The start of this pivotal Detroit Red Wings road trip couldn’t have gone much worse. Ville Husso’s return from injury lasted less than 10 minutes. He’s now out week to week with another lower body injury. They have lost their first two games to the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks by a combined score of 12-5.

To be fair, they were playing against Connor McDavid who had six assists in an 8-4 win and the Vancouver Canucks lead the NHL with 80 points.

(This is the place in the story where hardcore Red Wings fans lament that the team drafted Filip Zadina instead of Quinn Hughes in 2018. Hughes likely will register 100 points this season and win the Norris Trophy).

But that doesn’t alter the reality that those two losses have weakened their hold on a playoff spot.  Now, the New Jersey Devils are two points behind amid rumors they are aggressively trying to trade for a goalie.

Also, the Toronto Maple Leafs hold the top wild card position in the East and they now have a four-point lead over Detroit. The Tampa Bay Lightning are now five points ahead for third place in the Atlantic Division.

That suddenly makes the Red Wings next two games against Calgary and Seattle on Saturday and Monday even more critical. The Red Wings are on a salvage operation.  If the Red Wings come out of this road trip with four points, they will still hold a playoff spot. If they only earn two points, they have made their situation harder. If they earn no points, it will make us wonder if they can get there.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• Detroit will play an outdoor game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Ohio State next season.
• Jake Walman‘s ‘Griddy’ stirred up some controversy this week.
• Paywall story: Here’s a look at some of the NHL Prospects who will be available this season when the Red Wings get their first round pick.
• The Red Wings loan Jared McIsaac to a Swiss team. Detroit’s second round picks haven’t yielded as many NHL players as they would like.

Red Wings Next Game

Detroit’s next game is a matinee (4 p.m.)  Saturday against the Calgary Flames. The Flames are coming off a 6-3 home loss to the struggling San Jose Sharks. The Flames did go 3-1 on a recent road trip.

Hockey Now Network

Boston: Jimmy Murphy writes that the Boston Bruins are headed for a bumpier stretch run than they anticipated. They are going to have to battle the Florida Panthers for first place in the Atlantic Division.

Chicago: Connor Bedard looked confident in his return from injury, ‘just like he always is.’ Chicago Blackhawks

Nashville: Michael Gallagher writes for NHN that the chances of a Juuse Saros trade are stronger than you think.  Nashville Predators. 

Pittsburgh: Sidney Crosby carried the team to a win against the Chicago Blackhawks, but isn’t it getting too late for the Pittsburgh Penguins?

The post The Daily: Red Wings on Salvage Operation; Saros on Block? appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

As they ready to face the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday for the second time this season, the Detroit Red Wings will be launching a tough four-game road trip with a date against the NHL’s best player.

No, they aren’t talking about stopping Connor McDavid, because that would be patently ridiculous. You don’t completely shut down the NHL’s most skilled talent. However, they do believe that they can contain the damage McDavid is capable of inflicting upon them.

Five-time Art Ross Trophy winner McDavid is fourth in NHL scoring with 21-50-71 totals. However, it’s worth noting that he’s played at least six games fewer than each of the three players ahead of him. McDavid’s 1.09 assists per game ratio leads the league.

The post Red Wings Discuss Containing McDavid (+) appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Former Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland, now the GM in charge of the Edmonton Oilers’ fortunes, is keeping an eye on all three Montreal Canadiens goalies these days.

Hockey insider Elliotte Friedman the Oilers are not close to making a deal, but are watching Jake Allen, Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau. Young Primeau, son of former Red Wings player Keith Primeau, recently beat the Detroit Red Wings in overtime. The Canadiens will move one of those three at some point this season. The Habs are talking to Montembeault about a new contract, but they reportedly aren’t close.

Holland is dealing with a mess in Edmonton. The Oilers are considered a contender, but started 5-11-1. They recently banished $5 million goalie Jack Campbell to the American Hockey League. He’s not the short- or long-term answer.

The pressure is on Holland to stabilize the team’s goaltending outlook and get the Oilers point in the right direction.

Red Wings Next Game

The Red Wings will meet the New Jersey Devils at Little Caesars Arena Wednesday. Coach Derek Lalonde said defenseman Jake Walman might be able to play in that game. But that is far from certain. He was injured against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Sweden. Injured Nico Hischier is practicing with the New Jersey Devils, but there is no timetable for his return.  Lalonde didn’t say who will be net, but made it seem like it might be Alex Lyon who played well in his Red Wings’ debut.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• Austin Czarnik was sent back to the Grand Rapids Griffins. The decision on any call-ups will be made once they have a better handle on Walman’s status.
• Bob Duff writes about why it is unclear who should be starting in net for the Red Wings. Ville Husso has been giving up three or more goals in almost every game he plays. Should Lyon get a shot at more games?
• Former Red Wings Alex Nedeljkovic, meanwhile, has been impressive for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He scored a goal in a minor-league game and pitched a shutout for the Penguins.

Hockey Now Network

Boston: Police report sheds light on Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic’s arrest after a physical confrontation with his wife. The report states Lucic was intoxicated and became agitated over a missing phone. Boston Bruins.

Chicago: Should the Chicago Blackhawks make a call on Patrick Laine? Nate Brown weighs in.  The Blue Jackets made Patrik Laine a healthy scratch.

Nashville: Why Luke Evangelista is being scratched by the Nashville Predators.

Pittsburgh: Before the Penguins can win consistently, they have to stop battling themselves. Dan Kingerski has a take. Pittsburgh Penguins. 

San Jose: The Sharks have been short on fun during their miserable start. But everyone seems amused at Tomas Hertl telling Prince Harry to drop the puck in a ceremonial  faceoff. San Jose Sharks.

Vegas: Chris Gawlik explains why fans shouldn’t be concerned about the Vegas Golden Knights‘ current rough patch.

The post The Daily: Oilers Scout Montreal Goalies; Do ‘Hawks Need Laine? appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Getting pushed around in an NHL rink isn’t a recipe for success, as the Detroit Red Wings were discovering late last season. Putting together a 7-1 run to get back into the playoff picture in February, the Wings were literally and figuratively run out of the building in back-to-back losses at Ottawa.

Building up more of a backbone in his team was among the offseason missions for Detroit GM Steve Yzerman. It didn’t take long for a Red Wings player to deliver on that promise.

Klim Kostin levels Cole Sillinger then drops the gloves with Erik Gudbranson. Great hit, great tilt. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/Hs1daP7qZD

— Ryan Hana (@RyanHanaWWP) October 17, 2023

Leveling Columbus forward Cole Sillinger with a punishing bodycheck in the third period of Detroit’s 4-0 road shutout of the Blue Jackets, Red Wings forward Klim Kostin then answered the bell after ringing Sillinger’s bell. He dropped the gloves and stood toe-to-toe with Columbus defenseman Erik Gudbranson, trading punches in a spirited bout.

Kostin wasn’t at all surprised that he was challenged by Gudbranson and was ready, willing and able to answer the call.

“The team that is losing by four goals, it is usually frustrating and they start playing like a little dirty,” Kostin told Bally Sports Detroit. “But we just can’t let that happen, can’t let them do it against us. We need to protect ourselves.”

It’s certainly a quality that wasn’t prevalent with the Red Wings for many seasons.

“We have not had that of late,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde told Bally Sports Detroit. “That was big. One, just to play that way. I love that he was so physical and then just to defend himself in the end.

“Not only big for tonight, but I think a big thing going forward, too.”

Kostin Feels Red Wings Must Measure Up

Added from the Edmonton Oilers via trade, Kostin towers over most opponents at 6-foot-4 and 232 pounds. He was a playoff participant with the Oilers last season and fought five times during the 2022-23 NHL campaign. Kostin thinks he brings an element to the ice that can garner postseason success.

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“Every team who wants to win the Cup, who wants to go deep in the playoffs, they need to have that character,” Kostin said. “There is no way you can play in the playoffs and be like a soft team.”

The post Gotta See It: Red Wings Kostin Drops Mitts, Goes Toe-to-Toe With Gudbranson appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

NHL.com asked Sidney Crosby whether Connor McDavid could put 170 points this season and he wouldn’t rule it out.

“I mean, I didn’t think 150 was going to be in the cards for him but he found a way to get there,” Crosby told Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com. “So, I don’t think anything is out of the question for him as far as numbers are concerned…He just finds a way to find another level time and time again, so I would never bet against him.”

McDavid’s 153 points last season were the most by any player since Mario Lemieux registered 161 in 1995-96. No player has accumulated 170 or more since Lemieux had 199 in 1988-89.

To put that into perspective for Red Wings fans, the franchise hasn’t boasted a 100-point scorer since 1995-96 when Sergei Fedorov totaled 107 in 1995-96. Fedorov, Steve Yzerman, Gordie Howe, Marcel Dionne and John Ogrodnick are the only players in Red Wings’ history to put up 100 or more points. Last season, Dylan Larkin led the Red Wings with 79 points

Red Wings’ Next Game

Thursday at Washington. The Red Wings have today off. No practices.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• Bob Duff writes that Nate Danielson is impressive in his preseason debut with the Red Wings.
• Michael Rasmussen has no problem playing on the wing if that is best for the team.
• Alex DeBrincat and Shayne Gostisbehere show how they can help Detroit’s power play.
• Red Wings need more out of Jonatan Berggren

Hockey Now Network

Buffalo: Forward Victor Olofsson enters this season in limbo with the Buffalo Sabres.

Chicago: Can Arizona Coyotes rookie Logan Cooley challenge Connor Bedard for the Calder Trophy? Chicago Blackhawks

New Jersey: Goalie Cory Schneider is retiring from the NHL. New Jersey Devils.

Pittsburgh: The Penguins put Mark Pysyk on the long-term injury list. He was in camp on a PTO. He signed with Detroit last season, and then suffered a long-term injury. Pittsburgh Penguins.

San Jose: Sheng Peng writes top prospects William Eklund and  Shakir Mukhamadullin look good in 4-2 loss to Anaheim Mighty Ducks. San Jose Sharks. 

The post The Daily: Can McDavid Hit 170?; Cooley vs. Bedard for Calder appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Former Red Wings forward Adam Erne, a $2.1 million player for the past two seasons, agreed to attend the Edmonton Oilers training camp on a PTO.

The Red Wings didn’t re-sign him after four seasons with the team. General manager Steve Yzerman waived him last February, and he played nine games with the Grand Rapids Griffins before being recalled..

“They’re all tough (decisions),” Coach Derek Lalonde said when Erne was waived. “It’s just the reality. Thankfully we’re finally getting to that depth. It’s probably more a credit to (Jonatan) Berggren in that technically it’s probably that spot and Berggren just played his way into it.”

He had 18 points in 61 games for the Red Wings, plus five assists for the Griffins. Erne never had more than 11 goals or 20 points in a season for Detroit.

Erne earned his keep as one of the team’s most consistent hitters. Over four seasons in Detroit, he totaled 545 hits. Over the past two seasons, he posted 321 hits.  His 161 last season ranked second on the Red Wings to Moritz Seider‘s 207.

Erne is the last player from last season’s Detroit roster to land either a contract or a tryout.

The Oilers are slightly over the cap ceiling ($390,000), meaning they would need to find cap space if they want to sign Erne. That could come from a long-term injury or moving out another player. Erne’s selling points to the Oilers are his penalty killing and physical play.

The Red Wings just seemed to outgrow Erne last season.

The post Adam Erne Accepts PTO For Edmonton Oilers Training Camp appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Former Detroit Red Wings player Sam Gagner’s acceptance of a professional tryout offer (PTO) from the Edmonton Oilers is as much about the past as it is the present.

Gagner, 34, launched his NHL career by playing seven seasons in Edmonton (2007-08 to 2013-14) and then came back to play a second stint with the Oilers (2018-19 and 2019-20). The Oilers then traded Gagner to the Red Wings in 2020 and he played parts of three seasons with Detroit.

But the Gagner connection goes even beyond that. The Oilers recently hired Dave Jackson as the team’s CEO of hockey operations. Gagner was former agent Jackson’s first client. Gagner’s dad, Dave, also worked with Jackson in the agent business.

That doesn’t mean Gagner will make the Oilers’ roster. Gagner will have to prove he can help. But he must feel he has a chance. He’s a feisty, responsible forward with some offensive ability. He netted eight goals  48 games for the Winnipeg Jets last season, but had 13 goals for Detroit in 2021-22. The Red Wings appreciated his abilities when he was in Detroit, and particularly liked his presence in the dressing room.

Red Wings Offseason

Cameron Hillis, a Montreal Canadiens’ third round pick, has accepted a PTO with the Detroit Red Wings. He played in the ECHL last season for the Indy Fury and also had 18 games for the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs. He totaled 50 points and 45 games for the Fury and registered two points in 18 games for the IceHogs.  Hillis played one game for the Canadiens in 2021-22.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• Filip Zadina told a Swedish writer the Detroit Red Wings brought him up before his time.
• Bob Duff provides some details on the players the Red Wings are inviting to the NHL Prospects Tournament as free agents.
• Detroit could end up with three or four regulars out of GM Steve Yzerman‘s 2019 draft crop.

Hockey Now Network

Boston: The Bruins seem OK with the idea of using Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle as Boston’s top two centers. Boston Bruins.

Chicago: Connor Bedard ended up training recently with Connor McDavid. Chicago Blackhawks

Philadelphia: Chuck Bausman takes a stab at predicting the Philadelphia Flyers‘ Opening Night roster.

Pittsburgh: Dave Molinari rummages through his memories to come up with the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ all-time best nicknames.

San Jose: Sheng Peng explains what would have to go right for the San Jose Sharks to have a surprisingly successful season.

Washington: GM Brian MacLellan receives promotion to rank as president of the Washington Capitals hockey operations.

The post The Daily: Former Red Wings Player Accepts PTO; Bedard Works Out With McDavid appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The Edmonton Oilers didn’t explain why they dismissed their director of amateur scouting director Tyler Wright and replaced him with Rick Pracey.

This is probably an Occam’s Razor situation: the simplest theory is probably the correct answer. The Oilers haven’t drafted well since Wright took over. They were one of the teams that didn’t have a single player listed on the NHL Network’s Top 50 prospects.

Red Wings fans can relate to that kind of result. Wright held the same position with the Red Wings in Ken Holland’s final seasons. Detroit fans weren’t pleased with his drafts, which included Dennis Cholowski, Filip Zadina, etc.

Pracey is coming from the Philadelphia Flyers, a team that has drafted well of late. But he was previously director of scouting for the Colorado Avalanche when they drafted Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene.

Red Wings Offseason

The Detroit Red Wings announced Tuesday  that the start time for their Saturday, Feb. 24 game at LCA has been moved from 7 p.m. to noon, ET.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• The Red Wings re-signed Joe Veleno for one season at $825,000. The message is clear: he needs to step it up to get a better deal.
•  Albert Johansson is more NHL ready than other Red Wings’ prospects.
• Petr Klima’s twin sons have fond memories of their father’s parenting style.
• Alex Chiasson has accepted a PTO with the Boston Bruins.

Hockey Now Network

Chicago: Is the Blackhawks’ roster brutal beyond Connor Bedard, as some are commenting? Nate Brown has a dissenting opinion. Chicago Blackhawks.

Florida: Colby Guy writes that Carter Verhaeghe’s stature has grown exponentially in South Florida. Florida Panthers. 

Los Angeles: Is Cam Talbot the answer in the net for the Kings? Austin Stanovich has three Kings’ concerns for the 2023-24 season.

Philadelphia: Chuck Bausman discusses what it means that not a single Flyers player was listed on the NHL Network’s lists of top players at each position. Philadelphia Flyers. 

San Jose:  Sheng Peng explores what kind of players have first-round pick “trade value” at the deadline. The Sharks will likely be looking to move players at the deadline next season?

The post The Daily: Oilers Fire Ex-Red Wings Scouting Head; Talbot Right for LA? appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry remembers succinctly the root cause of his decision to choose hockey over baseball.

“We had a new baseball coach and he didn’t want me to miss time for hockey camps and stuff like that,” Jeff Petry remembered.

Acquired Tuesday by Detroit from the Montreal Canadiens, Jeff knew the choice that he was going to make.

UPDATE: The #RedWings today acquired defenseman Jeff Petry from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Gustav Lindstrom and a conditional 4th round pick in 2025. pic.twitter.com/S7VfVJpa8f

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) August 15, 2023

“I always enjoyed hockey a little bit more,” Jeff admits.

It was making the choice that was going to prove the hardest part of the equation.

“It was tough for me to make the decision,” Jeff explained.

How do you tell your dad, a World Series-winning MLB hurler, that his sport wasn’t going to be your sport? That was the dilemma facing Jeff as he readied to broach the subject with his dad, former Detroit Tigers pitcher Dan Petry.

“It just came to a point where I guess I had to man up and go home and tell my dad I wanted to focus on my hockey career,” Jeff recalled.

He stressed over breaking his father’s heart. As things turned out, there was no cause for concern. Dan’s response was that Jeff should be pursuing his passion.

“He was great,” Jeff remembered of his dad’s response. “I should have done it a couple of years earlier.

“He never wanted to force us into anything.

Red Wings Petry A Late Bloomer On Ice

As Jeff was working his way up the hockey prospect ladder, all Dan could offer was encouragement.

“I don’t know anything (about hockey), so there was no pressure on him,” Dan said. “I didn’t know what to tell him other than to go out and play hard.”

Jeff was late in coming into prominence on the ice. In the fall of 2005, he bgean his senior year playing high school hockey in Michigan at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.

By November, he was playing the USHL with the Des Moines Buccaneers. In February, Petry was selected to skate in the USHL Top Prospects Game. That spring, Petry was earning the No. 36 ranking among North American skaters from NHL Central Scouting.

“I was shocked,” Dan Petry recalled to the Windsor Star. “It all happened so quickly.

“He was going back for his senior year to play high school hockey and ended up in the USHL and I guess he impressed somebody.”

The Edmonton Oilers would select Jeff 45th overall in the 2006 NHL entry draft. He’s since played 864 NHL games for the Oilers, Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins.

The moment he suits up for his first Red Wings game, Jeff Petry ,35, will be part of history. He and his dad will become the first father-son combination to have played for two of Detroit’s major pro sports teams. Dan won 18 games for the 1984 World Series champion Tigers.

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Today, he works in the broadcast booth on Tigers games for Bally Sports Detroit. As much as he loves watching Jeff skate up and down the rink, Dan readily acknowledges that he’s still far from a hockey maven. But he’ll always be his son’s No. 1 fan.

“I think he enjoys watching hockey because he knows nothing about it and I think that’s a little bit of the reason why I chose it, too,” Jeff said.

“It’s kind of my own thing.”

The post Red Wings Petry Dreaded Telling Father He Was Giving Up Baseball appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Shortly after Klim Kostin was being acquired by the Detroit Red Wings from the Edmonton Oilers, the big forward was signing a two-year contract with his new club. The pact will be paying the Russian center an AAV of $2 million.

That’s much more than what the average NBA mascot is earning, a fact that brings a smile to Kostin’s face.

It wasn’t all that long ago when he was barely earning more than someone who gets paid to dress up in a costume on game night and entertain children. That was in 2017. Taken 31st overall in the NHL entry draft by the St. Louis Blues, Kostin would ink an entry-level pact with the Blues.

The moment I’ll never forget… pic.twitter.com/Wetpxslb6t

— Klim Kostin (@kl1mkost1n) May 11, 2020

“Did I say that I’m ready to stay in the NHL even for a bowl of soup?” Kostin explained on the YouTube channel Cherkas Atlant. “I was young. The NHL is a dream, of course.

“For example, I signed a $750,000 contract with the St. Louis that year. The minimum contract in the NHL. I know that mascots who jump before NBA games get $650,000. And I, an NHL player, have $750,000. We have a difference of one hundred thousand.”

Kostin Looming Large For Red Wings

The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Kostin is part of the plan in implementation by Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman to make the team physically bigger and much harder to play against. Last season, Kostin was leading the Oilers with 157 hits.

“He’s big,” Yzerman said of Kostin. “He skates well. He is more involved and he played on a pretty deep team in Edmonton.”

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The Detroit brass were liking what they were seeing from Kostin during his time with the Oilers.

“We thought he showed he can play in the NHL as a regular,” Yzerman said. “That was our opinion. How high up the lineup? We are optimistic he can work his way into a bigger role for us.”

The post Red Wings Kostin Happy To Be Making More Than NBA Mascot appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.