Detroit Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde is describing Tuesday’s regular-season finale at Montreal against the Canadiens as nothing more than a business trip.

“I know they’re excited but this is a business trip from this moment on,” Lalonde was saying shortly after Detroit was rallying for a 5-4 overtime win over the Canadiens on Monday. “I know the emotions are high.

“We got to channel it. It wasn’t a lot of rah, rah, it was turn the page.”

THE RED WINGS TIE IT UP WITH 1:17 TO PLAY!

Their #StanleyCup Playoffs hopes are still alive. pic.twitter.com/ZsaiJ5M5Kg

— NHL (@NHL) April 16, 2024

With Washington and Pittsburgh both winning on Monday, the standings remain unchanged in the battle for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Washington and Detroit are are 89 points, Pittsburgh is at 88 and Philadelphia, idle on Monday, is at 87 points. The Capitals are holding the tiebreaker with more regulation wins than the Red Wings. Washington plays Tuesday at Philadelphia.

Red Wings Still Need Help

“We didn’t get the help we hoped for around the league,” Lalonde said.  “Here we are, going into the season, no one had us in the playoffs. Most had us seventh in the division.

“If you would have told us you have one game, Game 82 on the road, to improve 11 points on your previous season, to have a chance to make the playoffs, every single one of us would have signed up for it.

Rafael Harvey-Pinard can flat-out fly.

: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ https://t.co/FmPv8M6v1l pic.twitter.com/3SLHrWaZSf

— NHL (@NHL) April 16, 2024

“It’s here for now. It’s going to be a challenge for us. They’re a really good team. Very aggressive offensively. They take a lot of pride on their home ice. It’s their fan appreciation night. We need to turn the page and give ourselves an opportunity.”

Game Time

Monday: Detroit at Montreal

Where: Bell Centre

TV/RADIO: Bally Sports Detroit/97.1 FM

Time: 7 p.m.

Canadiens Preview

Rookie defenseman Lane Hutson collected an assist in his NHL debut Monday . . . Including regular-season and playoff meetings, this will be the 670th game between Montreal and Detroit . . . The Canadiens are 5-13-8 in games facing Atlantic Division opposition . . . Monday’s 5-4 OT loss to Detroit was just the fourth time all season that Montreal failed to win when leading after two periods (25-0-4) . . . With two goals Monday, Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher surpassed Shayne Corson (431 points), moving in 31at on Montreal’s all-time points list . . . Forward Cole Caufield has seven goals in his last eight games.

Red Wings Preview

Lalonde is going with James Reimer in net. Reimer is 7-2 in his last nine decisions. That includes a 5-4 overtime win against Toronto Saturday . . . Forward Andrew Copp (broken cheekbone) played Monday wearing a full facemask . . . Michael Rasmussen (upper body injury) remains out. Rasmussen has been sidelined since April 1 . . . The Red Wings have given up 14 goals and scored 15 goals in their past three games . . . Lucas Raymond has scored six goals in his past five games, reaching the 30-goal plateau for the first time in his career . . . Alex DeBrincat has three goals and four assists over his past three games.

The post Red Wings vs Canadiens: Lines, Notes & How to Watch appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Honestly, if the Detroit Red Wings are going to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, were you actually thinking they’d be doing so any other way than the path they are choosing?

That would be the hard way.

They’re proven time and again this season that it’s the only way they know how to do things. And somehow, some way, they keep on finding a method to make it work.

They did so again on Monday at Little Caesars Arena. Needing at minimum a point to maintain their pursuit of a postseason position, the Red Wings were trailing the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 late in the second period.

When all was said and done, however, it was Detroit that would ultimately prevail, by a 5-4 count in overtime.

It was the third straight OT game for the Red Wings. As well, it was the 13th time this season they’ve been able to rally from a third-period deficit to claim victory.

Red Wings Keep Stayin’ Alive

No one can question this team’s competiveness.

Their defensive acumen, their ability to start on time? Yeah, go ahead and question that all day long.

However, this team possesses an inate ability to keep on fighting and find a way to overcome their own shortcomings.

Red Wings center J.T. Compher described it as a combination of desperation and belief.

“The biggest thing is we still believed in each other and the group,” Compher said. “We never gave up.

LUCAS RAYMOND, TWICE IS SO NICE!

After netting the tying goal, Lucas Raymond secures a MASSIVE two points for the @DetroitRedWings with the @Energizer overtime winner to keep them in the #StanleyCup Playoffs Wild Card race! pic.twitter.com/mFWrq5YdnZ

— NHL (@NHL) April 16, 2024

“Down three goals, we’ve come back. I don’t know what the number is, but Newsy (coach Derek Lalonde) said it after the second intermission that we’ve done it a lot this year.

“When you do things consistently, that’s what causes the belief that we can get back into the game and get the two points we needed.”

Red Wings Don Rally Caps Yet Again

Consider Detroit’s last three games as Exhibits A, B and C in this belief system. Down 5-3 at Pittsburgh on Thursday with 6:51 left in regulation, the Red Wings would score twice to force overtime. They got a point from a 6-5 setback.

Saturday at Toronto, they would squander a 4-1 first period lead, but win 5-4 in OT. Monday, it was once more time again for the Wings to don their rally caps.

DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' #LGRW pic.twitter.com/cgqWcLcnv7

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 16, 2024

Compher’s second goal of the game at 15:59 of the second frame would narrow the deficit to 4-2. Alex DeBrincat scored midway through the third period. Then with the goalie pulled, Lucas Raymond would tie the score at 18:43. Raymond’s goal at 4:25 of OT was the decider.

Living To Fight Another Day

It’s still an uphill battle for Detroit, but the Red Wings remain in with a chance. Washington is holding the final Eastern Conference wild card with 89 points. That’s the same total as the Wings. However, the Capitals win the tiebreaker with Detroit, which is regulation wins.

Detroit must win Tuesday at Montreal and hope that Washington gets no more than one point at Philadelphia. That’s the easier path to the playoffs for the Wings.

Should they get one point at Montreal, the Red Wings would need Washington to lose in regulation at Philly and Pittsburgh to get no more than one point in the club’s regular-season finale on Wednesday against the New York Islanders.

Detroit loses every playoff tiebreaker, so the Wings must finish ahead in points to make the playoffs.

“We know what we need to do,” Compher said. All (Monday) did was give us an opportunity to finish the job (Tuesday).

“We’ll control what we can control, which is our game. But all we did was give ourselves a chance to finish the job (Tuesday).”

The post Red Wings Remarkable Comeback Win; Keep Doing Things The Hard Way appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

It’s fitting that this is the 72nd anniversary of the start of the Detroit Red Wings’ tradition of throwing of octopi on the ice at playoff time.

Brothers Jerry and Pete Cusimano worked at the family fish market at Detroit’s Eastern Market. They came up with the thought that the eight tentacles of an octopus could represent the eight wins a team needed to win the Stanley Cup in that era.  On April 15, 1952, after Detroit downed the Montreal Canadiens 3-0 to complete a four-game sweep in the Stanley Cup Final, the Cusimano brothers hurled an octopus onto the ice at Olympia Stadium. The Red Wings went 8-0 in that postseason. The Octopus tradition was born.

Over time, the tradition evolved to the point that fans were pitching multiple octopi over the glass after every Detroit goal in the playoffs. Because it was a safety issue and a significant disruption in the game, the NHL finally dictated the tradition had to be curtailed, although the Red Wings do tolerate the throwing of one octopus per game at playoff time.

The anniversary is relevant because the Red Wings play the Montreal Canadiens today at Little Caesars Arena in a game that feels like a playoff game. Detroit’s team has been in playoff mode for a few weeks. We’ve seen octopi thrown.

Postseason Drought

To qualify for the postseason for the first time in eight years, the Red Wings probably need to beat the Habs tonight in Detroit and Tuesday in Montreal. Even then, they could need help. What we know for sure is if Detroit and Pittsburgh lose in regulation tonight, they are eliminated.

“It’s about that first period at home on Monday night, getting a good start,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “Our starts have been good of late. Stay composed, narrow our focus and that narrow focus will be our first period.”

You can bet an octopus will fly over the glass tonight.

72 years ago today ON THIS DAY in hockey history (April 15, 1952):

The @DetroitRedWings beat the Canadiens 3-0 in Game #4 of the 1952 Stanley Cup Final to win the Stanley Cup, going undefeated (8-0) in the process. Brothers Jerry and Pete Cusimano toss the first Octopus too! pic.twitter.com/ZasPreqvMK

— Vintage Hockey Showcase (@hockey_vintage) April 15, 2024

Game Time

Monday: Montreal at Detroit

Where: Little Caesars Arena

TV/RADIO: Bally Sports Detroit/97.1 FM

Time: 7 p.m.

Canadiens Preview

Dynamic rookie defenseman Lane Hutson could make his debut for Montreal in tonight’s game. The slick puck mover has played for Boston University the last two seasons. Hutson posted 48 points as a freshman and 49 as a sophomore. He participated in the morning skate today…Montreal has lost five of its last seven, but did earn a point in two of the losses…The Habs rank 27th in scoring (2.8 goals per game) and 26th in goals-against average (3.40)… Montreal’s top line is Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky. Young Slafkovsky had a hat trick last week against Philadelphia.

Red Wings Preview

Lalonde is going with Alex Lyon in net. James Reimer is 7-2 in his last nine decisions. That includes a 5-4 overtime win against Toronto Saturday. Lyon has been the team’s No.1 ..Forwards Andrew Copp (broken cheekbone) and Michael Rasmussen (upper body injury) are injured. Copp did skate this morning with a full shield and he will decide after the morning skate with he can play. Copp has missed the past two games and Rasmussen has been sidelined since April 1…The Red Wings have given up 10 goals and scored 10 goals in their past two games…Lucas Raymond has generated four goals and four assists over his past four games. …Alex DeBrincat has two goals and three assists for five points in his past two games. DeBrincat will play against with Dylan Larkin and Raymond. J.T. Compher will center David Perron and Patrick Kane. The Red Wings are ninth in the NHL with a power play efficiency of 23.2%. The Canadiens rank 23rd on the penalty kill at 76.4%

DYLAN LARKIN GETS THE OVERTIME WINNER FOR THE 2PTS TO KEEP THE PLAYOFF DREAMS ALIVE!!

WINGS WIN 5-4#LGRW #RedWings pic.twitter.com/YMupHzSzqG

— Hockeytown Rundown (@HockeytownRD) April 14, 2024

The post Canadiens vs. Red Wings: Lines, Notes & How to Watch appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Plenty to ponder this morning as the Detroit Red Wings prepare to put their season on the line tonight at home against the Montreal Canadiens.

Moneypuck.com gives Detroit a 33.8% probability of earning the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. To accomplish that, the Red Wings likely would have to beat Montreal tonight in Detroit and again Tuesday in Montreal.  Bob Duff has a story detailing why that path isn’t as easy as some analysts seem to believe it is.

Duff wrote another piece looking at the decision coach Derek Lalonde has about who to start in goal tonight against the Habs. Lyon has been the team’s No. 1 goalie, but Reimer battled and delivered a critical win against Toronto.

Do you start Reimer tonight and Lyon Tuesday? Or, do you start Lyon tonight? Reimer is 7-2 in his last nine decision. Duff’s story looks into whether the Red Wings have a goalie controversy at this late hour.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• A Detroit prospect has won a second NCAA championship. Tim Robinson has the details.
• Captain Dylan Larkin delivered the goal that saved Detroit’s season. The overtime tally against Toronto gives Detroit a reasonable chance of qualifying.
• Bob Duff explains the scenarios that land the Detroit Red Wings in a playoff spot for the first time since 2016.
• Paywall story: Tim Robinson wrote about prospect Axel Sandin Pellikka’s impressive season, noting that the young defenseman wouldn’t even be in the sport if his grandfather hadn’t intervened when he was young.  To subscribe, click here.Use the promo code kevin10 to get $10 off the yearly subscription price.

Red Wings Next Game

The Red Wings finish the season with a home-and-home series against the Montreal Canadiens. Tonight’s game is in Little Caesars Arena (7 p.m.). From a practical standpoint, Detroit must win both games and hope the Washington Capitals don’t earn four points. Washington, Philadelphia an Detroit are tied. Washington has the tiebreaker and Philadelphia only has one game left. If the Red Wings win both games, the Penguins are also not a factor.

Hockey Now Network

Chicago: The Chicago Blackhawks‘ fourth consecutive loss assures they will have the NHL’s second-best draft odds at 13.5%. The San Jose Sharks will have the best odds at 25%.

Colorado: What’s wrong with the Colorado Avalanche? They blow a 3-0 third period lead and fall to the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime.

Florida: Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson finds himself in a much better place than he was a year go. The move to the Florida Panthers has reinvigorated his career.

Montreal: Marc Dumont tells us what to expect for recently-signed prospect defenseman Lane Hutson. He can be a difference-maker for the Montreal Canadiens.

Philadelphia: In a paywall story, Jonathan Bailey writes that Travis Konecny’s shorthanded goal may have saved the Philadelphia Flyers‘ season.

Pittsburgh:  The Pittsburgh Penguins don’t have time to analyze what happened Saturday night. Their focus now has to be on winning their last two games.

The post The Daily: Red Wings Chances, ‘Hawks Odds, Lyon or Reimer? appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

People will tell you that on paper, the Detroit Red Wings are left with the easiest slate of games among the four teams competing for the second Eastern Conference wild card spot in the NHL playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Red Wings will quickly be reminding everyone that NHL games are decided on the ice, not on paper.

“We’ve got Montreal and that’s dangerous the way they’ve been going,” Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin was quick to point out.

"We need to show up and have our foot on the gas. That’s been the attitude.”

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 14, 2024

Out of the postseason picture, the Montreal Canadiens are merely playing spoiler down the stretch. And they’ve been doing plenty of spoiling.

Montreal is 5-4-2 over the past 11 games. By comparison, Detroit is 3-4-3 over the past 10 games. Washington is 3-5-2 and Philadelphia is 2-6-2. Two of those losses were dealt to the Flyers by the Canadiens.

Only Pittsburgh (7-1-2) can boast of a better run of late than the Canadiens among the four competitors for the eighth seed in the East.

Coucou c'est Cole

Cauf them off guard#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/AmLBiLpotL

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 14, 2024

The Wings know all about playing the spoiler. It’s been their role down the stretch over each of the past seven seasons. Playing free and clear of pressure is an entirely realm to the pressure-packed existence Detroit is currently living.

“We’ve been in that position that they’re in and it’s a whole different ballgame of what we’ve been playing, these playoff-style games,” Larkin said.

That element alone can make the Canadiens a very dangerous opponent.

Montreal Has Given Red Wings Fits

The two teams are meeting Monday at Little Caesars Arena, where the Canadiens have made themselves at home. Over the last 11 clashes at LCA between Detroit and Montreal, the Red Wings are 4-4-3. Detroit is 0-0-1 this season and 0-0-2 through the past two contests.

Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde’s gameplan for his club on Monday is to ignore the big picture and think small.

“Play the right way,” Lalonde said. “We can’t look at it as two games. It’s about that first period at home on Monday night, getting a good start.

“Our starts have been good of late. Stay composed, narrow our focus and that narrow focus will be our first period.”

The Red Wings have actually been faring better at Montreal against the Canadiens. They won 5-4 in overtime there in December and are 3-0-0 through the past three games at the Bell Center. However, Detroit is just 5-6 in the last 11 games at Montreal.

Red Wings Need Four Points

It was Meat Loaf who warbled that two out of three ain’t bad. However, in the case of the Red Wings and their playoff hopes, three out of four is the bare minimum requirement for survival.

Washington, Detroit and Philadelphia all have 87 points, one better than Pittsburgh. But the Capitals and Flyers clash in the season finale for both clubs. That guarantees one of those teams will be finishing the season with no less than 89 points.

Since the Red Wings lose the tiebreaker for the final playoff spot, they’ll have to get to no fewer than 90 points to hold a chance of qualification.

“We need four (points),” Larkin was expressing.

That being said, even going four-for-four over the next two games might not be enough for the Wings. If Washington and Detroit both win out, the Capitals and Red Wings will each have 91 points. But the tiebreaker goes the way of the Caps.

Bottom line, Detroit does require two wins and some help. And the Red Wings shouldn’t be counting on the Canadiens being helpful to their cause.

The post Red Wings Facing Tough Test In Canadiens appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Jean-Guy Talbot never would play in a Stanley Cup game with the Detroit Red Wings. In fact, the defenseman never saw action in a single playoff contest while wearing the Red Wings jersey.

Still, were it not for the Red Wings, Talbot wouldn’t be the standardbearer of a unique Stanley Cup standard.

The Canadiens are saddened to learn of the passing of Jean-Guy Talbot.

Our thoughts and sincere condolences go out to the Talbot family during this difficult time.https://t.co/cWCpRbljkU

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) February 23, 2024

Talbot, who died Friday at the age of 91, is best known as a Montreal Canadiens player, and rightly so. He won seven Stanley Cups skating for the Habs, including five in a row between 1955-56 and 1959-60. The first of those five came at expense of the Red Wings, as did his last win in 1965-66.

He’s among 12 players who performed in all five wins in that title streak, and that’s the record for most consecutive Stanley Cups won by a player.

Red Wings Gave Talbot Opportunity At Stanley Cup Mark

Talbot was on the losing side as Montreal was dropping the 1966-67 Stanley Cup final to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Montreal left him available in the 1967 expansion draft that would double the NHL in size from six to 12 teams. The Minnesota North Stars put in a claim for Talbot. However, Talbot would play just four games for the North Stars.

Minnesota would deal the veteran rearguard to Detroit with Dave Richardson for Bob McCord and Duke Harris. However, his Detroit tenure wasn’t going to last much longer. The Red Wings were languishing in the East Division basement, the Red Wings made the decision to place Talbot on NHL waivers. On Jan. 6, 1968, the St. Louis Blues were the team putting in a claim for Talbot.

#stlblues have picked up 35-year-old defenceman Jean-Guy Talbot on waivers from the #RedWings. Talbot had only been with the Wings for a few weeks after being traded to Detroit by the Minnesota North Stars, who drafted him from Montreal in last summer’s expansion draft. pic.twitter.com/75ganShCWs

— Hockey50Yearsago (@hockey50years) January 14, 2018

His entire Detroit tenure lasted all of 32 games. But the move to St. Louis would be proving fortuitous. Talbot would suit up for the Blues in Stanley Cup final losses to the Canadiens in 1967-68 and 1969-70. He was again on the losing side when Boston was sweeping St. Louis in the 1970 Cup final series.

Along with Jimmy Roberts, his teammate with the 1966-67 Canadiens and all three Blues teams, he shares the record for most consecutive losses in Stanley Cup finals.

The post Red Wings Gave Talbot Chance at Unusual Stanley Cup Mark appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Montreal Hockey Now’s Marc Dumont writes today that the Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes may end up being the third man in to help broker big deals for the March 8 deadline.

With plenty of  cap space available (more than $13 million in LTIR space), the Canadiens are in a position to take salary in a three-way deal. For example, Adam Henrique’s salary cap hit is $5.85 million. Montreal could help Anaheim move him.

“Adam Henrique is the last top-9 center available on the rental market that could realistically make a difference on a contending team,” Dumont writes. “But he comes at quite the price tag. Even if the Anaheim Ducks were to retain 50% of his salary, that would only reduce his cap hit to $2.912 million; a cost that many contending teams would be unable to fit on their roster without having to trade another player.”

The Habs can step in as the middle man, retaining another half of Henrique’s salary before moving him to his final destination. They could pick up a draft pick, or prospect, for their troubles. The Canadiens have one salary retention remaining they can use.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• Michael Rasmussen receives new four-year deal worth $12.8 million
• What the Red Wings rivals are looking to do before the NHL trade deadline,
• Gordie Howe’s last Red Wings jersey fetched almost $75,000 in an auction.

Red Wings Next Game

Red Wings play the Colorado Avalanche Thursday at Little Caesars Arena. Detroit is 12-4-2 since New Year’s Day. The Avalanche beat Vancouver 3-1 Tuesday. It was a mixed night for the Red Wings in the playoff race: the New Jersey Devils lost, but the New York Islanders won.

Hockey Now Network

Calgary: Trevor Neufeld explores the trends that have led to the Calgary Flames on-ice struggles.

Chicago: About Connor Bedard: “Not too often does an 18-year-old come in and have this kind of an impact.” Chicago Blackhawks

Florida: The Florida Panthers are the hottest team, and now they get Aaron Ekblad back on their defense.

Philadelphia: The Winnipeg Jets are scouting the Flyers closely. Jonathan Bailey has some ides about who the Philadelphia Flyers might want. The Jets want defensive help.

Pittsburgh: TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun says teams are interested in acquiring some Pittsburgh Penguins, even beyond Jake Guentzel. Reilly Smith is another target.

The post The Daily: Canadiens Can Help Broker Big Trades; Deadline Talk appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Game Facts

Who: Red Wings at Montreal

Where: Bell Centre, Montreal

When: 7 p.m.

TV/Radio: Bally Sports/97.1 FM

Records:  Red Wings 12-7-3, Canadiens 10-11-2.

What to Know

Dylan Larkin will be back in the lineup tonight after missing the back-to-back games with the Rangers and Blackhawks earlier in the week. The absence wasn’t due to injury, but due to the loss of their unborn child. Coach Derek Lalonde says his absence meant a mental adjustment of sorts.“The lineup looks so much different without Dylan,” he said. “It adds more minutes to some guys. Obviously, Dylan is our leading minutes guy, our No. 1 center and plays in every situation. You look at anytime he’s out and you can be successful it’s a positive. I thought most guys stepped up. J.T. Compher kind of playing that 1-C role last couple of games was obviously very good.”…

Jonatan Berggren was returned to AHL Grand Rapids and Antti Tuomisto was sent to ECHL Toledo on Friday. Tuomisto (No. 35 pick in 2019) had been out since early October due to an upper-body injury. …

The Canadiens will honor the Grey Cup champion Montreal Alouettes bef0re tonight’s game. The Alouettes beat a favored Winnipeg team for their first title since 2013. You can’t blame Wings fans for hoping for a similar celebration in, say, March or so. …

The Red Wings have been finding ways to work a three-goalie system this year. The Canadiens are in the same boat. Montreal coach Martin St.-Louis is hoping for a solution soon. …

The Red Wings have won four of their last five, and Robby Fabbri has scored in all five games. Compher says there has been a common thread in the Wings’ surge. “I think it’s been our competitiveness first. It’s been every game, it’s been consistent. That’s a big part of why we’re being successful. But also maturity. When we’re playing our structure correctly and playing fast, we’re a tough team to beat. We’re starting to see the results when we do it right for 60 minutes.”

The post Red Wings at Montreal: What to Know appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Montreal Hockey Now weighed in Wednesday with a story about which Montreal Canadiens trade target is likely to move first this season. The answer is Jake Allen, Samuel Montembeault and Sean Monahan in that order.

Those are also the players ranked on Chris Johnston’s NHL Trade Board for the Athletic.

That all makes sense because Montreal general manager Kent Hughes has three goalies on his roster and wants to move one. Allen has the best credentials, Montembeault the best contract ($1 million) and Cayden Primeau the best promise. Primeau is the son of former Red Wings player Keith Primeau. The young Primeau is only 24 and might be a good fit for a team that needs a younger goalie in the system.

It is mildly surprising that the Edmonton Oilers didn’t snag Allen and Montembeault just to change the look of their goaltending. They have won three in a row, but does anyone believe their goaltending is strong enough?

Monahan has 13 points in 22 games. More importantly, he’s only making $1.985 million. He could be an attractive third liner or a contending team.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• There’s no timetable for when Patrick Kane will play his first game for the Detroit Red Wings. There are only educated guesses.
• Here’s how the Red Wings lost 3-2 to the New York Rangers.
• Bob Duff looks at what Kane can deliver to Detroit’s offense this season.  Some players have issues coming back from hip surgeries.
• The NHL has always been fascinated by Kane’s playing style and competitiveness. He’s the classic story of a smaller player finding ways to succeed in a game where size and strength matter.

Red Wings Next Game

Quick turnaround for the Red Wings. They are home tonight to face the Chicago Blackhawks. Dylan Larkin is day to day and probably won’t play tonight.  The Blackhawks (7-13-0) have won two of their last three. This will be Detroit fans’ first time to see rookie sensation Connor Bedard in a regular-season game. He has lived up to his billing, producing 10 goals and 17 points in 20 games for a rebuilding team.

Hockey Now Network

Boston: Jimmy Murphy writes that there is no problem between goalie Jeremy Swayman and coach Jim Montgomery. Swayman was irked Monday when Montgomery pulled him in the midst of the Boston Bruins’ 5-2 loss to Columbus. But there is no lasting impact. Swayman will start tonight.

New Jersey: NJHN writer James Nichols offers that Akira Schmid should be the New Jersey Devils  goalie moving forward. Vitek Vanecek has been leaking oil for too long.

Nashville: The Nashville Predators have won six in a row. So why are talking about an official’s call on Filip Forsberg’s OT tally in their last game?

Philadelphia: Flyers draft pick Yegor Zavragin (87th overall in 2023) is turning heads with his goalie play in Russia this season. Philadelphia Flyers. 

Vegas: The Vegas Golden Knights announced that puck-moving defenseman Shea Theodore had successful surgery to repair an upper body injury. He will be out week to week.

The post The Daily: Who Is Traded First in Montreal?; Kane Start Date Unclear appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

It’s the eve of the first of two games against Atlantic Division opposition for the Detroit Red Wings. In Sweden, they are partaking in the NHL Global Series. It’s interesting to look back and see that two current Atlantic Division squads were originally setting the stage for these games.

In the spring of 1938, the Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens met in a nine-game exhibition series contested across England and France. They were the first NHL games ever played in Europe.

This time, Detroit will be facing the Ottawa Senators (Thursday) and Toronto Maple Leafs (Friday). These  games will count in the NHL standings. While that original series wasn’t part of the official NHL season, it’s always wise to remember where you came from. Without first embarking on those games, the league wouldn’t have moved on to today’s stage of regular-season games being contested in Europe.

On this day in 1938, the Red Wings and Canadiens kicked off a European hockey tour. Montreal topped Detroit 5-4 at Earl's Court pic.twitter.com/Dbql7uz5Ab

— Mike Commito (@mikecommito) April 21, 2017

Back then, Detroit was coming off successive Stanley Cup triumphs in 1935-36 and 1936-37, the first US-based NHL team ever to win back-to-back titles. But the 1937-38 campaign was one to forget. The Red Wings wound up missing the playoffs.

Montreal did qualify for postseason play, but the Canadiens were ousted in the opening round of playoff action by the eventual Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.

Red Wings vs Canadiens Series Hastily Announced

Shortly after Montreal’s elimination, there came word of plans formulating to send the Canadiens and Red Wings to play a series of games in England and France. First, there was a three-game tune up series contested in Nova Scotia of which the Canadiens took two of three games. Following those games, the teams were boarding the RMS Ausonia in Halifax, setting forth for Europe.

Arriving in London on April 19, 1938, ticket sales were brisk for the opening game of the tour on April 21. Some 8,000 fans packed into the rink in the London suburb of Earl’s Court on April 21 to watch the Canadiens win 5-4 on an overtime goal by Toe Blake.

After the 1937-38 NHL season the Red Wings and Canadiens held a nine-game exhibition tour of England and France. This is from an April 23, 1938 game in Brighton. https://t.co/2fXEJVGV3e pic.twitter.com/gPmRthSvrM

— SportsPaper (@SportsPaperInfo) June 20, 2018

Lucas Raymond is the lone Swede playing for the Red Wings in Sweden. There was a UK-born player on the 1938 tour. Montreal goalie Wilf Cude, a former Red Wing, was born in Barry, Wales. Prior to the first game of the series, local fans were presenting Cude with a wreath of leeks – probably not the best choice of flowers to be giving an NHL netminder.

The second game, played in Brighton, wound up 5-5 following a scorless OT period. Next, the teams traveled to Paris for three games. In the first-ever NHL game in France, Montreal won 10-8, despite a hat-trick from Detroit’s Hec Kilrea. Appropriately, the Flying Frenchmen won all three games in France.

Canadiens Were Winners

Returning to England to play four more games during the month of May, the teams split the four games. Detroit again hit for double digits in a 10-5 rout of Montreal at Brighton on May 8. Doug Young, Carl Liscombe and Mud Bruneteau each scored twice in the game in front of 8,500 fans.

Overall, the Canadiens were winners of the series by a 5-3-1 count. The players were receiving a paltry $250 each for their nine games of work.

“We’ve had a successful and enjoyable trip,” Canadiens coach Cecil Hart told the Montreal Gazette. “The boys played wonderful hockey and I’m sure they’ve sold the professional game in a big way to British and French fans.”

Nonetheless, another 21 years would be passing before the next NHL venture into Europe. In 1959, the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers contested a European exhibition series.

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