The Malik Report

I didn’t think that the issue of comments section remarks would cause me to lose sleep or feel depressed/anxious, but it’s done both, and now it’s time to act.

The Malik Report community has the potential to thrive, and, for the most part, its members are respectful and engaging, but we have some problems that need to be addressed. These issues have been discussed by the community at some length, both privately and publicly; I am both enacting the recommendations of the community and making the final decisions myself.

On a member-by-member basis:

Continue reading Comments on Comments IV: pruning the tree

Hockeybuzz’s Bob Duff spoke with Red Wings senior VP Jimmy Devellano regarding Gerard Gallant, a.k.a. “Spuddy”:

The Vegas Golden Knights are up against it, down 3-1 to the Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup final and left with no more losses to give. That, according to Jimmy Devellano, is when Gerard Gallant does his best work. The Golden Knights coach spent the first nine of his 11-season NHL playing career as a left winger with the Detroit Red Wings, most of it when Devellano was the club’s general manager. Gallant was a four-time 30-goal scorer, including during the 1988-89 season when he put up career-best 39-54-93 totals and teamed with Steve Yzerman and Paul MacLean to form the highest-scoring forward unit in franchise history.

That trio combined for 319 points, but what Devellano remembers most about Gallant was his compete level, the red-hot fire that burned in the belly of the undersized 5-10, 190 pound forward, and the ability to keep his head when all others around them were losing theirs.

“A character guy, a man’s man, but very simple,” Devellano explained. “I don’t mean that in a derogatory way, but I mean very basic, not complicated, easy to talk to and likewise he had no problem talking to you in a down to earth fashion. He became a favorite of mine because he was with us 8-9 years and we did have some success. He played well with Yzerman, the two of them fit like hand and glove. We went to the final four back to back years (1986-87, 1987-88) and he was a big part of all that.”

Duff continues…

The Athletic’s Craig Custance listed two Red Wings players among his top 20 players most likely to be traded this summer. One, you’d expect…

16. Andreas Athanasiou, Detroit Red Wings – Athanasiou’s name in trade rumors is nothing new, and the Red Wings aren’t necessarily highly motivated to make a move here. But both sides – the Athanasiou camp and the Red Wings management – aren’t against a deal. There also still seems to be some strain between Athanasiou and the coaching staff.

Athanasiou is arbitration eligible this summer so he’s going to get a raise from the nearly $1.4 million he held out for last offseason. With young forwards Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha also in line for significant salary increases, Detroit may prefer to let another team do Athanasiou’s next deal. And he has a weapon that opposing teams find attractive.

“Love the speed,” said one GM. “Worry a bit about the production.”

And the other is a surprise:

19. Nick Jensen, Red Wings – The Red Wings are actively shopping defenseman Xavier Ouellet, who has one year remaining on a contract worth $1.25 million. “He wants a fresh start,” Red Wings GM Ken Holland said last week at the draft combine. That’s not necessarily an easy assignment since Ouellet had trouble cracking the lineup on a Detroit team that wasn’t particularly good.

Trading Jensen would be much easier and there’s definitely interest. He’s a 27-year-old right-shot defenseman who slots into any team’s bottom pair for under $1 million. That’s attractive to both a budget team and teams up against the cap.

The problem is, one source outside Detroit suggested that the Red Wings weren’t too eager to make the move yet. There’s uncertainty as to whether Mike Green is coming back and who the Red Wings will get at the top of the draft. The preference for Detroit would be to wait until training camp to see how things all shake out, but by then, interested teams might have moved on.

Custance continues (paywall), and you’ll want to read about Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Rasmus Ristolainen…

The Detroit Red Wings announced the details of their annual Street Hockey Summer Tour today:

Red Wings announce 3rd Annual Street Hockey Summer Tour

Tour returns to make eight stops throughout the state of Michigan this summer for free street hockey clinics offered to children ages 7-12, presented by Meijer

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today announced the details for the 3^rd Annual Street Hockey Summer Tour, presented by Meijer. The Red Wings will once again travel throughout the state of Michigan starting in July to take over the parking lots of eight different Meijer locations to host free street hockey clinics for children ages 7-12.

The tour is open to children of all skill levels and hockey experience. The first hour of each session will feature a one-hour clinic, followed by a 30-minute pick-up street hockey game. The clinics will be instructed by Red Wings representatives and local hockey players and coaches.

Continue reading Red Wings announce details of annual “Street Hockey Summer Tour”

Updated 7x at 3:17 PM: The Grand Rapids Griffins have named Ben Simon their head coach, per WOOD TV’s Larry Figurski.

The Grand Rapids Press’s Peter J. Wallner confirms:

The Grand Rapids Griffins hired from within Tuesday, selecting Ben Simon to take over from Todd Nelson as the 11^th coach of the AHL franchise.

Simon has been the Griffins’ assistant the past three seasons and was also a member of the team in 2006-07.

The 39-year-old was introduced as a press conference at Van Andel following a quick search by the organization. Nelson officially left the team Thursday to become an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars.

The Griffins also confirm:

Ben Simon has been named the 11th head coach in #Griffins franchise history. Congrats, Coach Simon! #GoGRG pic.twitter.com/Fz9iIP8PF8

— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) June 5, 2018

Here’s the Griffins’ press release:

Continue reading Grand Rapids Griffins name Ben Simon head coach

From “Den of Geek’s” Joseph Baxter, regarding Cameron Frye’s choice to wear a Red Wings jersey in the Chicago-based Ferris Bueller’s Day Off:

In an interview with WeAreMEL, actor Alan Ruck, who played Cameron in Ferris Bueller, told a rather fascinating story, revealing the actual reason behind Cameron’s memorable choice in jerseys. While that jersey might be considered an antagonistic move in the sports-obsessed Second City, it seems that it represented something deeper to Cameron.

According to Ruck, the Red Wings jersey was initially part of a character-building narrative for Cameron that writer/director John Hughes ultimately had to cut from the film. As Ruck explains:

“John [Hughes] had spent some of his boyhood in Detroit. [Hughes] had decided that Cameron had a horrible relationship with his father, but a great relationship with his grandfather, who lived in Detroit and would take Cameron to Red Wings games. That’s all it was, and it was never explained in the movie.”

Continued

 

 

DetroitRedWings.com employed the services of prolific hockey writer Julie Robenhymer during the World Championship in Denmark, and today, Robenhymer and the Red Wings’ website look back at the comments made by Wings ambassador Chris Chelios during his induction into the IIHF’s Hall of Fame:

NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman, Mike G. Morreale and Guillaume Lepage offer their takes on the first round of the NHL draft on June 22nd, making triple picks for each and every one of the teams with 1st round picks, including the Red Wings.

The trio expect the Wings to pick either Quinn Hughes or Evan Bouchard at 6th overall…

6. Detroit Red Wings

Kimelman — Quintin Hughes, D, Michigan (BIG10): His ability to control the game far exceeds any questions about his size (5-9, 170). He’s a dazzling skater and puck-handler with a hard, accurate shot from the point. The Red Wings should be able to stay in-state to fill a major organizational need.

Morreale — Evan Bouchard, D, London (OHL): The big (6-2, 193) right-shot defenseman tied for seventh in the OHL with 87 points (25 goals, 62 assists); he’s the first defenseman to finish in the top 10 in the league since Ryan Ellis of Windsor in 2010-11 (101 points, tied for fourth). David Gregory of NHL Central Scouting said Bouchard is “the prototypical new-millennium defenseman” NHL teams want.

Lepage — Hughes: Although he has a few shortcomings, mostly his defensive play, he has the potential to become a star. Red Wings fans will appreciate his on-ice vision and instincts.

And the trio are split into thirds regarding the Wings’ options with the 30th or 31st pick (depending on whether the Vegas Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup):

Continue reading NHL.com’s draft experts offer suggestions for Wings’ 6th, 31st(?) picks

The ECHL allows its teams to protect non-free agent players who the teams wish to retain, and here’s the Toledo Walleye’s protected list:

Simon Denis, Jared Wilson, Trevor Hamilton, Ryan Obuchowski, Kevin Lohan, Beau Schmitz, Parker Reno, Jamie Doornbosch, Scott Czarnowczan, Jacob MacDonald, Kyle Bonis, Austen Brassard, Tyler Barnes, Colin Jacobs, Connor Crisp, Mike Embach, Charlie O’Connor, Christian Hilbrich, Shane Berschbach, Alden Hirschfeld, A.J. Jenks, Dane Walters, Tyson Spink, Tylor Spink

As you’ll note, some of the Walleye’s protected players are skating in Europe or elsewhere, so the Walleye are attempting to retain their rights should players like Simon Denis, Kyle Bonis or the Spink brothers return to North America.

Update: Here’s more information from the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe:

Continue reading ECHL’s announces “protected lists” for teams: Walleye protect mix of North American, European-playing players

The Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe reports that Toledo Walleye coach Dan Watson is exploring possible coaching opportunities at the AHL level:

After two successful ECHL seasons as head coach of the Toledo Walleye, Dan Watson has thrown his hat into the ring for several coaching positions at the higher level American Hockey League.

Watson confirmed he has been in talks with several AHL teams regarding vacant coaching positions, including an open spot with Toledo’s fellow Detroit Red Wings affiliate in Grand Rapids.

“Everyone has personal goals they want to achieve,” Watson said. “My personal goal is to be a head coach or assistant coach in the NHL. My goal is to coach at the highest level possible.”

Watson has been with the Walleye organization since its inception in 2009, first as an assistant before becoming head coach in 2016.

The former Toledo Storm defenseman led the Walleye to regular-season conference and division championships the past two seasons. Watson has led Toledo to the Kelly Cup playoffs in both of his seasons, taking the team to the Western Conference final series his first year and the second round in 2017-18.

Watson said he has the full support of team officials.

“It’s exciting that Toledo [officials] allow us to venture out and explore opportunities. We’re very fortunate to have that support,” Watson said. “As of today, I’m still the head coach of the Toledo Walleye.”

Monroe continues…