Nicklas Lidstrom: The Perfect Human

Tonight, Nicklas Lidstrom will officially be a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. A 3rd round draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings, he is arguably the best defenseman to ever play the game. Breaking into the league in 1991 and playing until 2012, Lidstrom never missed the playoffs in his entire 20 season career. How many guys get to say that? Racking up seven Norris Trophies for the leagues best defenseman, winning 4 Stanley Cups in six Finals appearances, and is also a member of the Triple Gold club. Lidstrom put up 1,142 points in 1,564 NHL games, and missing only 42 games in his entire career. His durability is in large part due to the fact he was never a physical guy. He didn't have to be. He saw the game in a way few others did. Using his stick in ways few others could, knew how to make a perfect breakout pass, and was always in perfect position. 

Lidstrom was a huge part in turning the Red Wings franchise around. Part of the core that got the franchise out of the "Dead Wings" era. A 3rd round pick in 1989 in what may be the best drafting an NHL team has ever done with the likes of Sergei Fedorov, Vladimir Konstintinov, Mike Sillinger, and Bob Boughner being drafted by the Wings in the same draft. His biggest knock was his strength. 

After playing in Sweden for a couple years, the Wings brought him over in 1991 and they never looked back. Starting what is currently the longest active playoff streak in all 4 of the major professional sports at 24 consecutive seasons, Lidstrom never got a chance to enjoy a long offseason although I'm sure he wouldn't complain. 

The key to Lidstrom was his positioning. The way he used his stick and the boards to cut the opposition from creating an offensive attack is something that may never be done again. He was never out of position, go ahead, try and find a time he was, you'll be looking forever. He never got himself caught up ice and never put himself in a vulnerable position. 

Not only was Lidstrom great defensively, he was pretty darn good in the offensive zone as well. Him and Tomas Holmstrom made up some of the most frustrating and annoying times for opponents. With Lidstrom's shot and Holmstrom's ability to screen the goalie and deflect shots in a way that hasn't been duplicated since made up one of the deadliest power plays in the NHL.

When Lidstrom decided to retire in 2012, it ended an era. His accomplishments speak for themselves. He did just about everything a hockey player can possibly do. Winning championships internationally and in the NHL. Winning multiple individual awards, being named captain and also the first European born NHL player to win the Stanley Cup as captain in 2008, he was also one of the best players on and off the ice the NHL has ever seen. As if having his jersey retired in March of 2014 wasn't enough, he will now be a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame officially marking the end of  a career the only way a guy with the nickname of "The Perfect Human" could end: Perfectly. 

Red Wings Shuffle Lines

Coach Jeff Blashill after 3 straight losses and a couple bad performances, has shuffled the lines a bit. 

According to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, GM Ken Holland said Brad Richards is out with an upper-body injury and is headed back to Detroit for tests. While Defenseman Jakub Kindl is a healthy scratch and Brendan Smith will replace him. Kindl really didn't look good against the Oilers so this was expected. Hopefully these changes can spark this Wings team as they take on the Calgary Flames at 9:00pm tonight. 

Wings fan reaction (WFR) videos!

If you have a couple minutes and would like to check out some Red Wings related videos, check out my YouTube page! I'm doing Red Wings fan reaction videos after every game and will also be doing videos on any NHL topic that may come up during the season. Give me some feedback and I will do anything to make the videos better! 

Here is a link to the most recent video from the game against Edmonton:  https://youtu.be/T8DRrE9VgNs

Thank you! 

10 Random NHL Thoughts.

I think I'm going to make this a weekly thing, I'm not sure. But here are 10 random, possibly (probably) dumb thoughts on topics in the NHL. 

1. The Columbus Blue Jackets who are now 0-8-0 made a panic move and fired coach Todd Richards and replaced him with John Torterella. Who apparently benched star Ryan Johansen in his first game as coach. Oh, and they lost. Great start. 

2. The Anaheim Ducks who were favored by many to win the Stanley Cup, are now playing so badly, they are considering a coaching change. Potential Randy Carlyle reunion anyone? 

3. The Dallas Stars are doing exactly what most people thought they would do last year. Dominating. I pray for the opposing goalie who has to play against Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. 

4.  The LA Kings are actually out scoring the Anaheim Ducks. I'm not kidding. 

5. I think the Habs forgot how to lose games. At a pretty nice 7-0-0 record they are the best team in the NHL. Oh, Carey Price is still really good too. 

6. Crosby went 5 games without a point and the hockey world went into a frenzy. Crosby then puts up a 3 point night and all is right in the world. 

7. Blake Wheeler is leading the Jets in scoring. Another top 10 draft pick the Bruins traded away. I guess to be good in the NHL, just hope the Bruins pick you in the top 10 and trade you. Works every time.

8. Ovechkin has scored 3 goals in 3 games. I guess he really can score goals in his sleep.... I'll see myself out. 

9. The Avs continue to struggle and they do have a nice little verteran with the last name Iginla who hasn't won a cup. Free up some cap space Ducks... 

10. The Chicago Blackhawks continue to find ways to replace traded talent. Artemi Panarin leads all NHL rookies in points with 7. A KHL signee, too. 

Red Wings- 3 Hurricanes- 5

(Photo from mlive.com) 

The Carolina Hurricanes defeat the Detrot Red Wings 5-3 for the Wings first loss of the season. This game can be summed up with one word: karma. The result of this game is basically what the result of last Saturday's game should have been. 

For the second time in consecutive meetings the Hurricanes just flat out outplayed the Wings. 55 seconds in, Hurricanes rookie Brock McGinn in his first career NHL game gets his first career NHL goal after getting his own rebound and putting it past Jimmy Howard. 

The Canes would eventually jump out to a 3-0 lead early in the second until the Wings (just like last Saturday) score two quick ones to make it 3-2 and put them right back in the game. The jolt of energy the Wings got from those goals just didn't really hold up and they eventually would lose 5-3. 

All night the Red Wings defense was soft, and out of position. Howard gave up a few rebounds that he probably shouldn't have but the D was just no where to he found. Brenden Smith had a terrible game as he just didn't look like he knew what he was doing out there. All and all a lackluster effort from the Wings gave them the result they probably deserved. Chalk it up to them potentially not taking the Canes very serious and looking past them to the Montreal Canadiens who are 5-0 for the first time in their long, historic franchise history. As stated above, the next taste of Wings action is tonight against the undefeated Canadiens at 7:00 pm. 

Franzen placed on short term IR

GM Ken Holland announced today that forward Johan Franzen has been placed on short term IR with post concussion symptoms. Franzen who has suffered at least 3 concussions during his playing career has been limited the last two seasons due to concussion issues. Last season Franzen talked about how bad his symptoms were saying that he would sleep 16-20 hours and his headaches were so bad he couldn't even play with his children. 

While this move now creates a roster spot for Darren Helm who is now doubtful for the weekend, it puts Franzen's career in a bit of doubt. Head injuries are a major topic these days and rightfully so. Franzen has said he wants his career to end on his terms. Who knows what this means for his future but hopefully this isn't how it ends for the Wings forward. Wings fans are certainly pulling for you, Mule. 

Who Wins the Calder Trophy?

In a year where it looks like the phrase "young mans game" really looks like it's coming into full effect with the likes of Buffalo's Jack Eichel, Edmonton's Connor McDavid, Detroit's Dylan Larkin and more taking the league by storm, the race for the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year may end up closer than ever before. Here are the cases for some of the leagues best rookies. 

Connor McDavid (EDM): Most likely everyone's odds on early favorite, McDavid although pointless in his first two games, McDavid has had an alright start. He's been one of Edmontons best players, he's show he has a high hockey IQ, and good speed. He's a bit weak in the face off department but that's something he can work on. As long as he continues to play as hard as he has in the first couple games, the points will eventually follow.

Jack Eichel (BUF): Most people's early choice for runner up, Eichel has been very impressive early on. He scored his first career goal in his first career game going top shelf and showing his shooting ability. His second goal was more of the same. Eichel's speed and shooting ability is certainly a deadly combination that can very easily get him some hardware.

Dylan Larkin (DET): A guy that wasn't expected to even be in the NHL this season, Larkin impressed so much in camp and preseason that the Wings management had no choice but to keep him on the NHL roster. So far, he hasn't disappointed. With two points in his NHL debut (a pretty nifty goal too) Larkin has 3 points in 2 games and leads the NHL in plus minus being a +6. Playing with the likes of Henrik Zetterberg can certainly give him an edge. He's shown his playmaking ability, speed, and the way the puck just seems to follow him around make a pretty good case for the Calder. 

Atremi Panarin (CHI): Another guy that not many expected to be in this conversation, Panarin has gotten off to an incredibly hot start. With 2 goals and 2 assists in 3 games, Panarin has shown the skill set he has. Having played in the KHL for 5 years where he put up good numbers, GM Stan Bowman was able to get him in a 2 year entry level deal. At 23 years of age he's a bit older than most rookies so maybe that also gives him a bit of an edge. Oh, and playing with that Patrick Kane guy helps too. 

I'm sure there are some guys I missed. Who do you think will win the Calder? Who do you think will even be in the race?

Helms Inevitable Return, Means Big Decisions Ahead

Red Wings forward Darren Helm looks as if he is ready to return to the lineup as in practice today, he is wearing a white jersey instead of a gray one (usually worn by the scratches). While great news for the Wings based on what he can bring to  the table, it also means that for him to play, they need to clear a roster spot. With the likes of Teemu Pulkkinen, Tomas  Jurco, Landon Ferraro, and Jokiam Andersson all needing to be put on waivers to be sent down, the Wings have a big decision to make very soon. They will either have to try and trade someone, or expose them to waivers and risk losing them for nothing. Who stays, who goes?

Teemu Pulkkinen: Pulkkinen who made his NHL debut last season and played decently well, was a guy that GM Ken Holland said would for sure be on the NHL roster come the beginning of the season. So far, Pulkkinen has 2 goals on the year which both came against Carolina. His goal scoring ability is his biggest strength. He has an incredible shot and certainly doesn't pass up a chance to shoot the puck. With his massive offensive potential, the Wings really should keep him and they probably will. 

Landon Ferraro: Son of NHL analyst Ray Ferraro, Landon is a great asset to have. His speed and defensive ability are his biggest strengths. Landon last year was on the NHL roster for a few games after being exposed to waivers and going unclaimed and played the entire series against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the playoffs. With his speed and defensive capabilities, the Wings shouldn't test waivers again for him. He would probably be picked up this time.

Joakim Andersson: Andersson really had his best season in 2013 when he played with Gus Nyquist and Damien Brunner. Since then he hasn't been quite as good but is still a very serviceable player. More of a defensive type, and a strong penalty killer, Andersson is another player the Red Wings should keep if they can.

Tomas Jurco: Quite possibly the guy on this list who people had the highest hopes for. A former 2nd round pick in 2011, Jurco was once thought to be a great offensive prospect. So far, his talent hasn't translated to the NHL very well. Last season he spent a lot of time in Babcocks' dog house and played only 36 games while putting up 15 points. Many believed that bringing Blashill in meant a chance for Jurco to get his game going with a fresh start yet he's been a healthy scratch for both games so far and it looks like that is going to continue. He most likely would be picked up on waivers so trade would be the better scenario but what value could the Wings get on the trade market for Jurco? If someone has to go, it should be Jurco. 

Red Wings- 4 Hurricanes- 3

In the second game of the season and the second of a back to back (the first of many back to backs this month alone) the Red Wings beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in a game that on paper, you'd expect them to win. But, while the game was going? No. Just no. The Wings put up a measly 2 shots in the first period and were outshot 34-8 through 2 periods, which quickly turned this game into the Petr Mrazek show.

Someway somehow though, the Wings found a way to win in a game they had no business winning. Zetterberg, Abdelkader, and Teemu Pulkkinen were the goal scorers for Detroit with Pulkkinen getting a pair. 

Goaltender Petr Mrazek made 44 saves and stole this one for Detroit. He kept the Hurricanes off the board in the first period surviving an onslaught and a barrage of shots. 

Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg opened the scoring early in the 2nd on a nifty pass from Dylan Larkin. Later the 'Canes would score 2 unanswered goals to take a 2-1 lead into the third period. In steps Teemu Pulkkinen who scored on a giveaway by Hurricanes defenseman Ron Hainsey right infront of Cam Ward. Just a minute later, Tatar would take a shot from he point that Pulkkinen tipped in for a 3-2 lead. Later in the 3rd Abdelkader gets a feed from Henrik Zetterberg and stuffs it home for a 4-2 lead and the eventual game winner. The Hurricanes added a goal at the 19:57 mark of the third to make it 4-3. 

While not a solid team effort, a win is a win. It's a good sign when a team can win games that they shouldn't win and their goalie can steal them one every now and then. The next taste of Red Wings action comes Tuesday against the team who ended their season last year and division foe, the Tampa Bay Lightning. Hopefully before this, the team all chip in for a nice steak dinner for Mrazek, eh?

Mike Commodore has a bit of a problem with Mike Babcock..

Former Red Wings defenseman Mike Commodore seems like he has a bit of a problem with former Wings coach Mike Babcock. Commodore went on a massive Twitter rant and well... Just see for yourself..

Don't worry, it got even uglier...

I wonder what Babs did? 

Red Wings- 4 Maple Leafs- 0

(Photo credit to Fox Sports Detroit) 

Opening night of the 2015-16 NHL season probably couldn't have gone any better than it did for the Red Wings as they defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-0 and beat Mike Babcock in his return to Joe Louis Arena. 

It all started from basically puck drop. Toronto took an early penalty and the Red Wings power play capitalized just a minute and fifteen seconds into the game as Franzen took a shot that rang of the post and Justin Abdelkader put home the rebound for the first of the season for the Wings. 

On the second goal, Dylan Larkin making his NHL debut, sent a great pass to Abdelkader who put it by Berniers' blocker for a 2-0 lead. Larkin with the assist got his first career NHL point.

At the beginning of the 2nd period, Zetterberg sent a pass to Larkin at the blue line who blows by the Leafs defender and goes top shelf to score his first career NHL goal, which chased Leaf goalie Bernier from the game.

Later in the 2nd, Larkin and Abdelkader found themselves on a 2 on 1 in which Abdelkader fired it past Reimer to get his 2nd career hat trick and put the Wings up 4-0 which would be more than enough as goalie Jimmy Howard was big when he needed to be and got a 22 save shutout.

During the first TV timeout the Red Wings had a tribute for former coach Mike Babcock which after the game said that "It was a nice thing to do. They obviously didn't need too since I don't coach there anymore.". 

With the win, coach Jeff Blashill gets his first win as head coach and the Red Wings get off to a great start as they looked pretty strong. Very fast and hard on the puck. They blocked shots very well, and were seemingly always there to backup a teammate if need be. Overall about as close to a perfect performance as you could possibly have. 

The next taste of Red Wings hockey comes tonight as they take on the Carolina Hurricanes at 7pm on FSD. Petr  Mrazek will be getting the start.   

Who will make the playoffs?

Since the season officially starts tonight, and the rosters for every club are pretty much clear, it's time to make predictions for a the playoff picture, and yes, a Stanley Cup winner. 

Eastern Conference: 

Atlantic:

Tampa Bay Lightning 

Detroit Red Wings 

Montreal Canadiens 

Metropolitan:

Washington Capitals

New York Rangers

New York Islanders

Wildcard:

Pittsburgh Penguins 

Columbus Blue Jackets 

Western Conference

Pacific Divison:

Anaheim Ducks 

LA Kings

San Jose Sharks

Central Division:

St. Louis Blues

Chicago Blackhawks

Dallas Stars

Wildcard: 

Calgary Flames

Nashville Predators 

Conference Finals: 

Anahiem Ducks vs LA Kings

Detroit Red Wings vs Washington Capitals

Stanley Cup Final: 

LA Kings vs Detroit Red Wings

Stanley Cup Winner: 

Detroit Red Wings

It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year!

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Today is the opening night of the 2015-16 NHL season! After a ridiculously long offseason (well, only three months) the NHL will kickoff the season with a 4 game slate. The Toronto Maple Leafs kick it off against the Montreal Canadiens at 7 EST. Followed by, CHI vs NYR (8pm EST), CGY vs VAN (10pm EST), and then LA vs SJ (10:30 EST) to wrap it up. Chicago vs New York can be seen on NBCSN on Wednesday Night Rivarly night. What do you expect from the 15-16 season? This season is undoubtedly going to be fun one! 

The kid did it! Dylan Larkin makes opening night roster.

Forward and Red Wings top prospect Dylan Larkin has officially made the opening night NHL roster. Larkin at only 19 years of age becomes the first teenager to crack the Wings roster since Jiri Fischer in the 1999-2000 season. 

Larkin who really had to earn his spot since GM Ken Holland said he didn't want him up if he wasn't going to be in the top 6 forward group. After a tremendous preseason, Larkin obviously did enough to convince (with some help from Jeff Blashill) Holland to keep him in the NHL. 

Keeping him on the roster by no means guarantees he stays on the roster for the entire season. With the likes of Datsyuk, Helm and others on injured reserve, Larkin who is waiver exempt is certainly a candidate to be sent down to Grand Rapids when those players return. Until then, the kid gets to show what he's made of on a line with Zetterberg and Abdelkader come opening night Friday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

2015-16 Season Preview: 5 Bold Predictions.

Excitement is certainly in the air with the season just days away (3 to be exact) most teams are now cutting down their rosters getting ready for opening night. Once the Wings make their final cuts, I will make a full post about that as well. Until then, how about some predictions? Here are 5 predictions for the NHL season.

1. The Tampa Bay Lightning will finish first in the Eastern Conference AND win the Presidents Trophy. 

With the offense they have (1st in the NHL last year) and the stellar play of goaltender Ben Bishop, who can actually match up with them and be expected to win? Certainly not very many. 

2. The Chicago Blackhawks will NOT make it past the 2nd round of the playoffs. 

The salary cap situation really impacted the Hawks this season (just like in 2010) in a big way. They were forced to trade away some very big pieces of their core. Forwards Patrick Sharp and Brandon Saad were both traded away, forward Brad Richards signed with the Red Wings and defenseman Johnny Oduya signed with the Dallas Stars. As a whole, the Blackhawks look very different.

3. Phil Kessel will score 45 goals. 

Phil Kessel was traded by the Toronto  Maple Leafs over the summer in a blockbuster deal. Kessel during his six seasons in Toronto was their leading scorer all six years. His lowest goal total (besides the lockout shortened season when he scored 20) was 25. On a horrifically bad team, he still managed to put up 25 goals and 36 assists for 61 points. The biggest argument was Kessel never had a true number one center the entire time he was in Toronto. Now he gets to play with Crosby, or Malkin. That's a bit better than Bozak right?

4. The Detroit Red Wings extend their playoff streak to 25. 

The Detroit Red Wings have made the playoffs for 24 consecutive seasons. The longest active streak in all 4 of the major pro sports. With the additions of Mike Green and Brad Richards, and the play of the rookies in the preseason, the Wings showed they have massive depth. New coach Jeff Blashill has been successful every where he's been and the team as a whole is better than last year. Why wouldn't it continue? 

5. The Florida Panthers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Dallas Stars make the playoffs. 

Three teams that were not in the playoffs last season, will be this year. Columbus ran into serious injury problems last season, and have now added Brandon Saad will almost certainly make a run for the postseason. The Dallas Stars were also another case of bad injury problems with the likes of Tyler Seguin going down. Seguin who has been phenomenal since being acquired by the Dallas Stars was arguably one of the best scorers in the entire league until he went out with an injury. While the Florida Panthers rode goaltender Roberto Luongo all the way a few points shy of making the playoffs, the young guns will be another year older and another year better. Defenseman Aaron Ekblad at only 19 years of age was absolutely wonderful and won the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year because of it.

NHL Expansion Talk

One of the big NHL news stories going around in the last few months is whether or not the NHL will expand. Currently the league sits at 30 teams with 16 in the East, and 14 in the West. You don't have to be great a math to realize that there is a lack of balance here. 

The NHL offered a chance for any potential city interested in possibly getting an NHL team a chance to apply for one. While multiple cities have rumored interest such as, Toronto, Las Vegas, Quebec, and Seattle, only two cities even applied. Quebec, and Las Vegas. 

Of the two cities that have applied, most people believe Vegas is basically a given to get a team. They would for sure be a Western Conference team, they have an arena that will be ready to go very soon, and the NHL wouldn't have competition from any of the 3 other major sports.

Now Quebec on the other hand, is a bit of a question mark. The Canaidan dollar has dropped to about 75 cents of a dollar in the U.S. The NHL wants $500 million dollars as a fee for each expansion team. That would cost the Quebec group  somewhere in the $600 million dollar price range in Canadian money. 

For obvious reasons, it would be really nice to see both places get a team. How exciting are new teams? The NHL hasn't expanded since 2000 and one of the more recent expansion teams actually ended up moving (Atlanta to Winnipeg). Having a team back in Quebec would immediately create a rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens, and bring hockey back to a very passionate hockey market. Not to mention, how cool does it sound to have the Quebec Nordiques back in the NHL? 

What are your thoughts? Do you want to see the NHL expand? If so, one team, or two teams? What would you name the potential franchises? 

Detroit Red Wings Season Preview: 5 Must Watch Games.

The season is only 9 days away. With how the season ended last year, I'm sure Red Wings fans and the players are chomping at the bit to get the season underway and prove they are a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference and the NHL. Here are the top 5 must watch games of the 2015-16 season. 

Number 5: Detroit Red Wings vs Toronto Maple Leafs, October 9th, 2015. This game is an absolute must watch for an obvious reason. Former Wings coach Mike Babcock left this offseason to join the Maple Leafs on an 8 year 50 million dollar deal making him the highest paid head coach in the NHL. How nice would it be to win in the first matchup since he decided to leave? 

Number 4: Detroit Red Wings vs Tampa Bay Lightning, October 13th, 2015. This one is also probably pretty obvious and maybe a little painful. The Wings season ended at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning in an extremely hard fought seven game series of the 1st round last year. It's even very arguable that the Wings outplayed Tampa in the 7th game of that series. 

Number 3: Detroit Red Wings at Edmonton Oilers, October 21st, 2015. The Oilers who ended up winning the draft lottery and getting the first overall pick for the fourth time in the last six seasons, selected highly touted prospect Connor McDavid. McDavid has been called "the next Sidney Crosby" some have said he may even end up being better than Crosby.

Number 2: Detroit Red Wings vs Pittsburgh Penguins, December 31st, 2015. In the Red Wings annual New Years Eve game, they will take on the Pittsburgh Penguins. An already high scoring team will now be even better offensively as they acquired for Leaf Phil Kessel in the offseason. Kessel was the Leafs top scorer all six seasons he was a Leaf. 

Number 1:  Detroit Red Wings vs Chicago Blackhawks, March 2nd and 6th, 2016. In the only two games these rivals play this season (and upcoming seasons) they play a home at home at the tail end of the season. Seemingly every single time these two get together it makes for some of the best hockey of the year. The Blackhawks are coming off their third cup in six seasons and a whole lot of change. Sharp, Oduya, Saad, and now Red Wing Brad Richards all are no longer Blackhawks. The Patrick Kane investigation could also change the Hawks lineup even more if he's found to have done any wrong doing. 

Are these the games you had in mind? What games do you think are a must watch this season? 

Preseason game recap: DET- 6 PIT 1.

It's only preseason, but I really missed hockey, so why not do some preseason recaps? In the second of only three televised Red Wings preseason games, the Red Wings young guns certainly impressed. 

First Period:

The first period was all Red Wings as we saw Tyler Bertuzzi, Dylan Larkin, and Teemu Pulkkinen score for the Wings. In Dylan Larkins first shift in Joe Louis Arena, we saw his speed and skill on full display as he got the puck, protected it, drove it to the net, and hit the crossbar. Later in the first, Todd Bertuzzis' nephew Tyler, found a loose puck and had it squeak through for a goal. Then, while on a 5 on 3 power play, Red Wings top prospect Dylan Larkin puts home a rebound shot to make it 2-0. Also on a power play, Teemu Pulkkinen picks a corner and snipes home the 3rd goal of the game for the Wings. 

Most impressive players: Dylan Larkin, Nick Jensen, Andreas Athanasiou, Dylan Larkin (did I already name him?)

Second Period:

The Penguins carried a majority of the play as it seemed like the Wings took their foot off the pedal a bit. Not a whole lot of entertaining action, Brian Lashogf takes a shot from the point that deflects off of Drew Miller to make it 4-0 at the end of two. 

Most Impressive Players: Dylan Larkin (yes again) Landon Ferraro, Nick Jensen.

Third Period: Early in the 3rd, Tyler Bertuzzi flips a puck up to Teemu Pulkkinen who gets in on a breakaway and slips it five-hole for the Wings fifth goal of the game and his second of the night. Midway through the second, it appreared Larkin had his second of the night but it was waved off due to "goalie interference" from Tyler Bertuzzi. Just a few minutes later, Penguins forward Beau Bennett stuffs a rebound over Jimmy Howard to score Pittsburgh's first goal of the game. In a strange move, with 5 minutes left and the Penguins on the power play, the Pens decided to pull their goalie, talk about a Patrick Roy move. With just a few seconds left in the third, Dylan Larkin gets his second of the night with no goalie interference this time.

Most Impressive Players: Larkin, Jensen. Tyler Bertuzzi 

OT: Yes, you read that right. Overtime in a 6-1 game. With the new 3 on 3 OT rules the NHL has selected a few preseason games to go to a mandatory overtime period so teams and players can adjust to the new format. The Penguins eventually scored in the OT on a goal from Sundqvist which was set up by Malkin. 

Detroit Red Wings 2015-16 Season Preview: Larkins' NHL chances

With the season a little less than a month away from starting, today is now officially the opening of training camp. The time where players who are on PTO's and young prospects can earn roster spots on their NHL squads. 

The Red Wings top prospect Dylan Larkin (the 15th overall pick in the 2014 Entry Draft) is considered the player with the best chance to make the Red Wings NHL roster out of training camp that isn't already practically a given. 

At only 19 years of age Larkin who last year played with the Michigan Wolverines and the Grand Rapids Griffins during their playoff run showed he has exceptional offensive ability and impressive speed. In 35 games with the Wolverines he scored 15 goals and had 32 assists for 47 points. While with the Griffins he had 3 goals and 2 assists in only 6 games played showing he is certainly ready for professional hockey. The only question is, at which level? 

Typically, this wouldn't even be a question. The "Red Wing way" is usually "over riping" their young players by giving them few years in the AHL and wait till they are about 24-26 years of age to have them on the NHL roster. But in this case, it certainly isn't out of the question that Larkin may actually make the NHL roster at only 19 years of age. Red Wings GM Ken Holland has been quoted saying they will certainly give Larkin a chance to make the team.  

While Larkin is a very special player, the odds are certainly not in his favor. GM Ken Holland said he doesn't want a guy like Larkin only playing 8-9 minutes a night. He wants him as a permanent player and not just an injury replacement guy and in the top six there isn't much room for him especially with Franzen returning from his 4th concussion. 

Will Larkin make the roster? Who knows. A couple things are for certain though, Larkin will one day be on the NHL roster and an exceptional player, and the Red Wings organization is very excited about him, including the players. Defenseman Niklas Kronwall has said some very positive things about him. "He can fly" was the biggest thing that he noticed.  

Red Wings fans, I think it's pretty safe to be excited about this guy. Will he end up being the next Datsyuk or Zetterberg? Only time will tell. But, he will certainly be an exciting and big piece of the future for the Detroit Red Wings. 

Johan Franzen cleared. Should he play?

Today, Red Wings GM Ken Holland told the Detroit Free Press that forward Johan Franzen has been medically cleared to play after suffering from a concussion back in January. 

Back in January, Franzen talked about how this latest concussion impacted his life. Franzen at one point said he would actually sleep 20 hours worth in a day and wasn't even able to play with his two sons. 

With this latest head injury now being his 4th in his career, and also knowing some of the things head injuries can do, many people are now wondering if Franzen should play regardless that he is medically cleared. 

Concussions and head injuries are a major topic in all contact sports. Both the NFL and NHL have looked into multiple different things such as changing rules, or even different equipment in hopes of preventing such head injuries as much as possible.

I leave this question to you: Should Johan Franzen continue to play? 

Will the Wings make it 25 straight?

The current Detroit Red Wings playoff streak at 24 straight seasons, is older than I have even been alive. It's the longest active streak in all four of the major professional sports (NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL) and it's actually older than a good handful of the players on the Red Wings roster. Another crazy fact about the streak is, they are the only team to make the playoffs every single year since the salary cap era began 10 years ago. Now that's impressive.

Well, will they?

Now this question gets brought up every single year - Will this be the year the streak ends? Will this finally be the year? I certainly wouldn't bet a whole lot of money on that. The odds are definitely not in your favor. The Detroit Red Wings last year, were at one point the best team in the Eastern Conference. They were atop the standings in the month of January. While they may have cooled down during the second half of the season, they still took the eventual Eastern Conference champions to 7 games and arguably, outplayed them in that game. The team this year roster wise, is extremely similar to last years. They lost Gustavsson, Weiss, Cole, and Zidlicky but they added Brad Richards and Mike Green. Gustavsson, Cole, and Weiss spent a good amount of their Detroit tenure injured, while Zidlicky was replaced with a better defenseman in Green. The only question marks is whether or not the loss of Mike Babcock will hurt them, and Datsyuks' health. 

Prediction: While the loss of Babcock may hurt a little to some fans, I don't see it being a big loss to the team. Jeff Blashill has a history of winning, and the players are seemingly happy about the change. Regarding Datsyuks' health, if the 2013-14 (when Datsyuk and Zetterberg missed about half the season) team made the playoffs, this team certainly will. So yes, it looks extremely likely that this team will make the playoffs for the 25th consecutive season.

Detroit Red Wings 2015-16 Season Preview: Justin Abdelkader Contract Year

After a huge breakout season which saw him score 23 goals and 21 assists for 44 points with 8 of those goals coming on the powerplay. Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader is on the last year of his current contract. The season will be an extremely important season for Abdelkader considering odds are, it will determine the money and term he will get. 

Abdelkaders value: Abdelkader has only had one really good season points wise, with that being last year. In his career 398 games played, he has 61 goals and 71 assists (131 points). Before last season with 327 games played he only had 38 goals and 50 assists. He almost matched his career numbers in one year. But, he's still a valuable forward. He can play on any line, whether it's the first line with Datsyuk or the 4th line with someone like Glendening. He is a big body and uses it quite often, one of the more physical guys that's on the Red Wings roster. He likes to stand in front of the net to screen the goalie and cause a whole lot of problems for the opposition which is something that with Franzen being hurt and Cleary not cracking the lineup, the Wings really lack. So while you may not expect a whole lot of offense from him on the stat sheet, he's certainly a valuable player for the Wings.

Prediction: While I don't expect him to be a regular 20 goal scorer or a 40 point guy, he's still a good player. I would expect his numbers to come down to earth a little bit for him but I can still see him scoring 15 goals and maybe 30-35 points depending on what line he plays on. I see him getting a decent raise and getting roughly 2.5-3 million per year for 3 years. 

Detroit Red Wings 2015-16 Season Preview: Goaltending battle

With the emergence of Petr Mrazek last season due to injuries to starter Jimmy Howard and back up Jonas Gustavsson, Ken Holland made it very clear that the battle for the starting goaltender coming into the 2015-2016 season would be between Jimmy Howard and Petr Mrazek, killing all rumors of a possible trade of Howard during the offseason. 

Breaking down the numbers: First let's start with Howard. 

GP: 53

Wins: 23

Losses: 13

OTL: 11

GAA: 2.44

SV%: .910

These numbers while not great, are not absolutely terrible. They are actually very close to his career numbers. Had it not been for injury, these numbers may have looked a lot better. Before injury Howard was absolutely on fire, posting a 16-7-7 record, a 2.08 GAA, and a .921 SV%. He's was a workhorse for the Wings. Not to mention the Wings were near the top of the Eastern Conference during a good amount of that time. His second half though, is what made him lose his starting spot. 

Petr Mrazek: 

GP: 29

Wins: 16

Losses: 9

OTL: 2

GAA: 2.38

SV%: .918

Mrazek quickly turned into the teams number one goalie with the way he performed while Howard was out. He performed well enough that he was awarded the Game 1 playoff starting spot over Howard in which Mrazek performed amazingly posting 3 wins, 4 losses, a 2.11 GAA, and a .925 SV% along with 2 shutouts. He did all this while playing the leagues best offensive team in the Tampa Bay Lightning last year. Petr Mrazek's case for starting goalie is certainly a strong one. 

Prediction: Mrazek will end up winning the number one job over Howard. While Howard can be a phenomenal goalie, he lacks the mental strength in being able to bounce back from poor performance, or injury as seen last year. While Mrazek, if he had a bad game, he usually followed it up with a very solid performance. He's a better puck handler which is something that seems to be on the up and up in the NHL. If Mrazek can make sure he isn't too aggressive when coming out to cut down angles (which got him into trouble with Babcock last year) than he will easily win the starting job. 

Red Wings 2015-2016 Season Preview: New Additons

We are now in the month of September which for some people, signifies the end of summer. School is starting up again, the hours of daylight are starting to shorten, cooler temperatures are arriving...okay well not so much this year as its 88 right now where I live. But, September for hockey fans means one thing, hockey season is right around the corner. You start seeing players reporting back to their respective teams cities in preparation of training camps for the new season. Knowing how close the season is has inspired me to take a look at the upcoming season, a bit of a season preview, while players such as, Dan Cleary are gone (as of right now), Jonas Gustavsson is no longer in the Winged Wheel, and trade deadline acquisition Marek Zidlicky was not resigned, the biggest subtraction from the Red Wings was not a player. Mike Babcock who coached the Red Wings for 10 years is now the new bench boss of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jeff Blashill, who coached the Grand Rapids Griffins for the last 3 seasons (and to a Calder Cup Championship in 2013) is now the coach of the Detroit Red Wings. 

The Red Wings also signed a couple of veteran players. Defenseman Mike Green who was a member of the Washington Capitals and Brad Richards who was a member of the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks. 

Green is 29 years old, he's an offensively gifted defenseman, and maybe most importantly...RIGHT HANDED! The Red Wings finally got the right handed shooting defenseman they have been lacking really since Brian Rafalski retired back in 2011. Green put up 45 points last season (10 goals and 35 assists). While his 70 points a season years are probably far behind him, he's an excellent addition. He's got a great shot, he has a great ability to make passes, and he's a wonderful guy to have on the powerplay. According to GM Ken Holland, the hope is that they can pair Green with Danny DeKeyser who is great defensively. 

Brad Richards who came as a bit of a surprise signing, like Green, has his best years behind him. He's 35, but also coming off a Stanley Cup Championship with the Chicago Blackhawks. He put up 37 points (12 goals and 25 assists) during the 14-15 campaign, and was a key member in the Blackhawks championship run putting up 14 points in 23 games in the playoffs. Richards is figured to be the 2nd line center behind Pavel Datsyuk and ahead of Riley Sheahan, but with the strong possibility that Datsyuk misses the start of the season he may fill in as the number one center. 

All in all, I think both signings were actually pretty good. Green adds experience and skill to an area of the roster that really needed it, and Richards is a low risk-high reward signing. He can serve as a mentor for the young guns of this team such as Nyquist and Tatar. Jeff Blashills' style of coaching doesn't seem to be too much different than the style Babcock ran but Blashill is a more liked coach by the players. This team is certainly ready to make it 25 straight years in the post season. Only one question remains, can we just drop the puck already?