WJR AM 760’s Frank Beckmann spoke with Red Wings GM Ken Holland this morning, addressing the state of the Wings over the course of a 14-minute interview…
And Mitch Albom spoke with Wings coach Jeff Blashill regarding his retention by the team and the coaching and managerial teams’ plans going forward, over the course of a 7-minute interview:
Of Red Wings-related note this afternoon:
1. The Wings posted a clip of their recent Make-A-Wish guest, Lucas Kellogg from Westland, MI…
From May 4-20, Denmark will host the International Ice Hockey Federation’s 2018 men’s world championship for the first time. Because the Wings did not make the playoffs, Frans Nielsen will be able to play in front of family and friends for his home country.
The games will be held in Copenhagen and Herning, the latter of which is Nielsen’s hometown.
“Even in my hometown It’s going to be very exciting,” Nielsen said. “I don’t think anyone ever thought we were going to get a big tournament like that in small Denmark. It’s exciting. You’re going to have friends and family right there. It’s going to be different. Hopefully, it means a lot for Danish hockey, that more people can get the ice for the sport of hockey.”
As of late February, they had already sold more than 250,000 tickets for the tournament.
“It seems like they’ve got a bit of a hockey fever coming there,” Nielsen said. “You don’t see that every day. It’s good to see and hopefully we can get hockey even more on the map in Denmark so we can get even more kids to play.”
Wakiji continues, with Nielsen addressing the Wings’ struggles to score goals and win one-goal games…
Grand Rapids Griffins announcer Bob Kaser issues something of a “State of the Griffins” while previewing tonight’s Griffins game against the Texas Stars (8:30 PM EDT on WOOD Radio).
Kaser discusses the Griffins’ playoff push, the play and leadership of Matt Ford and Eric Tangradi, and more over the course of the Griffins’ Game Day Preview video:
Between the slow but steady emptying of the Wings beat writers’ notebooks from locker room clean-out day, the activities of the Grand Rapids Griffins, Toledo Walleye and other Wings prospects, and the World Championship, we’re going to remain quite busy until mid-to-late May here on TMR.
I’m still going to add a category of “blurb” articles to the docket, however, because this kind of stuff will become more common as spring gives way to summer.
As you probably know by now, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and others have told us that Ken Holland is busier scouting than ever before as a consequential 2018 draft looms, and the Sarnia Observer’s Ryan Pyette reports that Holland wrapped up locker room clean-out day by watching the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers play the Sarnia Sting:
Red Wings GM Ken Holland, fresh off his two-year contract extension this week, was in attendance for scouting purposes. Rangers forward Givani Smith, who parked himself in front of Justin Fazio’s crease all night, is a Detroit prospect
Sarnia won last night’s 2nd round playoff game 4-1, and Smith finished at -1 with 5 shots.
Update: Make that “Blurbs du jour,” via the Free Press’s Greg Crawford’s Metro Detroit weekend planner…
MURRAY HOWE, son of Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe, will share stories about life with his father during an appearance Saturday at senior living community Waltonwood Cherry Hill in Canton. Howe, a Toledo radiologist, will speak, answer audience questions and discuss his book “Nine Lessons I Learned from My Father” (Viking, $24.95), which was published last fall. A portion of proceeds from sales of the book at his appearance will go to the Alzheimer’s Association — Greater Michigan Chapter. Howe is devoted to aiding seniors living with Alzheimer’s because both of his parents dealt with dementia in their later years.
2 p.m. Saturday, Waltonwood Cherry Hill, Canton. Seating is limited. RSVP by calling 734-335-1199.
And the Victoria Times-Colonist’s Cleve Dheensaw offered this description of Michael Rasmussen as the big Tri-City Americans forward’s team won 6-5 over the Victoria Royals last night, in no small part due to Rasmussen’s 1-goal, 3-assist performance:
The albatross-like forward Michael Rasmussen of the Americans, selected ninth overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the 2017 NHL draft, was named WHL player of the week and now has five goals and 11 points against the Royals in the series after picking up a goal and three assists Tuesday.
MLive’s Ansar Khan posted an intriguing post-locker room clean-out day column this afternoon, discussing Andreas Athanasiou’s potential from the perspectives of both the player himself…
Asked if his compete level has been where it should be, Athanasiou said, “I think I can compete at a high level. I think I can compete in playoffs. I kind of showed that the last time we were in the playoffs (2016) when I got in that Tampa series. I think competing at a high level is very important. There’s a lot of times where the stage is big here and you have to compete on that level, and I think I do a really good job of competing on the big stage and at the highest level.”
And those of his teammates (captain included) and coach:
Zetterberg said on Tuesday that Athanasiou needs to “just keep on the path he is on,” while learning to become a more complete player.
“Compare last year to this year, he played a little bit more minutes,” Zetterberg said. “I still think he is a very productive player.
“But, also, if you see what Dylan (Larkin) did this year, his points went up but also the way he played the game got better. He played both ways. I think that’s something that AA needs to do, too. Obviously, he’s a winger, not a centerman, but if he completes his game on that part, I’m pretty sure his production will do the same.”
Khan continues, noting that Frans Nielsen also believes that AA has more to give…
Last night, the Detroit News’s John Niyo noted that Ken Holland’s most interesting comment during locker room clean-out day involved an acknowledgment of the “brain drain” in the Wings’ front office, and his desire to add to a depleted brain trust.
Today, The Athletic’s Craig Custance offers suggestions as to who the Wings might want to add to complement Holland, Ryan Martin and Kris Draper:
One NHL source also pointed out on Tuesday that Holland has to be careful not to bring in someone angling for his job.
“You have to bring in somebody you like and trust,” said the Western Conference executive. “You have to be a little bit careful there. Most guys won’t do it, but if you have a guy who has any inkling they can take the job, you can get in trouble in a hurry.”
But if the point is to gain fresh perspective, the Red Wings also have to be careful not to bring in an old friend who will just reinforce current beliefs. It’s a fine line.
It’s early in the process, so any candidate names would just be speculation. There are options on the open market, though, if that’s a direction the Red Wings want to go.
The upcoming draft is the biggest in Holland’s tenure, so it would be wise to bring in an executive with draft experience. Former Sabres GM Tim Murray built his reputation through a strong drafting record with the Senators and Ducks. He was also a Red Wings scout for one year early in his career. His skill set would certainly complement those already in the Red Wings front office. He’s fiery, aggressive and eager to implement new technologies in player evaluation, among other attributes.
Custance continues (paywall)…
The Red Wings posted a 1:40 video thanking fans for their passion and patronage during the 2017-18 season:
“We have such amazing fans here. I just think that shows the history in this city and the organization that this has been for so many years.” #LGRWpic.twitter.com/vUnltJjZTe
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 11, 2018
WDFN’s Matt Sheppard spoke with Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill this morning, speaking with the Wings’ head coach for 12 minutes:
CBS Detroit’s Will Burtchfield took note of Anthony Mantha’s locker room clean-out day comments as pertaining to Mantha’s communication with coach Jeff Blashill:
Blashill’s dissatisfaction nagged at [Mantha]. It wasn’t so much dispiriting as it was perplexing. Oftentimes, Mantha didn’t understand the root of his coach’s frustration. He didn’t understand where he had gone wrong. Finally, midway through this season, Mantha sought answers.
“The one thing he said to me was, ‘Can you show me? Can you show me what you’re talking about?'” Blashill recalled. “And I said, ‘Absolutely.'”
Prior to a late-January game in New Jersey, Blashill pulled Mantha aside and showed him two sets of clips. The first consisted of Mantha’s 10 best shifts of the season, the second consisted of his 10 worst. Mantha immediately saw the difference.
“We compared those, and I mean, there’s a big difference when I’m actually competing and when I’m not,” Mantha said. “That’s a learning thing that I did this year.”
During that same conversation, one that Blashill deemed a “heart-to-heart,” the coach and the player discussed motivational tactics.
“We were talking about how to get me going in a game when it’s not going (well),” Mantha said. “Obviously I’m not the kind of player you just start yelling at, so he changed his approach there. Calling me out in the media, that’s another technique he tried. We could say it worked, could say it didn’t work.”
Of Red Wings-related note this morning:
1. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman posted two Red Wings-related “thoughts” in his 31 Thoughts column:
17. Detroit seems confident Henrik Zetterberg is coming back for 2018-19, although he’s been careful to point out it depends on his back. For the third straight year, he played 82 games, but, as one teammate said, “You have no idea what he goes through to play.” I think there were some who thought this was it. He is 40 points shy of 1,000. That’s a worthwhile target.
18. Red Wings GM Ken Holland announced Tuesday that Jeff Blashill will be back next season. I really liked something the coach said to Daren Millard before a late-season game against Ottawa. Daren asked how hard it must be to get up for those games.
“Every time you play a National Hockey League game, it’s special,” Blashill replied. “Every one of our guys, when their careers are over, will want to come back and play one more game, even in the situation that we are in being out of the playoffs. This isn’t perfect but it’s a National Hockey League game.”
2. If you missed it, the NHL will premiere a film about Joe Louis Arena at the Freep Film Festival, and the Red Wings have both posted a teaser and have a link to the ticket page for the festival:
“Joe Louis was just the home for some great players, some great teams, and some great memories.” | See “The Joe” playing at the @Freep_Film_Fest this weekend. #LGRW
Tickets: https://t.co/1Nc4Hk7RTZpic.twitter.com/Sl9KMaGpbZ
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 11, 2018
Update: Ken Holland and Daniel Cleary earn a couple of paragraphs’ worth of comments in a Sportsnet article about “How to Build a Perennial Contender,” and Gare Joyce’s article is very solid.
