Saturday, the Detroit Red Wings were in the NHL playoffs. Sunday, they weren’t.

They still won’t be today, but could be back into a postseason placing as early as Tuesday.

It’s an emotional roller coaster, and we’ve all gone on that trip. But in pursuit of a chance at the Stanley Cup, it’s the most enjoyable ride in the entire amusement park.

“We have to win,” Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson said. “That is kind of pressure, but it’s more fun. I’m more happy than I feel pressure, so it’s a fun opportunity I feel like.”

This power play was brought to you by Simon Edvinsson's awareness and skating abilities pic.twitter.com/YYiv3itoxH

— Red Wings Rant (@Red_Wings_Rant) March 23, 2024

He’s got a point. Don’t you think teams like the San Jose Sharks, Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks, long irrelevant in the playoff picture, would eagerly embrace the opportunity to engage the pressure the Red Wings are currently feeling? For that matter, Detroit teams of the previous seven seasons would also be willingly stepping up to get into line and take this ride.

This Is Where Red Wings Want To Be

“This is where you want to be,” Detroit forward Lucas Raymond said. “It’s a tough spot, it’s pressure on everyone, but that’s the fun part of it.

“You’re playing for something meaningful. You can just feel it within this locker room. It’s awesome.”

Lucas Raymond is now the 2nd highest producing U22 swede in NHL history #LGRW pic.twitter.com/k8lUpe862T

— IcehockeyGifs (@IcehockeyG) March 21, 2024

With improved opportunities come increased expectations. Playoff hockey might not have been at the top of Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman’s to-do list in the summer. However, now that they’re knocking on the door, the players don’t want to let this chance escape their grasp.

“It’s more pressure of course, but that’s why you play hockey,” Edvinsson noted. “I like those moments. I’m just happy to be here now.”

Emotions and pressures must be put aside. For the Red Wings, it’s all about embracing the moment and making the most of it.

It’s just about enjoying it and coming through big,” Raymond said.

Win Over Capitals Would Reclaim Playoff Position

A win on Tuesday at Washington would see Detroit leapfrogging over the Capitals and back into the second Eastern Conference wild card spot.

“It almost feels like we’ve been in the playoffs already, just because of the emotion from game to game,” forward David Perron said. “We have to find a way to just park it, move forward. The day in between games is a day where you can get re-energized and get under control. And then you gotta get back into habit the next game.

“It’s a roller coaster. You gotta find a way to park it, get re-energized. Much like playoffs. You lose Game 1 let’s say of a playoff series and it almost feels like it’s over at times. And then you win the next one and it’s here we go, best of five. We’re back in this thing, we’re playing good, all that stuff. That’s what it’s gonna be for the next 11 games.”

The post Pressure? What Pressure? Red Wings Insist This is Fun appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Discussing what it’s going to take for his team to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday afternoon, Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman was outlining their blueprint for success.

“We gotta be better defensively collectively as a team.” Yzerman explained. “We gotta keep working on that. And that includes not just defending. It’s your play with the puck all over the ice. You gotta be responsible with it.

“That’ll be I think the determining factor.”

Later Friday, as they were on the road facing the Arizona Coyotes, the Red Wings appeared to make a conscious decision to completely ignore this blueprint.

Not suprisingly, the outcome wasn’t successful for the Wings.

Scoring three times in the first period, the Coyotes would carry on to blank the Red Wings 4-0.

“Awful start,” Detroit coach Derek Lalaonde told Bally Sports Detroit. “Tough to explain. It’s just really disappointing to have a start like that.”

Connor Ingram (@CBIngram1) was perfect once again on Friday night, tying the League lead with his sixth @pepsi shutout of the season! pic.twitter.com/BHeOjBEWOo

— NHL (@NHL) March 9, 2024

Arizona would net two goals before Detroit would count a shot on goal. The Coyotes were completely dominant, while the Wings were utterly docile. The Red Wings have now lost four games in a row. Their lead over the New York Islanders for the final Eastern Conference wild card spot has dwindled to two points.

Red Wings Giving Up Easy Chances

“We’re finding ourselves behind, we’re finding ourselves giving up easy chances, giving up leads,” detroit defenseman Jake Walman said. “We just gotta stay dialed in all the time.”

Too often during their dismal opening frame, the Red Wings were dialing the wrong number.

“We just lost some battles,” Lalonde said. “The first goal was really disappointing. We got outskated to the net and then the puck’s lying at the net and all the sudden it’s 1-0.

“I don’t like the penalty kill goal. (A) too many men on the ice (penalty to Detroit), minor hockey type stuff. You’re waiting for your guy to come back to the bench and he plays the puck and you’re not even watching the play.

“It’s the third time it’s happened in a week. It’s not being ready, not being locked in.”

This was a game the Wings could ill afford to lose. Arizona came into the night losers of six in a row at home since Jan. 24. The Coyotes had lost the last five of those games all by margins of 3+ goals. They were also playing the second game of back to backs.

Alex Lyon is doing his part to give his team a chance to come back! #LGRW pic.twitter.com/mp3IRdhmla

— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) March 9, 2024

Instead, the Red Wings gave the game away. Starting goalie Alex Lyon allowed 4+ goals for the fourth straight game. James Reimer will be getting the start Saturday in Vegas, where the reigning Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights have lost five in a row at home.

Playing their second game in a row without captain Dylan Larkin (lower-body injury), Detroit dropped to 2-8 over the past two seasons when Larkin isn’t in the lineup. Forward Jonatan Berggren is getting a recall from AHL Grand Rapids and will be playing Saturday in Vegas.

The post Wily Coyotes Blank Red Wings appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

GM Steve Yzerman’s decision not to pay for high priced rental properties at this NHL trade deadline came down to Yzerman liking what he sees on the ice from his players.

“Ultimately, I like to think part of why we weren’t very active this year at the deadline is we like the depth we have within the organization,” Yzerman said.

Although Yzerman wouldn’t phrase it like this, he gave his team a vote of confidence by being less active. His only move was trading away Klim Kostin who couldn’t crack the lineup. Yzerman shipped him to San Jose mostly to shed his $2 million salary for next season.

Red Wings Have Help Coming

“We have some good players in Grand Rapids, players that we signed last summer,” Yzerman said. “Some of our young prospects playing there provide us good depth. So, sitting at the deadline, looking at areas that could help us ultimately giving up a first- or a second- or a third-round pick for depth, we’re better off bringing up our guys from Grand Rapids for that.”

He didn’t like what teams were asking for rentals, especially given the risk of disrupting his team chemistry.

“I think the atmosphere within the team, at least it’s my understanding and my impression as close as I can get to the locker room is we have very good team spirit,” Yzerman said. “There’s a lot of enthusiasm. You hear the players talk about how much they’re enjoying playing together. So that’s encouraging and they have gotten us into a good spot.”

The Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning hold down the two wild card spots in the Eastern Conference, and the New York Islanders are two points behind.  The Islanders own a five-game winning streak and their GM Lou Lamoriello decided to stand pat.

Lightning Were Aggressive

The Lightning are still in win-now mode and acquired rambunctious defenseman Matt Dumba from Arizona and forward Anthony Duclair from San Jose. The New Jersey Devils also traded for goalie Jake Allen from Montreal and they have an outside shot of catching Detroit.

It’s possible the Lightning gained an advantage with their moves, but they are not in the same position as the Red Wings.

“I balance for where we’re at – an improving team that has a chance to make the playoffs, if we can make moves that help us get into the playoffs,” Yzerman said. “But we’re trying to build. We’re not one of those top teams that’s willing to give up first-round picks and top prospects to get in on some of those rental players or high-priced free agents at the deadline.”

Yzerman said he feels like he now has players in Grand Rapids for his Plan B.  Jonatan Berggren is having an exceptional season at forward and Yzerman is also bullish on Simon Edvinsson. He likes what he sees in Grand Rapids as well.

“We’ll sit pat with our group and if we get injuries we’ll go to Grand Rapids,” Yzerman said. “We feel those players are comparable to what we were able to do unless we were willing to give up our prime assets.”

The post Yzerman Decides: Why Rent When He Owns Quality Players in GR? appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

It would be entirely incorrect to suggest that there isn’t a scenario in which the Detroit Red Wings would be moving forward Jonatan Berggren prior to today’s NHL trade deadline.

For instance, were Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland to call up Steve Yzerman and offer Connor McDavid straight up for Berggren, Stevie Y is gonna make that deal.

Don’t hold your breath, because that outcome isn’t happening.

On the other hand, are there realistic proposals that could involve Berggren finding himself in a new home by 3 p.m. ET today?

BerggrenAttention theres a leak in Iowa!!! Jonatan Berggren slips one pass Wallstedt!

Griffins up 1#GoGRG #LGRW pic.twitter.com/BSzCWzfDwJ

— Hockeytown West Podcast (@HockeytownWpod) March 2, 2024

That’s a scenario which is truly difficult to envision, because the fact of the matter is if you are the Red Wings brass, do you really want to be trading Berggren?

Everywhere he’s been since coming to North America in 2021, he’s put the puck in the net. He counted 21 goals for the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins in 2021-22 and his 64 points were a club rookie record. Splitting last season between GR and Detroit, Berggren was good for 19 goals. This season, a campaign again split between the Red Wings and Griffins, Berggren’s stats sheet is showing 21 goals and 52 points through 51 games.

“He’s got some takeaway speed at this level.” Grand Rapids coach Dan Watson said of Berggren. “He sees the ice extremely well, he can make plays under pressure. He can make plays in tight areas. And he loves to have the puck on his stick.”

In 76 NHL games, Berggren is showing 17-16-33 totals. And that’s without getting significant time on top-six forward units or with the power play. What could Berggren produce in a more pronounced NHL role? Not finding out that answer before dealing Berggren could come back to haunt the Red Wings.

Berggren Loyal Soldier For Red Wings

Then there’s Berggren’s attitude, which has been nothing short of spectacular. After scoring 15 goals in 67 games for the Red Wings last season, he didn’t bat an eye when given a return assignment to Grand Rapids out of training camp.

“(Being sent down) can set guys back mentally (and) can get guys in a bad mindset,” Watson said. “But with (Berggren), he got sent down and played four games in four nights without complaint. He just went and did it. He just went to work.”

Jonatan Berggren gives the Grand Rapids Griffins the 1-0 lead over the Cleveland Monsters 3:53 into the game.

Pavel Cajan was just a bit slow with his reaction. #GoGRG #CLEMonsters @FPC_AHL pic.twitter.com/AZNI3JdTXU

— Elaine Shircliff (@imaraindancer) March 5, 2024

While pro sports is first and foremost a business, the fact that Berggren has done everything asked of him by the organization matters. There are other young prospects watching the example he’s setting. If his reward was a ticket out of town, it might make some of them have second thoughts about their own loyalty to the Red Wings cause.

It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Red Wings might trade Berggren today. But for that to happen, it’s going to take a pretty sweet deal.

The post What Would It Take For Red Wings To Move Berggren? appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Will the Detroit Red Wings be making any moves before Friday’s trade deadline? What does Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman have up his sleeve this season?

With three losses in a row for the first time since December, certainly there’s concern among the faithful about whether the Red Wings might be letting their playoff position slip away. Could this sway Yzerman’s thinking as Friday’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline approaches?

Are the Red Wings in the market for a defenseman? Is there a chance that out of favor Detroit rearguard Justin Holl might be on the move? Will Detroit seek an upgrade at forward with captain Dylan Larkin (lower body injury) out for at least two weeks?

DetroitHockeyNow.com writers Kevin Allen and Bob Duff discuss all of the possible scenarios in the debut of the Detroit Hockey Now podcast.

The post Debut of The Detroit Hockey Now Podcast – NHL Trade Deadline Edition appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The Detroit Red Wings are shopping defenseman Justin Holl. Meanwhile, the Toronto Maple Leafs are on the lookout for a right-hand shot defender.

The Leafs know Holl well. Is there a chance that he could return to his previous NHL haunt?

Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman was floating this possibility during the latest edition of his 32 Thoughts podcats with co-host Jeff Marek.

Friedman: “Toronto is looking for a right shot defender, you know who’s available?”

Marek: “Justin Holl?”

Friedman: “Yup”#leafsforever

— Hockey Patrol (@HockeyPatrol) March 4, 2024

Holl left the Leafs after six seasons last summer. He would sign a three-year, $10.2 million pact with the Red Wings as an unrestricted free agent.

To suggest Holl’s first Detroit season hasn’t gone swimmingly would be like saying that the Titanic hit a speed bump on its maiden journey. Through 35 games, Holl shows just five assists next to his name on the stats sheet.

As the Red Wings ready to take the ice in Colorado on Wednesday facing the Avalanche, Holl has become a spare part for the winged wheel.

Since Ben Chiarot was returing from injury, Olli Maatta has become a regular with Shayne Gostisbehere in Detroit’s third pairing. Holl is the odd man out. He’s been a healthy scratch for the past 11 games.

Red Wings Seeking Defensive Upgrade

At the same time, NHL sources are indicating that Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman desires an upgrade on his defense. He is working to be adding a rearguard with some snarl to the Detroit mix. Yzerman will need to move a defenseman out to make this happen and Holl is the leading candidate to be going.

Certainly, Leafs fans aren’t at all enamored with the thought of Holl returning to the Buds’ blueline. He was never a fan favorite, to put it mildly.

Well then! I don’t normally get aroused by stat sheets, but that looks nice. I listened to Friedman talk about bringing back Holl today and I was physically sic!

— Ryan Currie (@Swampdonkey17) March 5, 2024

Still, his numbers aren’t worthy of such venom. Holl was a double-digit plus player in each of his last four seasons with Toronto. He was good for 20 points in two of those four seasons. Over that same four-season span, Holl’s SAT% was 50.9.

His appeal to Toronto could be cost certainty. Tight to the salary cap, the Leafs will know exactly what they’ll be paying Holl for the next two seasons going forward. And certainly, Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe is going to be quite familiar with Holl’s work. There would be less of an adjustment period for Holl to fit into Toronto’s system as opposed to someone new to the team.

Arizona, Anaheim and Chicago are other potential destinations being suggested for Holl.

The post Could Red Wings Arrange Holl Homecoming? appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

With a week to go until the NHL trade deadline, Detroit Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde admits he’s a bit perplexed by the notion of how the club should be approaching this big day.

“I don’t know what I would like to see happen,” Lalonde admits.

For certain, this trade deadline will be unlike recent ones in terms of how the Red Wings will be handling it. They aren’t going to be sellers.

That’s a buoyant notion to Detroit captain Dylan Larkin.

“Trading guys for draft picks is frustrating,” Larkin said.

The Red Wings made a push last year ahead of the trade deadline. It didn't end the way they hoped.

This year? Whew. Different story. pic.twitter.com/OYfWGpcO0H

— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) February 29, 2024

It’s been nearly a decade since the Red Wings were buyers on deadline day. In 2015, they acquired forward Erik Cole and defenseman Marek Zidlicky to bolster their squad.

Could something like that, or even better, be in the works as this deadline nears?

Not necessarily.

Red Wings Could Be Quiet At Trade Deadline

Lalonde is espousing the possibility of taking an Ernie Harwell approach to the NHL trade deadline. He thinks there’s a chance they might just stand there on the side of the road and watch it go by.

“Maybe the most aggressive move of all will be no move at all,” was Lalonde’s suggestion. “I think that would speak volumes on where our group is at.”

Practice day today.
Panthers here tomorrow.#LGRW pic.twitter.com/SHpN8dqdoy

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 1, 2024

He might have a point. The chemistry in the Detroit room is bubbling with confidence. The Red Wings are solidly eight points above the line to miss out on the playoffs.

Do they really need to fix what ain’t broke?

Yzerman will Make What He Thinks Is Right Move

At the same time, let’s be honest here. No one – even several well-placed people within the Red Wings organization – can say with certainty what GM Steve Yzerman has in mind to do over the next week. You can call it the Yzerplan if you like. You can also count on the fact that whatever the plan is, Stevie Y isn’t sharing it.

What the team is counting on is past history. When Yzerman makes a move, it’s generally been the right one.

“I think what Steve has done here in his tenure, obviously, the guys in the room is what he built,” Lalonde said. “I think there’s a huge trust from both coaches and players on whatever he does.

“I think there’s a confidence in what he does.”

In other words, the players and the coaches, they also believe in Steve. They’ll support whatever move he decides to make – or not make, for that matter.

So don’t be surprised if the Red Wings do something before the deadline. But don’t be surprised if they don’t.

The post NHL Trade Deadline: Lalonde Describes What Could be Boldest Move by Red Wings appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

He’s certainly a hockey legend and evidently, Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman is also a crossover sports icon.

During Saturday’s NBA All-Star Weekend festivities in Indianapolis, Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker showed up at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse adorned in some intriguing attire.

Devin Booker pulled up to NBA All Star in a Steve Yzerman jersey!

via @NHL pic.twitter.com/KkRRW3rE0S

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 17, 2024

He was rocking a No. 19 Yzerman Detroit Red Wings jersey, complete with the captain’s C.

Booker’s Red Wings Homage Not Surprising

Booker hails from Grand Rapids, Michigan, home to the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit’s top farm club. He’s a self-admitted Detroit sports fan and is frequently spotted wearing some sort of Detroit sports apparel.

Still, considering what just recently happened to Booker while playing against the NBA team from the Motor City, it might be a bit surprising that he would be opting to pay homage to a Detroit superstar at the NBA’s signature midseason event.

During a 116-100 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday, Booker was ejected from the game during the first quarter after being assessed a pair of technical fouls.

The first came following a disagreement with game officials. Later at the 6:36 mark of the opening quarter, during a Phoenix time out, Booker was issued his second technical. This one was over arguing a foul call.

Devin Booker repping the Detroit Red Wings tonight pic.twitter.com/it3htsqiFQ

— nick (@nsitto2) December 20, 2022

Regardless, Booker once admitted that his love for Detroit sports is ingrained into his personality. Thanksgiving, he noted, is reserved for watching, as he put it “my Lions.”

Booker also admits that his childhood passion for Detroit basketball makes his visits to Little Caesars Arena to face the Pistons a delight.

“It’s definitely something I think about,” Booker acknowledged. “A lot of my early childhood basketball memories come to mind. It’s always exicting – probably more exciting – playing there. The color scheme, the gear – everything.”

The post Suns Booker Rocks Red Wings Yzerman Jersey at NBA All-Star Weekend appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Picking his most skilled Detroit Red Wings teammate wasn’t as easy for Nicklas Lidstrom as the seven-time Norris Trophy winner made the game appear while he was spending two decdes in Detroit as a generational NHL defenseman.

There were, after all, many all-time greats who lined up alongside Lidstrom over his time with the Red Wings.

“I played with Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov, Igor Larionov, Brett Hull,” Lidstrom recently told Hockey Morning, a feature of Swedish website Aftonbladet.se. None of them, though, are the answer to the question of who was Lidstrom’s greatest NHL teammate.

“Pavel Datsyuk is the most skilled player I have ever played with,” Lidstrom said. “Datsyuk’s skill and what he could do with the puck . . . he is the best I have ever played with.”

Red Wings Battles With Chelios

Among Lidstrom’s fondest memories of his time in Detroit is watching the daily one-on-one challenges between Datsyuk and Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Chelios during regular Red Wings pratice sessions.

“He and Chris Chelios used to compete in taking the puck from each other,” Lidstrom was recalling. “At the time, Chelios was over 40 years old and was an incredibly competitive person. But Datsyuk just played with Chelios, who was a tough guy to face. He didn’t get hold of the puck.”

Along with the sensational skill that enabled Datsyuk to put together successive 90-point campaigns in Detroit, Lidstrom also recollected the uniqueness of the stick that the Russian forward would use.

“He had a long stick and an almost straight blade, not a nice angle,” Lidstrom explained. “But his stick technique and his movement patterns . . . you couldn’t believe it when you saw him off the ice and then on the ice and the things he did.”

Pavel Datsyuk pic.twitter.com/KjjT37LhIM

— Austin Two Times (@Austin_TwoTimes) January 28, 2024

Datsyuk registered 314 goals and 918 points in 953 games with the Red Wings. He was a three-time winner of the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward and a four-time winner of the Lady Byng Trophy due to his combination of high-end skill and gentlemanly play.

Together as teammates, Datsyuk and Lidstrom won two Stanley Cups. Datsyuk retired in 2021. He’ll be on the Hockey Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year and is expected to join Lidstrom as an enshrinee in short order.

The post Lidstrom Selects His Greatest Red Wings Teammate appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The Detroit Red Wings made the decision to walk away from 2019 draft pick Albin Grewe rather than offer the Swedish left-winger a contract. In hindsight, it’s appearing as though that decision is saving them a world of headaches.

Tuesday, playing for Djurgardens IF in Hockey Allsvenskan, the Swedish second division, Grewe was picking up his third match penalty of the season. This time out, he was sent to the showers for a head shot on AIK’s Calle Åsell.

Färdigspelat för Djurgårdens Albin Grewe pic.twitter.com/eHnEGGcjM1

— TV4 Hockey (@TV4_Hockey) December 27, 2023

In the aftermath, one of the more puzzling developments came when Swedish TV broadcaster Fredrik Soderstrom was opting to compare Grewe’s antics to that of Ioan Ursut, among Sweden’s most notorious criminals.

“It’s downright stupid to go in like that,” Swedish website Aftonbladet.se reported Soderstrom saying during the broadcast of the game. “A player like Albin Grewe, who has a criminal record that makes Ursut and the boys appear sympathetic, should stay away from that.”

Ursut was a bank robber and convicted murderer known for his daring escapes from prison. Once while on the lam, he shot a Swedish police officer.

As for Grewe, this is his third match penalty in five weeks.

Grewe’s Coach At A Loss

Djurgarden coach Michael Holmquist admitted that it’s an ongoing battle to keep Grewe from crossing over that line from playing hard and physical to playing dirty.

“Albin is hot and I try to work with him,” Holmquist told Aftonbladet. “I have done that for many years. I’ve had him as a junior too.

Albin Grewe Sin Egen Graw https://t.co/27vNLpo92o

— NORR OM BJÄSTA (@hattnytt) December 6, 2023

“It is a balance in when it is mode and not, to find the right modes. I have to keep working on it, of course. He needs to find the balance to have a nice and long hockey career.”

Red Wings Saw Grewe As Marchand Type

Part of the first draft class under current GM Steve Yzerman, the Red Wings were hoping Grewe could evolve into a Brad Marchand type. After selecting him 66th overall, they were thinking he’d develop into a player who played with an edge, but didn’t cross the line into seriously foul play.

Grewe even skated an 11-game stint with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins in 2020-21, collecting two assists and six penalty minutes. But after spending the past two seasons in Hockey Allsvenskan, the Wings were opting not to sign Grewe and relinquished their rights to him.

The post Red Wings Draft Pick Compared to Notorious Swedish Criminal appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.