Abel to Yzerman

from Matt Larkin of The Daily Faceoff,

Kasper, 18, was Detroit’s first-round selection, eighth overall, in the 2022 NHL Draft. He was the highest-drafted Austrian player since Thomas Vanek in 2003. In his three seasons playing against men in the SHL, Kasper made quite an impression. His 23 points in 52 regular-season games this season were the second-most of any player 20 or younger in the SHL.

Kasper joined the Wings for their flight to Winnipeg before they take on the Jets Friday night. He is unquestionably the No. 1 forward prospect in their farm system. At the start of this season, Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis released a list of his top 75 NHL-affiliated prospects and ranked Kasper 47^th. That list included plenty of skaters already debuting in the NHL this season, however, and didn’t yet factor in Kasper’s impressive 2022-23 campaign. While Kasper doesn’t project to have an elite offensive ceiling, his intelligent two-way game could make him a highly effective No. 2 center with a potential Selke Trophy-worthy skill set someday.

While the Wings are bursting with promising young blueliners, from reigning Calder Trophy winner Moritz Seider to elite-grade prospect Simon Edvinsson to recently signed William Wallinder, they badly need an influx of top-end forward talent to support Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin in the long term. Kasper is a key part of that plan, as is Carter Mazur. The Wings also have two first-round picks for this June’s loaded draft.

a bit more

from Ansar Khan of Mlive,

It was Nedeljkovic’s third start in a row. Combined with an appearance in relief of Magnus Hellberg on March 23, Nedeljkovic is 2-1-0 with a 2.67 goals-against average and .912 save percentage since returning from the Griffins.

“It’s nice getting to play a couple of games in a row and get into a rhythm, feeling good,” Nedeljkovic said. “A couple of goals kind of beat me from afar, kind of went through me. Still a couple of things you’d like to clean up. I thought overall we did a pretty good job of limiting their quality chances.”

Jake Walman scored with 3.2 seconds remaining in the third period to snap a tie. The Red Wings (33-32-9, 75 points) surpassed last season’s totals for wins (32) and points (74).

“That’s the Ned that we know, and he played unreal tonight,” Walman said. “He for sure won us that game.”

more

Below find post game interviews and extended highlights.

The Wings scored early in the first period to take a 1-0 lead and that is how the period ended. The Hurricanes had a slight advantage but Ned was good in goal.

For 19:57 minutes of the third period there was no scoring, then Detroit scored with three seconds left to win 3-2.

Team Stats

Detroit goals are below.

Good evening and welcome to all. I’m sure we’re a happy bunch after a solid effort by the Wings, and a much needed win the other night. Now, play with that same effort tonight. We’re down to the last nine games, and including tonight’s game, the Wings will have four home games left. Make them all enjoyable to watch.

It’s the Hurricanes vs the Wings. The puck is set to drop around 7:30 PM and will be broadcast on ESPN+ and Hulu. You can listen on the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket in Detroit).

It’s a Live Blog!

from Nick Kypreos at the Toronto Star,

With the playoffs two weeks away, it feels like the goaltending position has never been more vulnerable. Gone are the times when goaltenders seemed irreplaceable.

With the exception of Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Lightning, Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers and Ilya Sorokin of the New York Islanders, the majority of playoff-bound netminders today are seen more as potential liabilities. Sorokin has been exceptional this season, often with little support in front of him. But that’s where the list ends. Notably the Boston Bruins duo of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman will still have some convincing to do come April, even after the team’s historic season.

The crazy part is, the teams with the second, third, fourth and fifth-best records in the league have all left themselves potentially exposed with questionable and unproven goaltending. The Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, Vegas Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs all seem to have Stanley Cup-calibre rosters, but can we say the same about their goalies? Add these playoff teams to the mix: the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers and, yes, those defending champs from Colorado....

... it seems NHL goalies are indeed trending in the wrong direction when it comes to dependability.

Since the 2004-05 lockout, changes have been made to help increase offence in the game. Unfortunately, it came at the expense of the goaltenders. The NHL has become faster and more dynamic with less reliance on netminders to single-handedly steal games.

The number of unproven goalies in these playoffs should favour another underdog story like Kuemper, rather than the rarity that is Vasilevskiy and his impeccable playoff reputation.

more

Sorry, posted this in the wrong section of KK.

from Greg Wyshynski of ESPN,

I had a conversation not too long ago with the venerable Bob McKenzie of TSN about that perception of Bedard's potential.

"I was just thinking to myself, and I didn't say it publicly, that we should just pump the brakes a little bit," he said, laughing. "I've learned that over the years with these 'phenoms.' It's in fairness to them. Our society and social media and everybody wants to make everyone the biggest thing ever and hype it. Let's just be sensible a little bit here. Recognize that there's something special in these kids, but don't set the bar unsustainably high."

What would help Bedard: If he didn't have to be a franchise's savior right off the hop, but a star player who bolsters what is already in place....

Which teams are best positioned to make the most out of Connor Bedard in the shortest amount of time?

1. Detroit Red Wings

... The current Red Wings are essentially a solar system in search of a sun. Larkin is legit. Mo Seider and Lucas Raymond have bright futures despite some sophomore year struggles. Simon Edvinsson, Marco Kasper and Sebastian Cossa are the next wave. There's a good veteran supporting cast, especially goalie Ville Husso.

If they land Bedard and he follows the same growth pattern as McDavid and Matthews, then 2024-25 is the season it all comes together. Even after Seider's next contract, Yzerman will have an enormous amount of cap space in Summer 2024 to shape the roster around Bedard. The Wings' young players will have matured, too.

more plus other teams ($)

from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press,

The Wings came into this week saying Husso likely was done for the season — there's only two weeks left — because of a nagging injury, but by midweek, he was on the ice, sharing the net in practice and working extra time with goaltending coach Alex Westlund.

"Ville is back in the mix," head coach Derek Lalonde said. "He got some opinions on where his lower-body injury is at. We want to get him back into the rhythm and hopefully he can in some games."...

Husso's absence was an opportunity for Nedeljkovic, who is on an expiring contract, to show the struggles that landed him in the minors are in the past. Likewise, Magnus Hellberg, who was brought in to serve as Husso's backup after the team lost confidence in Nedeljkovic, is also trying to show he should be the one to stay past this season.

It had looked like Nedeljkovic and Hellberg would share the net as the Wings close out their schedule, with Lalonde saying whoever has the hot hand will get start the next game. But after seeing multiple specialists, Husso felt reassured that what bothered him won't get worse.

When he was unavailable, Nedeljkovic was called up under emergency conditions. The Wings could opt to keep Nedeljkovic if Husso is cleared to play by making it a regular call-up, because they have the roster space to carry three goaltenders. Hellberg seemed to have made a case for being the one to get an extension, but Nedeljkovic played well his first two starts, and he's got 100 NHL games on his resume to Hellberg's 21.

more ($)

from Ansar Khan of Mlive,

“It’s a little unfortunate,” Lalonde said Wednesday. “It’s just not the culture of our sport. Other leagues, getting ejected, being demonstrative on the sidelines or on the bench, it’s applauded sometimes. Our culture is calm demeanor. Obviously, I don’t want to put myself in those situations.”

Lalonde expects to hear from the NHL and “rightfully get scolded.” He likely will be fined.

“I’ve only been in this league a little bit and I pride myself in being mild-mannered,” Lalonde said. “I’m fairly calm on the bench. It takes a lot to get me going. But that’s just not the culture of the National Hockey League, which I really like and appreciate.”

Lalonde was upset a coach’s challenge for goaltender interference following Jeff Carter’s tying goal was unsuccessful. He had some words for the officials but was shocked to get the heave-ho.

“It was probably an accumulation of my demonstrative reaction of the initial call, which was probably a little much,” Lalonde said. “I just think he had had enough. I don’t know if it warranted (an ejection). But he has every right to do that. He’s trying to manage a game.”

Referee Garret Rank has a history of tossing coaches and players. He ejected Sidney Crosby earlier this season.

“He handled it extremely calm,” Lalonde said. “He never raised his voice. He just calmly skated away and kicked me out. Of course, I’m new in the league and they don’t want to hear much from a first-time coach.”

more

added 12:33pm, Practice lines and pairings are below.

from Tony Ferrari of The Hockey News,

Last year’s eighth overall pick, Austrian center Marco Kasper, is set to join the Detroit Red Wings organization as soon as this week.

It was Rogle, his own SHL club, that reported he was on his way over to North America after completing what can only be deemed a successful 18-year-old season.

The next wave of Red Wings adds another potential pillar.

Kasper’s impact on the Red Wings organization for the remainder of this year remains to be seen. It is expected that he will play for the team as the season winds down, though.

He could play at the AHL level to gain comfort with the North American ice surface if the team chooses. Detroit is far enough out of the playoff race that the remaining games at the NHL level this season don’t have much importance, so getting Kasper into The Show immediately could give him a preview of what to expect come training camp when the young center looks to make the roster from the jump.

Kasper was a late riser in his draft year, gaining traction as a potential top-15 pick as he displayed pro-ready tools and tendencies from skating to defensive acumen. The biggest question was whether his raw puck skill and offensive upside would be high enough to warrant a selection that high.

continued

from Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now,

Trying to determine which was the most satisfying moment for the Detroit Red Wings during Tuesday’s 7-4 thrashing of the Pittsburgh Penguins was as difficult as seeking out the most satisying outcome for Red Wings players.

There were so many from which to choose.

The path Detroit took to this remarkable victory didn’t not follow the route most taken. It began with the tossing of a coach and ended with the jubilant tossing of hats on to the ice....

For starters, take the case of Red Wings assistant coach Bob Boughner. He was suddenly elevated to bench boss in the second period. Detroit head coach was sent packing. He was assessed a game misconduct after unleashing an obscenity-laced tirade at officials when a coach’s challenge didn’t go the way of the Wings.

Boughner seemed almost startled as he arrived to meet the media post game.

“You guys are just as surprised as I am,” Boughner said. “We couldn’t find the keys for Newsy. The cuffs are still on him in the back.”.

Lalonde came unglued after Detroit gave up two quick power-play goals during a five-on-three disadvantage to squander a 3-1 lead. But his hastened departure only seemed to galvanize his players to bear down and complete the task at hand.

“It says a lot about our group,” Larkin assessed. “With injuries and guys coming into the lineup, guys coming from Grand Rapids, lines changing. A lot of guys are auditioning for spots for next year but you see Big Ern (Adam Erne) block a shot in the third, Ned (goalie Alex Nedeljkovic) come in and play a really solid game. Things didn’t go his way in the second but he battled back.

“Guys playing hard and we had that emotion tonight that we had early in the season. It was good to see.”

more

Below, watch post game interviews and extended game highlights.

Detroit put a 3-spot on Pittsburgh in the first period to lead 3-0 after 20 minutes.

Just the opposite in the second period, Pens put up 3 goals. 3-3 after 40 minutes.

In the third, the Wings added 4 goals,Pittsburgh only 1. Wings win 7-4.

Team Stats

Below, all the Detroit goals plus pre-game talk and game action videos

Hiya and welcome to all. This looks to be a tough game tonight, but, whatever. We(the fans) are not looking for empty moral victories, we’re just trying to find something that resembles the Wings taking pride in being able to go out there, for us fans, and not shame us. It’s up to the Wings to give the fans a reason to watch these last ten games.

Nedeljkovic gets the start in net tonight. Hirose is an emergency call up from GR, as the Wings are without Zadina, and Chiasson. Also, the Wings signed 2 players to entry level contracts. 20 year old D-man William Wallinder, and 21 year old LW Carter Mazur.

It’s the Pens vs the Wings. The puck drops around 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on Bally Sports Detroit and the Red Wings Radio Network (97.1 The Ticket in Detroit). Also available on NHLPP/ESPN+ and ATTSN-PT.

It’s a Live Blog!

from Ansar Khan of Mlive,

Several young forwards are experiencing the rigors of the NHL, struggling for offense as the season winds down.

It’s one of the reasons the Detroit Red Wings are having difficulty scoring....

“That adrenaline maybe has worn off,” coach Derek Lalonde said. “It’s a hard league this time of year, too. People are fighting for position. The league ramps up a little at the end of the year, so I think it’s a good experience for him to fight through.”

Berggren admits it has been difficult.

“I have a high standard for me, so when I don’t produce like I want, like I feel I can, of course the confidence gets a little bumpy,” he said. “Every hockey player has ups and downs. I know what’s working, so I need to just continue to do that. Like I said, when I get one, I’ll probably get more.”...

Raymond has experienced a streaky second season. He has remained on Dylan Larkin’s line through much of it but practiced Monday with Andrew Copp and Pius Suter.

“You’ve seen at times the tools and the compete. I still think he’s learning that,” Lalonde said. “We’re trying to play the right way, holding everyone accountable and not cheating, being on the right side of the puck. He’s in the middle of the process and it’s going good.”

That said, Raymond is getting chances.

“I’d like to see more finish because he has been around those chances,” Lalonde said. “I still think he’s learning how to compete every day. You can see when his compete is at a very high level he’s a great player. All the tools are there.”

more

via Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now,

Losing has its advantages in the NHL. The Red Wings’ latest struggles have lowered them into 25th place in the standings.

If they stay there, and no team jumps ahead of them in the draft lottery, they would own the eighth pick in this summer’s NHL draft. They had the eighth pick in last season’s draft and claimed Marco Kasper. This season’s draft class is said to be stronger than last season’s class.

If Detroit stays at 25th, they would also have a 6% chance of winning the lottery moving up to the No. 1 pick and a 6.4% chance of drafting at No. 2. They would have a 54.4% chance of staying at No. 8 and and 30% chance of falling to No. 9. As Red Wings fans know, the franchise historically hasn’t had any luck in the lottery.

Plus, the final standings are far from settled. The Red Wings have 10 games left, and are only three points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers and four ahead of the Arizona Coyotes. Both of those teams are playing better than the Red Wings. Detroit’s draft status could improve even more.

Carter Mazur Watch

Several reports say the Detroit Red Wings are moving toward the signing of 2021 draft pick Carter Mazur. He’s coming off 22-goal sophomore season at Denver. He plays with belligerence, and has been compared to Tyler Bertuzzi.

added 10:03am, Wings have signed Carter Mazur, press release is below.

added 11:27am, Practice lines are below via Khan....

from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press,

Continuing to lose over the final 10 games will help the Detroit Red Wings in the 2023 NHL draft lottery, from an organizational standpoint.

But as players keep pointing out: It’s way more fun to win.

Given the strength of their schedule, fun will be challenging to have. This week offers four tests: Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes, Friday at the Winnipeg Jets, and Sunday at the Toronto Maple Leafs....

It’s on the Wings to find meaning in these remaining games. They’ve scored only nine goals over their past six games, and were unable to convert on seven power plays in the 3-0 loss to the Flyers.

Since Feb. 23, when winning seven of eight games gave the Wings a brief stay inside the playoff picture, the Wings have gone 3-11-1. Dylan Larkin has a team-leading 11 points in those 15 games, but multiple players being counted on to score have little to show: Lucas Raymond (one goal, six points, minus-9 rating); David Perron (two goals, seven points, minus-8 rating); and Andrew Copp (two goals, seven points, minus-6 rating).

more ($)

from Ansar Khan of Mlive,

The Red Wings are averaging 2.86 goals per game, which ranks 24th. They finished 2021-22 at 2.77 goals per game, ranked 27th.

They have one of the more difficult remaining schedules, with eight of their final 10 games against teams currently in a playoff position.

Their 3-0 loss Saturday at Philadelphia was the fourth time the Red Wings have been shut out, but it was from lack of opportunity against goaltender Carter Hart (29 saves), coach Derek Lalonde said.

“I still think it’s just a matter of getting to that hard area, executing a little bit more,” Lalonde told Bally Sports Detroit. “Sometimes it’s frustrating when you don’t produce offense, but when the looks are there and you keep getting looks, it’ll come around. At least tonight for the most part I thought we had some looks.”

It’s difficult to beat anybody when you go 0 for 7 on the power play.

more

from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News,

No scoring in the first period, the Wings had 6 minutes of failed power play time.

The second period was almost a replay of the first except the Flyers scored with 36 seconds left. 1-0 Philly after 40 minutes.

The Flyers added an empty net goal in the third to win 3-0. Story of the game, 7 power play opportunities for Detroit, 8 shots but no goals.

Team Stats

Below, find two videos from Bally Sports Detroit.

Good day and welcome to all. I want to get all 19 of us set up for today’s game against the Flyers, and, I’m not going be around for a portion of this afternoon’s game. I guess I’m mailing it in today……

It’s the Wings vs the Flyers. The puck drops around 1:00 PM and will be broadcast on Bally Sports Detroit as well as WXYT-FM 97.1. Also available on NHLPP/ESPN+ and NBCSP.

It’s a Live Blog!

from Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now,

Did money play a role in the decision made by the Detroit Red Wings to deal veteran defenseman Filip Hronek to the Vancouver Canucks? Someone with impeccable hockey credentials is of the opinion that it did.

Speaking on the Donnie And Dhali podcast on Vancouver’s CHEK, Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman, who guided the Red Wings to three Stanley Cups, felt that perhaps Detroit GM Steve Yzerman was looking ahead to a near future that will see him paying big bucks to both Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson.

“I guess Detroit, they were looking to the future,” Bowman reasoned. “Maybe they can’t afford to pay him what he’s gonna end up getting. They’ve got some young defensemen. They’ve got Moritz Seider, who’s there now, and they got a really good young guy, Simon Edvinsson.”

Hronek will be paid $5.5 million next season. He’ll be an RFA in 2024. That’s when 2021-22 Calder Trophy winner Seider will be up for his second contract. Two years later, it’ll be Edvinsson’s turn to get paid.

continue for prospect talk...