Detroit Red Wings Clips February 15-16, 2015

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1 Detroit Red Wings Clips February 15-16, 2015 Detroit Red Wings PAGE 2 Red Wings' Babcock brainstorms how to beat Montreal PAGE 4 Can Detroit sports surpass Boston's success? PAGE 5 Checking on title odds for our Detroit sports teams PAGE 6 Red Wings' Weiss: Montador was a 'great teammate' PAGE 8 Families keep hockey strong for ECHL's Toledo Walleye PAGE 12 Red Wings need to tighten up defensively with fast, stingy conferenceleading Canadiens in town PAGE 14 Red Wings' Stephen Weiss on Steve Montador: 'One of the most kind, generous guys in the game' PAGE 15 Jimmy Howard not sharp after long layoff but Red Wings don't provide any help in shootout PAGE 17 Red Wings set to face speedy Canadiens PAGE 19 Griffins 5, Wolves 1: Teemu Pulkkinen picks up 30th goal in win PAGE 21 Game thread: Howard in net as Red Wings host Jets PAGE 22 Can the Red Wings reasonably upgrade before deadline? PAGE 24 Red Wings' Sheahan aims to play more aggressive PAGE 26 Winnipeg 5, Detroit 4 (SO): Why the Red Wings lost PAGE 27 Mark Howe: Gordie's will to live has returned PAGE 29 First game back finds Howard rusty but optimistic PAGE 31 Howard's return yields familiar result: shootout loss PAGE 33 Red Wings loan defenseman Jakub Kindl to Grand Rapids Griffins PAGE 34 Red Wings' Riley Sheahan improves skating, being told to shoot more to take next step in development PAGE 36 Weekend full of surprises for Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek, who turned 23 on Valentine's Day PAGE 38 Red Wings' lineup vs. Jets: Detroit looks to bounce back, avoid first backto-back regulation losses PAGE 40 Red Wings ready for Jets, who have 'deep, talented' defense after blockbuster trade PAGE 41 Jets 5, Red Wings 4 (SO): Detroit loses early lead, ties it late and suffers familiar fate in shootout PAGE 43 Second-period analysis: Red Wings 3, Jets 3 PAGE 45 Pat Caputo - Rusty or not, Jimmy Howard still shows his competitive character for Detroit Red Wings PAGE 47 Red Wings fall to Jets in shootout, 5-4 PAGE 49 Howard roughed up in return as Wings fall to Jets PAGE 51 Wings assign Kindl to Griffins for conditioning PAGE 52 Red Wings rolling with another playoff berth in sight PAGE 54 Wings earn point in shootout loss PAGE 55 Griffins 4, Rampage 2: Jeff Hoggan, Andy Miele score twice; Mitch Callahan out for season

2 Red Wings' Babcock brainstorms how to beat Montreal By George Sipple, Detroit Free Press 5:57 p.m. EST February 15, 2015 In discussing the Montreal Canadiens after practice today, Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock pointed out how they've won a lot of games on the road despite not scoring a lot of goals. The Canadiens, who have a four-point lead over the Wings in the Atlantic Division, are on the road this season and visit Joe Louis Arena at 7:30 p.m. Monday. Only the Buffalo Sabres (45 goals) have scored less on the road this season than the Canadiens (52 goals). "They've got one of the best goalies in the world and the back end is good, active," Babcock said of the Canadiens. "They've got good depth up front. I like their team. "I think they score the least amount of goals in the league on the road and still find a way to win." The Wings haven't found a way to beat the Canadiens yet this season. The Wings lost, 2-1 in overtime, Oct. 21 in Montreal and 4-1 on Nov. 16 at home. The Wings visit Montreal on April 9 in the second to last game of the season. Defenseman P.K. Subban and forward Tomas Plekanec each have a goal and two assists against the Wings this season. Defenseman Danny DeKeyser (two assists) is the Red Wing with more than one point against Montreal this season. Babcock did some line juggling in practice Sunday, but didn't commit to how he'll set up the forwards against the Canadiens. "Just changed them again in my room," Babcock said. Babcock said it's hard to be organized when the team is frequently turning the puck over, which the Wings did too much in a 5-4 shoot-out loss to Winnipeg on Saturday night. "Taking care of the puck is a big part of what we have to do right," Babcock said. AT THE HELM: Darren Helm scored his 12th goal of the season Saturday night, tying his career high for a season. This is the third time Helm has scored a dozen goals in an NHL season. Helm scored 11 goals in his first full season with the Wings in , then 12 the next season and nine in He scored 12 goals again in "Still got a quite a few games to go to add to that total," Helm said Sunday, adding that he hopes to have more than 13 by the end of the season. Helm said he wanted to produce more offensively this season. "I set myself a goal and still got what, 28 games left, 28 goals to reach it," Helm said. What's the goal? "I'll tell you at the end of the year if I made it," he said. 2

3 WEISS MOURS EX-TEAMMATE MONTADOR: Wings forward Stephen Weiss said he was shocked to get a text message Sunday morning from a friend that Steve Montador had died. Montador was 35. Weiss and Montador were teammates in on the Florida Panthers. "Monty was one of the most kind, generous guys you'd ever meet in the game," Weiss said. "Great teammate. Really willing to do a lot of things in the community, wherever he was. "One of my good buddies in the game, for sure." Montador, a defenseman, played in 571 NHL games with the Flames, Panthers, Ducks, Bruins, Sabres and Blackhawks. He played last season in the KHL in Russia. He died Sunday morning in his Mississauga, Ontario, home, according to Peel Regional Police. Police said they received a 911 call just after 2 a.m., and attempts to resuscitate Montador upon arrival were unsuccessful. "We are not treating it as anything criminal," said police spokeswoman Fiona Thivierge. "It's a sudden death, so there's nothing to indicate anything untoward, just natural causes as far as we know." George Sipple Detroit Free Press LOADED:

4 Can Detroit sports surpass Boston's success? By Brian Manzullo, Detroit Free Press 4:39 p.m. EST February 15, 2015 It's no secret Detroit's the best sports city in America. After all, the USA TODAY Readers' Choice contest last fall says so. (Wink.) But is it the most successful sports municipality of the 21st century? Not even close. That title belongs to Boston, which now has nine major pro sports championships since the beginning of 2001, including at least one by each of its four teams. That's the foundation of sports columnist Bob Ryan's argument that Boston sports are "simply the best in the land." Full disclosure, though: He writes for the Boston Globe, though you've probably seen him on ESPN's "Around The Horn" or "The Sports Reporters." Los Angeles, not including Anaheim, has six championships. Miami and San Antonio are tied with four titles. And then there's Detroit, tied with New York, Pittsburgh, Chicago and San Francisco with three championships. Yes, Detroit's lumped in there with quite a few large sports markets. But Ryan pinpointed Detroit as a municipality that could someday catch up to Boston, maybe even by "Is anyone close? I'd say the best shot right now is Detroit," Ryan wrote. "They've got hockey (2002, '08) and basketball (2004). The Tigers have been legit contenders of late. The Lions, whose last championship was in 1957, are not hopeless. Far crazier things have happened in sports history than the Lions winning a Super Bowl in the next three to five years." Then, Ryan wisely admits on that last statement: "But I wouldn't put a whole lot of money on it." Ryan does raise a fair point, given how competitive Detroit sports are these days. If the Detroit Pistons can sneak into the East playoff picture -- they're just two games out of the No. 8 spot despite a record -- all four Detroit major pro sports teams will have made the postseason since last October. The Detroit Tigers are coming off a fourth consecutive American League Central championship, albeit a disappointing October showing against the Baltimore Orioles. The Detroit Lions reached the NFL postseason for the second time since The Detroit Red Wings, in third place in the Atlantic Division and ahead of fourth place by nine points, are well on their way to a 24th consecutive postseason, the longest running streak in major pro sports. All three of those teams should at least remain competitive for the foreseeable future. It's always a long-shot when you're discussing championships in sports. But how many other cities in America have it as good as Detroit does in pro sports right now? Other than Boston, not many... if any. 4

5 Checking on title odds for our Detroit sports teams By Brian Manzullo, Detroit Free Press 1:47 p.m. EST February 15, 2015 It's a bit of a slower Sunday than normal for Detroit sports, so now seems like a good time to check in on the betting odds for our four Detroit sports teams. The Detroit Tigers have 16-to-1 odds to win the World Series, according to Bovada.lv, which is tied with their American League Central rival Chicago White Sox along with the Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants, the defending champs. The Washington Nationals are the 13-to-2 favorites. Another interesting note, though, with the Tigers: They have 15-to-2 odds to win the American League for the third time since That's behind the White Sox at 7-to-1. The Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels are the 11-to-2 favorites. The Detroit Lions have 28-to-1 odds to win Super Bowl 50, tied with the New York Giants. The Seattle Seahawks are 11-to-2 favorites. The Lions also have 16-to-1 odds to win the NFC, with the Seahawks at 7-to-2 favorites. Bovada apparently doesn't know of the Lions' Super Bowl history -- well, lack thereof. The Detroit Pistons have 300-to-1 odds to win the NBA championship. Nothing much to see here, let's move along. The Detroit Red Wings have 15-to-1 odds to win the Stanley Cup, behind 11 teams, according to VegasInsider.com. Considering they're behind just six teams in the NHL standings, maybe that's a little disrespect? The Chicago Blackhawks sit as the 4-to-1 favorites, just ahead of the Anaheim Ducks at 6-to-1. The Wings do have 6-to-1 odds to win the Eastern Conference. BONUS ODDS: Michigan State has 25-to-1 odds to win the college football championship, tied with Florida State, Clemson and Oregon. Ohio State is the 9-to-2 favorite. Somehow, Michigan checks in with 40-to-1 odds, tied with Arkansas. A little high on Jim Harbaugh, we see. Contact Brian Manzullo Detroit Free Press LOADED:

6 Red Wings' Weiss: Montador was a 'great teammate' Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 4:50 p.m. EST February 15, 2015 Detroit The news stunned Stephen Weiss, just as did to people Sunday all around the NHL. Former defenseman Steve Montador, who played 571 games with six teams, died Sunday in his home in Ontario. He was 35. Montador and Weiss were teammates on the Florida Panthers from "It was very shocking," Weiss said about hearing the news. "I got a text message from another one of my buddies when we were just walking to go to practice. "It really hasn't sunk in yet. "Monty was one of the most kind, generous guys you'd ever want to meet in the game. A great teammate. He was willing to do a lot of things in the community where he was, with whatever team." Montador spent this past season in the Russian Kontinental Hockey League. "He's been overseas playing so it hasn't been as easy keeping in touch," Weiss said. "But he's one of those guys where you'd just kind of pick up where we left off. We'd try to touch base a few times over the summer." Montador left the Russian team after dealing with the effects of a concussion. He had at least one other reported concussion in 2012 while playing with the Blackhawks, and dealt with its effects into the next season. "I knew that he'd gotten dinged a couple of times and he was having rouble with that," Weiss said. "But that's as far as I know. I couldn't tell you if he was struggling on a dayto-day basis. "Like any sport there's things that can happen when you're playing hockey. It's a fast game with big, fast people and it's a contact sport. I don't know if that played any part in it at all. "He was one of my good buddies in the game. I was close to Monty and I'm going to miss him." Cleaning things up Coach Mike Babcock didn't like the turnovers the Red Wings had in Saturday's 5-4 shootout loss to Winnipeg. Babcock wants cleaner entries into the offensive zone and less carelessness with the puck. "The last game we had things going our way and then you turn the puck over and it's hard to be organized when you turn the puck over," Babcock said. "We have to keep it 6

7 out of our net for sure. We can't give up so many goals (four each the last two games). We have to take care of the puck better." When the Red Wings turn the puck over, Gustav Nyquist said, they can't play the quickpaced game they want, especially against another fast, quick team such as Montreal. "We want to be a fast team but when we turn the puck over, we're not a very fast team," Nyquist said. "That slows us down. But for sure we want to be a quick team, and they want to play fast. "It should be a fast-paced and exciting game." Ice chips With a Chris Brown concert setting up at Joe Louis Arena, the Red Wings trudged into the cold and practiced at Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett. Jimmy Howard will get the start in net Monday night against the Canadiens, Babcock said. Babcock raved about Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban, a former Norris Trophy winner who was on the Canadian gold-medal winning 2014 Olympic roster, but rarely played in the tournament. "I love him," Babcock said. "He was an important part of the team. He was positive every day, he practiced like a mad man and he was around his teammates. "He was great. He had great pride in being part of the Canadian team and was a great teammate. He can play for me anytime he wants." ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com twitter.com/tkulfan Canadiens at Red Wings Faceoff: 7:30 p.m. Monday, Joe Louis Arena, Detroit TV/radio: FSD/97.1 Outlook: The Canadiens have moved ahead of Tampa Bay and the Red Wings to lead the Atlantic Division Montreal has won the previous two games against the Red Wings this season G Carey Price leads the league with.934 save percentage and second in goals-against average (1.98) and wins (31). Detroit News LOADED:

8 Families keep hockey strong for ECHL's Toledo Walleye Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 4:30 a.m. EST February 16, 2015 In this "Five Days of Hockey" series, The Detroit News will look at how the game intertwines with family, community and the desire to excel. Toledo The roads were already wet, when flurries became a squall and the snow began to accumulate. A storm would sweep 50 miles to the south and through the Ohio River Valley and on to the east. But, at this hour, no one could be certain. The forecasts stressed doubt. On a slate gray Sunday, businesses downtown were mostly closed, regardless. But near the Huntington Center, the streets began filling with cars and the sidewalks with people. Despite competition from the NHL on television, 7,051 fans including a proportion of families noticeably in excess of a far more expensive NHL game were filing in for a game between the local hockey club, the Walleye, and the Wheeling Nailers. The previous night, the Walleye set an attendance record of 8,300 against the Allen (Texas) Americans. In Toledo, hockey is no newfound joy. With a town adjusting to peace in 1947 and the old Willys-Overland plant converted from wartime production, but struggling to find a niche in the consumer market for new Jeeps they started playing the game here professionally. Four decades after the Canadians established professional leagues across Lake Erie, and two after the Red Wings sunk their foundation in the big industrial city 60 miles to the north, the Mercurys started skating down on Main Street, at the old Toledo Sports Arena. It was the Mercurys until 1962, the Blades until 1969 and the Goaldiggers from , all in the old International Hockey League. The Storm followed, from And then it was the Walleye, in the new building, a few blocks and number of watering holes and restaurants from Fifth Third Field, where the Mud Hens, the Tigers' Triple A club, play. The Walleye, as was the Storm, is an ECHL franchise. On this day, as the crowd assembled, young boys and girls were carrying their hockey and figure skates. For $60, a family of four can attend the game and stay for an indoor skate on a huge sheet of prime ice, where the players play. They can pay extra to wash down pulled pork nachos with a beverage, and have Belgian waffles-on-a-stick for dessert. 8

9 "I used to make it up to see the Wings more. But now, with the family, it's a little harder," said Trent Garno, of suburban Northwood, who attended with his kids. "Toledo's always been a great hockey town. Regardless of the situation, we've always supported our hockey team "It's about the hockey. It's exciting at every level. The guys are always all out, all of the time, regardless." The several thousand people and the advertising on the concourse evidence how the operation is financed. Labatt and Pepsi are here. The big boys understand the passion for local sport in this mid-sized city. And the smaller businesses play, too. "When your goal is to make northeast Ohio's best ice cream Go Walleyes!" trumpets Toft's, on WCWA-1230 AM during the radio broadcast of the game. Just before the puck was dropped, the Red Wings assistant general manager, Ryan Martin, walks into a booth shared by team officials and the media. At any time, about a half-dozen Walleye may be Wings property. College or European players in transition to the AHL such as Luke Glendening and Andrej Nestrasil who played in Detroit earlier this year, before the Flyers obtained him on waivers often stop here to prepare for the AHL. "In the last three or four years, there's been a real concerted effort from the NHL level to have more involvement down here, to try to develop more NHL-contracted players as well as minor league players that Grand Rapids can utilize," Martin said. "With Detroit, Grand Rapids and Toledo all within two or three hours of each other, we're really the only NHL organization that has that. And we should take advantage of that both from the staff development standpoint or the player development side. "We're gearing more towards a baseball model where the Double A team can feed the Triple A team, and vice versa. "It's a great business down here," Martin said. "And now the hockey's starting to come along, too." As businesses, minor league sports carry notoriously narrow margins. In minor league hockey, it is generally accepted that about one-third of the teams are reasonably profitable. The rest struggle. The Walleye does well. "When you take a look at places like Toledo, you can be profitable in mid-sized, Midwestern communities," said Joe Napoli, president and general manager of both the Walleye and Mud Hens. "And both the Toledo Mud Hens and the Toledo Walleye are profitable. "But both our franchises are not-for-profit corporations. The reason for that is the community, our fans, the sponsors, just love the story that our profits are reinvested 9

10 back into the team and back into the buildings, and then we also designate a portion of the profits into debt service. "So it's really a great community story." Meanwhile, it is all much about family. According to Napoli, market opinion research reveals that about 50 percent of the fans attend games because they are affordable and family oriented. Only 12 percent say they are "avid" hockey fans. The rest identify as "casual." In the NFL, for example, about three times that proportion identify as "avid." Good place to play Mostly casual, or not, it hardly mattered. Everyone was whipped into a frenzy by the start of the game. The Walleye skated out through a two-story-high inflatable model of a fish head, to roaring acclaim. The Walleye float a large inflatable version of its Just 39 seconds in, Red Wings prospect Marin Frk scored on the first shot of the game the second game in a row the Walleye tallied on the first volley. "Hit somebody!" someone in the crowd implores, at the top of his lungs, as the play continues. The teams, like all in the ECHL formerly the East Coast Hockey League before it expanded are mixtures of young and aging prospects, and guys late in their 20s, for whom time for a productive NHL season nearly has passed. For Frk, 21, it is a matter of playing in Grand Rapids when he can, and Toledo when he must. But, right now, skating for the Walleye is not a bad place to be. Especially when you get the boys on the board, quickly, with a scintillating wrist shot. "It's perfect. It's a good building, and we've got a lot of fans this year," said the Czech Republic native, who is touted as a scorer. "We've been playing good hockey, so I really enjoy playing here." Personally, for his career development, Frk said, "It's about how much ice time I get. If I get enough ice time, I know I can show I can play hockey." Kyle Rogers, the Walleyes captain, leads in games played and is fairly the most popular player in the history of this team in Toledo. At 30, it is rewarding to play in a hockeyloving region. "It's definitely the location and the fans," said Rogers, who has made stops in Grand Rapids and Toronto, with the Marlies in the AHL, after playing at Niagara College. "Being in this kind of area in the hockey world, you've got a lot of teams around you, especially if you go to the AHL," he said. "But it's also the fans that we get in Toledo and this area generally and the long history that Toledo hockey goes back to with all the other teams. 10

11 "The fans are so loyal. They really come out. Even last year, when we had a rough year, they still had sellout crowds." With little chance of an NHL career, Rogers says he likes playing for the Walleye, especially this season. "You got right mindset with all these kids coming up from college, and everyone's got the mindset to get up to the AHL. And you've got the older guys who are mentors who are trying to get them up to that level." Special atmosphere The game entertained. There was plenty of scoring, and even some rough stuff. The Walleye won 5-2, continuing a hot season. After they built an early lead, any attempt at a comeback by the Nailers was repelled by 28-year-old former Spartans goalie Jeff Lerg. The diminutive goalkeeper 5-foot-6, 163 pounds ran his victories up to 19 for the season in 23 decisions, after playing a seasons in Italy, and another in France. "I'm really enjoying it," Lerg said. "When I played in this league a few years ago, I was always hopeful if I played in this league again, it would be here in Toledo because it's close to home, and I knew the facility was top-notch. "Since college, when everyone's best friends and we're all in the same boat, I think this is my most enjoyable team, where everyone has a lot of personalities that mix and lot of guys have the same goal and the same desire to try to win and prolong their careers. "And, there's just the support, overall, in the community," he said. Shaking his head and smiling, Lerg said, "I mean, Sunday afternoon, today, and the place was unbelievable as far as the atmosphere. "And, that's what you play for." Detroit News LOADED:

12 Red Wings need to tighten up defensively with fast, stingy conference-leading Canadiens in town Ansar Khan By Ansar Khan on February 15, 2015 at 6:03 PM DETROIT - After allowing eight goals in their past two games, the Detroit Red Wings need to tighten up, especially against a team that doesn't give up much. The Montreal Canadiens, who visit Joe Louis Arena on Monday (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit), rank first in the NHL in fewest goals allowed (2.22 per game). The Red Wings also fare well in that category - they're tied for fifth in goals against (2.43 per game). But losses to Pittsburgh (4-1) and Winnipeg (5-4 in a shootout) revealed the work that needs to be done. "We got to keep it out of our net," coach Mike Babcock said. "We can't give up so many goals. We got to take care of the puck better." Jimmy Howard will make his second start in goal after missing nearly five weeks with a groin injury. He wasn't sharp on a couple of goals against the Jets on Saturday, but the Red Wings didn't manage the puck well. "We had everything going our way (early in the second period) and then we turned the puck over," Babcock said. "It's hard to be organized when you turn the puck over. You have a team, because you're playing good and you're on top of them they don't look that quick, and then suddenly you turn the puck over and they look like they're ultra-fast. So taking care of the puck is a big part of what we have to do right." Said forward Gustav Nyquist: "They did a good job of forechecking us and tracking us hard and creating those turnovers, but we're responsible for taking care of the puck. That's something we need to improve for sure against Montreal." The Canadiens lead the Eastern Conference with 76 points and are four points ahead of the third-place Red Wings in the Atlantic Division. "They got one of the best goalies in the world (Carey Price); their back end is good, active; they got depth up front," Babcock said. "They scored the (second-fewest) goals in the league on the road (52 goals in 25 games) and they still find a way to win all the time. So they do it well and they don't mind being in their zone, they don't mind being outshot, they just play; they wait for their chances. When they get their chances they score." The Canadiens have won four games in a row against the Red Wings, including both meetings this season (2-1 in overtime at Montreal and 4-1 in Detroit). "Lots and lots of speed," Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. "They've got really good structure and they've got a great goaltender. They've got a deep team, which makes it hard on their opponents." 12

13 Babcock changed his lines a bit in practice, playing Nyquist with Pavel Datsyuk and Darren Helm and using Tomas Tatar with Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader. He said he hadn't decided if he'll start the game that way. "Helm is a hard-working guy who forechecks and wins pucks. I think he's been outstanding here lately," Nyquist said. "Pav's the same as Hank. You try to give him the puck as much as possible and get open. You know the stuff he does out there, you just try to create space for him and try to find an open spot." Three's a crowd in net Petr Mrazek and Jonas Gustavsson alternated in one net during practice, which isn't an ideal situation for goaltenders who need work. "We're in the situation right now where we got to get one of these guys out of here just because I don't want to have three goalies around," Babcock said. "But we got to figure that out. I'm sure (general manager) Ken Holland and I will talk about that today. "We need Howie to get back and playing the way he's capable of playing and it's good for him to get some rubber (38 shots on Saturday), but we know he's going to be way better than that. And Pete did a real good job. In saying that, Gus played great for us last year; he's just been hurt all year." The Red Wings are likely to reassign Mrazek to the Grand Rapids Griffins rather than risk losing Gustavsson on waivers. Michigan Live LOADED:

14 Red Wings' Stephen Weiss on Steve Montador: 'One of the most kind, generous guys in the game' Ansar Khan By Ansar Khan on February 15, 2015 at 4:08 PM, updated February 15, 2015 at 7:37 PM DETROIT - Detroit Red Wings forward Stephen Weiss remembers Steve Montador as a good person and a great teammate from their three seasons together with the Florida Panthers. Montador died on Sunday. The defenseman who played for six teams over 10 NHL seasons was 35. Montador was found unconscious in his home in Mississauga, Ont., early Sunday morning and was later pronounced dead. According to reports, no cause of death has been determined but police said no foul play was suspended. Weiss received a text message from a friend on the way to practice informing him of the news. "It was very shocking," Weiss said. "It really hasn't sunk in yet. Monty was one of the most kind, generous guys you'd ever meet in the game, great teammate. Really willing to do a lot of things in the community wherever he was, with whatever team. He was one of my good buddies in the game for sure. I was close to Monty. I'm going to miss him." Montador's final NHL season was in , when he played 52 games for the Chicago Blackhawks. He played 11 games for KHL club Zagreb Medvescak in "He's been overseas playing so it hasn't been as easy to keep in touch, but he was one of those guys you didn't even need to you just pick up right where you left off," Weiss said. Montador was plagued by concussions throughout his hockey career and revealed in 2013 that he battled depression. Weiss played with him from to "I knew that he had gotten dinged a couple times and he was having trouble with that," Weiss said. "But that's as far as I know. I couldn't tell you if he was struggling on a day to day basis with any post-concussion symptoms. I hadn't talked to him in probably a year. I don't know what to say." Weiss added, "When you're playing hockey it's a fast game and you're playing against big, fast people. It's a contact sport so there's possibilities you're going to take a few concussions. It's part of the deal. We love to play the game and make a good living at it. I don't know if that played any part in it at all." Michigan Live LOADED:

15 Jimmy Howard not sharp after long layoff but Red Wings don't provide any help in shootout Brendan Savage By Brendan Savage DETROIT - Jimmy Howard expected more from himself Friday night even though he had spent five weeks on the sidelines. But at the same time, the Detroit Red Wings' veteran goaltender wasn't going to beat himself up too much for a sub-par performance in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets at Joe Louis Arena. Sure, Howard allowed a couple of bad goals in regulation, when the Red Wings blew a 3-1 lead before rallying to force overtime on Pavel Datsyuk's second goal of the game with 6:33 left. But Howard also gave his team a chance to win - especially in the shootout, which has given him fits this season. And he still trying to shake off the rust that goes with being sidelined for so long. Howard stopped the first three shots he faced in the shootout before finally allowing Drew Stafford to score what turned out to be the winning goal. Meanwhile, Howard's teammates gave him zero support by going 0-for-4 at the other end against Michael Hutchinson. "It was great being out there competing with the guys," said Howard, who hadn't started since tearing his groin Jan. 10 in Washington. "Obviously several of tonight's standards I wasn't happy about but I'm not going to get too down on myself right now. I'm going to watch the video tomorrow and try to learn from my mistakes. "I just think timing was probably another issue out there for me as well. Sometimes I felt I was a little ahead of the play and there were other times when I felt I was a little behind the play. But that's going to come. "The more I play, the more I'll feel at home out there." Howard was enjoying a stellar season before getting hurt. He was named to the All-Star team for the second time in his career barely an hour before getting hurt 1:53 into a 3-1 loss at Washington. He played for the first time since the injury Wednesday night in Pittsburgh, relieving Petr Mrazek to start the third period of a 4-1 loss. Howard stopped all four shots he faced but wasn't nearly as sharp against the Jets. Winnipeg ( ) scored on its first shot of the game and two of the goals Howard allowed - the first and third - were on shots he probably should have saved before they eluded him and trickled into the net. Howard doesn't anticipate taking long to get back to the level he was playing at in the first half of the season, when he put together a record, 2.09 goals-against average and.920 save percentage. 15

16 "That shouldn't take long," Howard said. "Like I said, it comes back pretty quick once you get playing. Like I said, the middle of the game I started feeling more and more at home." The Red Wings ( ) know Howard wasn't at his best but they weren't about to blame the loss on their goalie when he got them into the shootout and all four of their contestants - Pavel Datsyuk, Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar - failed to beat Hutchinson. "It was fun to see him back," said captain Henrik Zetterberg. "He made some key saves there, especially in overtime when they had the breakaway (by Mathieu Perreault with 3:25 left). "He played good enough for us to win." Howard, who is 0-7 in shootouts this season, allowed three goals before the game was 30 minutes old before giving up just one in the final 35:12. The Jets tested him six times in overtime, thanks largely to a 4-on-3 manpower advantage after Kyle Quincey was penalized for roughing with 2:10 left. But he kept them off the board with the help of outstanding penalty killing by Niklas Kronwall, Drew Miller and Luke Glendening. "It's probably good for Howie he ended up with lots of rubber," said coach Mike Babcock. "Normally the first and the third (goals) won't go in but you know those things are going to happen. I thought he battled and gave us a chance. "He made enough saves in the shootout and we didn't give him any run support. That's the story of the night." Michigan Live LOADED:

17 Red Wings set to face speedy Canadiens By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily Posted: 02/15/15, 6:06 PM EST DETROIT >> There s two things everyone in the Wings locker room can agree on about the Montreal Canadiens they re fast and they have a great goaltender. Lots of speed, Niklas Kronwall said about the team s next opponent after practice Sunday at Joe Louis Arena. Lots and lots of speed. They re a fast team. They ve got really good structure and they ve got a great goaltender. They ve got a deep team which makes it hard on their opponents. Detroit hosts the Canadiens, Monday. Speed, Gustav Nyquist said. Obviously great goaltending. (Carey) Price is a really great goalie. Overall good solid team that s been playing well for a while now and last season, too. They ve got some younger guys on the team that are playing well for them. They re a real strong overall team. Montreal sits atop the Eastern Conference standings with 76 points. Detroit is four points back and has played one less game. I think they ve got one of the best goalies in the world, Wings coach Mike Babcock said. Their back end is good, active. They ve got depth up front. I like their team. I think they scored the least amount of goals in the league on the road and they still find a way to win all the time. So they do it well and they don t mind being in their zone, they don t mind being outshot, they don t mind any of those things, they just play and they wait for their chances. When they get their chances they score. Montreal has scored the second-fewest goals on the road 52 in 25 games and are away from home. We want to be a fast team, but when we turn the puck over we re not a very fast team, Nyquist said. That really slows us down. For sure we want to be a quick team. They want to play fast. It should be a fast-paced and exciting game. The Wings continue to have three goalies on their roster, but a decision could come soon on who will stay and who will go. Petr Mrazek played every game while Jimmy Howard recovered from an injured groin. He then backed up Howard Saturday as Jonas Gustavsson didn t dress. We re in the situation right now where we ve got to get one of these guys out of here just because I don t want to have three goalies around, Babcock said. But we ve got to figure that out. I m sure Ken Holland and I will talk about that (soon). We need Howie got get back and playing the way he s capable of playing and it s good for him to get some rubber (Saturday) night, but we know he s going to be way better than that and Pete did a real good job, Babcock continued. In saying that, Gus played great for us last year, but he s just been hurt all year. 17

18 Detroit general manager Ken Holland said a decision on the goalie situation most likely won t happen until after Monday. Steve Montador was found unconscious in his home Sunday morning and later pronounced dead. It s news his former teammate, Stephen Weiss, received two hours before practice. It was very shocking, Weiss said. It really hasn t sunk in yet. Monty was one of the most kind, generous guys you d ever meet in the game, great teammate. Weiss played three seasons in Florida with Montador, who was just 35. He had his share of concussions during his 10 seasons in the NHL and in 2013 revealed he was battling depression. He was really willing to do a lot of things in the community wherever he was with whatever team, Weiss said. He was one of my good buddies in the game for sure. I was close to Monty. I m gonna miss him. I knew that he had gotten dinged a couple times and he was having trouble with that, Weiss added. But that s as far as I know. I couldn t tell you if he was struggling on a day-to-day basis with any post-concussion symptoms. I hadn t talked to him in probably a year. I don t know what to say. Macomb Daily LOADED:

19 Griffins 5, Wolves 1: Teemu Pulkkinen picks up 30th goal in win By Peter Wallner / MLive.com ROSEMONT, Ill.- Chicago may have scored first, but the last laugh went to the visiting Grand Rapids Griffins after posting a 5-1 win over the Wolves at Allstate Arena to earn its fourth straight road win while snapping Chicago's four-game winning streak. Chicago's Yannick Veilleux scored the lone goal for the home side at 9:44 when he took a pass from Adam Burish and ripped a wrist shot through the pads of Grand Rapids goaltender Jared Coreau three seconds after Teemu Pulkkinen's slashing penalty expired. Pulkkinen scored for the 30th time this season later in the opening period, scoring on a breakaway at 16:51. The AHL's leading scorer became the first player in franchise history to score 30 goals in back-to-back seasons with the tally, following up his 31-goal season in Chicago goaltender Jordan Binnington caught a bad break midway through the second period when he initially saved a shot from Andreas Athanasiou but the puck deflected into the net off the inside of Binnington's blocker at 9:47. Grand Rapids ( ) exploded for three goals over the final 10 minutes, boosting its record to when leading after two periods despite getting outshot 11-8 in the final frame. Mark Zengerle's ninth goal of the season came when he followed up a shot from Athanasiou. Binnington made the original save and a poke at the puck from Zengerle hit the post. Zengerle was able to follow up his rebound and flick it over a sprawling Binnington into the net at 10:31. Grand Rapids continued to apply offensive pressure on Chicago, with Landon Ferraro passing the puck to Marek Tvrdon, who scored his third goal of the season following a slap shot past Binnington from the top of the left circle at 17:16. Chicago ( ) pulled Binnington for an extra attacker shortly after the Tvrdon goal. The Wolves had a few chances to score, but it was Anthony Mantha that rounded out the scoring for the Griffins with an empty netter at 19:39. Coreau earned his team-leading 12th win of the campaign, making 25 saves. Binnington took the loss for Chicago as he turned away 25 of 28 shots from Grand Rapids. Both Chicago and Grand Rapids went 0-for-4 on the power play. With the win, Grand Rapids now sit five points behind Milwaukee in the Midwest Division. The Griffins and Admirals will square off at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Grand Rapids. Three Stars: 1. GR Athanasiou (game-winning goal, two assists); 2. GR Mantha (goal, assist); 3. GR Tvrdon (goal, assist) 19

20 Notes: Pulkkinen became the second player to log multiple 30-goal seasons in franchise history, joining Michel Picard who scored 46 in , 33 in , and 32 in Pulkkinen has recorded a point in 11 of 13 games played in Grand Rapids Griffins 5 at Chicago Wolves 1 - Status: Final Sunday, February 15, Allstate Arena Grand Rapids Chicago st Period-1, Chicago, Veilleux 5 (Burish, McRae), 9:44. 2, Grand Rapids, Pulkkinen 30 16:51. Penalties-Pulkkinen Gr (slashing), 7:41; Lindbohm Chi (hooking), 13:21; Brodeur Chi (interference), 18:29. 2nd Period-3, Grand Rapids, Athanasiou 10 (Mantha, Lashoff), 9:47. Penalties- Pulkkinen Gr (tripping), 0:55; Kindl Gr (interference), 10:16; Shields Chi (hooking), 12:36. 3rd Period-4, Grand Rapids, Zengerle 9 (Athanasiou, Tvrdon), 10:31. 5, Grand Rapids, Tvrdon 3 (Ferraro), 17:16. 6, Grand Rapids, Mantha 9 (Athanasiou, Hoggan), 19:39 (EN). Penalties-Miele Gr (hooking), 4:47; Eager Chi (hooking), 12:05. Shots on Goal-Grand Rapids Chicago Power Play Opportunities-Grand Rapids 0 / 4; Chicago 0 / 4. Goalies-Grand Rapids, Coreau (26 shots-25 saves). Chicago, Binnington (28 shots-24 saves). A-8,784 Referees-Evgeny Romasko (6), Jake Brenk (15). Linesmen-Brandon Gawryletz (2), Tyler Landman (47). 20

21 Game thread: Howard in net as Red Wings host Jets By Brian Manzullo, Detroit Free Press 6:06 p.m. EST February 14, 2015 The Detroit Red Wings have their All-Star goalie back in net to start tonight as they play the Winnipeg Jets at Joe Louis Arena (7 p.m., FSD, 97.1 FM). The Red Wings enter tonight at (71 points), while the Jets are (66 points). The Jets now feature Tyler Myers, the former Buffalo Sabres defenseman who was just traded earlier this week and was a possible Wings trade target. The Red Wings are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday. Detroit Free Press LOADED:

22 Can the Red Wings reasonably upgrade before deadline? By Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 4:09 p.m. EST February 14, 2015 Is there anyone available at an equitable cost who can make the Detroit Red Wings significantly better? That's the question the Wings have two weeks remaining to answer with an eye on the 2015 playoffs. There is no desperation - the Wings have good footing among the top three teams in the Atlantic Division, a safe spot for the playoffs, and they come out well in significant categories such as goals for and against and special teams. Everything that needed to go right - the health of Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, the growth of the younger generation - has materialized. Still, are the Wings good enough to emerge from a seven-game series against, for example, the Tampa Bay Lightning, a team they've lost to in both meetings so far this season? Or the Montreal Canadiens, who come to town Monday having already beaten Detroit twice this season? There's a good chance one of those opponents will be the first playoff test. The Wings aren't looking for depth, because they've got that in goaltender Petr Mrazek, defensemen Alexey Marchenko and Xavier Ouellet and forwards Teemu Pulkkinen, Landon Ferraro and Mitch Callahan. The Wings don't need to make a lateral move. The only move that makes sense is an upgrade. Salary cap space is not an issue, as the Wings will have approximately $9.5 million in room by the March 2 NHL trade deadline. There's so much talent up front, the Wings are able to roll three scoring lines, a luxury they haven't had in years. Mrazek just showed off the depth they have in goal, subbing for Jimmy Howard while he was injured. If there's one area where the Wings could use an upgrade, it's on defense, where coach Mike Babcock routinely mentions the absence of having a regular who shoots right, and where only Niklas Kronwall provides points for a team that used to also get production from Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski. Marchenko is currently on audition because he shoots right, but he doesn't bring any offense. General manager Ken Holland told the Free Press he's not doing a "rental," the popular term for acquiring a player in the last year of his contract. That doesn't mean any such player is automatically a no-go, though, because the Wings could sign such a player to an extension. If what the Wings want is an offensive defenseman, the prize acquisition would be the Arizona Coyotes' Keith Yandle, a consistently good producer who, at 28 years, is in his prime, and who carries an extremely reasonable cap hit of $5.25 million through next season. The Coyotes, however, are more likely to wait and see what they can get for him this summer rather than move him now. At any time, the asking price would be 22

23 either Gustav Nyquist or Tomas Tatar, plus much more. If Carolina can't re-sign Andrej Sekera, he could be a good fit, but he is a pending UFA. The Blue Jackets' Fedor Tyutin has a nice history of productivity and carries a $4.5- million cap hit through , but is he worth an asking price that'd be something along the lines of Ouellet and a second-round pick? If what the Wings want is a defenseman who shoots right, the most high-profile of those, 25-year-old Tyler Myers, just got traded from Buffalo to Winnipeg. That leaves Toronto's Cody Franson as the most talked-about righty defenseman, but he's a pending UFA who is looking for $5.5 million annually, a salary not commensurate with his skill. Columbus' James Wisniewski, a Canton native, is prone to turnovers and lacks the speed to cover such mistakes. Edmonton's Jeff Petry intrigues because he's the son of former Detroit Tigers pitcher Dan Petry and because the 27-year-old might do much better on a good team. Jeff Petry probably could be had for a second-round pick - but consider that some of Detroit's recent second-round picks are Tatar, Ouellet and Tomas Jurco. What the Wings have to weigh is that stars Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Kronwall are all in their mid-30s and are running out of time to win another Stanley Cup. At the same time, the Wings want to remain competitive for years to come - and that's why blue-chip prospects Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha are so valuable, along with young scorers such as Nyquist and Tatar. The Wings are in a good position, playoff bound for what will be a 24th straight season. Between what they've got in Detroit and what they've got in Grand Rapids, they could pull off quite a run - even without adding a fresh face. Detroit Free Press LOADED:

24 Red Wings' Sheahan aims to play more aggressive By George Sipple, Detroit Free Press 3:23 p.m. EST February 14, 2015 Riley Sheahan admits he probably should shoot more. Sheahan scored his ninth goal of the season Feb. 7 at the Arizona Coyotes, matching the nine goals he had last season for the Detroit Red Wings. He enters tonight's game with 16 assists and 25 points in 53 games season, surpassing last season's totals of 15 assists and 24 points in 42 games. His next point will his 50th in the NHL. "I think I still gotta shoot a little more and be a little more aggressive like that," Sheahan said this morning at Joe Louis Arena. Sheahan has always been a responsible forward. He struggled offensively for three seasons at Notre Dame ( ). In his junior year, he set career highs with nine goals and 25 points. "Confidence is a big thing and playing with some good players always helps too," Sheahan said. In his rookie season with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the American Hockey League in , Sheahan scored 16 goals and 20 assists for 36 points in 72 games. He totaled 17 goals and 42 points between Griffins and Wings last season. Sheahan said he's tried to be a bit more effective offensively this season. "I guess just trying to get in those spots where I can shoot," he said. "Since I've scored some goals, I've gotta keep taking more opportunities to take the puck to the net. I think every game going out there contributing, maybe not even scoring, but getting chances always helps, just builds your confidence." Wings coach Mike Babcock said Sheahan skates better now than he did when he first saw him. "He shoots it once in a while," Babcock said. "Now he scored a couple games ago, we might not see it for another 20 games, but he can absolutely shoot it and he can skate. So, you know he can do those things and he knows he can do those things so obviously he's better offensively and he's just more confident." Sheahan said he has a tendency to look to pass first. "I think it's just the judgment of passing or shooting, it's a big thing for me," he said. "Maybe I just gotta focus a little more on shooting. "Ever since I played, when I was younger, it was pass first. Just kind of maybe ingrained in my mind. It's something I gotta work on and maybe think 'Shoot first.' Especially in this league, it's tough passing the puck into the net. I think a lot of the goals just come from a shot and a rebound." 24

25 NOTEBOOK: Petr Mrazek seemed extra focused at the morning skate. Mrazek turned 23 on Saturday and he was concerned that teammates might be planning something on the ice. Just after Mrazek finished doing an interview at his stall, he was struck with a face full of shaving cream. "I was waiting for it all practice because it always happens on the ice," Mrazek said. "I was surprised here. "If you're waiting for it, it's not going to happen ever. When you don't expect it, it happens." Detroit Free Press LOADED:

26 Winnipeg 5, Detroit 4 (SO): Why the Red Wings lost By George Sipple, Detroit Free Press 11:05 p.m. EST February 14, 2015 First period: The Jets scored on their first shot on goal against Jimmy Howard, who made his first start since Jan. 10. Chris Thorburn redirected a shot from Jacob Trouba (U-M) that beat Howard five-hole at 2:36. Darren Helm and Pavel Datsyuk were each denied on backhand attempts by Jets goaltender Michael Hutchinson midway through the period. Datsyuk was denied on a rising shot by Hutchinson at 14:47. The Wings had a 5-on-3 after Andrew Ladd went off for holding and Blake Wheeler was called for boarding at 15:16. Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall scored his sixth goal of the season to tie the game, 1-1, at 16:54. Henrik Zetterberg and Gustav Nyquist assisted on the goal. Second period: Tyler Myers, who was acquired in a blockbuster trade from Buffalo, went off for slashing Justin Abdelkader at 1:44. Darren Helm scored 16 seconds later to give the Wings a 2-1 lead. Helm stepped up from behind the net and fired a backhand. The rebound came back to Helm and he knocked it in for his 12th goal of the season. Helm helped give the Wings a 3-1 lead at 5:55. Helm's shot deflected in off the right arm of Pavel Datsyuk. It was Datsyuk's 16th goal of the season. The Wings gave up that lead with goals by Blake Wheeler at 7:04 and Drew Stafford scored on a power play at 9:48. Third period: The Jets began the period with a power play, after Jonathan Ericsson was whistled for holding with 19.9 seconds left in the second. The Wings killed off that penalty, but the Jets scored a power play goal at 4:38 after Tomas Jurco went off for tripping Dustan Byfuglien. Andrew Ladd scored to give the Jets the 4-3 lead. Ladd took a slashing penalty at 6:39. Datsyuk scored his second goal of the game at 13:27 to tie the game for the Wings. Overtime: The Wings were outshot 6-2. Wings defenseman Kyle Quincey took a roughing penalty at 2:50, but the Wings did a good job keeping the Jets from scoring. Shootout: The Wings failed to score on four chances. Stafford, Winnipeg's fourth shooter, scored the only goal. Three stars: 1. Myers (two assists), Jets. 2. Datsyuk (two goals, assist), Wings. 3. Stafford (goal, shootout winner), Jets. Detroit Free Press LOADED: