The Malik Report

My aunt may be one of the kindest people I know, but she’s also brutally pragmatic, and she recommended that I hold off on telling you yesterday’s news that we’ve gotten a laptop via credit card, though I’m still not quite at the point that I can pay for it.

I went with the policy of truth, and it shot the fundraising effort in the foot. I still need to make about $200 to really cover the costs, and I’m sure that you’re not thrilled to keep hearing this, but I do still need your help.

If you can lend a hand at https://Paypal.me/TheMalikReport or giftly.com, I would be incredibly grateful for your support.

I’m on the moon, so to speak, but I need to buy a rocket to get home now. It won’t be much longer until we can all take a little break as free agency quiets down, and then I hope we can talk about podcasting (I believe I have a co-host lined up) and monetizing the blog long-term.

For now, I just need to pay back my aunt.

The Free Press’s Helene St. James grades the Red Wings’ 2020 NHL Draft class this afternoon, and here’s part of what she has to say in a subscriber-only article:

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman expressed hope after the 2020 NHL draft that he increased the odds that “a few of them become NHL players,” by making 12 selections.

The ones that are likeliest to drive the rebuild in a few years are winger Lucas Raymond, defenseman William Wallinder and center Theodor Niederbach. They project as high-impact players, gifted skaters with elite skill sets and high hockey IQ.

They’re the primary reason Yzerman earns an A-minus for his second draft since he was named GM in April 2019. He made three trades to add to the 10 picks with which he entered the two-day event and add one more to his haul in the 2021 draft.

The 2020 class numbered Raymond at No. 4, Wallinder at No. 32, Niederbach at No. 51, forward Cross Hanas at No. 55, defenseman Donovan Sebrango at No. 63, defenseman Eemil Viro at No. 70, forward Sam Stange at No. 97, goaltender Jan Bednar at No. 107, defenseman Alex Cotton at No. 132, defenseman Kyle Aucoin at No. 156, forward Kienan Draper at No. 187 and forward Chase Bradley at No. 203.

Continued (paywall)

Take note of these remarks made by Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman, as made to MLive’s Ansar Khan:

“I would say we’ll be relatively conservative,” Yzerman said during a recent media Zoom call. “There’s a lot of uncertainty as to what the economic landscape in the NHL looks like in the next couple years. We’re not opposed to anything, but it’s got to make sense. But I think it’s a fair assumption that we’ll be relatively conservative.”

…

“To build through free agency is impossible, it just doesn’t work,” Yzerman said. “And to do it through trades is extremely difficult because they want your good assets, and our assets are our young players and draft picks and that’s what we’re trying to build with.”

The Red Wings acquired a second-round pick in 2021 and 33-year-old defenseman Marc Staal from the New York Rangers on Sept. 26 for the price of assuming the final year of his contract ($5.7 million). Yzerman said he is willing to absorb another contract for a draft pick from a team that is tight on cap space.

“I have had some discussions with general managers looking to create cap space, but it really depends on their level of urgency or what else they’re trying to do for it to make sense,” Yzerman said. “We try to justify what is a second-round pick worth, what is a first-round pick worth if we’re in effect buying that. Some of these contracts have term on them, and how much do we want that player, how much can they help us? Sometimes it’s worth it, sometimes it’s not. We’re open to it. This could happen over the course of the offseason.”

Red Wings prospect and Skelleftea AIK forward Jonatan Berggren spoke with HockeyNews.se’s Mattias Ek in a lengthy interview, and here’s a rough translation thereof:

Berggren on Skellefteå’s generational change and Detroit’s Swedish plans

A generational change may be underway in Skellefteå AIK.

Against Brynäs, six players born in the 2000’s played, and after four games, it is Detroit-drafted Jonatan Berggren, 20, who is the new king of points.

“Yes, we are a young team. I think we have a good mix with Jocke (Lindström) and (Oscar) Möller who drive the practices and we young people follow,” says Berggren to HockeyNews.se

It has admittedly only been four games into the SHL season, but something new is about to happen in Skellefteå AIK.

Remarkably, Joakim Lindström has not yet scored a point, while team captain Oscar Möller has one assist.

Instead, it is forward Jonatan Berggren who is at the top of the internal points league, and has scored two goals and five assists in the four matches.


“I have started as I finished last season. But it is mostly the defensive game I would say that I have improved,” says Berggren to HockeyNews.se.

And what have you improved?

” I do not lie and steal all the time. (Coach Stefan) Klockare has been on me a lot that I have to think about the defense first. The attacking game, it solves itself,” says 20-year-old Berggren.


Together with his linemates Andreas Wingerli and Rickard Hugg, they manage to make a lot of mess for the opponents. When they adjust and counter, it goes lightning fast.

“When my line is on, it is not so much backwards, but we still create a lot forward. That is probably the biggest difference,” says Jonatan Berggren.

Continue reading Roughly translated: Jonatan Berggren speaks with HockeyNews.se

Here are a trio of Tweets of note from the Red Wings:

ICYMI: @kienandraper33 was selected 187th in last night’s final round of the 2020 NHL Draft. #DRWDraft pic.twitter.com/FF8ZQ1eq5P— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 8, 2020

ICYMI: The moment @sam_stange3 found out he was drafted 97th overall by the #RedWings.

?️: @BadgerMHockey pic.twitter.com/q9durPTfz6— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 8, 2020

ICYMI: @kienandraper33 was selected 187th in last night’s final round of the 2020 NHL Draft. #DRWDraft pic.twitter.com/FF8ZQ1eq5P— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 8, 2020

Update: Make it four:

Dream come true. #DRWDraft pic.twitter.com/TH69iMknnY— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 8, 2020

Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston penned an article discussing scuttlebutt related to the top unrestricted free agents available, and he reports that the Red Wings may still be in the bidding for goalie Jacob Markstrom’s services…

Markstrom is the top goaltender available in a crowded marketplace at the position and will almost certainly net a contract with an average value above the $5 million that Robin Lehner got last week from Las Vegas.

The Calgary Flames and Detroit Red Wings are believed to have interest. Despite some cap limitations, the Edmonton Oilers will likely come calling as well.

And then there is the case of one Torey Krug:

In a league where cap space is king, Steve Yzerman possesses more of it than virtually all of his peers.

He also has more available roster spots than NHL-ready prospects after an off-season where the Detroit Red Wings let Jonathan Ericsson, Trevor Daley and Jimmy Howard walk away in free agency, bought out Justin Abdelkader and didn’t tender qualifying offers to Madison Bowey, Christoffer Ehn and Brendan Perlini.

That’s led to increased chatter that the Red Wings are poised to take a run at free-agent defenceman Torey Krug when the market opens Friday.

There’s a natural fit: Krug was raised in a Detroit suburb and attended Michigan State. He’s also looking for some long-term security after being one of the NHL’s most productive blue-liners over the past seven seasons and the Red Wings have the means to sign the 29-year-old to the kind of contract he covets.

The Athletic’s Max Bultman penned an intriguing article discussing the Red Wings’ priorities heading into a free agency period like no other:

With only four remaining NHL RFAs (Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi, Dmytro Timashov and Adam Erne) left to sign, the Red Wings have 14 returning NHLers under contract for next season, or 15 if you include defenseman Gustav Lindstrom, who finished the season in Detroit after spending most of it in Grand Rapids.

Either way, that leaves space for additions, even after taking care of RFA business.

The most glaring hole is in net, where the Red Wings will need to find a tandem partner for Jonathan Bernier after deciding not to offer longtime starter Jimmy Howard a new contract for next season. Yzerman said last week the team will look for a replacement in free agency, where the market is shaping up to be robust.

But Yzerman seems at least interested in adding at every position.

“I’d like to try and add another forward, a right shot, but not necessarily,” Yzerman said Wednesday. “Even potentially two forwards, depending on who’s available and what the cost of these players are. We do have holes on the back end. Under contract … we have Fil Hronek and Alex Biega on the right side. We’ll explore the free-agent market, and whether we added a right and a left, or two rights, or again depending on the term and the dollar amounts, we potentially could maybe even do two to three defensemen. Three isn’t a necessity, but it would provide us with some depth if we did sign three D-men.

“But I would hope to sign a couple and leave our young guys developing, whether it be in the American league or in the European leagues, for the time being.”

Continued (paywall)

Red Wings director of amateur scouting Kris Draper appeared on 97.1 the Ticket’s Morning Show With Stoney earlier today, discussing the Red Wings’ draft haul (Kienan Draper included). Here’s the interview:

HPK reports that Jared McIsaac (hand) will be out for 2 weeks, so the team’s bringing in VIlle Koistinen. https://t.co/Sea2K8zTFv— George Malik (@georgemalik) October 8, 2020

This news isn’t very good if you’re Filip Hronek and HK Mountifield, or Filip Zadina and Ocelari Trinec, which has already been in quarantine for coronavirus cases:

BREAKING: Major setback in Czech Republic; Minister of Health Roman Prymula stops all professional and amateur sports in the country for at least 14 days from coming Monday, thus responding to the worsened coronavirus situation. https://t.co/3Y8Y4Yk0CW pic.twitter.com/uTliNa5JHy— EuropeanHockeyClubs (@EHCAlliance) October 8, 2020

Update: Also…

UPDATE: Setback in Sweden @SHLse as authorities extend limit of 50 at public gatherings due to the increase in infections.
CZE: Seven teams in quarantine. 1000 in attendance in the few @telhcz games that can be played.
NOR: New name: Fjordkraftligaen @norskishockey pic.twitter.com/hNm2OZQV2a— EuropeanHockeyClubs (@EHCAlliance) October 8, 2020