The Malik Report

From Edmonton’s TSN 1260: The Athletic’s Max Bultman spoke with “Lowdown With Lowetide” this afternoon, and I can only provide the link to the interview, but it’s a good one…

As is Sam Gagner’s 15-minute interview with Jason Gregor…

MLive’s Ansar Khan notes that Red Wings forward Sam Gagner will hit the 900-game milestone this evening:

Gagner will play his 900th game tonight. That is just 46 fewer than his father, Dave, played in the NHL from 1985-1999.

“Certainly, there’s some ups and downs, but I’ve enjoyed the journey,” Gagner said. “It’s a nice milestone. For our family, it’s pretty cool. At the same time, I want to keep playing as long as I can, so I’ll just keep pushing forward.”

He could pass his father in games played later this season.

“I’m not really in competition with him,” Gagner said. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m adding to his total, with what he’s done for me and how much he means to me, what he taught me about the game and life.”

Sam Gagner was drafted sixth overall by Edmonton in 2007. Three brief stints in the minors, most recently in 2019-20, put his career at a crossroads, but the trade to the Red Wings revitalized him.

“He’s 32 and he’s already got to 900 games,” Blashill said. “It’s been awesome to watch him continue to grow his game. He came in the league as a highly touted offensive player who was very good offensively and I think now he’s really rounded his game out, took a lot of pride in his defensive play, has become a real reliable player for us, kills penalties, out there five-on-six, has been on lines I’ve used against the other team’s best because he does it the right way. He’s smart and I can trust him. He’s a great example to our young players on how to be accountable to yourself.”

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff posted the second part of a 2-part interview in which Ken Holland speaks with Vancouver Hockey Now‘s Rob Simpson regarding his decision to leave the Red Wings:

“It was time for change,” Holland said.

It was actually Holland who went to the Ilitch family and recommended that they pursue Yzerman as GM after he had chosen to step down as GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“I went to the ownership and I said, ‘This is a great opportunity for the organization,’” Holland said “I hold Steve in the highest regard, not only as a player, not only as a person, but he’d been in Tampa Bay for nine years and he’d built Tampa Bay into one of the elite franchises in the NHL.

“I felt it was time for me to step aside and bring Steve home.”

Both Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen and MLive’s Ansar Khan posted notebook articles regarding the Red Wings’ hope of containing Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Jesse Puljujarvi this evening. Allen noted McDavid’s accomplishments…

The Red Wings will be looking to play keep-away against Connor McDavid and Draisaitl tonight when they face off at Little Caesars Arena at 7:30 p.m. (Bally Sports).  Few teams have been successful against the twosome this season. Draisaitl has 23 points and McDavid 22 in the Oilers’ 9-1 start.

“They continue to get better and you can see it with the record Edmonton has,” Blashill said.

Draisaitl registered 10 points in his past three games, while McDavid has a point in every game the Oilers have played. In those 10 games, he has registered one point twice, two points four times, and three points four times. Recently, he went through four New York Rangers to score a spectacular goal that was the talk of the hockey world.

“It’s having the awareness to see the gap there,” Detroit’s Sam Gagner said about the goal. “He waits for guys to get onside and then he sees the opening. It’s one thing to see the opening. It’s another thing to be able to take two crossovers and be through it.”

And Khan noted that the Wings may start the Bertuzzi-Larkin-Raymond line opposite McDavid:

Continue reading Allen, Khan: Red Wings wary of McDavid, Draisaitl and Puljujarvi

The Grand Rapids Griffins have posted their weekly press release:

Manitoba Comes To Town

November 9, 2021

This Week’s Games

GRIFFINS vs. Manitoba Moose // Fri., Nov. 12 // 7 p.m. // Van Andel Arena
GRIFFINS vs. Manitoba Moose // Sat., Nov. 13 // 7 p.m. // Van Andel Arena

Listen: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 6:35 p.m. on Friday, 96.1 The Game at 6:35 p.m. on Saturday

Watch: AHLTV

Season Series: 0-1-0-1 Overall, 0-0-0-0 Home. Third and fourth of eight meetings overall, first and second of four at Van Andel Arena

All-Time Series: 65-34-1-1-8 Overall, 35-14-1-1-5 Home

NHL Affiliation: Winnipeg Jets

Noteworthy: Since the Moose rejoined the AHL in 2015-16, Grand Rapids is 21-10-0-1 against them, including 12-4 at Van Andel Arena, and has outscored Manitoba 100-73. The Griffins are winless in their opening two games against the Moose for the first time since the 2015-16 season.

Continue reading Press release: Griffins to host Manitoba for home-and-home series this week

Ken Kal and Daniella Bruce discuss tonight’s game vs. Edmonton in the latest episode of The Forecheck:

Of Red Wings-related note from my “maintenance day”:

Field Level Media posted a Red Wings-Oilers game preview;

The Edmonton Sun’s Robert Tychkowski posted a Red Wings-Oilers game preview;

The Edmonton Oilers’ Game-Day Preview and set of lines for tonight’s game are being updated presently;

In terms of Oilers press, The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman’s “What I believe and what I know” about the Oilers through their first 10 games, Jason Gregor’s game preview for Oilers Nation and Lowetide’s game preview are all solid reads;

Sam Gagner also spoke with TSN 1260 Edmonton for 15 minutes yesterday, reflecting upon his hitting the 900-game mark tonight;

In prospect news, the Grand Rapids Griffins released Max Humitz from his pro try-out;

The Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe discussed the renewed rivalry between the Toledo Walleye and Fort Wayne Komets;

HockeyNews.se’s Henrik Sjoberg reports that Simon Edvinsson is practicing with the Swedish World Junior team ahead of the Four Nations Cup;

And in Red Wings-related news: The Athletic’s Max Bultman and the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan posted profiles of Tyler Bertuzzi;

MLive’ Ansar Khan and Tyler Kuehl posted Red Wings-Oilers game previews;

The Free Press’s Helene St. James had a conversation with Ken Holland and Marlowe Alter set up tonight’s game;

Continue reading Catchy-uppy post: Red Wings-Oilers news, Bertuzzi profiles and much more from the ‘maintenance day’

The Detroit Red Wings held a morning skate today ahead of tonight’s game vs. the 9-and-1 Edmonton Oilers (7:30 PM EST on Bally Sports Detroit/Sportsnet East/Sportsnet Ontario/Sportsnet West/97.1 FM), and Sam Gagner (who will play in his 900th NHL game tonight) and Jeff Blashill spoke with the media after the morning skate, with coach Blashill revealing that Troy Stecher needs to see a specialist for an injury.

Here are the videos of Gagner and coach Blashil’s media availabilities:

There was no earth-shattering news from the Red Wings’ morning skate ahead of tonight’s pivotal game vs. the surging Edmonton Oilers (7:30 PM EST on Bally Sports Detroit/Sportsnet East/Sportsnet Ontario/Sportsnet Pacific/97.1 FM).

After the Red Wings’ morning skate, coach Jeff Blashill spoke with the media…

Coach Blashill raving about Kenny Holland’s patience and who he is as a person and GM. Said he was a great boss to work with during their time together #LGRW @DetroitRedWings— Carley Johnston (@carleykjohnston) November 9, 2021

Blashill says Troy Stecher will see a specialist for an undisclosed injury— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) November 9, 2021

Jeff Blashill said Troy Stecher will see a specialist today. Will hopefully have an update in the next couple of days. #LGRW @DetroitRedWings— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) November 9, 2021

As did Sam Gagner, who spoke with Edmonton’s TSN 1260 yesterday for 15 minutes:

Continue reading Post-Red Wings-Oilers morning skate Tweets of note: Blashill on Stecher; Gagner hits 900 games; Oilers starting Stuart Skinner in goal

Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland caught up with the “Stoney and Jansen With Heather” show on 97.1 the Ticket this morning: