Karjala Cup: Hronek posts goal, assist as Czechs beat Berggren’s Swedes 3-1

In the opening game of the Karjala Tournament in Helsinki, Filip Hronek played a large role in the Czech Republic’s 3-1 win over Sweden.

Hronek scored a goal, added an assist and was on the ice for all three Czech goals.

Here’s Hronek’s goal, from Here’s Your Replay and Antonj85 on Twitter:

Hronek played on the Czechs’ second defensive pair, and he finished at +1; Jonatan Berggren made his Swedish National Team debut in the loss, and he finished “even.”

Coming up: Sweden will play Russia on Saturday, while the Czechs will play Finland. Again, the Swedish World Junior Selection Camp in Finland has been canceled due to two coronavirus cases on the Swedish team.

Two Things: praise for the Wings’ ‘timeless’ logo and the Mantha signing

Of brief Red Wings-related note this morning:

  1. SportsLogos.net’s Chris Creamer and Todd Radom have published a new book called Fabric of the Game: The Stories Behind the NHL’s Names, Logos and Uniforms, and both authors weighed in as to their favorite NHL team logos while speaking with The Score’s Nick Faris:

Detroit Red Wings: As with the Bruins, Creamer applauds Detroit for riding with the same logo through the eras. Save for the occasional cosmetic update, no one has touched or sullied the winged wheel that Ted Lindsay, Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, and Nicklas Lidstrom each sported in turn.

Longevity is one thing, but how’s this for added historical significance: Detroit’s famous emblem is a tribute to the first winners of the Stanley Cup, the amateur Montreal Hockey Club’s “Winged Wheelers.” That outfit lifted the chalice in 1893, a full 115 years before the Red Wings celebrated the most recent of their 11 titles.

“To me, that alone – the history attached to it, to the origins of hockey – make it one of the greatest logos in the NHL,” Creamer said.

2. And ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski gave praise to Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman for his work in signing Anthony Mantha to a 4-year, $22.8 million contract:

Winner: Steve Yzerman

He got Anthony Mantha done for four years and $5.7 million AAV, on a back-loaded contract ($13 million in the last two seasons) and with no trade protection. So the Detroit Red Wings GM secured a good player at a solid cap number, and has the flexibility to move him in his prime. And that’s why he’s Steve Yzerman.

Roughly translated: Albert Johansson speaks with HockeyNews.se

Red Wings prospect Albert Johansson spoke with HockeyNews.se’s Henrik Sjoberg in a sit-down interview that was posted via HockeyNews.se’s YouTube channel…

And thankfully, there’s a companion article which covers some of the topics discussed on video, which I’m presenting here in roughly translated form:

Continue reading Roughly translated: Albert Johansson speaks with HockeyNews.se

Swedish World Junior Championship team cancels camp in Finland due to multiple coronavirus cases

According to Aftonbladet, Expressen, Hockeysverige.se, Hockeynews.se, and, most importantly, the Swedish Ice Hockey Association’s website, the Swedish World Junior Selection Camp team has canceled its camp in Finland, as well as its three games against the Finnish national junior team, due to multiple positive coronavirus cases on the Swedish team.

There’s no word as to who might have the virus, and as the SHL and the Swedish J20 leagues are taking a pause until November 10th, we may never know whether any of the Wings’ prospects attending the camp (Gustav Berglund, Albert Johansson, Albin Grewe, Lucas Raymond and Theodor Niederbach) were affected.

Update: Swedish national team coach Tomas Monten tells HockeyNews.se’s Henrik Sjoberg that the team had a positive test on Monday and another positive test today, and nobody is experiencing symptoms, but the Swedes are using an abundance of caution.

Roughly translated: Filip Hronek talks with Hokej.cz ahead of the Karjala Cup

Red Wings defenseman Filip Hronek is going to play for the Czech Republic in the Karjala Cup in Finland over the next four days, but Hronek almost didn’t earn the opportunity to play because he received an “inconclusive” coronavirus test when he arrived in Finland.

As a result, he spent his birthday in his Helsinki hotel room, and he spoke with Hokej.cz’s Vaclav Jachim about his situation. What follows is roughly translated:

Hronek on taking a leading role on the Czech team at the Karjala Cup: If necessary, I will be happy to help!

After taking a test for coronavirus at the border, he spent hours of uncertainty [alone in his hotel room], but he’s already well and really looking forward to a sharp start of the Karjala tournament. Filip Hronek received a permit from Finnish Hygiene and is fully practicing with the Czech national team. During the first event of the Euro Hockey Tour, he will be one of the key pillars, and the Detroit defenseman himself has shown great desire for a chance to join the elite.

The last time he was named MVP because he performed greatly. At the 2019 World Championship, Hronek was named the best defenseman of the tournament, and he was also named to the tournament’s all-star team. Now he’s in the position as one of the team leaders, but he doesn’t admit as much. “There are other experienced players here,” he says with a clear head.

Continue reading Roughly translated: Filip Hronek talks with Hokej.cz ahead of the Karjala Cup

Anthony Mantha speaks with the NHL Network

Red Wings forward Anthony Mantha gave The NHL Tonight a 6-and-a-half-minute-long interview yesterday night, speaking about his new contract with the Red Wings:

Prospect round-up: Lindstrom, Larsson still absent with injuries

Of prospect-related note today, in the Swedish Allsvenskan:

Both Gustav Lindstrom and Filip Larsson missed Almtuna IS’s 6-3 win over BIK Karlskoga;

And Gustav Berglund is playing with the Swedish World Junior team right now, so he missed Vasteras IK’s 3-0 win over Tingsryds IF.

Wings’ beat writers weigh in on GM Steve Yzerman’s remarks

Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman engaged in a press conference with the media earlier today…

And this evening, the Wings’ beat writers have weighed in on Yzerman’s remarks regarding re-signing Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi, as well as the state of his team as a whole.

Regarding Mantha, the Free Press’s Helene St. James noted that Yzerman would prefer that the big power forward keep his gloves on if at all possible…

Continue reading Wings’ beat writers weigh in on GM Steve Yzerman’s remarks

Joe Kocur appears on the ‘Cam and Strick Podcast’

Long-time Red Wings enforcer and charitable warrior Joe Kocur appeared on the “Cam and Strick Podcast” yesterday: