Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings' Tomas Jurco out minimum 10-14 days; Stephen Weiss, Darren Helm not ready to skate yet.

 

Ansar Khan, mlive...

DETROIT ? Unlike many young European players, Teemu Pulkkinen doesn?t need to be told to shoot the puck.

The Detroit Red Wings hope he?ll get some opportunities to unleash his wicked shot on Friday, when he?ll make his NHL debut against the Edmonton Oilers at Joe Louis Arena (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit).

The club recalled Pulkkinen Wednesday from the Grand Rapids Griffins, after rookie Tomas Jurco suffered a rib injury in Tuesday?s 4-1 loss at Columbus when he was cross-checked by Blake Comeau (who was suspended for two games for boarding Brendan Smith). Jurco is out at least 10-to-14 days.

Pulkkinen leads the Griffins with 26 goals and 51 points in 60 games.

This is the first full AHL season for the right-handed shooting, Finnish-born Pulkkinen, who the Red Wings selected in the fourth round of the 2010 entry draft (111th overall).

?As guys got called up from Grand Rapids to Detroit, he became the go-to guy,? Red Wings director of player development Jiri Fischer said. ?Every game he plays, he is dangerous. Every team Grand Rapids plays against, they talk about him in their pre-game meetings.

?He?s got a very dangerous shot; he?s got a lot of confidence to shoot the puck. Now, off the rush, he?s not afraid to challenge defensemen one-on-one.?

Pulkkinen practiced with the Red Wings? non-Olympians for a few days during the break. He took the pregame warm-ups last Thursday against Colorado but scratched for the game.

?I like offensive game, try to make plays and shoot the puck,? Pulkkinen said last month.

Pulkkinen did not make a quick adjustment to the North American game last season, when he was a frequent scratch in the playoffs during the Griffins? run to the Calder Cup championship.

His stock has soared this season.

?This year when he showed up, he was on a mission,? Fischer said.

Pulkkinen gained fame for his shot, but he can also set up teammates. He set the rookie assist record in the Finnish Elite League in 2010-11 with Jokerit (36).

After totaling 54 points in 55 games as a rookie in the Finnish League, Pulkkinen?s production tailed off; he posted 37 and 34 points in each of the next two seasons.

?I believe he thought it was going to be easier for him to get better,? Fischer said. ?Last year he started to work a little bit harder. He showed up in our development camp and he won the treadmill test. He showed up in great shape.?

Pulkkinen lasted only one shift in his lone preseason game, Sept. 17 at Chicago. He was ejected after boarding Michael Kostka at 2:16 of the first period. It resulted in a four-game suspension for the preseason.

 

I hear Jurco's rib is actually broke. Might be back in 10 days, might take a month.

So far today, there are no other injuries to report.

Stand By...

 

Feb 26 @MON 7:30 PM......W/OT 2-1 (27-20-12) #2 Wildcard
Feb 27 @OTT 7:30 PM.......W 6-1 (28-20-12) #2 Wildcard
Mar 4 @NJ 7:00 PM..........L 4-3 (28-21-12) Dropped out of the Wild card to CLB by 1 point.
Mar 6 COL 7:30 PM..........L/OT 3-2 (28-21-13) Regained #2 Wild card with 69 pts; CLB-69 pts.
Mar 7 NJ 7:30 PM.............W 7-4 (29-21-13) 71 pts
Mar 9 @NYR 7:30 PM........L 3-0 (29-22-13) CLB reclaims last playoff spot.
Mar 11 @CLB 7:00 PM........L 4-1 (29-23-13) #%$&@$!!!
Mar 14 EDM 7:30 PM.........W/SO 2-1 (30-23-13) 73 pts
Mar 16 @CHI 7:30 PM
Mar 18 TOR 7:30 PM
Mar 20 PIT 7:30 PM
Mar 22 @MIN 2:00 PM
Mar 23 MIN 7:30 PM

 

Todd Bertuzzi out tonight with a LBI. Jordan Tootoo called up to face the Blackhawks.

 

Feb 26 @MON 7:30 PM......W/OT 2-1 (27-20-12) #2 Wildcard
Feb 27 @OTT 7:30 PM.......W 6-1 (28-20-12) #2 Wildcard
Mar 4 @NJ 7:00 PM..........L 4-3 (28-21-12) Dropped out of the Wild card to CLB by 1 point.
Mar 6 COL 7:30 PM..........L/OT 3-2 (28-21-13) Regained #2 Wild card with 69 pts; CLB-69 pts.
Mar 7 NJ 7:30 PM.............W 7-4 (29-21-13) 71 pts
Mar 9 @NYR 7:30 PM........L 3-0 (29-22-13) CLB reclaims last playoff spot.
Mar 11 @CLB 7:00 PM........L 4-1 (29-23-13) #%$&@$!!!
Mar 14 EDM 7:30 PM.........W/SO 2-1 (30-23-13) 73 pts
Mar 16 @CHI 7:30 PM .......L 4-1 (30-24-13) Im going to cry...
Mar 18 TOR 7:30 PM
Mar 20 PIT 7:30 PM
Mar 22 @MIN 2:00 PM
Mar 23 MIN 7:30 PM

 

Detroit played a pretty good game I tonight I thought. Unfortunately Babcock used a plan better suited for last year's Hawks instead of the last month's Hawks. Letting them have all that space in the zone was a mistake with the way they had been passing. A few bad screwups late in the game, but I don't think the wings are out of it if they stick to their assignments that well the rest of the way. Babs too busy fixing his team instead of looking at this opponent. Can't blame him with an out of conference matchup.

 

Ansar Khan, mlive...

When it rains... Go Wings!

 

thats a decent line.

 

Detroit when through a stretch of injuries just like this not too long ago Kenny?

More than 200 games lost to the 30+ crowd.

 

and now ericsson breaks a finger

 

Cutter going to IR with a broken heart.

 

The Ericsson injury really sucks.

 

Have you every seen anything like this, Bob? You've been around the game a while, it seems to me to be the worst I can remember, at least as far as the Wings go. Its been all season long. I thought maybe it was just a lousy set back or phase the team was going through in the beginning, and that it would eventually get better, at least they would have some better luck...that hasnt happened.

 

Yes, quite a few times. It just stands out more with Detroit because of the profile of Zetterberg and Datsyuk. Expectations and engaged media (they aren't ignored like many clubs) also contribute to the perception. It's bad, without a doubt, I just don't find it that unique, even at a positions.
Florida's situation last year was much worse (like detroit, related to roster construction). Hawks 07' Col 11', Pit 14', NYI (a few times), CLB (a few times) and a number of other teams stand out as having had it as bad or much worse in recent years.

 

I'm talking about teams with massive amounts of games lost to top 4/top9 types and/or massive numbers of games lost and a pile of players lost at the same position. Certain coaches seem to have had bunch of teams with that kind of "bad luck" too, but they also get players to play when they should be sitting (fear) and that can skew the numbers. Carlyle, Keenan, Sutters, and some of my other 'favs'.

 

http://www.freep.com/article/20140318/NEWS05/303180026/Joe-Louis-Arena
Wow, Ilitch holdings really raking in the bucks and sticking it to the city on this one.

The state pays for the demolition and the new lease is retroactive to 2010...nice local government that they have there. How fucked up is that area? Are they that scared that Ilitch will pull out of town or are the palms just that well greased? This is just as slimy as Florida's new requests. Good for Ilitch holdings. Hate the playas not the game...wait, I mean the opposite.

 

Eriksson had surgery on his finger today. Out, 4-6 weeks.

 

Interesting... I kinda thought Pittsburgh would be up there, forgot about Florida. I kept thinking and hoping this was going to pass...thought maybe it was just fluky. Its gone way passed that now.