Entries with the tag: detroit+red+wings

Sports and Bloggers and Culture in Ancient Rome

by George James Malik on 02/14/08 at 12:48 PM
Comments (2)

Sometimes a simple email newsletter can trigger a thousand memories.  The story of one particular newsletter triggered memory needs to be shared.

Professor David Potter is one of the best educators I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. He teaches a total “jock” class, deals with the athletic department, and drives his students crazy--and they like it. Sports and Culture in Ancient Rome framed a lot of my opinions on the fact that sports are inherently both ridiculously trivial and extremely, extremely important as sporting affiliations are almost inherent to the way many people--including myself--define themselves…

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A Magical Tale

by Alanah on 01/28/08 at 12:49 PM
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From Eric Adelson at ESPN The Magazine,

Its sounds like a fairy tale. Steve Yzerman, the legendary hockey hero, reaches out to Braxton Davis, a sick little boy. Think you’ve read this story before? Bet you haven’t.

The magical tale of the hockey hero and the sick little boy came to an end on a warm spring day in Detroit in 2006. Braxton Davis, the sick little boy, stood silently inside the Red Wings’ locker room as the players streamed out, the day before a first-round game against Edmonton. The room was empty, save for one man, Steve Yzerman, who lingered in khakis and a long-sleeved shirt. The Captain, holding a stick in his hand, walked over to Braxton.

continued...

*our thanks to a longtime KK reader for pointing out this story

Larionov Mixes Hockey & Wine

by Alanah on 12/07/07 at 01:03 PM
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From the Oakland Press,

After his retirement, the player known as “the Professor” turned his hobby into a business, naming his import company after his game-winning goal in the third overtime of Game 3 of the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals. He is partnered with Mike Davis in distributing wines from Australia and California in Michigan as well as both Switzerland and Russia.

Of course, hockey is not far from Larionov’s business, as names of his wines include, “Hat Trick,” “Slapshot,” or Triple Overtime Chardonnay, Cabernet and Enela—which is the name of his wife spelled backwards, according to a release by his company.

more...

Ted Lindsay Points To Schedule For Wings Attendance Problems

by Paul on 12/04/07 at 09:32 PM
Comments (1)

from the CP via the Hockey News,

The Montreal Canadiens commemorated their 81 year-old rivalry with the Detroit Red Wings before the two Original Six teams played their only game of the season Tuesday.

It is that disparity in the NHL’s current schedule that has Red Wings Hall of Famer Ted Lindsay believing that Detroit will never have a similar rivalry with another team ever again.

Lindsay said Tuesday that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is to blame if attendance numbers are down in Detroit because fans in Hockeytown are sick of seeing teams like Columbus and Nashville so often every year.

“We had it for a couple of years there with Colorado and Detroit, but Bettman has taken advantage of Detroit because of it being a great hockey city and it being a well managed hockey team,” Lindsay said.

continued

Sundin Has No Plans To Move

by Paul on 12/03/07 at 07:59 AM
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from Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun,

Sundin was dismissing a highly speculative report that the Swedish contingent on the Detroit Red Wings, including Niklas Lidstrom and Tomas Holmstrom, are set to lobby general manager Ken Holland to acquire the Leafs captain if Toronto falls out of the playoffs.

But Sundin said Saturday night he was not in cahoots with the Motown Scandinavians and repeated yesterday that, as long as he controls his fate with a no-movement contract clause, he’ll stay put.

“That’s very safe to say,” Sundin said. “I didn’t sign a one-year deal last summer to (better accommodate a trade), I want to be a Leaf.”

more

Simply The Best

by Paul on 12/01/07 at 09:15 AM
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from Brian Costello of the Hockey News,

The debate was interesting, but not terribly long when we were determining The Hockey News cover feature for our European issue, due to come out next week.

Nicklas Lidstrom is our cover boy, plain and simple. The best European-trained player ever in the NHL.

A case was made for Jaromir Jagr, the five-time scoring champion and destined to be the top-scoring European for long time to come. Jari Kurri had a lot of support, as did Dominik Hasek. But the more we studied the facts and figures, the more it became obvious.

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Goal Of The Night

by Paul on 11/28/07 at 02:56 PM
Comments (2)

Pavel Datsyuk had the goal of the night last night.

Actually, he had two nice goals, but the first one was selected over the second one…

Watch the video…

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Wings Injuries - Draper Out for 10 Days+

by Alanah on 11/28/07 at 01:58 PM
Comments (5)

From Bruce MacLeod of The Macomb Daily,

Kris Draper’s knee sprain will keep him out of the lineup for 10 days to two weeks. Today, he could just ice the knee and sit in the sauna.

Kirk Maltby (shoulder) didn’t practice. His status is unknown for Thursday.

more

Keep Your Head Up Hudler

by Paul on 11/28/07 at 07:50 AM
Comments (15)

Phaneuf put a big hit on Hudler last night in the 3rd period.  Hudler had been agitating Dion most of the night and you just had a feeling Phaneuf was looking for the right opportunity to pay him back.

Watch the video of the hit…

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By The Numbers:  19

by Paul on 11/27/07 at 11:03 AM
Comments (0)

from CBC,

He will always be remembered for the number 19 on his back and the Detroit Red Wing on his chest, which he wore from start to finish in his career

But once upon a time a young Steve Yzerman wore a different famous number.

“When I was a little, little kid, I was number four for Bobby Orr,” he said.

continued....

If interested in the book, you can purchase at Amazon.com

thanks to a KK member for the pointer!.

Quit “Dipping”, Get Healthier

by Paul on 11/26/07 at 09:57 AM
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Snapshots points out Zetterberg has stopped his chewing tobacco habit…

Sweden’s Aftonbladet newspaper posted a “teaser” article for their sports magazine, which features Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg as the cover boy. Zetterberg apparently states that he’s given up chewing tobacco as part of his doctor’s prescription for avoiding future back problems by modifying his diet and work on strengthening his core.

a little more…

Line Of The Day

by Paul on 11/25/07 at 09:38 AM
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via Puck-rakers,

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock boiled the game down thusly: “There is such a fine line in this league now. If you don’t have your whole team show up you’re not going to win. I never ever say this, but tonight was the first night in a long time that we didn’t have enough people to compete, and that’s unacceptable.”

AO & Bowman

by Paul on 11/25/07 at 08:59 AM
Comments (1)

from Larry Brooks of the NY Post,

Maybe someone can provide one good reason for Alex Ovechkin to sign a new contract with the before becoming a restricted free agent on July 1, because we sure can’t think of any.

Ovechkin, stuck in a hockey market in DC that’s as irrelevant now as it was before the lockout and therefore denied a suitable stage to showcase his brilliance, isn’t going to make more money by signing with the Caps than he would by inviting offer sheets this summer.

continued plus more NHL talk including this,

Dialogue has resumed between Scotty Bowman and the board of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment aimed at working out a deal so the nine-time Cup-winning coach and one-time player personnel director would become the Toronto club’s president and director of hockey operations, Slap Shots has been told.

Who’s #1 In Detroit

by Paul on 11/24/07 at 08:04 AM
Comments (2)

from the Toronto Sun,

Chris Osgood, it appears, has supplanted Dominik Hasek as the No. 1 goalie in Motown, though the 42-year-old Hasek won’t concede as much.

“There are 60 games left and I know the way I practise and the way I see the puck, I know I’ll play better,” Hasek said. “I want to see more determination out of myself. I haven’t done my job.”

read on

Wings Get Some Off-Ice Help

by Paul on 11/21/07 at 03:57 PM
Comments (0)

via the Tennessean,

Steve Violetta, executive vice president of business affairs for the Predators, will leave the organization in early December to take a similar position with the Detroit Red Wings, a Predators spokesman confirmed.

A Detroit native, Violetta is in his third season in Nashville, where he’s helped boost attendance and season-ticket sales even as the Predators have raised ticket prices.

Swedish Attraction

by Paul on 11/20/07 at 12:56 PM
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from Karl Samuelson at NHL.com,

Today, every NHL team has a Swede in its lineup, but one team has eclipsed all others in the successful integration of Swedish hockey players – the Detroit Red Wings.

Five of Detroit’s top 10 scorers last season were Swedes, and this season seven of their regulars hail from the “Land of the Midnight Sun.”

So what is it about the Red Wings’ organizational culture that enables Swedish players to excel?

read on

Hockey The Way It Was Meant To Be Played

by Paul on 11/19/07 at 10:19 AM
Comments (0)

from Puck-rackers,

Conversely, when I watch a game like tonight’s 5-4 shootout loss to the Red Wings, I wonder why hockey isn’t the most popular sport in our country. If this was your first game, you’re coming back Wednesday when they host Florida. You’re considering an apartment in the Arena District, picking out a jersey in the gift shop, firing up Cannon Fodder ...

Why do we watch sports? To see people do things that we can’t. That’s what I’ve always believed, anyway. Last night, that sort of jaw-dropping talent was on full display. You can appreciate it more if you’re in the building, especially in hockey.

more

Toews & Kane Hitting a Wall

by Alanah on 11/17/07 at 01:13 PM
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From Len Ziehm a the Chicago Sun-Times,

Toews was a minus-3 in a 4-2 loss at Columbus on Wednesday. The next night, he was a minus-2 in a 5-4 overtime loss at Nashville and won only one of 11 faceoffs.  He was disconsolate in the locker room afterward. His teammates tried to cheer him up, but Toews wasn’t buying it.

‘’They’d say that statistics don’t always represent how you’ve been playing, but I was on the ice for five goals-against, so obviously there’s something I’m not doing right,’’ Toews said.

On Friday he went through a video session with assistant coach Ryan Stewart designed to correct his recent mistakes, then got hit in the head with puck in practice at Joe Louis Arena. He’s now sporting a big lump and cut near his right eye, and tonight his line will play against fearsome Red Wings Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk.

Welcome to the NHL, kid.

more... including some comments on Patrick Kane’s recent struggles as well

No Change Needed For Red Wings

by Paul on 11/15/07 at 08:27 AM
Comments (1)

from Bruce MacLeod of the Macomb Daily,

Hasek described his play after Tuesday’s loss in St. Louis as “not being able to get in the game.” He doesn’t see action for minutes, then lets in a quickie ... which is another way to say that he’s playing like a No. 2 goalie. Osgood plays behind the same tight defense and manages just fine.

Tuesday’s game was a good example of the difference between the two netminders. Hasek was pulled after allowing four goals, including two off big rebounds. Osgood came in and looked a lot sharper.

All of that said, it would seem obvious that the correct thing to do would be to make a change, to play Osgood more often and give the Red Wings a better chance to win.

But not doing anything right now would be better than doing something like making a change.

more

Wings Plane Slides Off Runway

by Paul on 11/14/07 at 07:33 AM
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News is breaking this morning in Detroit and I just caught bits and pieces… Not sure if this happened on take-off or landing, but the Wings plane slid off the runway and reports are everyone is ok.

I will update as more information becomes available.

update 7:35am, Now Fox2 in Detroit reports the pilot took a wide turn on the runway in St. Louis last night and the plane got stuck in mud.  The team spent the night in St. Louis and will travel this morning.

The first report of sliding off the runway was made by Channel 4 in Detroit.

picture added 8:26am…

Shoot For Holmstrom’s Stick

by Paul on 11/12/07 at 09:04 PM
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from the Detroit Free Press (Tuesday edition) via the Santa Barbara News-Press,

Now 34, Holmstrom’s saga reveals a player who is putting up career numbers on a regular basis, with 29 goals two seasons ago, 30 last season and on pace for 43 this season. Entering tonight’s game against St. Louis, Holmstrom is tied with linemate Pavel Datsyuk for second on the team in scoring with 16 points after 17 games.

The courage Holmstrom displays as he stands in the path of vulcanized rubber on a nightly basis has won him many admirers, from those who shoot at him to those who emulate him.

Nicklas Lidstrom, who almost always is on the ice at the same time as Holmstrom and his line with Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, exemplifies the former. Having Holmstrom in front of the net allows Lidstrom the freedom to miss the net on purpose at times.

‘’You can see his stick, so you try to shoot it where Homer’s stick is,’’ Lidstrom said. ‘’So sometimes you shoot it wide because you know he is going to try to get it or deflect it into the net.’’

read on

Wings Lose “Soft” Tag

by Paul on 11/10/07 at 07:59 AM
Comments (0)

from Puck-rakers at the Columbus Dispatch,

Random thoughts on the Blue Jackets’ 4-1 loss to the Red Wings tonight at Joe Louis Arena.

Nashville coach Barry Trotz is right—these Red Wings are no longer soft around the edges. They were every bit as physical as the Blue Jackets. Niklas Kronwall’s hit on Sergei Fedorov absolutely set the tone for the game. Fedorov ended up taking a penalty moments later and the Red Wings scored on the power play.

-- All the Red Wings’ goals were the result of hard work in front of the net or the willingness to drive to the net.

more on the Blue Jackets…

Pass First

by Paul on 11/09/07 at 08:50 AM
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from the Macomb Daily,

Pavel Datsyuk is an admitted pass-aholic. He would much rather pass than shoot, rather stick-handle than set up for a one-timer.

Lost in Zetterberg’s remarkable opening—he has a franchise record 15-game point streak from season’s start and leads the NHL in scoring—is that his linemate, Datsyuk, has helped turned the Swede into a sniper.

Entering Thursday night’s games, Datsyuk was third in the NHL with 14 assists in 15 games.

“I like passing,” said Datsyuk. “When somebody scores in an open net after my pass is the best. If somebody says, ‘Would you rather score or have somebody score off your pass?’ ... I’d say pass.”

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Measuring Stick Game Tonight For Columbus

by Paul on 11/09/07 at 07:34 AM
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from the Columbus Dispatch,

Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson is still getting a read on the club, measuring strengths and weaknesses.

A game like tonight’s could expose both of those.

“Detroit is the best team in the NHL, probably right there with Ottawa,” Howson said. “You could call it a barometer game for us, absolutely.

“I thought the Anaheim games (earlier this season) were those kind of games, too, and we fared pretty well. But you always want to measure yourself against the best.”

more

Wings Can Beat Any Team

by Paul on 11/08/07 at 06:30 PM
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from Bill Clement at MSNBC,

Count on the Red Wings making a 17th straight playoff appearance as this team is driven to win its first Stanley Cup since 2002. And come June they certainly could be living that dream.

Detroit, which broke from the gate by winning 12 of its first 15 games, has the right pieces in the right places. The Red Wings don’t fear any opponent, and if the playoffs started today they could beat any team. On coach Mike Babcock’s roster are the best all-around forward and best defenseman in the game plus a whole lot of other talent.

continued

Downey On Waivers

by Paul on 11/08/07 at 04:53 PM
Comments (9)

According to Habs Inside/Out, the Wings have placed Aaron Downey on waivers.

Year After Year

by Paul on 11/07/07 at 08:09 AM
Comments (5)

from the Tennessean,

But how does Detroit, which hosts the Predators in their first matchup of the season tonight, do it year after year?

The secret to its success seems to be a mix of luck and longevity. While centering play on a core of key veteran contributors, the Red Wings have drafted a contingent of young talent, which they have injected into their system and painstakingly molded into professionals.

The result is a continual influx of ability that complements the nucleus, easily replaces the departed, and prevents Detroit from the falloff so many other teams experience.

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Gordie Howe Is The Greatest Of Them All

by Paul on 11/06/07 at 09:28 PM
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Since Joe Pelletier asked, here are my memories of Gordie Howe…

Almost 44 years ago to the day (November 10th), I was there.

I witnessed Gordie Howe break the goal scoring record when he ripped a wrister against Montreal goaltender Charlie Hodge for goal #545.  The old Olympia shook from the foundations, a standing-O for what seemed like an eternity, it would build, die down a bit, then build once again.

I cried, why, because I too was relieved of the pressure Gordie was feeling.  He had gone scoreless for about six games and even his shoulders were starting to feel the burden.

I remember looking up in the rafters before the game, the Wings had tons of balloons up there, hoping to release them onto the ice if Gordie scored.  Well, released they did, but about half of them had deflated, and they rained down on the ice like a wounded duck.  It didn’t matter, fans started tossing anything they could, cups, hats, food, even a few pairs of shoes.

I shudder whenever I think of that day so let’s take a stroll down memory lane…

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Detroit Knows How to Find Diamonds

by Alanah on 11/05/07 at 06:16 PM
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From Kevin Dupont at MSNBC,

All these years later, considering that the likes of Holmstrom, Datsyuk and Zetterberg make up arguably the NHL’s best line this season, a casual hockey fan (not you, of course, dear reader) might figure the Winged Wheels had first dibs each of those years when it came time to selecting the game’s future stars.

But it was hardly the case. In fact, the Red Wings selected Masseurs Holmstrom, Zetterberg and Datsyuk so late in those respective drafts, it is nearly an embarrassment to the world’s international scouting brotherhood.

more...

Wings Humming Along

by Paul on 11/02/07 at 08:13 AM
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from George Johnson at the Calgary Herald,

A child prodigy was brought before the great man, and the child proceeded to play passages on the piano written by the master himself. The maestro listened attentively. After the child had finished, Chopin is reported to have patted him on the head.

“You can play the notes,” he said kindly. “Someday, you may be able to play the music.”
Right now, the Wings are a symphony orchestra in full voice.

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Holland Always Worried About The Next Game

by Paul on 10/31/07 at 04:25 PM
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from Pierre LeBrun of the CP via Yahoo,

“For me, I’m scared coming to the rink every day,” said Wings general manager Ken Holland. “I’m already worried about Thursday night in Calgary. I’ve been living like that for three years.”

Scared? Worried? But Ken, the Wings are leading the Western Conference and riding a six-game win streak.

“We’ve found a lot of ways to win by a goal,” he told The Canadian Press on Wednesday.

Holland may not want the attention, but the way in which the Red Wings continue to win merits a closer look.

more

Holmstrom Sets Up Camp In Front Of The Net

by Paul on 10/31/07 at 07:09 AM
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from Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal,

It’s hard to decide who is better in front of the goal crease—Detroit’s Tomas Holmstrom or Colorado’s Ryan Smyth.

Both grinders make their livings in the high-traffic areas where collisions abound and tempers flare, with goalies and defencemen trying in vain to move them.

“They’re the best in the world at it,” said Detroit general manager Ken Holland.

continued

Is Zetterberg the Best?

by Alanah on 10/29/07 at 12:56 PM
Comments (2)

From Eric Duhatschek at the Globe & Mail,

But there could be an argument made that right now, as October draws to a close that the league’s best player could be one that wasn’t chosen until the 210th overall pick of the 1999 entry draft; who stands a modest 5-foot-11; who just turned 27 earlier this month and has quietly averaged more than a point-a-game in the two-plus seasons of the post-lockout NHL.

That would be the Detroit Red Wings’ Henrik Zetterberg who, after most of Canada went to sleep Sunday night, set up a goal by Tomas Holmstrom in what would eventually be a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. It was the Red Wings 12th game of the season and the 12th in which Zetterberg has picked up at least a point.

more...

Linden vs Chelios

by Alanah on 10/29/07 at 12:47 AM
Comments (1)

From Iain Macintyre at the Vancouver Sun,

Eleven years ago, when the Vancouver Canucks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1 in overtime, Trevor Linden got into Chris Chelios’s face after the winning goal and the pair tussled.

Chelios threw the first punch and, after the players were separated, accused Linden of covering up and refusing to fight. And that was the high point of their relationship. It has devolved the last two years as Chelios leads his crusade for justice within a National Hockey League Players’ Association that Linden, as the union’s former president, led through a labour war that scuttled the 2004-05 season.

Sunday, Linden seemed ready for the fight.

“It’s easy to pile on,” Linden said before facing Chelios and the Detroit Red Wings Sunday night at GM Place. “I will say this: I’m extremely proud of the decisions the [NHLPA] executive committee made. I think we made, in very difficult times, good decisions for the players.”

continued...

Nix That

by Paul on 10/25/07 at 03:04 PM
Comments (4)

from Red Wings Corner,

Nicklas Lidstrom said that the report in the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that he’s close to signing a two-year contract extension is false. Lidstrom said after Thursday’s practice that “Nothing’s happened. I haven’t even talked to Ken (Holland) yet.”

more on the Wings after practice today…

History Repeats According To Chelios

by Paul on 10/24/07 at 09:07 PM
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from the Detroit Free Press,

“I’m very happy with our choice of Paul Kelly. I’m looking forward to working with him and having him represent us as a union. At least we have a leader now, and we’ll look for direction from him.”

Chelios said Kelly’s arrival was reminiscent of Goodenow taking over in 1992 for the disgraced Alan Eagleson.

“I look back,” Chelios said, “and it was the same thing when we hired Bob Goodenow — we’d gone through a lot in the Eagleson era, and then Bob was hired — pretty much same situation, basically. It’s history repeating itself. Look at what he did for us. Hopefully, Paul Kelly can follow that same path that we did with Bob.”

more

Lidstrom Extension Talk

by Paul on 10/24/07 at 10:19 AM
Comments (3)

Behind the Jersey ran across a story from the AftonBladet stating Lidstrom is close to signing a 2 year extension with thw Wings…

Lock him up Kenny, but save some room for “Z”, a lot of room…

Zetterberg Works On His Core

by Paul on 10/24/07 at 07:21 AM
Comments (0)

from the Vancouver Province,

So he spent a good portion of his summer working with Swedish elite League club Timra’s fitness trainer Thord Johansson and Andreas Ohgren, a personal trainer in Stockholm, to try to cure the back ailment.

The goal was to strengthen the muscles in his abdomen, but not the ones people usually work on.

“It started out really no more than breathing exercises and it progressed from there,” he was explaining Tuesday from Detroit.

read on

No To 84 Games

by Paul on 10/24/07 at 07:16 AM
Comments (3)

from Darren Dreger of TSN,

Less than two weeks ago the Detroit Red Wings were touting a proposal for an 84 game regular season schedule that put a 6 game cap on the preseason - instead of the free for all that exists now - and included a home and away with all out of conference teams....

According to sources, Bettman persuaded Detroit to stop the campaign to increase the number of games from 82 to 84, as it was for two seasons during the early 1990s.

Sources say Bettman was not pleased with the way the NHL schedule was so hotly and openly contested by league executives last season and intends to keep a lid on public debate this year.

more

George Does Detroit

by George James Malik on 10/23/07 at 04:06 PM
Comments (12)

Several days ago, I was invited to a press conference for the OneGoal hockey show, which will be taking place on November 9-11 at Cobo Hall in Detroit, MI.  OneGoal, the show’s sponsor, is a grass-roots hockey program with strong ties to the NHL, NHLPA, USA Hockey, Hockey Canada, and several equipment manufacturers, and its goal is to increase participation in yout hockey programs.  OneGoal also sponsors the November trade show so that the profits made from said event, which will be open to the public for the first time, go back into promoting youth hockey.

As most of you know, the Detroit Red Wings’ PR staff (and the ever-present John Hahn) prefers not to acknowledge the existence of bloggers, so I headed down to Joe Louis Arena fully expecting to be welcomed at the security desk, have my credentials checked, and then be told to leave the building.  I figured, what the hey, I’m going to see the Queens of the Stone Age at 6, and if worse comes to worse, I’ll have five hours to kill in my favourite city on the planet. 

Continue Reading »

Grigorenko Says Good-Bye To Grand Rapids

by Paul on 10/22/07 at 01:36 PM
Comments (11)

from Red Wings Corner,

Igor Grigorenko didn’t want to be in Grand Rapids any more.

So Grigorenko, who has an out clause in his contract that allows him to return to Russia if he’s in the minors for more than three weeks, refused to remain in Grand Rapids any longer and has thus been recalled by the Red Wings. He’s in Detroit now, on the team’s active roster and will practice with the club Tuesday.

Red Wings management asked Grigorenko to remain in Grand Rapids beyond the three weeks, but he refused and would have returned to Russia instead.

In his three-week, five-game stay in Grand Rapids, Grigorenko tallied zero points and two penalty minutes.

When asked where Grigorenko fits in the lineup plans, coach Mike Babcock answered: “That’s a good question. Everything here’s on an at-earn basis. We’ll see if he has enough pace to fit in.”

more

Dallas Drake Out With Fractured Cheekbone

by Paul on 10/19/07 at 09:15 PM
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via Red Wings Corner,

Dallas Drake has a fractured cheekbone—caused by the Kyle McLaren hit early in Thursday’s game in San Jose—and has flown home to Detroit. Drake will be examined by doctors Monday to determine his status. He won’t be with the team for Saturday’s game in Phoenix.

Line Of The Day

by Paul on 10/16/07 at 12:11 PM
Comments (5)

How true Mike…

from John McGourty at NHL.com,

“Under the salary cap, you don’t have extra guys anymore,” Babcock said. “The ‘depth’ of the organization is health. Scotty Bowman always had an extra line sitting in the press box. Those days are gone. As soon as you’re not healthy, you’re depth is gone. That’s why minor-league development of prospects is more important than ever. When they get brought up, they have to be ready to play your system.”

read on for the rest of the story....

Chelios Responds

by Paul on 10/15/07 at 09:45 PM
Comments (3)

from the Detroit Free Press,

Never one to soften his words, Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios delivered a simple message to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Monday.

“I can’t believe my good friend Gary would want to leave me in Russia,” Chelios said, and it must be noted the “good friend” was deeply sarcastic. “I’d like to have a private talk with Gary one of these days, see what he means.”

Chelios was referring to the latest turn of events in the soap opera that debuted in the aftermath of the 2004-05 NHL lockout, starring Bettman, deputy commissioner Bill Daly and former NHL Players’ Association boss Ted Saskin.

continued

Dominator on Wheels

by Paul on 10/15/07 at 02:09 PM
Comments (0)

With thanks to Roman at eNHL.cz, we’ve discovered Dominik Hasek’s new off season hobby.

(*Important to note that when Hasek spoke to eNHL.cz’s camera man, he was insistent that he does not ride during the NHL season.)