Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings should sign Dylan Larkin for as long as possible...

The Athletic’s Craig Custance provided a detailed breakdown of Larkin’s contract with the Red Wings as an RFA, a read that’s easily worth your time. Every indication is that the negotiations have been healthy, including this quote from Larkin following the end of Detroit’s 2017-18 season.

“It’s got to make sense for the team as well as myself,” Larkin said. “I don’t want to be a burden on the cap or for the team. I really want to do something that — obviously it’s my future, when I want to have a family later in life, it’s something that can be pretty significant — but I also want to win and I want to be on a team that can have good players and can be competitive.”

Sure, there’s always a chance that this is Classic Lip Service, yet quotes like these just as often do portend a player who wants to find a compromise everyone can live with.

Custance also compares Larkin to Draisaitl (sub required), rightly noting that it would be risky for the Red Wings to assume that Larkin could make the leap to be the 70-point player Draisaitl’s been during the past two seasons. After all, Larkin scored 63 points in 2017-18, easily the best output of his also-very-young career.

If I were in Ken Holland’s shoes, I would have approached the free agent summer totally differently, I’d sign Larkin for as long as possible, even if it meant rolling the dice a bit when it comes to AAV.

I mean, sure, it’s enticing to try to land a big bargain. David Pastrnak, one of Custance’s comparables, looks like a serious bargain for Boston at his deal-with-the-devil $6.66M. Matt Cane’s remarkably accurate contract estimates call for Larkin to land six years at a $6.32M clip, which is the sort of situation that can make bargain-hunters salivate.

And, no doubt, the Red Wings could use some wins. Just check the scary money and term for Frans Nielsen, Justin Abdelkader, Darren Helm, and Danny DeKeyser if you need a reason to cringe.

A Larkin contract shouldn’t be about all of that, as ideally, his term would far outlast even Holland’s worst opuses.

One more intriguing comparison

While Larkin doesn’t boast the exact same ceiling, the Red Wings could luck into a sweet, sweet deal like the Colorado Avalanche did with their lightning-fast center Nathan MacKinnon.

The Avalanche signed MacKinnon in July 2016, when he was coming off of a 52-point season, and he followed it up with a modest 53 points. But after almost winning a Hart Trophy via a brilliant 39-goal, 97-point season, the 22-year-old’s $6.3M cap hit through 2022-23 stands as arguably the best steal in the NHL. Things are looking up for Colorado right now, yet eventually GM Joe Sakic should be judged by whether or not he can leverage that jaw-dropping bargain to greater success.

Speed isn’t the only area where MacKinnon and Larkin share some fascinating similarities, either.

MacKinnon had long been a low-percentage shooter before 2017-18, hitting a low point of 6.4 percent in 2016-17. That changed last season, playing some role in his leap from “very good” to “one of the best.”

What if Larkin can parallel MacKinnon in the near future? He only scored 16 goals this past season, but Larkin connected at just a 6.9 shooting percentage (232 SOG in 82 games). Like MacKinnon, Larkin’s career has been a bit on the quantity over quality side, as his career average is just 8.9 percent.

The nightmare scenario is that he simply lacks shooting talent, yet the ideal one is that a spike is looming. Sometimes people get a little too wrapped up in believing that every prospect simply hasn’t unlocked some fleeting potential, but that’s a lot more reasonable in a guy who’s a) already produced, b) will turn just 22 on July 30, and c) probably has, at times, tried to do too much on bad teams. (NBC Sports)

 

Lock him up Kenny!

 

Yes... You tell him!

He don't listen to me!

(good thing too, lol)

 

Chelios leaving Red Wings to spend more time with family
Hall of Famer had worked for Detroit since retiring as player in 2010...



Chris Chelios is leaving his role as ambassador of the Detroit Red Wings to be closer to his family in Chicago, he announced Thursday.

"I would like to thank everyone in the Red Wings organization, starting with the Ilitch family -- Mrs. Ilitch, Chris Ilitch, and, of course, the late Mr. (Ilitch)," Chelios said in a statement. "There's a reason the Red Wings are so revered around the National Hockey League, and it starts at the top with ownership. The Ilitch family's dedication and passion for both the Red Wings and the city of Detroit is second-to-none.

"I would also like to personally thank (general manager) Ken Holland for everything he has done for me. I've learned so much from him, both as a player and during my time on the management side. Ken is a world-class general manager and he's an even better friend and mentor. I have no doubt the Red Wings will be Stanley Cup contenders again in the near future."

Chelios played for the Red Wings from 1999-2009 and helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2002 and 2008. He retired in 2010 and was an assistant coach from 2014-16.

A former defenseman, Chelios, 56, had 948 points (185 goals, 763 assists) in 1,651 regular-season games and 144 points (31 goals, 113 assists) in 266 Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, Red Wings and Atlanta Thrashers.

 

Just saw that article on Detroit’s draft. Wings and Islanders both seem to have had great drafts. I despise the notion of grading drafts within the first few years, time will tell.

 

I agree with you on the grading, but I guess they need to pass judgment now in order to evaluate.

It was a great draft comparatively, Islanders as well, but like you said, time will tell.

I like the size addition of a few players recently... some of these kids are in the neighborhood of 6'5" with skills... I think that's a healthy way to go. The game seems to be transitioning to smaller, faster, skilled guys at the same time... I guess a good mix is always a good thing as far as chemistry goes. Its nice to roll out a line a speed and fines and protect leads with big grinders also. Teams need in order to be successful, the best of both worlds these days.

Cant wait to see the development of Zadina, Rassmussen and Svetchnikov… hope this really works out and quickly as possible.

 

Larkin making progress on contract with Red Wings: report
Restricted free agent forward led Detroit in points last season...

Dylan Larkin is making progress on a contract with the Detroit Red Wings, The Athletic reported Friday.

The 21-year-old restricted free agent forward played the final season of his three-year, entry-level contract last season.

"It's coming together," Larkin told the website. "Maybe something pretty soon. It goes back and forth. I've learned the business part of it. Between free agency and the draft and everything, it's tough to get time to talk for my agent and [general manager Ken Holland]. That's part of summer and part of how it goes."

Larkin led the Red Wings with 63 points (16 goals, 47 assists) and 232 shots on goal last season, his NHL career high in each category.

Selected by Detroit with the No. 15 pick of the 2014 NHL Draft, Larkin has 140 points (56 goals, 84 assists) in 242 games. He played 82 games last season and has missed four games in his three seasons. Larkin has one goal in five Stanley Cup Playoff games. (NHL.com)

 

Zetterberg hasn't told Red Wings if he's playing: report
Blashill says forward's status this season unknown because of back problems...



Henrik Zetterberg has not determined if he will continue his NHL career, Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill told the Detroit Free Press on Sunday.

"At this point I haven't heard anything from Henrik to say that he is or is not playing," Blashill said. "The biggest thing with Henrik is, how healthy is Henrik? I know he spent the whole second half of last season not practicing because of his back. He ground it out because he is the ultimate warrior, one of the best I have ever been around, and was able to still be a real good player. But that continues to take a wear and tear on your body. So I think he is in the process of deliberating to see where is his back at. And only Henrik can answer that and it will be answered I am sure come (training) camp time."

Speculation this offseason has cast doubt over Zetterberg's return for a 16th NHL season. The 37-year-old forward has a lingering back problem but hasn't missed a game in the past three seasons.

His back was healthy enough for him to get in a round of golf at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeen, Scotland, along with Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson and Red Wings director of player development Dan Cleary. Karlsson posted a picture of their group to his Instagram account July 10.

General manager Ken Holland had told the Red Wings website July 1 that he expects Zetterberg to play this season.

"The last I talked to him, I think he's planning on playing," Holland said. "Obviously his back is going to determine whether he can or he can't. Do I have a clear green light? I'm expecting him to play. Do I have a clear green light? No, I don't know that I've got a clear green light." (NHL.com)

 

Summer summary: Detroit still seems a bit stuck in purgatory, adding veterans (Thomas Vanek and Jonathan Bernier) you’d expect more of a contender to seek. There’s still a vibe of “one foot in, one foot out” when it comes to a should-be rebuild.

At least they seemed to get the 2018 NHL Draft very, very right, though. Filip Zadina fell to them at the sixth pick, and Joe Veleno going 30th seemed to be a potential steal, too. You never know how college-age players will actually turn out, but these prospects seem quite promising. Getting those picks right matters a lot more than minor free agent signings.

More to do?: The Red Wings signed reasonable bridge deals with Anthony Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou, but Dylan Larkin is still an RFA. PHT’s advice is for the Red Wings to sign Larkin for as long as possible.

That’s about it, unless the Red Wings can convince other teams to take some of their bad contracts.

Where they stand: They seem slated to be mediocre, but will they be bad enough? Because they’re better off being really bad and landing another premium prospect. Oh yeah, and they should also try to get rid of bad contracts. (NBC PRO HOCKEY TALK)

 

Happy 93rd Terrible Ted! (Lindsay)

 

DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings today re-signed center Dylan Larkin to a five-year contract.



Larkin, 22, skated in his third NHL season in 2017-18 and nearly doubled his point total from the year prior by producing a team-best 63 points (16-47-63) in 82 games after 32 points (17-15-32) over 80 games in 2016-17. He became the fifth-youngest player in franchise history to lead the team in scoring, trailing only Steve Yzerman (18 years and 10 months in 1983-84), Mark Osborne (20 years and seven months in 1981-82), Marcel Dionne (20 years and seven months in 1971-72) and Dale McCourt (21 year and two months in 1977-78). The Waterford, Mich., native also ranked among Red Wings leaders with 82 games played (T1st), 16 goals (T3rd), 47 assists (1st), 61 penalty minutes (3rd), eight power-play points (T8th), two shorthanded goals (T1st), four game-winning goals (T1st), 232 shots on goal (1st), 19:50 average time on ice (4th, and most among the team's forwards) and 56 takeaways (1st). He reached a pair of milestones in 2017-18, tallying 100 career points on Dec. 2 at Montreal and skating in his 200th NHL game on Jan. 5 vs. Florida.



Originally drafted by the Red Wings in the first round (15th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Larkin has appeared in 242 games with Detroit since 2015-16, registering 140 points (56-84-140), which is tied for fourth-most among his draft class. He debuted for Detroit at age 19, making him the first teenager to play in the team's opening-night lineup since Mike Sillinger in 1990-91. During his rookie campaign in 2015-16, Larkin was named to the NHL All-Star Game and set the NHL's fastest skater record during the Skills Competition, posting a lap time of 13.172 seconds to break Mike Gartner's 20-year-old record. Internationally, Larkin has represented the United States on four occasions at the IIHF World Championship, most recently earning bronze while serving as an alternate captain at the 2018 IIHF World Championship in Denmark. He also skated for Team North America at the 2016 World Cup.



Prior to his professional career, Larkin spent two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2012-14 prior to spending one season at the University of Michigan in 2014-15. He was named the Big Ten Rookie of the Year while earning a spot on the conference's First All-Star Team after producing 47 points (15-32-47) in 35 games for the Wolverines. Larkin also scored five goals at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship to lead the tournament in goals. He went on to sign with the Red Wings and make his professional debut with the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins during their postseason run, picking up five points (3-2-5) in six games.

 

those kids must be pissed that this street hockey fest is hosted by a tv personality and a marketing dude. 0 Wings players.

 

STOCKHOLM -- Niklas Kronwall said this season could be his last in the NHL.

The Detroit Red Wings defenseman, 37, is entering the final season of a seven-year contract extension he signed Oct. 31, 2011, with an NHL salary cap charge of $4.75 million. He said there have been no talks with the Red Wings regarding an extension.

"If this happens to be the end of the road, I would be more than happy with the journey that I've had and more than thankful to the Ilitch family and (general manager) Kenny Holland for giving me the opportunity that I have for being able to be with the same team for my entire career," Kronwall, a veteran of 14 NHL seasons, said this week during the NHL European Player Media Tour. "We'll see what happens.

"I've been fortunate enough to play in Detroit all these years and I have a tough time seeing myself in a different jersey."

Kronwall, selected by the Red Wings in the first round (No. 29) of the 2000 NHL Draft, has 405 points (80 goals, 325 assists) in 874 NHL games, all with Detroit.

He is 13th in Red Wings history in games played, 11th in assists and 20th in points.Kronwall, who had 27 points (four goals, 23 assists) in 79 games last season, said he's confident he can overcome chronic knee issues to contribute this season but is uncertain of his future beyond that.

"I love the game," he said. "I can't say enough good things about it. But at the same time you have to be realistic.

"I know where I'm at right now. A year from now I don't know where I'll be at. I'd love to sign [for] another year but let's face it. The team's getting younger. I'm getting older. The game's getting faster. I'm not the same player I was 10 years ago. But I'm going to do what I can this year both on the ice and off the ice. And just try to be as efficient as I possibly can."

The Red Wings reached the playoffs in each of Kronwall's first 12 seasons but have failed to qualify the past two. He helped Detroit win the Stanley Cup in 2008. (NHL.com)

 

More unfortunate news on Zetterberg's health, as it appears more likely by the day that the 37-year-old will miss the entire upcoming season. Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill also said that if Zetterberg is unable to suit up, Andreas Athanasiou will slot into the third-line center role behind Dylan Larkin and Frans Nielsen. Zetterberg's health situation is certainly something that will be closely monitored heading into training camp.

This sucks...

 

Two weekends ago I was discussing Zetterberg and his back with a friend of mine who is a Wings fan. It’s looking more like he will just simply retire very soon.

 

I think your right... he's had a good career and bad backs just don't work in todays NHL especially when he's been around the block a few times.

Oh well, creates another roster spot for a youngster or FA...

 

Zetterberg Talks to Swedish Newspaper: “I Will Miss Camp and the Start of the Season”...

“I haven’t been able to practice as usual during summer, so I will miss camp and the start of the season”

“At the moment I am doing rehab here in Detroit”

“It is nothing good with my back, since the operation I made back in 2014 after the Olympics it has been problems”

It really started to hurt during last season, I felt sometime during February that not everything was okay. We made the decision that I would stop practicing and only play the games, thats how I managed to finish the season”

 

Zetterberg expected to attend Red Wings training camp, won't skate
Detroit hopeful center who has back injury can play this season...

"Part of me hopes that he sees some doctors now and they can come up with some solutions and that we get him to training camp or train the way he wants to and then just be ready whenever that is," defenseman Niklas Kronwall, who has been Zetterberg's teammate since 2003-04, told the Red Wings website Thursday.

The 37-year-old center previously said he would miss training camp and the start of the regular season.

"I've only been able to rehab, but no training. I tried, but the pain made it impossible," Zetterberg told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet on Aug. 28. "The tricks I used to dampen the pain in previous summers did not help this time. ... I've not been able to train properly, and I can't play NHL games without being well-prepared, especially not at my age."

Zetterberg, who has been Detroit's captain since the 2012-13 season, was second on the Red Wings with 56 points (11 goals, 45 assists) in 82 games last season, behind forward Dylan Larkin's 63 (16 goals, 47 assists).

"Obviously he struggled training and hasn't felt his back is where it needs to be to be able to play," forward Gustav Nyquist said. "It's got to be a lot of wear and tear and it's impressive what he's done to play all these games."

Zetterberg, who was selected by Detroit in the seventh round (No. 210) of the 1999 NHL Draft, is fifth in goals (337), assists (623) and points (960) in Red Wings history. He has three seasons remaining on a 12-year contract signed Jan. 28, 2009.

"He's been a leader on and off the ice," forward Justin Abdelkader said. "He's not a guy you can just replace."

After having back surgery Feb. 21, 2014, Zetterberg played 77 games in 2014-15 and has played all 82 games the past three seasons. (NHL.com)