Kukla's Korner

Red Wings overnight report: on ‘roster continuity,’ Tatar, DeKeyser and the Walleye’s Winterfest

Blog: The Malik Report By George Malik

07/29/14 at 02:42 AM ET | Comments (0)

The Red Wings checked an extremely important item off their offseason to-do list in signing Tomas Tatar to a 3-year, $8.25 million contract (at present, Capgeek only knows that Tatar's contract's cap hit is $2.75 million per season), and you and I found that the team has yet another assistant coach to replace as the Free Press's Helene St. James reported that video coordinator/assistant coach Keith McKittrick's leaving to join the WHL's Portland Winterhawks.

So, in terms of player personnel, the Red Wings have a Capgeek-estimated $5.75 million in cap space, which the team will use to re-sign restricted free agent Danny DeKeyser and to possibly sign Daniel Alfredsson to a moderate-base-salary-and-bonuses deal if his back's feeling up to snuff in September...

And in the coaching department, at the NHL level, Mike Babcock now needs to find both an assistant coach to replace Tom Renney and a video coordinator to replace McKittrick, and at the AHL level, Jeff Blashill has to find a pair of assistant coaches to replace departing Grand Rapids Griffins assistant coaches Jim Paek and Spiros Anastas.

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James Reimer Is Now Happy In Toronto

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/28/14 at 06:37 PM ET | Comments (0)

from Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star,

Perhaps the realization on both sides that the market for goalies is limited — there are still a number of unrestricted free-agent netminders available — and the return for Reimer would be small.

Perhaps it was the realization by Reimer that the opportunity to be a starter would be no better anywhere else.

Perhaps it was the realization by the Leafs that they don’t have much depth and another injury to Bernier without an adequate backup could paralyze the team.

So the conversation changed. The Leafs told Reimer they needed him. The Leafs told Reimer he could unseat Bernier for the top job if he plays well enough.

“That’s pretty much what I’ve been told,” said Reimer. “That’s all a guy can ask for. All you want is a chance, and I intend to make the most of it.

“My goal is to go in there and be the No. 1 guy. Worst-case scenario: Me and Bernier push each other and we get great goaltending.”

more

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Red Wings evening news: on DeKeyser and the cap, McKittrick’s departure and Shirley Temples

Blog: The Malik Report By George Malik

07/28/14 at 06:26 PM ET | Comments (7)

Updated with a Mattias Backman interview at 7:32 PM:

So Tomas Tatar has been signed to a 3-year deal at an average value of $2.75 million per season (that particular blog entry's been updated with quips and quotes, and it's a solid "bridge" contract for someone who will, per Winging It in Motown, remain a restricted free agent after this deal expires), the Red Wings expect to have no issues re-signing Danny DeKeyser, as DeKeyser told Fox 17 and Ken Holland told MLive's Brendan Savage...

"I don't see any problem," Holland said. "We're going to want to get him signed. I talked 3-4 times with his camp in June and a little bit shortly after the draft. We haven't talked in a little bit. But again, I'm motivated to get him signed.  I think Danny wants to get signed. Once you get into early July, everybody's focus is free agency for a couple of weeks. Going forward, now we can find a solution. I'm confident we can get him done."

And with--as Savage noted in an earlier article--22 players signed, the Wings now have $5.27 million in Capgeek-estimated cap space, which should be enough money to re-sign DeKeyser (I'd estimate that DeKeyser's going to get a $2.5-3 million deal, but the Free Press's Helene St. James believes that DeKeyser could get a Quincey-like $4 million AAV deal) and possibly give this guy a decent base salary:

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Not Much Of A Cultural Change In San Jose

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/28/14 at 04:38 PM ET | Comments (1)

from Allan Muir of Sports Illustrated,

Despite loud promises of impending change, tomorrow is starting to look an awful lot like yesterday in San Jose. That's not sitting too well with the Sharks' fired-up fans, but once they get past their anger and frustration, they just might realize that stability isn't the worst thing.

Granted, the team isn't getting the rebuild the fans were promised by GM Doug Wilson in the aftermath of the team's opening round meltdown against the Kings.

The culture that many saw as a problem remains virtually unchanged.

The big free-agent signing of the summer has been John “Fifth Line” Scott.
San Jose chose not to re-sign Drew Remenda, one of the best analysts in the game.

And yes, the team has crossed the moral line for a small but vocal group of fans who are offended by the idea of adding cheerleaders to the game presentation.

continued

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All Jay Feaster

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/28/14 at 04:24 PM ET | Comments (0)

from Jake Becker of The Fischler Report,

HOW SOON DO YOU THINK TORTS WILL RETURN TO THE NHL?

I think time heals all wounds. I don’t think for a minute that Torts was anything other than what people knew he was. I think Mike Gillis knew the issues, the positives and the negatives. In my mind the issue really came down to that infamous day when he decided to try to get in the locker room when [Calgary head coach] Bob Hartley was antagonizing.

Bob is the godfather to my son Ryan, and I consider Torts to be one of my best friends, too. It was ironic, but I believe that John will get back. General managers in the league know he’s a good coach, and you take the good with the bad. Part of what makes him a good coach is that he does not have the political correctness gene. He is not worried about what you or me or what anybody else thinks about him – he’s going to do what he thinks is right. I think some time away, so time to decompress, I think that’ll be good for him.

I don’t have any doubt that at some point in time, a team is going to be struggling and a team is going to need some discipline, some structure, and a general manager is going to say, “This is a guy that can provide it.”

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Daniel Winnik Signs With The Toronto Maple Leafs

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/28/14 at 02:09 PM ET | Comments (0)

via the Toronto Maple Leafs,

David Nonis, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Monday the hockey club has signed forward Daniel Winnik to a one-year contract.

Winnik, 29, played 76 games for the Anaheim Ducks in 2013-14, registering career highs in assists (24) and points (30) while adding six goals, 23 penalty minutes and a plus-six rating. He also posted an assist and two penalty minutes in nine playoff games with the Ducks last season.

The 6-2, 207-pound centreman has accumulated 150 career NHL points (49 goals, 101 assists) and 226 penalty minutes in 490 games with Phoenix, Colorado, San Jose and Anaheim. A native of Toronto, Ontario, Winnik was originally selected by Phoenix in the ninth round, 265th overall, in the 2004 Entry Draft.

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Red Wings ink Tomas Tatar to 3-year contract extension

Blog: The Malik Report By George Malik

07/28/14 at 01:47 PM ET | Comments (41)

Updated 3x at 5:05 PM:

From the Red Wings...

Here's the press release:

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Red Wings afternoon news: Griffins release latest ‘Between the Benches’ video; Weiss on Ice

Blog: The Malik Report By George Malik

07/28/14 at 01:04 PM ET | Comments (0)

Updated 3x at 1:49 PM: "Slow?" Yes. "Dead?" Far from it. This afternoon's crop of Red Wings-related news stories isn't deep, but it's still worth watching and reading:

First, the Grand Rapids Griffins posted their 4th video chronicling the Griffins' 2014 playoff run, and there's over 32 minutes' worth of content across three videos now. Here's part 4...

And here are parts 1...

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It Is Still Very Slow

Blog: KK Hockey By Paul

07/28/14 at 11:03 AM ET | Comments (1)

I am back but really nothing to report from the hockey world.

Last night I lost power around 6:15pm after a major storm.

Power came back around 1:15am and when I woke up this morning, Comcast internet was down.

Just came back up and hopefully the bad weather is behind us.

With things being so slow, I just may have to find Pavel and join him...

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  Tags: pavel+datsyuk

It might be a slightly quiet day here at KK

Blog: KK Hockey By George Malik

07/28/14 at 09:00 AM ET | Comments (0)

During yesterday night's severe storms, Paul lost power, so it may be a quieter-than-usual day at KK. I'll do my best to lend a hand but have some must-get-done tasks away from the home office. We'll both attempt to get ourselves online, Paul literally and me figuratively. At least it's late July?

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