from Detroit Hockey Now,

(Editors Note: Paul Harris has covered all levels of hockey in the Detroit area and Michigan for more than 30 years and has covered the Red Wings for 28 years. He was the editor of Hockey Weekly for almost 19 years and also worked for the Detroit News and was a freelancer for The Hockey News, the Associated Press and NHL.com, among other publications and websites.)

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And since consummation of the deal, Vranas productivity is exceeding that of Mantha when Vrana is on the ice. Vrana has been limited to 39 games as a Red Wings player. He boasts 22 goals, which projects to 40-plus goals over a full season. He also has 10 assists in those games. In that time, Vrana has showcased a lethal shot and the ability to score from anywhere in the offensive zone and blazing speed.

But shoulder surgery kept him out of all but the final 11 games last season and Vrana entered the NHLs Players Assistance Program after the teams first two games this season.

Now, Vranas condition as a human being is of far more important than any aspect of his role as a hockey player. The priority is, and should be, on dealing with his issues through the assistance program. He is where he needs to be.

But from the hockey standout, hes not playing again.

Thus, the Red Wings traded a player who they could never depend on to reach his potential. In return, they received a skater who gives them almost everything they need.

But thats only when he plays. And he hasnt played often enough.

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I hope Vrana succeeds in whatever he is in treatment for.  Selfishly for the Wings of course, and for himself the individual.  Ive had close family deal with alcohol addiction and it almost cost them their home, would have had it not been for family assistance.  Thankfully the person just went past four years sober and is doing very well with job and home.  I hope for the same outcome for Vrana.  

from Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press,

Steve Yzerman is slated to speak, and the Stanley Cup will be in attendance, as will numerous fan favorites from that glorious time when the Detroit Red Wings slaked a thirst that had persisted for decades.

Over the coming week, the Wings will celebrate the men who brought the Cup back to Detroit and then kept it here. The 1997 team will be feted on Thursday, when the Wings play the Washington Capitals at Little Caesars Arena. The 1998 team will be celebrated on Saturday, when the Wings host a matinee against the New York Islanders....

On Thursday, plans call for Scotty Bowman (who celebrated his 89th birthday in September) and Mike Vernon to drop the ceremonial puck. Bowman, who is also scheduled to say a few words, was hired as head coach in 1993 because he already had won the Cup six times; he won another four with the Wings. Vernon, who likewise was brought in because he had experience leading a team to the Stanley Cup, won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1998. On Saturday, the ceremonial puck will be dropped by Yzerman the playoff MVP that year and Vladimir Konstantinov....

Konstantinov, whose career ended in a limousine crash six days after the Wings won the Cup in 1997, will be front and center in the celebrations, but the other only member of the Russian Five who has RSVPed da is "The Professor," Igor Larionov. Everyone was invited, but the other three aren't expected for reasons of work or war.

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This is how you do a post game wrap up.

from Michael Russo of The Athletic,

When Mats Zuccarello is constantly throwing blind passes from the corner wall into the slot like a broken record, when Kirill Kaprizov is throwing hope and prayer passes from behind the net to nobody in front, when Freddy Gaudreau of all players is trying 180-degree spins and passing instead of shooting or thoughtlessly dancing at the offensive blue line on a four-on-four, when Matt Boldy is waiting too long to shoot or overpassing, you know the Wild are trying to out-cute, so to speak, their way to victory.

Not so fast, the depleted Detroit Red Wings said Saturday night.

Hours after first-year Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said he was ecstatic to see how his injury-riddled team would respond to a few tough losses with the challenge of facing a feeling-good Wild team, the Wild played right into Detroits hands during a 2-1 loss at Little Caesars Arena.

During a 3-0-1 point streak after an 0-3 start to the season, Wild coach Dean Evason had lauded his teams willingness to embrace how we play, and thats going north, being physical, defending hard and showing commitment all over the ice. That changed against the Red Wings, who defended terrifically all game and frustrated the Wild by continually collapsing down low in the defensive zone and protecting the front of the net and anything in the vicinity of Ville Husso.

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