The Malik Report

Of Red Wings prospect-related note in Europe today:

In the Finnish Liiga, Otto Kivenmaki finished at -1 with 1 shot in 18:04 played as the Lahti Pelicans lost 5-1 to Tappara.

The Red Wings changed their lines during Friday’s practice, and afterward, coach Jeff Blashill updated the status of Marc Staal (maintenance day), but did not update the status of Dylan Larkin (on personal leave).

Blashill spoke with the media as his team is on an 0-3-and-1 streak heading into tomorrow night’s game vs. the Buffalo Sabres (7 PM EDT start on Bally Sports Detroit/MSG-B/97.1 FM), and the Red Wings posted Blashill’s 9-minute availability:

Update: Here’s Pius Suter, too:

The Red Wings shuffled their lines ahead of tomorrow night’s game vs. Buffalo (7 PM EDT on Bally Sports Detroit/MSG-B/97.1 FM) during Friday’s practice, with the Wings looking to snap an 0-3-and-1 winless streak which was punctuated by last night’s 5-1 loss to Boston…

Red Wings lines/pairs for practice in Buffalo today

Bertuzzi-Suter-Raymond
Zadina-Veleno-Fabbri
Namestnikov-Stephens-Gagner
Smith-Rasmussen-Erne
Rowney extra

Leddy-Hronek
DeKeyser/Lindstrom/Seider rotation
Oesterle-Stecher— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) November 5, 2021

After practice (in addition to finding out that former Wing Anthony Mantha will miss Thursday’s reunion game with the Wings as he, like Jakub Vrana before him, has had shoulder surgery), we received good news regarding Marc Staal…

Jeff Blashill said today was a maintenance day for Marc Staal and he is expected to be in the lineup tomorrow. @DetroitRedWings #LGRW— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) November 5, 2021

And, well, no news regarding Dylan Larkin is no news regarding Dylan Larkin, as distressing to the fan base as it might be:

Continue reading Post-practice Tweets: Staal ‘takes a maintenance day’; no update on Larkin

The Detroit Red Wings skated in Buffalo the afternoon after dropping a 5-1 decision to the Boston Bruins, and The Athletic’s Max Bultman reported that there were a couple of changes in the Wings’ lineup, with Pius Suter being promoted to the first line, and the second defensive pair absent one Marc Staal:

Red Wings lines/pairs for practice in Buffalo today

Bertuzzi-Suter-Raymond
Zadina-Veleno-Fabbri
Namestnikov-Stephens-Gagner
Smith-Rasmussen-Erne
Rowney extra

Leddy-Hronek
DeKeyser/Lindstrom/Seider rotation
Oesterle-Stecher— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) November 5, 2021

I’m still baffled that the Red Wings haven’t prioritized the adding to center position over the last couple of seasons, but that’s just me…Here’s hoping that Suter gets his shit together on the top line.

A brief note here: this article slipped under the radar, but on Wednesday, Hockeysverige.se’s Leo Buttafoco Ohlsson reports that Mora IK coach Johan Hedberg explained why Red Wings prospect Albin Grewe hasn’t played of late–he’s being held out of Allsvenskan action with a suspected concussion:

“It’s probably a small concussion he’s been battling, that’s what we think. He has a bit of a history with it, so if you get a hit, it’s best to be careful. He’s felt hung over,” says coach Johan Hedberg to DT.se, and he continues:

“It’s not a game. I have lots of friends who’ve had head injuries. You have to follow the rules and recommendations that exist, with brain injuries and so on.”

Grewe left the ice when Mora played BIK Karlskoga at home last Friday, and was not on the team when they played against Almtuna on Sunday. However, it won’t be too long before Grewe is expected to return immediately after the [Karjala Cup] break.

“He felt a little better today, according to the reports I’ve received. Hopefully he’s ready for next week, when we start again.”

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NHL analyst Kevin Weekes breaks down three weekend games that he will be watching, and he breaks them down for NHL.com. According to Weekes, Sunday’s match-up between the Red Wings and Vegas Golden Knights will be one to watch:

Vegas Golden Knights at Detroit Red Wings (Sunday, 6 p.m. ET; BSDET, ATTSN-RM, ESPN+, NHL LIVE)

Detroit (4-5-2) hosts Vegas in the second of a back-to-back for each team. The Red Wings are much improved from last season, led by rookies Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider. Raymond, a forward, leads all rookies before games Friday with 10 points (five goals, five assists) and Seider, a defenseman, is second with nine (all assists). Forward Tyler Bertuzzi is also off to a fast start with nine points (six goals, three assists) in eight games. The Red Wings, though, have lost three straight after starting 4-2-2 and visit the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday before playing the Golden Knights.

Vegas acquired center Jack Eichel in a trade with the Sabres on Thursday and although he won’t be in the lineup for at least a few months, it sent a huge message to the team that management believes they can still win the Stanley Cup this season. Forwards Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty and William Karlsson are out with injuries and the Golden Knights are tied with the Ottawa Senators for 24th in the NHL in scoring (2.50 goal per game). After getting shut out 4-0 by the Maple Leafs on Thursday, they bounced back with a 5-1 win against the Senators on Thursday to even their record at 5-5-0. Robin Lehner made 38 saves and could start, although the Golden Knights will also be playing the second of a back-to-back after visiting the Montreal Canadians on Saturday.

Continued;

The Athletic’s Max Bultman broke down Moritz Seider’s game vs. the Boston Bruins last night via video, and here’s how he sets up said article:

Seider is off to a stellar start to his NHL career. As he skates around this morning, his eight points in 10 games are tied for second among all NHL rookies, trailing only his teammate, winger Lucas Raymond. Seider is also playing huge minutes for the rebuilding Red Wings: at 22 per night, he’s already in a legitimate top-pair role.

One of the league’s bottom-dwellers in recent seasons, the Red Wings got out of the gates hot this season at 4-2-1. But now they find themselves in the midst of a three-game losing streak, coming off perhaps their worst showing of the season.

Seider wants to stem that tide. When he was asked Wednesday about winning the league’s top rookie honor for October, he began his answer by saying, “Obviously, it would be way nicer to win more hockey games.”

This is a player who, at 20, has stepped into the NHL with a bright spotlight on him. It is clear, however, that he is not seeking it, and may not even like it all that much right now. When a question about his own play came up Wednesday, he said. “(I’ve) played, I think, pretty OK, but it’s definitely not about me. I don’t want to put myself in front of the team or want to talk about myself. I think we have to just find ways to win hockey games, and that will make us a better team in the end.”

Nonetheless, that spotlight on Seider is already here. And especially as he keeps progressing, it’s not going to vanish any time soon. Shortly after wiring a practice one-timer under the bar this morning, he will step off the ice, only to find Bally Sports Detroit waiting for him for an interview.

Continued (paywall)

The Red Wings find themselves amidst an 0-3-and-1 stretch, and they head to Buffalo to play the 4-5-and-1 Buffalo Sabres, who are looking to snap a 3-game losing streak of their own (they lost 5-2 to Seattle last night, in Seattle, and are traveling home today), tomorrow night in Buffalo.

The Wings will then head home to host the 5-5-and-0 Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, and Vegas will be waiting for the Wings after last night’s 5-1 win over Ottawa.

Detroit’s coming off 3 very disappointing losses–to Toronto, Montreal and now Boston–and their schedule does the team no favors as the Wings are in the middle of a stretch of 11 games played over the course of 17 nights. But there is a positive this morning, per WXYZ’s Brad Galli:

The NHL’s rookie points leaders through Nov. 4?

Two Red Wings: Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider pic.twitter.com/wFcnuY4jiC— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) November 5, 2021

Per the Grand Rapids Griffins comes a useful Tweet regarding tonight’s game vs. Iowa:

IT’S GAME DAY! We are in Iowa to take on the Wild at 8:00pm! #GoGRG

? : https://t.co/eaXIyjUSnT (FREE GAME)
? : https://t.co/EIEzgItQDD
? : https://t.co/QIz5YsPhcf pic.twitter.com/7VzVilAIqg— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) November 5, 2021