The Malik Report

The Athletic’s Max Bultman filed a mailbag feature this morning, and, among his many answers to reader queries is the following:

What’s the plan for Joe Veleno? I’d love to see him up at some point soon. — Chad M.

There’s a decent chance you will. In fact, Blashill said a couple of weeks ago, “There’s going to be a time when Joe plays for us this year. I would bet on that.”

That was while he was explaining that the chance for Veleno to thrive high in the lineup in Grand Rapids was the main reason they sent him down to start this season.

“If he wasn’t going to be in our top six — maybe you could make an argument in the middle-six somewhere — but we just wanted him to be in really important roles,” Blashill said.

The key was Veleno building confidence and continuing to develop his offensive game, so he’s ready when the Red Wings do need him in that top-six or top-nine capacity.

“When (he’s called up), we want to make sure Joe’s feeling really confident and that he’s playing at a really, really high level and continue to develop the offense,” Blashill said. “I don’t know what Joe’s offensive ceiling is. I know he can be a really good third-line player. I know that. I really believe that. But can he be more than that? Well, we’re hoping so, and he’s hoping so. He wants to be. Well, to do that, you’ve gotta (score points), and you’ve gotta produce and you’ve gotta be in those offensive situations, and I didn’t have spots for him here right now, so let’s have him do it in Grand Rapids.”

Continued (paywall)

WDIV’s David Bartkowiak Jr. posted a set of five observations regarding last night’s Red Wings 3-2 OT win over the Washington Capitals, and among them are the following:

Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider are gifts for us to enjoy. If you know someone not watching the Wings right now because of, well, because of the past few seasons, tell them to start watching right now if only for these two players. The two rookies set up Larkin’s winner. I can’t believe how confident they look out there, especially during the 3-on-3 overtime. They are both so strong on that puck. Both are fun skaters to watch, too. I love all of it.

…

The Red Wings don’t go away. They were losing this game 2-0 in the second period, but they never let up and kept up a strong forecheck. They were not rattled much and stayed very committed to their 5-on-5 game plan — in fact both of Washington’s goals were on the power play. Last year’s team most definitely would have folded after falling down 2-0 on the road against the Capitals.

Continued; the Red Wings’ tenacity this season is the gift that keeps on giving; Seider and Raymond are just gravy.

Expressen’s venerable Gunnar Nordstrom conducted a lengthy interview with Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond today, discussing Raymond’s adjustment to North America…But it’s stuck behind a paywall, so all we get to read is the introduction.

“Especially to come over to a new country”

He had an assist already in his first NHL game with the Detroit Red Wings.

In his sixth game in a Detroit jersey, he scored a hat trick and had a goal-scoring pass.

And last night, Swedish time, Lucas Raymond played as the victory goal was scored in overtime in the away game against the Washington capitals.

The 19-year-old Swedish giant talent has had a great start to his professional career in North America.

“I want to be a productive player, so of course I’m happy with the start I’ve gotten with the Red Wings,” Lucas says to SportExpressen.

In this week’s big player interview, he talks about…

*The first time playing for the ancient Red Wings and Hockeytown.

*The feeling of being able to score a hat trick so quickly in the world’s best league.

*Which opponents in the NHL have impressed him.

*And the teammate with whom he shares an apartment now as he begins his career.

Sounds great, doesn’t it? I wish I could give you a rough translation, but that’s where the paywall hits.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Washington Capitals 3-2 in overtime last night, and this morning, the Free Press’s Helene St. James and MLive’s Ansar Khan have posted “morning after” recaps.

The Free Press’s Helene St. James focuses on the ways in which the Red Wings have changed their team…

They return home for a brief appearance Friday against the Florida Panthers riding a two-game winning streak. Wednesday’s game against the Washington Capitals was the best demonstration yet of how different the Wings are from the previous two seasons: Down by a pair of goals early in the second period, there was no panic, just patience. The reward was a 3-2 overtime victory.

“That’s the difference for us, is winning these tight games,” forward Adam Erne said after contributing a goal and an assist. “It shows a lot of character. It’s a highly skilled team with a lot of big names, and we just stuck with it, stuck to the game plan and eventually it paid off.”

Another good example came in the season’s third game, in which the Wings outplayed the Columbus Blue Jackets the first two periods but were stymied by the goaltender. In the past, that scenario would have seen the Blue Jackets score on a fluke and win. This season, the Wings kept working and banked two points.

“We’ve been in situations where we found our way to wins, and that breeds confidence,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “That’s part of it. We have some guys that have matured over the years in terms of living through that. As hard as some of those moments are to live, you hope you grow. A number of our guys have grown even through some of the difficulties we’ve faced. And then we have some new faces that have a calm demeanor to them, and just kind of keep playing.”

Coach Blashill continued while speaking with MLive’s Ansar Khan:

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said the difference this season is a higher talent level and a stronger belief they can win.

“We have a better hockey team, so you have a better chance to come back, and with that you have more belief, and belief that you can come back in those types of situations,” Blashill said. “I didn’t feel any frustration or panic on the bench at all. We just kept playing.

“To come back and have a chance to win in overtime you need good goaltending against that team. They have a lot of talent, and they make plays out of nowhere.”

Of prospect-related note in North America on Wednesday:

In the QMJHL, Jan Bednar stopped 26 of 29 shots, earning 3rd star honors in the Acadie-Bathurst Titan’s 3-1 loss to Quebec;

And in the WHL, Cross Hanas scored a goal, finishing even with 3 shots in the Portland Winterhawks’ 6-4 loss to Seattle.

The Detroit Red Wings managed to rally from a 2-0 deficit to the unbeaten Washington Capitals, eventually winning over the Caps 3-2 in overtime. Detroit now heads home to tangle with the 7-and-0 Florida Panthers on Friday, and will face the 2-4-and-1 Toronto Maple Leafs on in “Hogtown” on Saturday…

But tonight and this morning are about enjoying what the Red Wings did on Wednesday, and what the 4-2-and-1 Red Wings did was to slowly and methodically chip away at a 2-goal lead until it was a tie, to generate opportunities to score while not surrendering their tie until overtime began, and then…to pounce upon the Washington Fricking Capitals of all teams, as illustrated below:

O Captain! #LGRW pic.twitter.com/y6tdYuDaMs— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 28, 2021

The fact that the Washington Capitals’ players were somewhat shocked by what the Red Wings did to them in overtime, as noted by NBC Sports Washington’s J.J. Regan, is worth noting:

Continue reading Red Wings-Capitals wrap-up: Balanced scoring, poised team play overcomes explosive Capitals

The Grand Rapids Griffins struggled to score goals on Wednesday night, dropping a 3-0 loss to the Chicago Wolves at Van Andel Arena.

The Griffins’ website posted a game recap:

Chicago Wolves 3 at GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS 0

Oct. 27, 2021

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins were unable to stop their cold streak on Wednesday and endured a 3-0 defeat to the hands of the Chicago Wolves at Van Andel Arena. This marked the second time that Grand Rapids has been shutout through five games this season.

The Griffins looked poised to grab the lead in the first period when Joe Veleno skated out on a breakaway, but his attempt was saved by the blocker of Eetu Makiniemi 2:43 into the frame.

Chicago received a power play at the 5:00 mark and made Grand Rapids pay just 20 seconds later. Cole Smith sat at the top of the left circle and sent a wrister past the glove of Calvin Pickard.

After a faceoff win in the Griffins zone, Chicago’s David Gust made it a two-goal game when he fired a one-timer into the left corner with 1:41 remaining.

Continue reading Recap: Grand Rapids Griffins drop 3-0 decision to Chicago Wolves

The Detroit Red Wings embarked upon a stretch of 3 games to be played over the course of 4 nights on Wednesday, visiting Anthony Mantha and the Washington Capitals.

To their credit, the Red Wings battled back from a 2-0 deficit, earning a point on gritty goals by Adam Erne and Robby Fabbri; Thomas Greiss was excellent, stopping 26 shots; and Dylan Larkin scored the overtime winner on passes from Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider, affording Detroit a 3-2 OT victory in a fast-paced, intense game vs. the Capitals.

OT WINNER ?

Dylan Larkin rips home the @SUBWAYCanada OT winner for the @DetroitRedWings. #NHLonSN pic.twitter.com/1A0qfqsNAz— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 28, 2021

OT winner: Here is Dylan Larkin’s snipe that led the Red Wings to the 3-2 comeback win

VIDEO: @BallySportsDET pic.twitter.com/bIoC4fFLyu— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 28, 2021

Continue reading Red Wings-Capitals quick take: Wings battle back from 2-0 deficit, and Larkin delivers in OT

Of prospect-related note in Europe today:

In the Finnish Liiga, Otto Kivenmaki finished even with 3 shots in 14:27 played as the Lahti Pelicans lost 3-2 in a shootout to Karpat Oulu;

Eemil Viro finished at -1 with 2 shots in 12:24 played during TPS Turku’s 5-2 win over JYP;

In the Swedish Allsvenskan, Albin Grewe finished at -1 with no shots and Gustav Berglund did not play in Mora IK’s 8-2 loss to IF Bjorkloven;

Jesper Eliasson served as the back-up in Almtuna IS’s 2-1 loss to BIK Karlskoga;

Filip Larsson stopped 17 of 20 shots in HV71 Jonkoping’s 6-3 win over Troja-Ljungby;

And in the Swedish J20 league, Liam Dower Nilsson scored a goal and added an assist, finishing at +1 with 5 shots and a 11-and-5 faceoff record in Frolunda HC’s 5-4 loss to Rogle BK.

Rakapuckar’s Henrik Lehman reports that LDN will play for Frolunda’s men’s team on Thursday.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff discusses the Red Wings’ rematch with one Anthony Mantha this evening:

Interestingly, [Mantha’s] numbers are showing the same production in Washington that Mantha was providing for Detroit. He’s netted six goals in 20 games with the Capitals. That works out to 0.30 goals per game. Mantha scored 95 goals in 316 games for the Red Wings. That’s also 0.30 goals per game.

He was recently promoted from the third line to second-line duty with the Caps alongside Connor McMichael and T.J. Oshie. However, the big winger was dropped from Washington’s struggling No. 1 power-play unit.

Vrana, currently out following shoulder surgery, scored eight goals in his first 11 games as a Red Wing.

While recognizing what Mantha meant to many in his team’s dressing room, Blashill assesses that Wednesday will just be business as usual once the puck drops.

“I think certainly he was a big piece of our group and really good friend to a number of our players, so that’s always different for those guys,” Blashill acknowledged. “But I also think it’s a new season and it’ll be more about getting opportunities for guys who are good friends with him to say hi and then competing against each other. So, I don’t expect it to be a real big deal.”

Continued