toledo Walleye has been named the Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Month for December.

Christopoulos went 5-0-2 with a 1.79 goals-against average and a save percentage of .946 in seven appearances during the month.

The 27-year-old allowed two goals or less in six of his appearances while making at least 30 saves in each contest. He was named Goaltender of the Week for the week ending Dec. 19 after going 3-0-0 with a 1.32 goals-against average and a save percentage of .959.

A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Christopoulos is 11-2-2 in 15 appearances this season with a 2.51 goals-against average and a save percentage of .919.

Christopoulos, who was named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team in 2019-20, has appeared in 63 career ECHL games with Toledo, Indy and South Carolina posting an overall record of 46-10-6 with three shutouts, a 2.34 goals-against average and a save percentage of .925.

Prior to turning pro, Christopoulos saw action in 93 career games at the Air Force Academy where he went 42-35-11 with eight shutouts, a 2.29 goals-against average and a save percentage of .913.

It looks like the Grand Rapids Griffins, who do not have an Olympic Break in their schedule, will be making up postponed games after their regular season concludes.

This morning, the Griffins got the news that their first postponed game will be played vs. the Chicago Wolves on April 28th:

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The American Hockey League on Wednesday announced that the Grand Rapids Griffins away game that was postponed due to league COVID-19 protocols affecting the Chicago Wolves has been rescheduled for Thursday, April 28 at 8 p.m. EDT at Allstate Arena.

The Griffins will return to action tonight, Jan. 5 when they host the Milwaukee Admirals at 7 p.m. EST at Van Andel Arena.

I’m still floored by the generosity of TMR readers to my fundraising drive to keep TMR in the blog cave. Aunt Annie is still floored by the generosity of TMR readers in the fundraising drive to keep Aunt Annie in the blog cave.

But it’s time to turn the page and start working toward the next financial goals for this not-for-profit blog.