The Score’s Sean O’Leary picked 5 players for fantasy hockey poolies to target as “sleeper” picks, and his praise for Anthony Mantha is effusive:
Mantha is coming off a career-high 25-goal season with Detroit despite being limited to 67 games, showing the high-end promise the Red Wings hoped for when they drafted him 20th overall in 2013.
The soon-to-be 25-year-old primarily spent his time flanking Dylan Larkin in 2018-19, and they put up solid results – a trend that should continue for another year as the Wings’ two core pieces keep developing as pros.
Mantha shot the puck more than ever last season, too, but still maintained his career-average shooting percentage of 12.6%, indicating he’s a candidate to produce consistently rather than a flash in the pan. He also netted seven goals in nine contests for Canada at the World Championship if you needed any more convincing that this is a player quietly trending toward becoming a premier NHL goal-scorer.
Red Wings prospect Filip Larsson’s being held out of the prospect tournament due to some soreness in his groin out of an abundance of caution. The highly-heralded prospect still hopes to compete for a spot on the Grand Rapids Griffins’ roster through his play over the course of the Wings’ main training camp and exhibition season.
While he might not be focused on his own long-term prospectus, Larsson sidled up to Howard after inking his deal, trying to soak up all he could from the former NHL All-Star and Calder Trophy runner-up.
“I got to work with Jimmy a lot this summer,” Larsson explained. “I tried to watch him and see some of the details in how he plays the puck. He’s had a great career and has seen a lot of things. He’s also a really hard worker even in practice, and I tried to take some of that too. Hopefully, these things will also help me when I get an opportunity.”
Larsson’s initial opportunity to showcase his abilities against NHL-caliber competition is likely to come next week when the Red Wings open their 21st training camp in Traverse City. Salajko says the team is expected to employ seven netkeeps during the camp.
“I’ve said it many times: the jump from college to pros is the biggest leap – more so for goalies than skaters,” said [Red Wings goaltending coach Jeff] Salajko, who spent three seasons coaching the position at Ohio State University before joining the Wings’ AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids in 2013. “The game is so much faster. Let’s face it: You’re now playing against full-grown men who are faster and bigger and stronger, and you’re playing with the trapezoid (limits where a goaltender can play the puck). It’s definitely an adjustment for anyone. You don’t see many guys like Jonathan Quick or Ryan Miller, who can come right from college and play in the NHL right away. Even Jimmy had four years in the American League before he came up.”
The Detroit Red Wings posted the entire 2-and-a-half-hour broadcast of Saturday’s 7-3 win over the St. Louis Blues at the prospect tournament 2019 on YouTube. Enjoy!
The Detroit Red Wings won a wild and woolly 7-3 decision over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday afternoon, with Joe Veleno scoring a pair of goals (again), Givani Smith registering a “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” and Filip Zadina posting 3 assists.
After the game, the media gathered around Filip Zadina, who discussed his chemistry with Veleno, his slight frustration at not having scored any goals yet, and much more:
Joe Veleno then spoke with the media regarding his 2-goal, 5-shot performance, his continued excellent play, that of his linemates in Taro Hirose and Zadina, and his desire to beat the Leafs on Monday:
Gustav Lindstrom suggested that he’s still adjusting to North American ice and the North American pace of play as he spoke with the media, suggesting that there’s room for both him and his team to improve, especially at the start of games:
Finally, coach Ben Simon mostly discussed the positives regarding Veleno, Zadina, Smith and the individual players as the Wings begin to look forward ahead of tomorrow’s off day:
The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects will battle the St. Louis Blues’ prospects at 3:30 PM EDT this afternoon, with both teams hoping to secure their first win at the Wings’ prospect tournament 2019.
If you wish to watch the game, you have two options. The Red Wings will be streaming their broadcast on YouTube…
“I had groin issues last year,” Larsson said after the team’s optional morning skate at Centre Ice Arena. “I went pretty hard this summer. The last three weeks for almost two hours a day. It got a little bit sore. So because of what happened last year, I’m taking it easy so nothing happens again. But as you can see out there, I can go 100 percent so it’s nothing big. We’re just taking it easy.”
Larsson worked extensively with goaltending coach Jeff Salajko Saturday morning and has been on the ice every day.
Of course, most players prefer games to practice but Larsson is keeping the big picture in mind.
“Yeah, it’s unlucky,” Larsson said. “I’ve been over here for a month now, training with all the guys. It’s sucks to miss it. I came here to prepare for this tournament, so it sucks not being here. I’d rather be 100 percent when the season starts. I think I’ll be practicing with the team in a few days. It feels good.”
Three forwards, three defensemen and three goaltenders took part in today’s optional practice at Centre ICE Arena, though goalie coaches Jeff Salajko and Brian Mahoney-Wilson, skill development coach Brandon Narauto and Grand Rapids Griffins assistant coaches Matt McDonald and Todd Krygier oversaw their charges.
It’s highly likely that Chad Yetman, Thomas Casey, Troy Loggins, Gustav Berglund and Alec McCrea will be today’s scratches; Jared McIsaac is a ways away due to a shoulder injury; in goal, Kaden Fulcher will start, Anthony Popovich will back him up, and Filip Larsson’s being held out of the tournament due to lingering groin soreness.
I still owe you some assessments, so, bearing in mind that we’re talking about an optional morning skate, here’s what I saw:
The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects took a very optional morning skate ahead of today’s game against the St. Louis Blues (3:30 PM on Fox Sports GO), who lost 7-2 to Toronto last night.
Thomas Casey, Chad Yetman and Troy Loggins represented the forwards, Alec McCrea, Gustav Berglund and Jared McIsaac (limited action) represented the Wings’ defense, and probable starter Kaden Fulcher, try-out Anthony Popovich and the injured Filip Larsson (groin) represented the goaltenders.
The players were still put through their paces by no less than 6 Red Wings skill development coaches, and the pace and skill levels evident in the drills was impressive by regular practice standards, never mind an “optional.”
The good news injury-wise is that Filip Larsson is only shut down for precautionary reasons after experiencing tightness in his groin. Larsson spoke with the media after working on his butterfly, his skating and his puckhandling under the guidance of coach Jeff Salajko;
While he was slightly winded, Larsson told us that he came to Detroit early to work with Jimmy Howard for a month, and he’s learning to alter his style slightly in terms of his stance, glove, blocker and stick, understanding that he can’t reach for pucks at the pro level:
Gustav Berglund gave a superb interview, discussing his experiences at the prospect tournament thus far, his adjustment to North American ice and North American pace of play, and he spoke about his status as a “talker” out on the ice:
Finally, Jared McIsaac gave us an update as to how his shoulder is progressing. He can shoot and stickhandle after having reconstructive surgery this past summer for a nagging right shoulder injury, but he’s limited to practicing right now, and he hopes to get back to work in time for the World Junior Championship in December:
Update: The Wings posted partial video interviews with Berglund…
The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects rallied from a 4-1 deficit to tie the Chicago Blackhawks’ prospects on Friday night, but the Wings weren’t quite able to close the deal, and they lost 5-4 to Chicago in overtime.
If you’ve got two-and-a-half hours, you can watch the game yourself as the Wings made it available on YouTube:
The Traverse City Record-Eagle’s Jake Atnip spoke with Moritz Seider after the Red Wings prospects‘ morning skate today, and both Atnip and I found that the Red Wings’ 6th overall draft pick this past June is, to say the least, an outgoing, free-spirited fellow:
“I just want to show my skills and my personality,” Seider said. “On one side is being a great guy on the ice but on the other side you have to have great character. I hope I can combine both and accept my role and maybe even lead the way while I am here.
“You want to be one of the best and that is why I am here, I want to perform.”
His performance in Germany was good enough to earn that ROY honor despite appearing in only 29 games due to a shoulder injury. Although this is his first time playing with these teammates and on the smaller NHL rink, Seider isn’t focused on the changes or the pressure.
“First of all you have to be clam and relaxed, there is no pressure,” he said. “I just want to enjoy the time with the boys, I think it is a great group with great chemistry here. I am just here to get better everyday and we just want to win games. I think there is no pressure at all.
“But in the end it’s hockey, you have your abilities to make plays and nothing changes. I should be fine and it will be fun.”
