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Its September 25th, The NHL has asked us to register our jersey numbers for the upcoming season and the realization that the greatest player to ever wear a pair of skates. let alone the winged wheel, will not be lacing them up with us for our opening night game In San Jose. Training camp has started and finished and my coaching staff has a hard decision as to what budding prospect will get the chance to fill the massive hole left in the roster by the departed Ctirad Vsetecka.
Ctirad Vsetecka is a franchise offensive winger born in Vyskov, Czech Republic in 10/27/96. He shoots left-handed, weighs in at 240 pounds and is 6 feet 2 inches in height. He was the 1st round pick of the Detroit Red Wings in the 2015 NHL entry draft. Detroit’s scouting department first noticed him while playing for a bottom-feeding Brno Jrs in the Czech Junior league. His 16 goals over 48 games was an underwhelming, yet a team leading total. Scouts believed that he had near unlimited potential and it was the hope that he would become a late round steal two years later. In the 2013-14 season, Vsetecka moved to the Czech Elite League as a rookie for Vitkovice posting 16 goals and 28 points over 48 games. His solid play for the Czechs during the World Juniors would help them win Bronze and moved him up the ISS rankings from 94th to 17th. Detroit was pleased though when he dropped to our 24th overall pick in the 1st round.
Since Detroit had a full roster for the start of the 2014-15 season, it was decided that Vsetecka would spend another year in the Czech Elite League. His numbers made only a small improvement during this season (16 goals and 32 points over 48 games) and with a sub-par performance in training camp, we decided that spending the 2015-16 season in the Czech Elite League would be best for our worrisome prospect. During the off season he signed with Pardubice. After struggling for the fall, Detroit scouts made an interesting observation:
The 2015-16 World Juniors were back in the U.S.A and it was evident that the smaller North American ice surface suited Vsetecka’s playing style. He posted a tournament leading 6 goals and the Czech Republic took home their 2nd Bronze medal in 3 years. We made a contract offer in early January and Vsetecka was set to move to the AHL for June 7th
The 2016-17 season is where Vsetecka’s story takes off. He posted 50 goals and 99 points over the 1st 62 games of the season for Grand Rapids in the AHL. Due to injuries, he was called up and found a home on the Red Wings 2nd scoring line and 2nd power play line. In the final 20 games of the season he posted 15 goals and 30 points, finally establishing himself as a premiere forward. Vsetecka kept his 2nd line position for the start of the 2017-18 season, but also won the top power play job over Detroit’s aging veterans. He posted a league record 61 goals for a rookie and completed the season with 111 points. Vsetecka’s career would continue to great heights, Including scoring a record setting 184 points in the 2026-27 season and following that season by breaking another record, scoring 103 goals in 2027-28.
At the end of the 2034-35 season, Vsetecka would retire at the age of 38 after hoisting the Stanley Cup one last time.
Career Awards
Detroit Red Wings Fans Player of the Year
NHL 1st All-Star Team
AHL Rookie All-Star Team
NHL Rookie All-Star Team
NHL All-Star Game MVP Award
AHL Rookie of the Month
NHL Rookie of the Month
AHL Player of the Week
NHL Offensive Player of the Week
AHL Player of the Month
NHL Offensive Player of the Month
NHL Calder Trophy
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy
Lester B. Pearson Award
Hart Memorial Trophy
Art Ross Trophy
Lady Bing Memorial Trophy
Bill Masterton Trophy (Runner up)
Conn Smythe Trophy
NHL Plus-Minus Award
NHL All-Star Shooting Accuracy (4 Hits, 4 Shots)
Career Records
NHL
- Most Goals in a Game: 6 1/20/22
- Most Goals in a Season: 103 2027-2028
- Most Goals in a Season by a Rookie: 61 2017-2018
- Most Goals in a Career: 1480
- Most Points in a Season: 184 2026-2027
- Most Points in a Career: 2689
- Most 1st Star Selections in a Season: 26 2027-2028
Detroit Red Wings
- Most Points in a Season by a Rookie: 111 2017-2018
This bring us back to training camp.
In goal the choice is clear. Veteran Canadian goalie Sascha Walz will be back between the pipes after his Vezina performance last season. Backup goalie and former Red Wings 1st round pick Wendell Cabana will take secondary duties.
The Defensive core will see very little changes this season, except for the pay raises a few of them earned this off season. Canadian Josheau Beck will QB the powerplay with expectations of 15-20 goals, while fellow Countrymen Sam Leroux is forecasted to continue his strong defensive play. Americans Thomas Longo and Brian Richards will provide great depth and 4th round steal Howard Mayer will look to fight for a top line spot. Lastly, but not least(ly) will be Frantisek Petruna, the most senior Defensemen on the squad to provide veteran experience and strong two-way play.
On the top forward line, Swedish sensation Inge Jacobsson will make the jump from Centre to LW in order to allow Russian veteran and faceoff specialist Grigory Merkesov to take claim to his rightful spot. Fellow Swede and former 4th round pick Leif Bergqvist will move from LW to RW to fill Vsetecka’s old spot.
After a thrilling pre-season and a strong showing last year, Canadian winger and budding star Alain Nilly will maintain his RW position on the 2nd line. On LW, former 3rd round pick and Swede Morgan Back will return and American Scott Butler will get a promotion from the 3rd line centre to the 2nd.
Sepp Praxmarer will be the only familiar face on the 3rd line, his stellar performance last season earned him an extension and the honor of mentoring his two rookie linemates. American centre Christopher Hastings, Detroit's former 3rd round pick and hopeful two-way specialist and Taurean “The Bull” Suderman who was brought over from the New York Rangers prospect pool during his time in the juniors.
Finally Detroit’s fourth line, hand picked shutdown specialists! Canadian Veteran Jamal “Man of” Steele, who has been Detroit’s top Penalty Killer for the past 9 seasons after deciding to play College Hockey in the US instead of Canadian Juniors. American Ed “Pete” Rosen, who decided to play in the CHL instead of US College Hockey and American winger Rhett Pietila. Finally is local boy and “heart and soul” hero Shane Ward, who will have a chance to earn his way onto the lineup if there are any injuries.
October 8th
- Frantisek Petruna wins the NHL Defensive Player of the Week. Tallying 1 goal and 4 points in 2 games.
October 18th
- Vsetecka rejects a 6.75 Mil offer to re-join the Red Wings
- Goalie Prospect Haydn Fiset (2035-3rd Round) traded from Ottawa 67`s to Barrie Colts after struggling in the pre-season and first 3 games of the regular season.
October 29th
- Rhett Pietila hits 100 game milestone
October 30th
- Christopher Hastings gets sent down to Grand Rapids after a 10 game tryout that netted only 1 goal and a minus 5. Ed “Pete” Rosen moves up to the 3rd line and Shane Ward moves out of the press box and onto the 4th line
October Recap: 7-2-1: 2nd in the Western Conference
A great opening month to the 2035-36 season, especially after such a worrisome pre-season. While the third line struggled to stay ahead of the competition, the top scoring lines more than made up for it. Our 4th line was sub-par as well, but Shane Ward may just be the shot in the arm that it needs. Our powerplay was terrible at only 15% good for 15th in the league. The Penalty kill was good, but not excellent at 87.5%.
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Wendall Cabana only stood between the pipes once in the first 10 games of the season, but posted a strong .944 save percentage and a 1.02 GAA. Look for him to get the nod more in the upcoming month.
Sascha Walz showed the telltale signs that he is on the wrong side of 30 by only posting an .899 save percentage and a 2.38 GAA.
FWD
Leif Bergqvist has fit into Vsetecka`s shoes quite well, posting 11 goals and 18 points over the first 10 games.
Christopher Hasting had to be sent down as his performance was the weak link in the chain. 1 goal and a minus 5
D
Sam Leroux failed to find the net, but tallied 7 assisted and an amazing plus 14.
Brian Richards struggled to get anything this month. Posting 0 points and a minus 5
Grand Rapids
2031 1st round pick Morley MacDermid took away 7 goals and 16 points in the first 8 games of the season, he is limited to playing only LW, but will be a likely first call up if injuries occur.
November 2035
November 2nd
- Wendall Cabana earns the first shutout of the season with a 5-0 win of the Vancouver Canucks. Officially usurps Walz for the starting goalie job.
November 4th
- Morley MacDermid earns a callup to replace an injured Leif Bergqvist. He earns 1 assist on the second powerplay unit.
November 9th
- With Bergqvist back in action, a struggling Rhett Pietila will take some time in the press box so that MacDermid can stay up in the NHL
November 22nd
- Prospects Danny Dauphin (2034-2nd Round) and Constantin Agnel (2034-3rd Round) called to play in the QMJHL All-Star game against the Russian Selects
November 28th
- Jamal “Man of” Steele is injured and we lose our top penalty killer against the 1st place San Jose Sharks. Despite this we walk about with an important 4-2 win.
November Recap: 19-4-1: 2nd in the Western Conference
A lot of improvements this month over October. All four lines seem to be finding their grove and outlasting the competition. Special teams made an improvement as well, but have yet to reach desired levels. The Powerplay % is 17.1% and the Penalty kill stands at 89.9%
G
Wendall Cabana`s stats have come back down to earth. He still holds a team leading .910 save percentage and 2.06 GAA. He did post 2 shutouts on the month.
Sascha Walz on the other hand is back on the climb. He has pulled himself back above .900 and will look to earn back more starts.
FWD
Leif Bergqvist continues to outperform expectations on his new wing. He now has 18 goals and 34 points over 23 games this season, giving him a 3 point lead in the Art Ross race.
Rhett Pietila ended up having to be sat for most of the games this month. Morley MacDermid`s stellar play has made him obsolete in the lineup. Teams are starting to field offers for Pietila, but nothingworth pulling the trigger on yet.
D
Josheau Beck has started to look like the Defensemen he was last year. He now has 6 goals and 19 points on the season and will look to improve even more as he takes over the top RD position on the powerplay.
Brian Richards has managed to pull himself back up into a positive plus/minus, but stil has only 1 assist in 24 games. So long as he can hold his own end down, I dont see any reason to move him.
Grand Rapids
A log jam of forwards all hitting their veteran status is causing a major issue in the AHL, trades are inevitable, but no offers so far. It may be time to explore market for these young, NHL ready prospects.
December 2035
December 1st
- Leif Bergqvist hits the 1500 points milestone
December 5th
- Brandon Hatcher (2032-3rd Round) and the Red Wings agree to terms in order to help the Griffins field a full 4th line.
December 8th
- Carolina finally has a new head coach as they hire former Bruins scout, Glen Bernhardt to lead the Hurricanes
December 11th
- Carolina fires their GM … guess they didnt like his choice of head coach!
December 18th
- I`ve taken over the USA under-20 squad. Prospects are thin, but it will give me a chance to get the inside scoop on the up and coming American players. Optimistically, I am aiming for Bronze
December 19th
- Karol Main is hired as the new GM for the Carolina Hurricanes. Ill start calling them Karolina from now on
- I finalize my roster for the USA under-20 team. Bronze will be a tough target, but not unrealistic.
December 29th
- Sascha Walz gets his first shutout of the season against the Vancouver Canucks, this also put him at 150 career shutouts and breaks his own record for career shutouts.
December 31st
- Leif Bergqvist wins the NHL Offensive Player of the Week award. He tallied 7 goals and 9 points over 3 games
- In order to clear up the logjam in Grand Rapids, Alexandre McNaughton (2029-1st round) has been sent to Montreal for their 2nd round pick in 2037 and Yan Macneil (2030-2nd round) has been sent to Philly for their 2nd round pick in 2037
December Recap: 31-6-1: 1st in the Western Conference
The team continues to improve and small changes on the powerplay have helped Leif Bergqvist take home the NHL Player of the Month award, scoring 16 goals and 27 points over 14 games. The penalty kill has stumbled slightly, falling to 87.5%, but some experimenting with new linemates for Jamal “Man of” Steele should be the boost it needs.
G
Wendall Cabana is still the clear number one over long time netminder Sascha Walz. While Walz is getting wins when he plays, his inability to average over .900 is concerning considering this is a contract year.
FWD
Leif Bergqvist had his best month so far and continues to be the brightest star on this team. The Red Wings have counted on him to fill the massive offensive gap and he has done just that. He is showing that he can post big numbers without Vsetecka and has cemented himself as the best depth steal (4th round) in recent history.
Jamal Steele has performed well on the penalty kill, but has failed to tally and even strength point yet this season, some line shuffling in the bottom six may be in order to break him of this slump.
D
While Howard Mayer has taken the Red Wings defenseman goal lead with 9, Josheau Beck still maintains the point lead with 31. This is the Red Wings strongest area and will need to be careful with contract negotiations in order to maintain this core group.
Grand Rapids
With the logjam partially clear, Coleman Dirk has stepped up and posted 7 goals and 8 points in his last 5 outings. With Morley MacDermid maintaining his spot in the NHL it looks like Dirk may be the next in line for a shot.
January 7th
- USA under-20 team narrowly escapes the group stage, but takes a 3-2 win over Belarus in the semi-finals
January 9th
- USA under-20 team falls 5-3 to Canada. A silver medal is an unexpected prize for an underdog USA team
January 16th
- Red Wings Centre Grigory Merkesov reaches a career milestone of 1000 points.
January 24th
- Defensemen Frantisek Petruna and 1st liner Inge Jacobsson will be sitting out for back-to-back home games and division rivals Chicago and Columbus. Former Gatineau Olympique amd Canada Under-20 teammates, Yann Stephens (2032-1st Round) and Baptiste Pepy (2032-1st Round) get the nod to lace up for the big club.
January 26th
- The Minnesota Wild have announced that they are parting ways with their head coach Grant Yovanic. The former Grand Rapids assistant coach found great success in the OHL, leading the saginaw spirit to the J Ross Robertson Cup and taking home the Matt Leyden trophy in the 2021-22 season.
January Recap: 42-7-3: 1st in the Western Conference
The Red WIngs remain on top of the league. Despite a few minor injuries, the core of the team has been able to stay impact and is paying dividends. The younger players are showing that they deserve the extra ice time and very few players are being benched. With the trade deadline approaching, the Red Wings will need to consider what to do with their 13th forward (Currently Rhett Pietila) as well as the extra weight that hasnt been able to make the leap from the AHL to the NHL. Look for some moves come mid-February.
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Sascha Walz has shown that he is no longer in Vezina form. The 35 year old netminder will need to shine VERY brightly in the next few weeks in order to remain in Detroit. The Red Wings love career players, but it may be time to see the current NHL shutout record holder depart.
FWD
Alain Nilly, the 2034-35 Conn Smythe trophy winner, hasfinally found regular season sucess in his new expanded role. He sits second in goals (30) behind Leif Bergqvist, who continues to lead his team in goals and points. Grigory Merkesov has shown that his strong two-way play matters has his plus/minus now sits at +45.
D
Howard Mayer and Josheau Beck are tied with 11 goals each, despite Becks 11 game goal drought. The back end continues to be impressively consistent with 5 of the 6 defenders over 20 points and 3 of 6 over 30.
Grand Rapids
Casey Flynn (2031-4th Round) has really stepped it up this month. Leading all Grand Rapid defensemen with an 8.10 avg rating and 6 goals and 49 points in 48 games. He will likely find a call up next if there are any injuries in Detroit`s back end.
February 2035
February 3rd
- The Minnesota Wild have completed their house cleaning by removing Ken Davey as GM.
February 5th
- Red Wings LW, Morgan Back, has won the NHL Offensive Player of the Week award. He posted 4 goals and 8 points over 3 games.
February 8th
- Today the Colorado Avalanche fired Lenny Gray after almost a decade since his hiring.
February 10th
- Leif Bergqvist crossed the finish line first in the Puck Control Relay in the NHL All-Star skills competition.
- Howard Mayer won the Hardest Shot competition (101.88 mph) and the Shooting Accuracy competition (4 hits, 4 shots)
Febrary 13th
- Colorado hires Frederic Hynes as Head Coach and the Minnesota Wild hire Gilbert Ramsay as GM and Pierre Ulmer as Head Coach
- Loic Meyssirel (2031-1st Round) earns a callup to replace an injured Wendall Cabana in net and gets the first NHL start of his career against the second place San Jose Sharks as Sascha Walz also rests for the home game tomorrow night. Meyssirel stops 23 of 26 shots and earns his first NHL Win.
February 17th
- The Red Wings trade Boris Kazionov (2031-3rd Round) to the Montreal Canadians for their 2037 3rd Round pick. While finding success in Grand Rapids, Kazionov was never able to crack the Red Wings roster and with this years addition of 3 NCAA players, Kazionov spent more time in the press box then on the ice.
- The Red Wings trade Jarod Lapierre (2029-3rd Round) & Rhett Pietila (2028-3rd Round) to the Dallas Stars for Dave Case (2034-1st Round)
- Jarod Lapierre had a great junior career, but failed to transition into the AHL. He still has a high ceiling, but the Red Wings logjam at forward no longer could allow him the time needed for conditioning.
- Rhett Pietila was a staple on the 4th line for Detroit during last years cup run, but was overshadowed by his teammates and found himself the odd man out in the roster. No longer waiver eligible, it was time for a move.
- The Red Wings had hopes of taking Dave Case in the 2034 NHL entry draft, but strong play for team USA in the world juniors and the Sudbury Wolves in the OHL moved him up the ISS rankings and out of their reach. His hulking 6`8 frame is dominating the OHL and the Red Wings will watch closely during training camp in the fall to see if he is ready for the NHL.
February 18th
- Leif Bergqvist continues to shine this season. He has put up a 20 consecutive game point streak, compiling 32 points over that span.
- Josheau Beck has won the NHL Defensive Player of the Week Award. Over the past 4 games he has put up 3 goals and 5 points.
- Dave Case`s transfer to the Red Wings is completed and he is sent back down the the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL
February 20th
- The Spokane Chiefs of the WHL have lost Red Wings prospect Bryden Vernelli (2034-7th Round) for 4 months with UCL tear.
February 23rd
- Trade deadline today. No blockbuster trades, mostly minor league player swaps.
- However Nashville traded long time top defender Radovan Simek for former 1st overall pick Chadd Amadio and struggling depth forward Collin Adams. If Amadio continues with his strong growth, this could be a win for Nashville, but its risky as Simek is a proven veteran with 2 years left on a very reasonable contract. (2.5mil against the cap)
February 26th
- The Red Wings and Josheau Beck have come to terms on a one year extension that will keep Beck in Detroit at 5.5mil against the cap
February 28th
- The Red Wings and Sam Leroux have agreed on an identical contract extension as Josheau Becks. 5.5mil against the cap for one more year in Hockeytown
February Recap: 52-8-3: 1st in the Western Conference
Sadly a few of Detroits players had to be shipped out this month, but such is the nature of the beast. Not all of our prospects will develop into the kind of players that we like to build our team around. Pietila, Lapierre and Kazionov will hopefully blossom into solid NHL`ers in the next few years. This time of year starts to give us a look into what our team will look like next season. Locking up potential UFAs was a big priority as well as making room for new prospects in Grand Rapids. On the ice, Detroit stayed strong and fell only once. (To the St. Louis Blues)
G
Sascha Walz was not traded at the deadline. The Red Wings will look to his experience in guiding Wendall Cabana to success in the postseason.
FWD
Detroit`s forwards are firing on all cylinders. It seems like whenever one line slows down, another picks right up. If this pattern stays consistent into April, then look for a strong playoff push. Leif Bergqvist accepted a 4 year, front loaded contract extension at the end of the month. He will have a cap at 6.642mil.
D
Leroux and Beck were locked up to identical 5.5mil contracts extensions. This cap hit will allow the Red Wings a little wiggle room to finalize a contract with Howard Mayer.
Grand Rapids
Not a lot of changes from the players in the AHL, but Grand Rapids is making a lot of contract offers on recently fired NHL coaches and GM`s. This club isnt just a training ground for player prospects, but also a great place to develop top staff members. Many have gone up to the big club or off to other NHL teams in the past decade. Ill do a staff breakdown in the off season.
March 2nd
- Red Wings Centre Scott Butler has signed a one year extension worth 4.9mil. His strong work on the PK and versatility at even strength earned him the .500mil raise
- Top line forward Inge Jacobsson signed a one year contract worth 5.5mil. Consistently performing at over a point per game, his cap hit is a fair and reasonable value for the Red Wings
March 11th
- Alain Nilly has won the NHL Offensive Player of the Week Award. Over the course of 3 games he scored 3 goals and 8 points.
- Howard Mayer won the NHL Defensive Player of the Week Award. He put up 2 goals and 5 points over the last 3 games.
March 14th
- The Colorado Avalanche have fired GM Romy Parinet. With their playoffs hopes slipping away, it looks like the Avalanche are starting to retool for next season already.
March 31st
- Howard Mayer was injured in todays game against the Mighty Ducks. His presence was missed as the Red Wings drop 3 straight goals after he left the ice and lost the game 4-1. He will be out with Olecranon Bursitis for the next week.
March Recap: 65-10-3: 1st in the Western Conference
The Red Wings continued their success despite losing a few players at the trade deadline. They are in prime shape for the top playoff seed and will strive for a deep run. They’ve lost Howard Mayer for a week and will need to rally in the backend to makeup for the gap he has left. The highlight of the month was a 6-1 win over the Boston Bruins, who are 1st in the East. Unfortunately, the St Louis Blues continue to take away the wins against the Red Wings as they beat us 2 of the 3 games this month.
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Wendel Cabana is holding down the fort with solid, but not spectacular numbers. His play reminds me of Chris Osgood during the regular season. The Red Wings hope that he will play like Chris Osgood in the post season!
FWD
Detroit has a few more contracts to deal with before the end of the season, but it looks like the bulk of the core will return next year. The biggest question is Sepp Praxmarer (2027-3rd Round) who lost his 3rd line spot to Morley MacDermid (2031-1st Round), but is clearly meant for greater things than the 4th line. He is a UFA and it is likely that he will not want to return to Hockeytown.
D
Howard Mayer is out with an injury for the next week and its believed that Frantisek Petruna (2021-1st Round) will replace him on the top line. Look for Baptiste Pepy (2032-1st Round) to get the call up. Josheau Beck (2025-1st Round) continues his torrid scoring pace and has now hit 20 goals for the 6th time in his career.
Grand Rapids
No real standouts in the AHL this month, but Grand Rapids looks to enjoy a taste of the playoffs this season. So long as Detroit stays healthy and doesnt take away any players, Grand Rapids could make a deep playoff run.
April 2035
April 1st
- Red Wings goalie prospect Arnost Duben (2035-1st Round) has won the WHL Player of the Month award. He played 5 games in net and took home 5 wins and 2 shutouts.
April 3rd
- Detroit and Larry Clancy (2032 - 2nd Round) have come to terms on a 2 year extension worth .625mil against the cap. Clancy has enjoyed time on the Griffins 3rd line and Detroit hopes he will continue to develop into an NHL caliber player.
- Tough guy Kyle Kisskeys (2031-5th Round) signed a one year extension worth .625mil against the cap. He has done well protecting Detroit’s top prospects in Grand Rapids and could find time in the big club if he can round out his game.
- Cory Rakochy (2030-3rd Round) has agreed on a 2 year .700mil contract that will keep in Grand Rapids. He plays the Defensive Centre roll well, but needs to find a scoring touch if he hopes to make the jump to the NHL.
April 5th
- Morgan Back (2026-3rd Round) will be out for the rest of the regular season with an MCL sprain. Expect to see him back for the second round of the playoffs. In the meantime, expect Yann Stephens (2032-1st Round) to rejoin the Red Wings.
April 6th
- Thomas Longo (2029-1st Round) has earned a one year extension with the Red Wings. He will get a raise from his current 3.2mil cap, jumping up to 4.9mil for the upcoming season. This one year contract helps lock down Detroit’ back end for next season, but them the option to explore cheaper alternatives if things start to unravel.
- After proving that he could shape the team during a retooling, Mark Vokes earned a one year extension worth 1.7mil.
April 8th
- Jamal “Man of” Steele (2024-2nd Round) earned a one year extension worth 1.4mil against the cap. His strong PK presence and shutdown defensive abilities make him a valuable asset on the Red Wings 4th line.
- Alain Nilly (2029-1st Round) signed a 3 year bridge extension worth 3.2mil against the cap. It is a large raise from his current .825mil contract, but he is removing all doubt that he is capable of top line minutes and this contract may be seen as a steal if he continues to grow.
April 9th
- Howard Mayer (2027-4th Round) earned a 4.9mil, one year contract extension. After a great season on Detroit’s top D pairing, look for him to improve even more next season as he enters his prime.
Playoffs 2035
East Preview (Regular season stats)
1. Boston FWD - Andrei Yakovlev (Boston: 2028-1st Round) 47 Goals, 43 Assists, +34
DEF - John-Michael Chatham (Boston: 2024-2nd Round) 5 Goals, 27 Assists, +16
Points: 118 G - Aleksi Olli (Detroit: 2021-2nd Round) 51 Wins, .922 Save%, 2.23 GAA, 6 SO
8. Islanders FWD - Kevin Enselme (Islanders: 2021-1st Round) 21 Goals, 56 Assists, +9
DEF - Jaimen Fox (Islanders: 2027-1st Round) 13 Goals, 30 Assists, +11
Points: 86 G - Henri Jarvinen (Winnipeg: 2023-3rd Round) 35 Wins, .918 Save%, 2.63 GAA, 5 SO
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2. New Jersey FWD - Jimo Thompson (Columbus: 2027-2nd Round) 23 Goals, 52 Assists, +19
DEF - Galloway Fleury (New Jersey: 2028-2nd Round) 8 Goals, 34 Assists, +8
Points: 105 G - Jozef Mikus (New Jersey: 2029-1st Round) 45 Wins, .927 Save%, 2.15 GAA, 8 SO
Look for Sascha Walz to get the nod for game 1 of this series. He is a proven playoff workhorse and has rested up over the last week of the regular season. Despite losing his starting job to Wendel Cabana during the regular season, he will aim to earn it back during what should be a 4 or 5 game series against Chicago.
Game 1 - Detroit wins 5-0
Sophomore winger Taurean “The Bull” Suderman put up 1 goal and 2 assists to earn himself the first star of the game. While Jamal “Man of” Steele earned the second star by putting up 1 goal and shutting down Chicago’s top line. Sascha Walz showed great form, stopping all 19 shots to earn his first post season shutout of the year, worthy of the third star.
Game 2 - Detroit wins 6-1
Chicago finally gets on the board, but it is not enough as Detroit manages to out shot the Blackhawks 63 to 14. Alain Nilly took home the first star, tallying 1 goal and 2 assists. Leif Bergqvist put up the same numbers and earned the second star. Their PP linemate Inge Jacobsson earned the third star of the night by adding a goal and an assist.
Game 3 - Detroit wins 4-2
Certainly a more modest game then Detroit’s home games. Chicago shows growth, but it may turn out to be too little too late as the Red Wings have them facing elimination in game 4. Leif Bergqvist earned the first star of the night, his first of the post season by tallying 2 goals. PP linemate, Alain Nilly was the second star with 1 goal and 1 assist. Chicago’s captain, Lukas Safranek earned the third star by scoring on a hard slapshot from the blue line through traffic.
Game 4 - Detroit wins 5-2
Get out the brooms as this round is a sweep. This isnt too much of a shock, as Chicago failed to have any regular season success against the Red Wings. Josheau Beck tallied 1 goal and 1 assist from the blue line to earn the first star. Scott Butler earned the second star of the game by putting in 2 goals and Frantisek Petruna took home the third star by adding 1 goal and 1 assist to the scoresheet.
First Round Recap
Sascha Walz proved that he still had a bit left in the tank and will look to test his abilities against harder competition in the semi-finals. Look for Wendel Cabana to step in at the first sign of doubt. The Red Wings played solid defense in front, but the shining aspect of the team was the offense who tallied 20 goals in the first round.
8. St. Louis FWD - Grigorijs Pujats (St. Louis: 2028-1st Round) 4 Goals, 4 Assists, +7
DEF - Fabio Klym (St. Louis: 2022-1st Round) 1 Goal, 4 Assists, +6
4-3-0 G - Lucas Musselman (Pittsburgh: 2025-1st Round) 4 Wins, .907 Save%, 2.72 GAA, 1 SO
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2. San Jose FWD - Artyom Isaenko (Columbus: 2025-1st Round) 4 Goals, 2 Assists, +1
DEF - Alec Rodrigues (San Jose: 2028-1st Round) 0 Goals, 2 Assists, +1
4-0-0 G - Zden?k Bolf (Rangers: 2020-1st Round) 4 Wins, .971 Save%, 0.73 GAA, 2 SO
3. Vancouver FWD - Erik Marvin (Washington: 2024-2nd Round) 1 Goals, 6 Assists, +2
DEF - Matthew Sasseville (Pittsburgh: 2017-1st Round) 0 Goals, 3 Assists, +1
4-1-0 G - Orlando Gustafsson (Vancouver: 2025-1st Round) 4 Wins, .938 Save%, 1.49 GAA, 0 SO
2nd Round vs St. Louis
St. Louis was one of the few teams that gave Detroit any real trouble during the regular season. Sascha Walz will start game 1, but the Red Wings will need to be strong defensively to stop St. Louis from sneaking by this round.
Game 1 - Detroit wins 5-2
Leif Bergqvist was a true team leader during the first game of the semi-finals. His shutdown play limited the Blues chance to gain scoring opportunities and he took home the first star with 1 goal and 1 assist. Frantisek Petruna scored a goal from the blue line off a set piece and earned the second star by keeping Grigorijs Pujats at arms length all game. Scott Butler came home with the third star. With mostly defensive starts, his faceoff abilities prevented St. Louis from gaining any momentum off the draw. He also put up 1 goal and 1 assist.
Game 2 - Detroit wins 3-2
A very close game that saw Detroit come back with three unanswered goals. Ali Ludwig was the first star with 1 goal and 1 assist. He is the Blues best draft in recent years. A 5th Round pick, he jumped straight into the Blues lineup after a very strong showing at Boston College. Howard Mayer of the Red Wings earned the second star of the night with 2 assists and Frantisek Petruna continued his strong play, earning the third star despite not putting up any points.
Game 3 - Detroit wins 3-1
Morgan Back is back! Come off a month long injury, Back rejoined the Red Wings second line, while Chirstopher Hastings was sent back down to Grand Rapids to make room. Both goalies had strong showings tonight, Wendel Cabana stopped 29 of 30 to earn third star. Lucas Musselman stopped 37 of 39 to earn the second star and last, but not least, Grigoey Merkesov had his first big game of the playoffs, earning first star with 1 goal and 2 assists.
Game 4 - St. Louis wins 4-3
St, Louis broke the Red WIngs undefeated streak and saved themselves from elimination by winning game 4. Louis-Pierre Perreault was the first star of the game, scoring 2 goals and 1 assist for St. Louis. The Blue`s winger, Ali Ludwig was the second star of the game with 1 goal and 1 assist. Finally, Thomas Longo of the Detroit Red Wings was the third star. He had a solid shutdown performance, but it was his 2 assists that gave him this honour.
Game 5 - Detroit wins 5-3
Antoine Lamontagne of the St Louis Blues was the first star of the game despite not being able to help his team fight off elimination. His 1 assist and amazing defensive play kept this game from being even more lopsided. His teammate Artur Berezov, earned the second star with 1 goal and 1 assist. Third star went to game winning goal scorer Morgan Back who netted 1 goal and 1 assist.
Second Round Recap
It was thought that St. Louis may have been able to pull off an upset after take home all but one win against the Red Wings during the regular season, but alas it was not so. Detroit will need to consider the recent play of both Walz and Cabana and figure out who will be the goalie for the conference finals.
Signings.
Detroit signed Howard Mayer`s little brother and 2034-1st Round draftee Marshall Mayer to a 3 year entry level contract worth .825mil. Marshall Mayer had a fabulous NCAA career, scoring 72 goals and 55 assists over 143 games for Bowling Green.
- Sergei Erger (2034-2nd Round) - Struggle to find a home in the NHL/MHL, but will be given a chance to adapt his game to the North American ice surface. Sent to Grand Rapids in the AHL
- Danny Dauphin (2034-2nd Round) - Top scorer of the Gatineau Olympiques alongside fellow Red Wings prospect Goran Sturm. He will be sent down to Grand Rapids as Gatineau has been knocked out of the QMJHL playoffs.
- Remy Blanchard (2034-3rd Round) - Top Scorer for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. He will be sent back to the QMJHL as Cape Breton tries to take home their series against the Quebec Remparts
- Constantin Agnel (2034-3rd Round) - Second in scoring and top defenseman for Baie-Comeau, he will be sent back to the QMJHL as his team is hosting the memorial cup.
- Dominic Kane (2033-2nd Round) - He played for the Chicago Wolves in the AHL this season as the Red Wings weren't sure whether or not to make a move on him. His play earned him an entry level contract and a chance to play for Grand Rapids.
- Sascha Walz (2018-1st Round) - Sascha Walz is losing his touch, but he was willing to take a small pay cut down to 4.7mil for the next season in order to help develop Wendel Cabana.
- Derrick Lundbohm (2033-4th Round) - With european leagues interested, the Red Wings grabbed up this project prospect before he was lost forever.
- Brendan Kolarik (2033-2nd Round) - Linemate of Lundbohm in New Hampshire and another project pick.
Waivers
- Jean-Simon Desautels (2029-2nd Round) was claimed off of waivers by the Phoenix Coyotes. He was placed on waivers to make room for the many new additions to the team. He was a team leader for the OHL`s Guelph Storm, but failed to maintain even a 4th line role in the AHL.
- Cory Rakochy (2030-3rd Round) passed through waivers, but will be released as the Red Wings still need to clear another spot. He was a low risk, high reward style pick that failed to bloom in the AHL. His junior campaign with the OHL`s Barrie Colts was marred with injuries and his development was never corrected.
- Paola Yetman (2031-3rd Round) - Like Cory Rakochy, he was a victim of Grand Rapids strong depth at centre. The Calgary Flames have taken him from waivers.
- Don Olson (2028 - 2nd Round) - Despite having solid numbers in the AHL, he was never able to find his groove in the big league. This netminder was grabbed by the Tampa Bay Lightning and will likely see NHL action next season.
2. San Jose FWD - Reggie Dufournet (San Jose: 2029-1st Round) 5 Goals, 10 Assists, +2
DEF - Alec Rodrigues (San Jose: 2028-1st Round) 1 Goals, 3 Assists, +0
8-3-0 G - Zden?k Bolf (Rangers: 2020-1st Round) 8 Wins, .952 Save%, 1.19 GAA, 2 SO
Conference Finals vs San Jose
This is the highest scoring team that Detroit has faced and it will be a difficult task to shutdown star players like Reggie Dufournet. Zden?k Bolf left the Rangers for two reason, the sunny west coast and a chance to win the cup and this season San Jose is looking as strong as ever.
Game 1 - Detroit wins 5-1
Zden?k Bolf stood on his head stopped 46 of 51 shots in a very lopsided affair. San Jose will need to recalibrate their game plan if they plan on getting back in this series. Morley MacDermid made his name known on the scoreboard, earning first star with 1 goal and 1 assist. 4th liner Jamal “Man of” Steele had 2 assists and that was good enough for the second star. Josheau Beck clapped on home from the blue line and for that received the third star.
Game 2 - Detroit wins 4-2
Morley MacDermid continue to put pressure on San Jose`s depth forwards by putting up1 goal and 1 assist. He earned the second star of the night after Inge Jacobsson took home the first star. Third star went to Alain Nilly who had 2 assists.
Game 3 - Detroit wins 10-1
The largest victory of the postseason by miles. First star Morley MacDermid put up 2 goals and 1 assist and has truly proved that the San Jose Sharks do not have the depth to keep up. Alain Nilly, 1 goal and 3 assists, took home the second star and Leif Bergqvist finally stepped up in this series to grabbed the third star. Goalie Wendel Cabana was injured halfway through the game, but backup Sascha Walz played a strong third period blanking the Sharks on 16 attempts.
Game 4 - Detroit win 4-1
Much like game 1, Bolf was standing on his head as the Red Wings fired puck after puck in his direction. The pending UFA didnt receive a lot of support from his team in this series and it will be interesting to see if he will rejoin the Sharks this offseason. First star of the night went to Leif Bergqvist who netted 1 goal and 2 assists. Second star was Grigory Merkesov who put up 2 helpers. Third star went to Josheau Beck who also had 2 helpers. Sascha Walz stepped in to replace the injured Wendel Cabana, Cabana dressed for the game, but watched from the bench. Scott Butler fell to injury during the second period. He should be back for the cup finals.
Conference Finals Recap
It was clear the San Jose didnt have the depth require to get by the Red Wings. While their top scoring lines played very well, their bottom six looked in shambles as Red Wings coach Mark Vokes found the perfect lines. San Jose has a lot of their top players coming up as UFA this summer and it will be interesting to watch how many are willing to stay after another unsuccessful postseason. Red Wings prospect, Danny Dauphin took home the QMJHL Best Defensive Forward Award. He is now in Grand Rapids trying to help win the Calder.
1. Boston FWD - Andrei Yakovlev (Boston: 2028-1st Round) 6 Goals, 14 Assists, +10
DEF - Zoltan Munro (Boston: 2027-3rd Round) 1 Goal, 7 Assists, +4
12-2-1 G - Aleksi Olli (Detroit: 2021-2nd Round) 8 Wins, .931 Save%, 2.09 GAA, 2 SO
Stanley Cup Finals vs Boston
It shouldnt be a surprize to see these two team in the finals. Both conferences were held at their mercy during the regular season and this is now their third finals in a row against each other. Given the age of both teams and the amount of UFAs, it seems likely that this will be their last finals together for a long time. Last season, Detroit won the series in 6 games. It will be up to Boston to try to take the cup.
Game 1 - Detroit wins 5-2
Detroit came out the gate swinging, scoring 5 unanswered goals over the first two periods of the game. They put up 42 shots on net and looked like they were unstoppable. That being said, a very different team came out in the third, sloppy play and seeming disinterest allowed Boston to take back two goals while the Red Wings only managed 10 weak shots on net. Morley MacDermid continued his strong playoffs, earning yet another first star with 2 goals and 1 assist. Second star went to Frantisek Petruna. He was matched up against Bostons top line all night, mostly in defensive zone starts, yet still managed to find the time to put up 2 helpers. Third star of the evening was earned by Morgan Back. He has been lying low this postseason, but still adding timely points. The Red Wings will look for him to continue to be consistant over the rest of the series.
Game 2 - Detroit wins 6-2
Josheau Beck was the strongest player on the ice all game, playing solid shutdown defense as well ass putting up an astounding 2 goals and 2 assists. Leif Bergqvist show some flair as well, scoring a beautiful breakaway goal, a clever one-timer and throwing a pinpoint pass for a helper. Third star of the night went to Alain Nilly who put up 2 goals as well.
Game 3 - Detroit wins 4-0
The Red Wings look unstoppable as Sascha Walz returns to his form from last season and posts a 21 save shutout, good for third star of the night. Taurean “The Bull” Suderman earned his first, first star of the postseason by tallying 2 goals and Morley MacDermid added 1 goal and 2 assists for the second star. Boston now has their backs against the wall as Detroit looks to sweep its first ever cup finals.
Game 4 - Detroit wins 5-4
Boston kept the fight going hard into double overtime, but eventually slipped and is now eliminated. First star of the night goes to Howard Mayer who posted 3 assists. Scott Butler had a strong game, earning second star with 2 goals and third star went to Bruins Forward Mick MacKenzie, who posted 1 goal and 1 assist.
Finals Recap
Its hard to believe that Detroit sweep three series this season. We were expected to take a step back, but instead pulled together and took a massive step forward. This offseason will be filled with moves as we get cap ready for the following season, but with the growth of our young stars, there is no reason to say that we wont have a chance at coming back here next year.
Frank J Selke Trophy
- Phoenix Coyotes - Brody Sutherland
Jack Adams Award
- Detroit Red Wings - Mark Vokes
James Norris Memorial Trophy
- Detroit Red Wings - Josheau Beck - 24 Goals, 43 Assists, +39, 67 PIMs, 233 SOG, 8.23 Avg
Hart Memorial Trophy
- Detroit Red Wings - Josheau Beck - 24 Goals, 43 Assists, +39, 67 PIMs, 233 SOG, 8.23 Avg
King Clancy Memorial Trophy
- New York Islanders - Keith Walling
Lady Bing Memorial Trophy
- Detroit Red Wings - Inge Jacobsson - 16 PIMs
Lester B Pearson Award
- San Jose Sharks - Reggie Dufournet - 41 Goals, 74 Assists, +27, 80 PIMs, 342 SOG, 9.13 Avg
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy
- Detroit Red Wings - Leif Bergqvist - 62 Goals
Vezina Trophy
- Detroit Red Wings - Wendel Cabana - 45 Wins, .918 Sv%, 2.05 GAA, 6 SO, 8,32 Avg
William M Jennings Trophy
- Detroit Red Wings - Wendel Cabana - 108 GA
NHL Plus-Minus Award
- Detroit Red Wings - Sam Leroux - +69
Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award
- Pittsburgh Penguins - Roman Chvojka - .926 Sv%
2036 NHL Entry Draft
Top 5 Picks
1. Eduard Oreskin - Russian - G - Despite being ranked 14th by the ISS, the Flames were in desperate need for some goaltending depth and found a possible solution in this young 5’8 158lb Hybrid style goalie. He posted 25 W, .910 Sv%, 2.89 GAA, 4 SO in 50 Games for AK Bars in the RSL. His incredibly strong play help Russia Under-20 climb out of the Div. 1 relegation tournament and will allow them a chance to compete for gold next January.
2. Tibor Patak - Solvakian - C - Another surprize pick. ISS ranked him 13th overall, but he was scooped up 2nd overall after his second year playing for the Kitchener Rangers. He posted 80 Goals, 60 Assist, +34, 178 PIMs, 483 SOG, 7.87 Avg over 132 games. His 6’3, 178 lb frame will suit him well for his offensive power forward style of play. He led the Slovakian Under-20 team with 5 points over 5 games in the Div. 1 relegation tournament.
3. Loic Melynk - Canadian - C - If I had the top pick of the draft, he would be my pick. over 138 games split between the Edmonton Oil Kings and the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL, he scored 47 Goals, 84 Assists,+75, 340 SOG, 7.76 Avg. Standing 6’3 and 194 lb, he fits the power forward style well and will look to rejoin Canada at the world juniors if he doesn't make the jump straight to the Anaheim Ducks in the NHL.
4. Sergei Orlov - Russian - RW - Eduard Oreskins teammate on AK Bars in the RSL as well as the Russia Under-20 team, He posted 15 Goals, 21 Assists, +10, 80 PIMs, 148 SOG, 6.56 Avg over 57 games in the RSL. At 6’1 and 167 lb he fits the very popular offensive power forward build. The Nashville Predators took a small gamble as the ISS had him ranked at 10th, but he fits a serious need and could make the jump to the NHL if he performs well at training camp.
5. Nick Kaufman - American - LW - The L.A Kings were happy to see this 6’1, 171 lb Skilled forward drop from 2nd in the rankings down to 5th. In 188 Games for the Kelowna Rockets, he scored 128 Goals, 145 Assists, +140, 86 PIMs, 685 SOG, 7.80 Avg. He was the only plus player for the USA. Under-20 team last year and will be an important player as they look to bounce back this year.
Detroit Red Wings Picks
1st Round
- Detroit traded their 1st round pick (30th overall) to Calgary for their 2nd round (31st overall) and a 4th round next year.
2nd Round
31 - Paul Riley - American - RD - Standing at 6’8 and 211 lbs, he was a bright spot on a terrible Boston College squad. in 45 games he scored 4 Goals, 19 Assists, -11, 70 PIMs, 102 SOG, 7.44 Avg. He was a leader on the USA Under-20 team and will look to improve his numbers both in Boston and internationally.
43 - Ben Ryan - American - C - Bound for Dartmouth for the upcoming season, the 5’8 154 lb skilled forward has had a strong campaign in the NAHL, posting 70 Goals, 102 Assist, +76, 98 PIMs, 370 SOG, 7.78 Avg over 110 games. If he can make a solid transition in the NCAA and perform on the world stage with the USA Under-20 team, then he could be on the way to developing into a solid scoring forward.
Third Round
90 - Arekady Oreshkin - Russian - RW - A low risk, high reward pick for the Red Wings, He has been playing in Rus-2 for Vityaz, scoring 43 Goals, 22 Assists, +2, 115 PIMs, 305 SOG, 6.49 Avg in 135 Games. Scouts suggest he could be similar to Alain Nilly, who has earned a place in Detroit's top 6. He will try to earn a spot on the Russia Under-20 roster this year and hopefully make the transition to North America once he is ready.
Fourth Round
120 - Jarred McQuaid - Canadian - LW - Another massive junior player for the Red Wings. Standing 6’8 and 187 lbs, he will look to build on a successful rookie season with the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL. His 27 Goals, 27 Assists, +28, 83 PIMs, 174 SOG, 7.04 Avg in 67 Games put him 5th in scoring for rookies.
Fifth Round
150 - Arto Moilanen - Finnish - RW - The Red Wings continued to supplement their smaller sized prospect pool with giants. Moilanen stands at 6’8 and 209 lbs and fits the power forward mold. He put up 5 Goals, 3 Assists, +4, 32 PIMs, 26 SOG, 6.31 Avg in 26 Games for Nikkarit in Fin-4. Definitely a project prospect, but if he can continue to grow in Finland, then he will get the nod to come over to Grand Rapids.
Sixth Round
Detroit traded their sixth round pick along with their second round pick to move up in the second round.
Seventh Round
210 - Mike Ermatinger - American - LD - Bound for Michigan State next season, he could turn into a depth steal for the Red Wings as he develops close to home. He put up 19 Goals, 53 Assists, +17, 206 PIMs, 248 SOG, 6.69 Avg in 113 games for Dubuque in the USHL
