It’s that time again…fundraising time is here

It’s time for my least-favorite part of running my own blog–the very necessary attempt to raise funds in order for this blog to survive. The “NPR Model”

I’m trying to make due with means that you don’t have to deal with inline ads, commercials or pop-ups; that also means that if, as Thanksgiving is around the corner, I’ve got to ask the same folks who helped me to purchase the laptop from which I’m typing (and what a Moonshot that was!) to please help support the Moonbase blog.

If you can possibly lend a hand so that I can pay my bills this month, I’ve got a Paypal account at https://paypal.me/TheMalikReport, I accept payments to rtxg@yahoo.com through Giftly, and I take payments via Venmo as well.

After consciously not fundraising for the first three weeks of the month, I’m in a tight place, and I do hope that you can afford to lend a small hand so that this blog can continue to flourish as we slowly move toward the 2020-2021 season.

Thank you for your time and your readership.

If you haven’t seen it…The NHL Network posted an insightful interview with Steve Yzerman

I posted this in the form of an inline update, so let’s review: The NHL Network posted a 2-minute clip of an interview with Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman on Twitter, and later in the day on NHL.com, the NHL Network posted the full 11-minute interview. The NHL Network re-posted the interview on YouTube this morning, and it’s worth another post.

If you missed it, this really is “Must-See TV” as Darren Pang’s presence seems to put Yzerman at more ease than usual:

The Athletic’s Wheeler discusses 5 prospects playing in Europe, including Joe Veleno

The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler wrote a massive article discussing the respective statuses of 5 NHL prospects who are playing in Europe at present, and one of the prospects he profiles is Red Wings center Joe Veleno, who’s currently playing for the Malmo Redhawks of the SHL:

Sweden’s loose approach to COVID also contrasts starkly against the lockdown he experienced in Montreal. On his visits downtown during his days off, everything is open.

“Masks are not really obligatory here. It’s different but it’s more like normal. Some people wear masks but some people choose not to and you go inside a store and not really anyone is wearing masks,” Veleno said. “(But) the city’s really nice. There’s a lot to do here. It’s not really a dead or quiet city. Everything’s pretty busy and everyone’s always outside. I’m soaking everything in learning a different culture and seeing the lifestyle that they live and how different it is from North America.”

The hockey itself has had its own highs and lows as well. Though he has just three points through seven games, he’s playing a prominent role, averaging more than 17 minutes per game. He thinks the results are coming, but it’s not easy.

“It’s a lot different,” he said. “You have to skate twice as much and you can’t really overextend your shifts or you’ll be pretty gassed.”

Continued (paywall)

Khan profiles Kyle Aucoin

MLive’s Ansar Khan posted a profile of Red Wings 2020 draft pick and Tri-City Storm defenseman Kyle Aucoin this morning:

“He’s an elite skater, he’s got a great stride, he doesn’t break down, he’s got really good wind and he’s able to maintain his skating over the course of a game and a weekend,” Tri-City coach Anthony Noreen said. “I would say he’s a really good two-way defenseman. He moves the puck well, can join in the rush, can help in the offensive zone, really good at breaking pucks out, also responsible defensively, good on the kill.”

Adrian Aucoin — who played for seven NHL teams, including the Canucks, Islanders and Coyotes – was 6-2 and played at 213 pounds. Kyle is listed at 5-11 and 164. But even at age 18 he might not be done growing.

“It’s funny when you hear that his dad had a growth spurt when he was 18, 19, so we hope Kyle gets that as well,” Red Wings director or amateur scouting Kris Draper said.

Aucoin said gaining strength is his primary focus.

“I’m a pretty elite skater,” he said. “I think the game well, I’m pretty smart on the ice. I think I play on both sides. I defend quick, which will let me join the rush offensively and create things from there.”

Continued

Jonatan Berggren may be suspended for a cross-check to the face of an opponent

This isn’t good, per the SHL (video included):

The [SHL] situation room has reviewed the games that were played in the SHL yesterday. The following players have reported to the Swedish Ice Hockey Association’s disciplinary committee, which will consider the matter during the day.

Jonatan Berggren, Skellefteå AIK

With 12:24 remaining in period 2, Skelleftea player no. 48, Jonatan Berggren, skates with the puck through the entire neutral zone and is checked when he enters the attack zone. The puck goes down to the goaltender. Djurgarden player no. 50, Tobias Ekberg, sticks out his stick against Berggren to protect the goal. Berggren then cross-checks Ekberg in the face with force. Ekberg cannot protect himself against cross-checking.

Berggren’s going to get a game or two for this one.

Kulfan profiles Donovan Sebrango

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan posted a profile of Kitchener Rangers defenseman and Red Wings 2020 draft pick Donovan Sebrango, who’s attending Hockey Canada’s World Junior Selection Camp this week:

“I’m a little bit of an old-school defenseman with a little bit of the new school,” Sebrango said during a media Zoom call after the draft. “I’m a pretty tough, gritty kind of guy. But I add offense, so I have a little bit of the old-age hockey in me, and kind of the new-era of offensive defenseman.”

Sebrango, 18, is listed as 6-foot-1, 189 pounds, and on some mock drafts was projected as a possible second-round pick.

The Wings drafted Sebrango 63rd overall, so it’s not like he was a reach, by any means. If anything, maybe the Wings got lucky adding a sturdy, versatile defenseman who doesn’t generate a ton of headlines, but can play a steady, no-nonsense game.

“He’s a good skating defenseman who plays with an edge,” said Kris Draper, the Red Wings’ director of amateur scouting.

Continued

Prospect round-up: Berggren scores, Raymond posts assist in SHL action; Hronek posts a helper in Czech league

Of prospect-related note today:

In Europe, in the Finnish Liiga, Victor Brattstrom served as the back-up in KooKoo’s 4-0 win over Sport. Brattstrom was pulled in KooKoo’s previous game;

In the Czech Extraliga, Filip Hronek had an assist and 2 shots, finishing at +2 in 23:17 as Mountfield HK won 5-2 over HC Dynamo Pardubice:

Here’s Hronek’s secondary assist from today. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/IPMTq0Inel— Jay (@hwcJay) November 19, 2020

In the SHL, Lucas Raymond had an assist and 3 shots on goal, finishing even in 13:49 played, and Theodor Niederbach had 2 shots in 11:20 played as the Frolunda Indians won 4-1 over IK Oskarshamn:

Jonatan Berggren had a goal on two shots, finishing even in 13:13 played as Skelleftea AIK won 3-1 over Djurgarden. Albin Grewe had 2 shots in 11:56 played for Djurgarden.

Matias Brome had an assist and 3 shots, finishing at +1 in 17:42 played as Orebro Hockey lost 4-3 in overtime to Lulea Hockey;

In NCAA Division I hockey, tonight, Sam Stange and the University of Wisconsin will battle the University of Michigan, and that game will air on Fox Sports Detroit at 7 PM EST:

And at the Canadian World Junior Selection Camp, Red Wings prospect and Kitchener Rangers defenseman Donovan Sebrango was listed as the 7th defenseman for “Team White” today:

Nov. 19 | Practice lines for Team White ⚪️ pic.twitter.com/IixzuCSeYT— #WorldJuniors (@HC_WJC) November 19, 2020

Update: Sam Stange finished at -2 in the University of Wisconsin’s 5-2 loss to Michigan on Thursday night.

Update #2: Via Red Wings Prospects on Twitter, Ryan O’Reilly didn’t score in the Arizona State University Sun Devils’ 1-1 tie with Michigan State.

Grand Rapids Griffins cancel 2021 Great Skate

Crap. Per the Grand Rapids Griffins:

GRIFFINS’ GREAT SKATE WINTERFEST CANCELED FOR 2021, WILL RETURN IN 2022

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins on Thursday announced that their 18th annual Great Skate Winterfest, set for Jan. 16-17, 2021 at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids, has been canceled due to the realities of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The beloved fundraiser for the Griffins Youth Foundation will return in January 2022.

“Given the recent delay of the American Hockey League’s target start date to Feb. 5, the difficulty of rescheduling within a compressed Griffins game schedule before the onset of spring, and most notably the unique up-close-and-personal nature of our event, we’ve had to make the difficult but inevitable decision to cancel this season’s Great Skate Winterfest,” said event founder Bob Kaser, the Griffins’ vice president of community relations and broadcasting who also serves as president of the Griffins Youth Foundation.

“This is extremely disappointing for our team, our fans and our foundation, which receives more than $30,000 from the Great Skate Winterfest each year and will have to do without a crucial funding component for its programming. However, as we look to bring it back better than ever in 2022, we are excited about an alternative online fundraising event that’s on the drawing board of our event co-chairs – Kirk Morgan of the foundation and Randy Cleves of the Griffins – and we look forward to sharing details with all of our supporters in the coming weeks,” added Kaser.

Anyone wishing to support the Griffins Youth Foundation’s mission is invited to make a secure online donation by visiting griffinskids.org.

Established in 1995, the Griffins Youth Foundation promotes academic excellence, community involvement and healthy lifestyles among the youth of West Michigan, enhancing their lives through hockey and ice-related sports. The foundation provides opportunities for nearly 500 deserving boys and girls – many of whom are underprivileged, underserved, at-risk or have special needs – to participate in the great sport of hockey at no cost. Programs currently include co-ed hockey for first through 12th graders, a girls-only division, learn-to-skate and learn-to-play programs, and the Grand Rapids Sled Wings sled hockey team for children and teens with physical disabilities.