Prospect round-up: Viro hits 19 minutes played; Dower Nilsson (1+1), Wallinder (2A) have good days in J20 league

Of Red Wings prospect-related note:

In the Finnish Liiga, Eemil Viro finished even with 2 shots in 19:12 played as TPS Turku won 3-1 over SaiPa;

In the Swedish J20 league, Liam Dower Nilsson scored a goal and added an assist in Frolunda HC’s 8-1 win over Karlskrona HK;

And William Wallinder had 2 assists in Rogle BK’s J20 team’s 7-4 win over Malmo. Wallinder finished even with 2 shots.

Press release: Grand Rapids Griffins note that 26 players and/or alumni are participating in Wings’ training camp

The Grand Rapids Griffins have put out a press release noting that 26 Griffins or Griffins alumni will be taking part in the Detroit Red Wings’ training camp:

RED WINGS TRAINING CAMP OPENS THURSDAY IN TRAVERSE CITY

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Twenty-six players with Grand Rapids Griffins playing experience will be part of the 62-player roster that will take to the ice this Thursday, Sept. 23 for six days of Detroit Red Wings training camp at Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City, Mich.

Red Wings players, prospects and tryouts will be divided into three teams that will practice and scrimmage through Saturday. Following the annual Red & White Game on Sunday, Sept. 26, the team will practice next Monday and Tuesday before beginning its preseason schedule on Wednesday, Sept. 29 when it travels to the United Center to face the Chicago Blackhawks at 8:30 p.m. EDT.

Training camp coverage will be live-streamed and documented on detroitredwings.com and across the Red Wings’ social media platforms. The opening practice on Thursday, Sept. 23 will take place at 8:30 a.m.  

The players who will eventually comprise the Griffins’ roster will remain in Detroit throughout the preseason, until the Griffins return to Grand Rapids on Monday, Oct. 11 to prepare for their season opener on Friday, Oct. 15 against Rockford.

Nineteen players who appeared for the Griffins during the 2020-21 campaign are slated to participate, including defensemen Seth Barton, Brian Lashoff, Gustav Lindstrom, Jared McIsaac and Donovan Sebrango; forwards Riley Barber, Kyle Criscuolo, Patrick Curry, Turner Elson, Taro Hirose, Chase Pearson, Michael Rasmussen, Dominik Shine, Givani Smith, Tyler Spezia, Joe Veleno and Hayden Verbeek;and goaltenders Kaden Fulcher and Calvin Pickard.

Also present at camp will be seven Griffins alumni – Tyler Bertuzzi, Danny DeKeyser, Filip Hronek, Dylan Larkin, Dan Renouf, Moritz Seider and Filip Zadina – and at least nine others who could make their Grand Rapids debuts this season.

Griffins fourth-year head coach Ben Simon and his assistants will aid the Red Wings’ coaching staff, headed by former Grand Rapids bench boss Jeff Blashill, during the camp.

The complete Red Wings roster and camp schedule can be found at detroitredwings.com.

The Griffins will return to a full 76-game schedule in 2021-22 during the celebration of their 25th anniversary season. Opening Night presented by Huntington is set for Friday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. against the Rockford IceHogs at Van Andel Arena.

Single-game tickets are already available to the public. Fans can secure their full-season, select-season or group ticket packages by calling (616) 774-4585 ext. 2 or visit griffinshockey.com for more information.

A bit more from Yzerman on competition for jobs and training camp, via Kulfan

Here’s a “chaser” of sorts from the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan:

Yzerman said he’s talked with coach Jeff Blashill regarding naming new alternate captains, but who will replace the departed Luke Glendening and Frans Nielsen won’t be announced until closer to the start of the regular season.

Yzerman is looking forward to the competition for jobs in the lineup.

“That makes for a more interesting training camp,” Yzerman said. “I expect, and expect the players all recognize, whether it’s Bobby Ryan coming on a professional tryout or Moritz Seider (competing for a lineup berth), any of the players, they have a lot to play for. 

“I am looking forward to watching all the new faces and see how the players within our organization who’ve been here respond to the opportunity to get a bigger role and to compete with some of the younger players or new faces for those spots.

“I hope our record is better than last  year, but truthfully, time will tell.”

Continued

Take this for what you will

I lost my Uncle Bobby to COVID, in a nursing home. I lost my friend Liz to COVID. I know someone who survived a kidney transplant, but not COVID. My aunt is immune-compromised.

Take this for what you will.

Todd Reynolds, who represents Tyler Bertuzzi, said he will not disclose the reason why his client has declined to be vaccinated. “If the player wants to address his reasons, that’s fine,” he said. “But we see it as a private medical matter, so it’s no one’s business.”— Ken Campbell (@Ken_Campbell27) September 22, 2021

That’s fair. The reasons are his business. The effects (including financial) are plenty of other people’s business.

And hey, it’s always free to speculate. https://t.co/BGI22DZrBG— Winging It In Motown (@wingingitmotown) September 22, 2021

Tyler Bertuzzi’s going to miss the Red Wings’ games in Canada and maybe half a million dollars in salary for the sake of not taking a shot. He’s going to have to mask up around his teammates and adhere to strict protocols whenever he’s around his teammates because he’s not taking a shot. He’s a valuable asset to his team and his teammates, but he’s letting them down.

That doesn’t sit right with me, but if it’s his choice, it’s his choice. The consequences thereof are plain.

So the interview script with Bertuzzi pretty much has to be “Does the player want to address his reasons? Why or why not?”— Winging It In Motown (@wingingitmotown) September 22, 2021

I would be shocked if the Wings make Bertuzzi available to the media.

Khan’s injury updates: ‘controlled contact’ for Bertuzzi, Larkin; Berggren UBI, Raymond LBI, McIsaac concussion

MLive’s Ansar Khan provides some information regarding Tyler Bertuzzi’s situation and some injury updates in his latest missive:

Like Bertuzzi, Dylan Larkin also will start camp experiencing only controlled contact, after missing the final eight games last season due to a neck injury, which didn’t require surgery.

“He’s been skating in the offseason but there’s not a lot of contact involved in that, so the progression for him now is to get involved,” Yzerman said. “The next step is to get involved in some of the practice. If he responds well to that, then the next step is no limitation or hesitations in any of the drills. We’ll see how he does the first few days and then see if the medical staff is comfortable in green-lighting the next step.”

…

Yzerman provided updates on players injured during last week’s Prospects Tournament:

–Defenseman Jared McIsaac is out with a concussion suffered Sunday when hit from behind into the boards.

“As of yesterday, he is feeling better. Not cleared to play at this point,” Yzerman said. “We will follow concussion protocol. All tests were negative. He’s progressed. No timeframe.”

–Jonatan Berggren has a mild upper-body injury and Lucas Raymond a mild lower-body injury.

“Don’t anticipate him skating tomorrow, day to day,” Yzerman said. “Anticipate (Raymond) will skate tomorrow. He skated today with no issues. Will skate for part of the workout (Thursday) as precaution.”

Continued

Tweet of note: Jakub Vrana is stuck in the Czech Republic due to visa issues

I was warned of this last week:

Jakub Vrana is not in Traverse City yet due to visa issues per Steve Yzerman. Hopeful that he’s on a plane tomorrow. @DetroitRedWings #LGRW— Daniella Bruce (@daniellabruce_) September 22, 2021

HSJ: Tyler Bertuzzi is your unvaccinated Red Wing

From the Free Press’s Helene St. James:

Tyler Bertuzzi, a key part of the Detroit Red Wings, has declined to get the vaccine for COVID-19, the only Wings player to do so, general manager Steve Yzerman said Wednesday. 

Bertuzzi will still be at training camp, which runs for six days beginning Thursday in Traverse City. Yzerman said Bertuzzi will not be able to travel to Canada under current restrictions, which require a 14-day quarantine for unvaccinated players traveling into Canada. 

Bertuzzi, 26, signed a two-year, $9.5 million deal in July. He’s a top-line player and power play guy, and one of the grittiest players on the team. 

The NHL and NHL Players Association do not have a vaccine mandate for players, but unvaccinated players face restrictions that the vaccinated do not. The unvaccinated will not be exempt from a 14-day quarantine when crossing from the US. to Canada, and teams can suspend players without pay who are unable to participate in team activities.

Would miss nine games in Canada. https://t.co/xCQ27jTOtZ— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) September 22, 2021

Just as a follow-up to the few players who chose not to get vaccinated…under the agreement between the NHL and the NHLPA…If a player cannot cross the border to play games, that player is subject to suspension without pay.— John Shannon (@JShannonhl) September 22, 2021

Update: From Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen:

He is the only Red Wings’ player who isn’t vaccinated. Following the NHL protocol,  Bertuzzi will be able to attend training camp. About 98 percent of NHL players are vaccinated.

“As it stands now, under the Canadian laws, he would not be able to cross the border,” general manager Steve Yzerman said.

The Red Wings play in Montreal Oct. 23. Canada’s current quarantine/Covid border rules currently say  no entry for non-vaccinated

Bertuzzi signed a two-contract this summer for $4.75 million per season.  “It’s his decision,” Yzerman said,  “and it’s the world we live in today. I’m not in a position to force anyone.”

He will be required to distance himself from players under certain circumstances, like in a gym, for example.

I miscounted the men. Tyler Bertuzzi will forfeit at LEAST over $450,000 in salary from Detroit Red Wings’ nine games in Canada this season if he continues to decline vaccination.— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) September 22, 2021

In which I appear on the ‘Locked on Wings’ podcast

FYI: