The Malik Report

The Free Press’s Dana Garuder substituted for the Free Press’s Helene St. James today, and in addition to discussing today’s theme regarding the second line’s need to find more prolific form, he noted the following regarding Filip Zadina….

Zadina has two points this month after a two-point outing at Toronto on Oct. 30. Coach Jeff Blashill says Zadina doesn’t necessarily have to score to be effective but it’s tough getting that message across to the young Czech, who turns 22 on Saturday.

“He measures himself as a goal scorer,” Blashill said. “That’s when the frustration sets in.”

Zadina has 18 goals in 106 career games and the franchise remains hopeful he’ll become a prolific threat.

“It’s tough on a young guy like that, to go through that,” Fabbri said. “The biggest thing with him is just stay confident and keep playing the way he’s playing.”

And Garuder noted the following comment from coach Blashill regarding the team’s goaltending rotation:

Goaltenders Alex Nedeljkovic and Thomas Greiss have each started 10 games this season, mainly alternating game-by-game. A compacted schedule was part of the reason but it could change now if either gets hot.

“Now that the schedule is lightening up a little bit, if one of them separates themselves, they’ll play a little more,” Blashill said.

DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills filed a multifaceted notebook article this afternoon, and he notes that the Red Wings’ ability to rest and recuperate after playing that nasty stretch of 11 games in 18 nights should help the team moving forward:

A three-day lull, regardless of the purpose, can be a beneficial break for the players on an NHL roster.

At the quarter-mark of the season, the Red Wings have played 20 games in 38 days, one of just three NHL teams to do so. Just last week, Detroit played four games in four different cities, a stretch that severely limited the team’s time to practice and recover.

“We’ve played a lot of games in a short period of time here,” center Robby Fabbri said. “So, these last couple of days have been good for everyone just to step away for a bit and to get the rest we needed and come back refreshed.”

Fabbri knows there is work to be done. Saturday’s 2-1 overtime loss to the Arizona Coyotes extended the Red Wings’ losing streak to four games. After the team’s strong start to the 2021-22 campaign, Fabbri said having some breathing room before Wednesday will prove beneficial.

“It allows us to sharpen up what we need to sharpen up,” Fabbri said. “You know, get back to the basics and get back to the way we were playing in the first 10 games. We’re going to do that through practice, and it’s nice that we have some time here.”

Continued

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan filed a notebook article in which he discusses Robby Fabbri’s first game against his former team, the St. Louis Blues, which will take place tomorrow night:

After two full years, Robby Fabbri finally gets to play against his old team. Fabbri was traded from the St. Louis Blues to the Red Wings on Nov. 6, 2019. By this time, normally, would have faced his former squad at least a time or two.

The pandemic changed things. The first year Fabbri was with the Wings, the season was cancelled about a week before the Wings were headed to St. Louis. Last season, the Wings never played the Blues. Fabbri was quick to search out the Blues on the schedule this time around.

“Long overdue,” Fabbri said. “It’ll be the first time playing them since I was traded so it’s definitely going to be a little different.”

Fabbri was hoping to catch up with most of the former teammates who are still in St. Louis Tuesday night for dinner.

“It’ll be nice to see a bunch of them,” Fabbri said. “I’m very excited. I’ve circled this one (game) early in the year. We’ll actually have 12 or 13 of us going to dinner, so they’ve changed (the roster) quite a bit but there’s still a good group there that I was with the majority of time. It’ll be nice to see them.”

Continued

MLive’s Ansar Khan has filed his practice notebook from Tuesday’s events that took place at Little Caesars Arena, and Khan notes that the Red Wings’ second line of Robby Fabbri, Pius Suter and Filip Zadina hopes to step up in a big way:

Robby Fabbri are Filip Zadina are getting pucks on net, but not many behind the goaltender. The Detroit Red Wings’ second line hasn’t produced much offense over the past several weeks despite ample opportunities.

“It starts with burying your chances,” Fabbri said. “The top line has done a great job for us, keeping us in games, winning us games. It’s up to the other 9-10 forwards that get in to help out. I put a lot of pressure on myself to be part of that secondary scoring. It hasn’t been going in right now. but the line has been confident with the chances we’ve been getting, with what we’ve been creating. We just got to stick with it and eventually it will go in.”

The Red Wings (8-9-3) look to snap a four-game skid (0-3-1) Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues at Little Caesars Arena (7:30 p.m., Bally Sports Detroit Plus).

Fabbri has just one goal and two assists in the past 12 games, but he has registered 36 shots during that time. His overall 5.8 percent shooting percentage is well below his rate from his first two seasons in Detroit (13.5 percent and 17.2 percent).

Zadina has one goal and one assist in his past 11 games, with 21 shots during that stretch. Pius Suter, the center on the line, has no points in four games after a stretch with five points (three goals, two assists) in five games.

“As a line we’re getting about 10 shots a game, you’re pretty happy with that to start,” Fabbri said. “What we’re creating from our D-zone to the offensive zone, it’s been great. Just working on getting the puck over the (goal) line and we’ll be all right.”

Continued

The Grand Rapids Griffins have posted their weekly practice release ahead of games on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, vs. Milwaukee (at home on Wednesday), Chicago (at home on Friday, the Teddy Bear Toss game), and in Chicago on Sunday:

Continue reading Griffins post weekly press release ahead of three-game week

The Red Wings practiced ahead of Wednesday’s game vs. St. Louis at Little Caesars Arena’s Belfor Training Center on Tuesday, and while the lines looked normal, the news after practice was not.

Defenseman Troy Stecher has apparently had wrist surgery, and will be out to the Olympic break, as will Mitchell Stephens, who’s nursing a lower-body injury.

Most of Tuesday’s post-practice media availabilities focused on Robby Fabbri’s reunion with the St. Louis Blues, who the Wings did not play last season, and coach Blashill’s takes on Filip Zadina’s development.

Here are the Wings’ videos of said press conferences:

Okay, so no Stecher (means more time for Lindstrom, possibly a call-up if Staal remains ill) and Stephens (means Veleno gets a long-term audition) till the Olympic break.— George Malik (@georgemalik) November 23, 2021

Not great news on the heels of the information that Troy Stecher is out until the Olympic break:

No surgery for Mitchell Stephens, but he will be out until at least the Olympic break as well. #LGRW— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) November 23, 2021

Injury updates. #RedWings pic.twitter.com/bwDlQJRDl9— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) November 23, 2021

Not good not good, per Carley Johnston:

Troy Stecher had wrist surgery and will be out at least until the Olympic break, per Coach Blashill @DetroitRedWings— Carley Johnston (@carleykjohnston) November 23, 2021

The Detroit Red Wings face the St. Louis Blues tomorrow evening (7:30 PM on Bally Sports Detroit Plus/Bally Sports Midwest/97.1 FM), and the Wings practiced with their “normal” lines today at Little Caesars Arena’s Belfor Training Center.

After practice, the Wings spoke with the media…

Robby Fabbri said its been good to step away for a couple of days and get the rest they needed. Also said the upcoming lighter schedule allows for more practice time, giving the team a chance to work on things and tighten some things up. #LGRW @DetroitRedWings— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) November 23, 2021

Wow, didn’t even realize this is the first time Fabbri will be playing against the Blues since the trade. He said him and a group of guys are getting dinner tonight. #LGRW— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) November 23, 2021

Robby Fabbri said he’s had the Blues circled on his calendar. It’ll be the first time playing them since he was traded. #LGRW @DetroitRedWings— Carley Johnston (@carleykjohnston) November 23, 2021

Robby Fabbri will face the Blues for the first time since they traded him to the Red Wings.

He’s planning dinner with a dozen former teammates tonight. pic.twitter.com/pshD7CMiBm— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) November 23, 2021

Ken Kal also expressed optimism about the Wings’ status:

Continue reading Tuesday’s post-practice Tweets: Fabbri getting ready to face the Blues

The Detroit Red Wings play the St. Louis Blues tomorrow evening (7:30 PM EST start on Bally Sports Detroit Plus/Bally Sports Midwest/97.1 FM), and I usually keep these little AP reports 24 hours before the teams’ morning skates to myself, but what’s fun if I can’t share a “secret story?”

St. Louis Blues (10-6-2, first in the Central) vs. Detroit Red Wings (8-9-3, fifth in the Atlantic)

Detroit; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EST

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Red Wings +120, Blues -144; over/under is 5.5

BOTTOM LINE: Detroit aims to stop its four-game skid with a victory over St. Louis.

The Red Wings are 5-2-2 at home. Detroit averages 8.6 penalty minutes per game, the ninth-most in the Eastern Conference. Filip Hronek leads the team serving 24 total minutes.

The Blues have gone 5-3-1 away from home. St. Louis ranks fourth in the Western Conference averaging 3.3 goals per game, led by Jordan Kyrou with eight.

The teams match up Wednesday for the first time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Lucas Raymond leads the Red Wings with 19 points, scoring seven goals and registering 12 assists. Hronek has six assists over the last 10 games for Detroit.

Kyrou has 18 total points while scoring eight goals and totaling 10 assists for the Blues. Brandon Saad has seven goals over the last 10 games for St. Louis.

LAST 10 GAMES: Red Wings: 4-5-1, averaging 2.5 goals, 4.2 assists, three penalties and 6.3 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game with a .907 save percentage.

Blues: 4-5-1, averaging 2.9 goals, 5.3 assists, 2.6 penalties and 6.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.9 goals per game with a .901 save percentage.

INJURIES: Red Wings: Troy Stecher: day to day (undisclosed).

Blues: Brayden Schenn: day to day (upper body).