The Malik Report

Updated at 1:39 PM with more from Ansar Khan:

According to the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan, Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin has signed a sponsorship deal with the BODYARMOR sports energy drink, and in the process of doing so, Larkin addressed a couple of topics of Wings-related note:

The NHL would like to begin the season around January 13, and is hoping for as much as a 56-game regular season.

The Wings were one of seven teams not brought back to the Return To Play last summer, in which the Stanley Cup playoffs were competed. Those seven teams are expected to have a few extra days of training camp, but there isn’t expected to be any exhibition games for any of the 31 teams.

“That will help, anytime you can have a camp with the guys will help,” Larkin said. “I’m not sure how many guys will be invited, or they’re planning to have at the camp, but it sounds like we’ll do a few of Red and White (scrimmage) games to get ready.

“We’ll have to treat them as real as possible, treat them like a normal game day. I do think exhibition games are helpful, but unfortunately with the times we’re in right now, and whether it’s financial or safety for the players and staff, you just have to be ready as possible.”

Continued

Update: Here’s more from MLive’s Ansar Khan:

Continue reading Kulfan, Khan: Dylan Larkin signs sponsorship deal with ‘BODYARMOR,’ discusses preparations for 20-21 season

DobberProspects’ Cam Robinson discusses “World Junior Stars” and their “wait times” in a pre-World Junior Championship article discussing players who should dominate in Edmonton next weekend and beyond. He mentions Lucas Raymond over Alexander Holtz as the Swedish “star” to watch:

Lucas Raymond, W – Sweden: I thought about doing a Wonder Twins special here and profile Brooklyn 99’s Raymond (&) Holtz, but I feel this is Raymond’s time to shine.

Despite landing fourth overall to the Wings back in October, the world has somehow seemingly lost sight of how talented the 18-year-old is. Raymond is an explosive winger who can drive play, set up mates with creativity and finesse or finish off chances himself. He always finds a way to dominate against his age-group and this event should be no different. 

The Wait Time: Expect Raymond to land in Detroit ahead of the 2021-22 season. But don’t bet on the big totals right off of the bat. He may have a little Elias Pettersson in him, but he’s not quite there.

Continued; I’m not sure whether the Red Wings will bring Raymond over to play in the NHL for the 2021-2022 season, but I do think that the Mitch Marner-like tendencies he displays are real and substantive. I’m going to be excited to watch him battle against his peers.

The Grand Rapids Griffins held a “virtual teddy bear toss” earlier this evening, and WOOD TV8 filed a video report from the event…

And WZZM 13’s Matt Gard posted a text report:

Continue reading Grand Rapids Griffins held their ‘virtual teddy bear toss’ earlier tonight; still raising funds for Salvation Army

There’s a YouTube interview with Filip Hronek on Mountfield HK’s website in which Hronek addresses the media after today’s game, and the text accompanying Hronek’s interview says this (roughly translated from Czech):

NHL teams are calling their players back to America in anticipation that the best league in the world will soon start again. The game against Mladá Boleslav was therefore the last time for Filip Hronek, who is saying goodbye to the Hradec Králové organization again for some time – during 22 games he accumulated 23 points (10 + 13) and showed that in four years overseas he grew into a first-class offensive defenseman. Thanks from Mountfield HK for his quality service and good luck in the future!

It’s time for my least favorite part of running what is still essentially a non-profit blog with no ads: fundraising.

I plain old need reader support to continue doing things like grocery shopping and getting a new battery for my vehicle this December, so if you are ready, able and/or grudgingly willing to lend a hand to keep TMR up and operational, let’s start with the pitch:

The reason you haven’t gotten more content of late is that I’ve been sick. I’ve been fighting through some nasty fatigue and head cold symptoms for over a month now, and whatever non-covid bug I have has continued to stick around. I wanted to get the podcast up and running by now, but just getting through the day-to-day right now has been a challenge, and I’ve tried to grind through the fatigue and discomfort as much as I can.

So I’ve been working hard and resting when able, and doing little else at times. Aunt Annie and I are making it through right now, but we do need assistance to plain old get by during a “long month.”

There is more in me and there is “more to come,” as they say, but right now, what you’ve seen is what I can give, and so I’m asking you to please lend a hand to the slightly annoying NPR of blogs.

I accept Paypal at https://paypal.me/TheMalikReport, I have a Venmo at https://account.venmo.com/u/George-Malik-2, https://www.giftly.com via my email address, rtxg@yahoo.com, works great, and I’d be grateful for any support you can give.

I know it’s not easy for anyone right now, but where I’m at, I’ll take whatever I can get.

Thanks for your time and your readership.

Updated at 10:01 PM: Of prospect-related note this afternoon in Europe:

In the Czech Extraliga, Filip Hronek scored a goal and added an assist, finishing even with 12 shots(!) and a lost faceoff in 29:21 played as Mountfield HK lost 4-3 to BK Mlada Boleslav;

Filip Zadina didn’t play in HC Ocelari Trinec’s 6-0 win over HC Vitkovice Ridera as his loan to Trinec has been terminated (and he’s got an injury).

Trinec’s Twitter account was kind enough to inform me that Zadina will return to the U.S. on Friday, missing the Channel One Cup. Hronek won’t play in the Channel One Cup, either…

In the SHL, Joe Veleno scored the game’s first goal, finishing even with 4 shots in 18:57 played as the Malmo Redhawks won 2-1 over HV71. Here’s his goal, from C More:

Continue reading Prospect Round-up: Hronek 1+1 plus 12 shots for Mountfield HK; Veleno scores; Seider delivers assist, massive hit for Rogle (and a cool Raymond highlight clip)

The Hockey News’s Ryan Kennedy spoke with Red Wings prospect and Frolunda Indians center Theodor Niederbach, who’s been given a tremendous opportunity to center Sweden’s top World Junior Championship line of Lucas Raymond and Alexander Holtz due to Karl Henriksson’s positive coronavirus test.

As Niederbach already told HockeyNews.se, he’s not fazed by having been afforded such a pressure-packed opportunity:

“Both Holtz and Raymond are really skilled players and the role of the center between them is maybe more about defensive responsibility,” Niederbach said. “I may not be a two-way center like Karl Henriksson, but if I play with Holtz and Raymond, I can take that responsibility in the ‘D’ zone and complete those two. I will do everything I can to take the opportunity – I want to be a leading player; I can take that role.”

Luckily for Niederbach, he already has some experience stepping up this season. The teen center made his SHL debut this year for Frolunda, getting into 11 games after thrashing the junior circuit for 35 points in 19 games.

“It’s a big difference, from the players to the game itself,” he said. “It’s faster, but the more I played, the more comfortable I’ve been with the puck to make good plays. I think I’ve done decent in the SHL so far.”

Continued, with insights from Red Wings director of player development Shawn Horcoff…

This comes from Mountfield HK’s website, on their homepage:

Filip Hronek do Ruska nepoletí

Filip Hronek byl nominován na prosincový Channel One Cup, kterého se však nezúčastní. „Vzhledem ke stanovisku klubu Detroit Red Wings a možnému dřívějšímu návratu do zámoří se Filip Hronek a Filip Zadina nemohou zúčastnit Channel One Cupu v Moskvě,“ informoval tiskový mluvčí Českého hokeje Zdeněk Zikmund.

Translated to English:

Filip Hronek will not fly to Russia:

Filip Hronek was nominated for December’s Channel One Cup roster, but he will not participate. “Due to the position of the Detroit Red Wings team, and a possible earlier return overseas, Filip Hronek and Filip Zadina cannot participate in the Channel One Cup in Moscow,” said Zdenek Hikmund, a spokesman for Czech hockey.

So only Jonatan Berggren (Sweden) will be taking part in the Channel One Cup this upcoming weekend.

According to this translated Tweet from HC Ocelari Trinec of the Czech Extraliga, Red Wings prospect Filip Zadina missed today’s game between Trinec and Vitkovice as he had an injury prior to the season which was reevaluated…and his loan to Trinec has been terminated by the Red Wings. That’s per Ocelari Trinec coach Vaclav Varada.

? “@zadina_filip absolvoval vyšetření po zranění, které utrpěl před začátkem sezony. Proto se dnes nezúčastnil derby. I tak jeho působení u nás ukončila jeho mateřská organizace @DetroitRedWings ke včerejšímu dni,” řekl po utkání Václav Varaďa. @telhcz

— HC Oceláři Třinec (@hcocelaricz) December 15, 2020

Update: Keep in mind that Zadina and Filip Hronek are scheduled to play in the Channel One Cup for the Czechs later this week in Moscow.

Update #2: Never mind!

Zee’s flight to the US is schedule on Friday

— HC Oceláři Třinec (@hcocelaricz) December 15, 2020

Carolina Hurricanes play-by-play announcer Tripp Tracy spoke with Red Wings alumnus Chris Osgood for an hour-and-a-half recently for Tracy’s “Digging in With Tripp” podcast…

And the podcast posted several videos teasing the larger interview:

Continue reading FSD: Chris Osgood appears on the ‘Digging in With Tripp’ podcast, plus 14 ‘teaser’ videos