Duff on Dylan Larkin’s return to the Red Wings’ lineup

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff penned an article discussing Dylan Larkin’s return to the Red Wings’ lineup tonight vs. Columbus (7 PM EDT on Bally Sports Detroit Plus/97.1 FM):

This appears to be a positive development in the Red Wings’ preseason planning. Originally, the process was suggesting that Larkin wouldn’t be seeing action until later into the NHL exhibition slate. Instead, he’s getting back into action for the third game of preseason play.

“Our medical group did a really good job of putting a plan in place to get hm ready,” Blashill said. “You obviously go through a period of time with no contact and then we had him initiate contact and then contact was initiated on him. But that was when he knew it was coming, so you kind of work your way into it. So you’ve got to go from there into full (contact) and part of full is those battles.”

Aside from the serious injury, people many be forgetting how forgettable Larkin’s 2021 campaign was already proving to be. All of his offensive productivity numbers – goals (nine), assists (14) and points (23) – were career lows.

“Dylan and I talked and one of his good attributes is he’s really strong,” Blashilll said. “He’s got to use his body to win pucks, and if he doesn’t use his body to win pucks he won’t have the puck as much.

“He’s got to get back to playing normal in those circumstances. The reason I want to play him in preseason games is to prepare him, so when we play Tampa (in the regular-season opener) he’s not feeling his way into the game, he’s going all-out. The quicker he can get there the better.”

Continued

Allen discusses Red Wings’ potential rookie performers

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen posted a subscriber-only article regarding the potential Red Wings rookies who might make the lineup out of training camp/the exhibition season:

Right wing Lucas Raymond: Blashill’s decision to use Raymond with Dylan Larkin against the Blue Jackets proves the Red Wings want to give him every opportunity to make a good impression.

We’ve seen the quick release, the goal scorer’s knack and the great anticipation. We’ve also seen he is 19, not as strong as he needs to be. He’s also short on professional experience, crucial to knowing how to handle the rigors of an 82-game season. Wanting him to be ready can’t make it so.

His path to the roster is clear because Blashill has repeated it. Raymond needs to demand a spot with his play. He needs to be noticeable every game. Thus far, he is 1-for-1 in accomplishing that in preseason games.

Even if he doesn’t make it, he would be a candidate for an early call-up if he’s putting up numbers in the American Hockey League. When Tyler Bertuzzi misses his nine games, the Red Wings could bring up Raymond.

Raymond’s roster chances: Intriguing. Throughout training camp, we’ve seen why he’s considered among the NHL’s most coveted prospects. His instincts, knowing where to be at all times, are first rate.  You can see a path for him to make the club. If he plays five or six preseason games and totals seven or eight points, then they may keep him.

Continued (paywall)

Tweets of note: Red Wings, Blue Jackets (and Penguins) post game lineups

The Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets have Tweeted out their lineups for tonight’s game (7 PM EDT start on Bally Sports Detroit Plus/97.1 the Ticket):

And we also know who will appear in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup tomorrow at 12 PM EDT (???):

Continue reading Tweets of note: Red Wings, Blue Jackets (and Penguins) post game lineups

Prospect round-up, European version: LDN scores in J20 action; Soderblom posts assist in SHL; Viro scores, Kivenmaki posts assist in Liiga

Of European prospect-related note:

In the Swedish J20 league, Liam Dower Nilsson scored a goal and added an assist while centering Frolunda HC’s first line over the course of a 5-3 victory over HV71:

#SweU20
– Dower Nilsson 1+1, +/- 0 in a 5-3 win#LGRW https://t.co/R48pNzxnPJ— Red Wings Prospects (@DRWProspects) October 2, 2021

In the Swedish Allsvenskan, Gustav Berglund finished even with a shot on goal in Mora IK’s 4-3 shootout win over Sodertalje SK;

In the SHL, William Wallinder finished even in only 2:23 played during Rogle BK’s 5-4 shootout win over Brynas;

Albert Johansson finished at -3 with 1 shot in 20:46 played, and Jesper Eliasson served as the back-up as Farjestads BK lost 4-3 in OT to Leksand;

Simon Edvinsson finished at -1 with 3 shots in 19:19 played, Theodor Niederbach finished at +1 with 2 shots in 11:24 played, and Elmer Soderblom had an assist, finishing at +1 with 6 shots in 15:14 played as Frolunda HC won 3-2 over Timra:

Continue reading Prospect round-up, European version: LDN scores in J20 action; Soderblom posts assist in SHL; Viro scores, Kivenmaki posts assist in Liiga

Khan on Larkin’s preseason debut

MLive’s Ansar Khan posted an article regarding Dylan Larkin’s high likelihood of making his preseason debut vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight (7 PM EDT on Bally Sports Detroit Plus/WWJ 950 AM):

“You obviously go through a period of time with no contact and then we had him initiate contact and then contact was initiated on him, but when he knew it was coming, so you kind of work your way into it,” [coach Jeff] Blashill said. “So, you got to go from there into full (contact) and part of full is those battles. One of his good attributes is he’s really strong, so he’s got to use his body to win pucks, and if he doesn’t use his body to win pucks, he won’t have the puck as much. He’s got to get back to playing normal in those circumstances.

“The reason I want to play him in preseason games is to prepare him so when we play Tampa (regular season opener on Oct. 14), he’s not feeling his way into the game, he’s going all-out. The quicker he can get there the better.”

Larkin will start on a line with Filip Zadina and Lucas Raymond and his minutes won’t be restricted.

“You don’t want to play somebody 25 minutes as a forward in a preseason game but in terms of easing into it, you can’t look at it that way at all,” Blashill said. “If he wasn’t cleared to play, he wouldn’t play him, so he’s got to go full-out and get used to the bumps and grinding he’s going to get through the season.”

Continued with talk about Lucas Raymond and Filip Zadina’s performance-related potential…

Duff discusses new photos of Gordie Howe found in Galt, Ontario

This is pretty cool stuff from Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff:

Bob Leckie’s hockey legacy didn’t carry him past the senior level. However, a vital piece of Leckie’s collection has found its way into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In 1944-45, Leckie played with the Galt Red Wings OHA junior club. One of his teammates that season was a 16-year-old right-winger from Floral, Saskatchewan named Gordie Howe.

When Leckie died in 2016, his daugher Christine was going through her dad’s personal effects. Among them were a collecton of scrapbooks that spanned his hockey career. In one of those scrapbooks were two prize snapshots. The was a team photo of the 1944-45 Galt Red Wings and a head shot of the young Gordie Howe.

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Morning skate Tweets ahead of 3 games in 3 days: the ‘A Team’ gets a game in, Larkin to skate with Raymond and Zadina

Updated at 11:16 AM: The Detroit Red Wings embark upon the most difficult part of their preaseason schedule this evening, when they kick off a stretch of 3 games over the course of less than 36 hours by hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets (7 PM EDT on Bally Sports Detroit Plus/97.1 the Ticket).

The Wings then head to Pittsburgh for a 12 PM-starting matinee game against the Penguins, and they head right back to Little Caesars Arena to host Chicago on Monday (7:30 PM on BSD/97.1 FM), so this is definitely the reason why Detroit’s still carrying such a large roster–they need all those bodies to get through the next three days.

MLive’s Ansar Khan Tweeted out the roster for tonight’s game at 10:34 AM:

#RedWings lineup for tonight’s preseason game vs. Columbus at ⁦@LCArena_Detroit⁩ 7 pm on Bally Sports Detroit Plus. Looks like Larkin will make preseason debut (on line with Zadina and possibly Raymond) but not Bertuzzi. pic.twitter.com/9BMiaqhPRl— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) October 2, 2021

DetroitRedWings.com’s Ethan Sears checked in…

Continue reading Morning skate Tweets ahead of 3 games in 3 days: the ‘A Team’ gets a game in, Larkin to skate with Raymond and Zadina

Sears’ notebook: power play talk (we’re working on it!)

DetroitRedWings.com’s Ethan Sears filed a notebook article ahead of tonight’s game vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets (7 PM EDT start on BSD+), and he discusses the Red Wings’ desire to restart their sputtering power play:

We didn’t see much of the Red Wings’ power play during Wednesday’s preseason opener, but on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres, there were five chances. And, during a three games in three days stretch that begins on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, it will continue to be a focal point.

The Red Wings didn’t score on the power play against Buffalo, but they did create chances with a consistency they sometimes lacked last season, when they converted just 11.41 percent of their chances on the man advantage.

“You’re creating opportunities,” [Nick] Leddy said. “I think the ultimate goal, too, obviously is to score. But create momentum for your team and the team will respond to that as well.”

[Coach Jeff] Blashill said that during the preseason, it’s hard to evaluate the power play unit as a whole – he looks more at individuals who are fighting for spots. Leddy, Seider and Filip Hronek are currently in contention to run power play units, though Blashill said the Red Wings could try Hronek on the flank as well.

“What you’d like for certain,” Blashill said, “if you have the righty on the flank and the righty up top, someone that’s running it on the other side, with a righty in the middle and then a lefty. And now you’ve got righty options, or (go) down and then he’s got all righty options. And so that’s what you’d love. And vice versa if you run it off the other unit.”

Continued