Detroit Red Wings Clips July 1, 2016

Transcription

1 Detroit Red Wings Clips July 1, 2016 Detroit Red Wings PAGE 2 St. James: Detroit Red Wings' remaining targets have pros and cons PAGE 4 Krupa: Red Wings need to focus on obtaining defenseman PAGE 7 Red Wings expect price to rise on remaining FA forwards PAGE 9 All seven Wings draft picks at development camp PAGE 12 NHL free agent rumors: Milan Lucic has narrowed choice of teams to two PAGE 14 Red Wings seek scoring, grit in free agency PAGE 16 Red Wings free-agent focus: Loui Eriksson coming off bounce-back season PAGE 18 Prospect Tyler Bertuzzi, 2016 draft picks headline Red Wings' development camp roster PAGE 20 What advanced stats say about Red Wings' potential defensemen targets PAGE 22 Red Wings free-agent focus: Kyle Okposo's age, scoring ability will attract suitors PAGE 24 Any takers for Detroit money?

2 St. James: Detroit Red Wings' remaining targets have pros and cons Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 8:48 p.m. EDT June 30, 2016 NHL free agency opens July 1, and the Detroit Red Wings What is the next-best investment? Red Wings management and pro scouts met Thursday for the last time to fine-tune plans for improving, as teams can make offers to unrestricted free agents beginning at noon Friday. The most desirable option year-old superstar Steven Stamkos -- took himself out of the running Wednesday by opting to stay in Tampa Bay, leaving the Wings among the teams sifting through the remainders. There are other appealing options, though stiff competition from so many teams desperate to improve will mean having to overpay for them. Frans Nielsen has been tagged within the Wings organization as a target because he'd fill a need at center following the departure of Pavel Datsyuk. He's versatile enough to play in all situations, trustworthy defensively and a good passer who could help set up Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar. Bearing in mind that overpaying is inevitable, maybe the Wings offer Nielsen, 32, four years at $6 million annually. Yes, that's a lot of money, but it's better to overpay in money than term. Nielsen would enable the Wings to use Dylan Larkin as their first-line center, maybe between Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader. Larkin mostly played wing last season, but his speed makes him a natural at the center spot. Milan Lucic, 28, beckons as the biggest name after Stamkos -- and with Stamkos no longer available, Lucic is likely to get an even bigger offer from a team such as Edmonton. The Wings have interest in Kyle Okposo, a 6-foot, 217-pound right-shooting winger who should provide in the 20-goal range. He's only 28. Troy Brouwer appeals because he's 6-3 and 213 pounds, durable (he has missed eight games over the last seven seasons) and a very consistent 20-goal scorer. He's coming off of a terrific playoff performance, which beckons for a team with several forwards who are no-shows come playoff time. Brouwer is not as fast as Darren Helm but, like Helm, Brouwer can play in all situations on any line. He turns 31 in August and, ideally, would come in around four years and $4.5 million annually. The Wings have wanted to bring back Helm all along, but were rebuffed in attempts to re-sign him before Friday because Helm knows just how much of an asset his speed makes him as an unrestricted free agent. Maybe the Wings sweeten their offer, go as high as four years and $3.5 million-$3.75 million annually. 2

3 As Valtteri Filppula showed three years ago, sometimes the devil you know is better than the devil you don't (although there was more to the Wings signing Stephen Weiss than that; Filppula wanted out from under the coaching of Mike Babcock, and Babcock pushed for Weiss). The Wings are looking for help on the back end, too, but meetings have focused on how to bolster the blue line via trade rather than the free agent market because there's no significant upgrade available this summer on that front. When general manager Ken Holland spoke to St. Louis about Kevin Shattenkirk last year, Larkin was the asking price (as was Jonathan Drouin from Tampa Bay). This week has demonstrated that trade prices remain sky-high: Edmonton gave up Taylor Hall, a former No. 1 draft pick, to acquire 23-year-old defenseman Adam Larsson from New Jersey. Montreal and Nashville swapped franchise defensemen in P.K. Subban and Shea Weber. Anaheim s Cam Fowler (Farmington Hills), an elite-skating 24-year-old defenseman drafted 12th overall in 2010, has been targeted by the Wings. He's not a No. 1 guy, but he's good and maybe could be had for Nyquist and Brendan Smith. The Wings traded the contract of Datsyuk last weekend to gain another $7.5 million in spending power. Moments after the trade, when Holland was asked what he wants to do with the money, he didn't hesitate to answer: Spend it. Stamkos turned out to not want anyone's money besides Tampa Bay s, and now the Wings have to figure out another investment plan. Detroit Free Press LOADED:

4 Krupa: Red Wings need to focus on obtaining defenseman Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 9:18 p.m. EDT June 30, 2016 Detroit The pursuit of one of the top scoring forwards in the NHL, free agent Steven Stamkos, might have ended in frustration for the Red Wings and their fans, but opportunities remain to improve the roster. While speculation remains centered on forwards, the Red Wings clearly need a top-two defenseman with offensive skills to help solidify the blue line and provide more offense, especially on the power play. They have money to spend under the salary cap, and good free agents remain available. Defensemen who could have a significant impact also are available through trades, and the Red Wings should pull the trigger on a good deal even if it costs them quality personnel. There are opportunities to improve after one of the worst regular-season performances during their 25-year postseason run. The lack of goal scoring, especially with the man advantage, stymied the Red Wings and was perhaps the biggest factor in their diminished performance. Puck possession by defensemen and a good first pass on the outlet were uncharacteristically problematic. The vaunted Red Wings transition game was suddenly in repose Just when coach Jeff Blashill and the players could note some improvement and express hope it would continue, it disappeared again, in a season when occasional sparks too rarely led to fire. Market isn t bare The focus on Stamkos and reports the Red Wings are now targeting lesser forwards including two Islanders, Frans Nielsen, 32, who would help them fill a gap at center created by the departure of Pavel Datsyuk; and Kyle Okposo, a stout, physical forward who is an increasingly effective scorer is, in part, a response to a lack of offense. But offense also comes from the blue line, and the Red Wings plainly lack that punch. Their cause is not helped by the comparatively weak offseason for defensemen who are unrestricted free agents. It also hurts that two, Keith Yandle and Alex Goligoski, were gone early when teams assertively traded for their negotiating rights before the beginning of the free-agent period. Yandle signed a six-year deal with the Panthers for $44.45 million, and Goligoski a fiveyear deal at $27.5 million with the Coyotes. 4

5 But Jason Demers of the Stars remains available. He likely would cost the Red Wings about $5.5 million per season. The Oilers, and likely other teams, reportedly seek the right-handed shooting defenseman, too. The Stars offense remained potent last season, even with some injuries, because it flashed out of its own zone and through center ice with ease. Demers was a critical component, often delivering the crucial first pass. Defensemen Kris Russell and Dan Hamhuis also remain on the market. Before his offensive numbers slipped last season, due in part to injuries, Russell s offensive stats were on a par with Mike Green and Niklas Kronwall of the Red Wings. And his defense is better. Hamhuis is older than Russell, and his offensive performance is in decline. Two other top candidates, available via trades, were labeled prohibitively expensive last week at the draft. But the Wings have some resources and it is arguably time to give up important personnel to get important personnel. High cost of trades A difficulty presented by the Red Wings roster last season was too many players featuring similar skills. Holland and Blashill have talked about a more diversified group, hence the pursuit of big, tough forwards like Okposo and Troy Brouwer. Similar players on a roster provides opportunities for trades. While the cost of Kevin Shattenkirk of the Blues and Cam Fowler of the Ducks is high, some patience might bring it down. The Bruins, Canucks, Flyers, Oilers, Rangers and Sabres all have expressed an interest in Shattenkirk, who moves the puck with aplomb, shoots well, scored points in three of the past four seasons, and plays 20 minutes per game. Edmonton reportedly offered Jordan Eberle or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and was told it was not enough. Fowler has similar skills, although he is not quite as sound defensively. The Ducks reportedly are looking for a top-six forward or a top-nine and perhaps a mid-draft choice. The Red Wings roster is unsettled. The departure of Datsyuk and the decision not to sign Kyle Quincey makes it only more so. While they clearly would like more prospects to mature before parting with much, it may well be time for Holland to move a lot of chips toward the center of the table. To get, one has to give. Moving a top forward as part of a package for Shattenkirk could create more cap space for Okposo or Brouwer. Time for a change 5

6 It would be a lot of change, but it is arguably time for the Wings to take considerable risks. It is unlikely the offensive games of their current defensemen markedly will improve this season, or prospects such as Xavier Ouellet or Ryan Sproul in Grand Rapids are going to provide more of it anytime soon. Free agency begins today. The needs of the Red Wings are various and considerable. Coming away from this offseason empty-handed is not an alternative for a team that, Holland says, will not entertain a full rebuild. Keeping all the prospects and playing the kids has been eliminated as an alternative, especially two offseasons in advance of moving into Little Caesars Arena. But short of some substantive personnel moves, the roster could well be lackluster again next season, regardless. Detroit News LOADED:

7 Red Wings expect price to rise on remaining FA forwards Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 9:11 p.m. EDT June 30, 2016 Detroit Red Wings v New York Rangers Detroit Steven Stamkos wasn t interested in continuing his career in Detroit. We ll see Friday if other prospective NHL free agents feel the same way or not. Beginning at noon, NHL unrestricted free agents can sign with any team out there in what should be a fascinating shopping spree. The Red Wings are just one of many teams who are looking for an offensive upgrade, and there are a group of players who can help. But none are like Stamkos, who decided Wednesday to remain with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the organization that drafted him and remains the centerpiece of a Stanley Cup-contending roster. At the end of the day, you gather as much information as you can to make the best decision for you and your family moving forward, said Stamkos during a teleconference Thursday. At the end of the day, after a lot of things, and a couple sleepless nights, I m extremely happy with the decision I made. I m kind of relieved to be honest that it s all over. Stamkos met with four teams the Red Wings were reportedly next in line but chose to remain in Tampa before the meeting ever took place. So what now for the Red Wings? General manager Ken Holland has almost $20 million of cap space to spend although approximately half of that will go toward restricted free agents Danny DeKeyser, Petr Mrazek, Alexey Marchenko and Teemu Pulkkinen. The Red Wings would also like to re-sign UFA forward Darren Helm, with both sides having continuing conversations the past few days. Helm scored 13 goals last season while earning $2.125 million on his salary cap hit and could well double that salary next season. But who else is out there to replace Pavel Datsyuk as a top-six forward, and maybe some grit from the bottom two lines? Forwards such Milan Lucic, Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen, Andrew Ladd, Troy Brouwer, Loui Eriksson and Mikkel Boedker are all capable of providing offense and somewhat lessen the loss of Datsyuk (who returned to Russia, retiring from the NHL). But with Stamkos returning to Tampa Bay, the price of these remaining forwards has likely increased with many teams heavily in pursuit. There s probably 10, maybe 12, teams who are doing the same thing we are doing, said Holland earlier this week about the competitive marketplace. There are 30 teams 7

8 all trying to win. It s a competitive business. With the salary cap, everyone has a chance. We have some cap space. We ll see what happens. Helm, with his speed, penalty-killing ability, and defensive ability, would go a long way toward filling a hole on the bottom-nine forwards but the Red Wings wouldn t mind adding more size. A gritty, physical player such as Matt Martin, Jason Chimera or Steve Ott all of whom could attract much interest Friday on the market would help the Red Wings. A veteran, top-four defenseman is also a primary need, but this free agent class isn t brimming with any game-changers in that position. Jason Demers, Dan Hamhuis and Brian Campbell are likely to receive offers far more than the Red Wings are willing to pay. The Red Wings could go the trade route in the coming weeks, with players such as Jacob Trouba (Rochester) and Cam Fowler (Farmington Hills) both possibly available in a deal. But both are young players who would command assets the Red Wings aren t likely to part with. Detroit News LOADED:

9 All seven Wings draft picks at development camp The Detroit News 11:07 a.m. EDT June 30, NHL Draft - Round One All seven of the Red Wings 2016 draft picks will participate in the team s annual development camp at Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City. This year s camp is July The Wings top three picks last week were first-round defenseman Dennis Cholowski, second-round winger Givani Smith and defenseman Filip Hronek, also taken in the second round. The Wings first-round pick from 2015, right wing Evgeny Svechnikov, also will be in Traverse City. The camp will feature scrimmages on July 8 from 6-7 p.m. and July 10 from 11 a.m.- 12:30 p.m. The day-by-day schedule is listed here, below the roster. All practices are open to the public. Tickets ($5) are sold on-site only each day of the camp. Centre Ice Arena is located at 1600 Chartwell Drive. RED WINGS DEVELOPMENT CAMP ROSTER FORWARDS Tyler Bertuzzi, LW, Grand Rapids (AHL) second round Christoffer Ehn, C, Frolunda (SHL) fourth round Mattias Elfstrom, LW, Malmo (Sweden) seventh round Axel Holmstrom, C, Skelleftea (SHL) seventh round Adam Marsh, RW, Saint John (QMJHL) seventh round Mike McKee, RW, Western Michigan (NCHC) fifth round Zach Nastasiuk, RW, Grand Rapids (AHL) second round Chase Pearson, C, Youngstown (USHL) fifth round David Pope, LW, Nebraska-Omaha (NCHC) fourth round Dylan Sadowy, LW, Saginaw/Barrie (OHL) -- Trade with San Jose Givani Smith, RW, Guelph (OHL) second round Evgeny Svechnikov, RW, Cape Breton (QMJHL) first round Dominic Turgeon, C, Portland (WHL) third round Julius Vahatalo, C, TPS (SM-Liiga) sixth round Chase Berger, LW, Penn State (Big Ten) -- Camp invitee 9

10 Mike Borkowski, LW, Colgate (ECAC) -- Signed by Griffins Justin Brazeau, LW, North Bay (OHL) -- Camp invitee Kyle Criscuolo, C, Harvard (ECAC) -- Signed by Griffins Jeff de Wit, LW, Red Deer (WHL) -- Camp invitee Alex Globke, C, Lake Superior State (WCHA) -- Signed by Griffins Luke Kirwan, C, Windsor/Flint (OHL) -- Camp invitee Griffen Molino, RW, Western Michigan (NCHC) -- Camp invitee Mathew Santos, C, North Bay (OHL) -- Signed by Griffins DEFENSEMEN Dennis Cholowski, Chilliwack (BCHL) first round James de Haas, Clarkson (ECAC) sixth round Joe Hicketts, Victoria (WHL) -- Signed as free agent Patrick Holway, Dubuque/Sioux City (USHL) sixth Filip Hronek, HK Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic) second round Alfons Malmstrom, Orebro (Sweden) fourth round Dan Renouf, Maine (HE) -- Signed as free agent Vili Saarijarvi, Flint (OHL) third round Jordan Sambrook, Erie (OHL) fifth round Dylan Coghlan, Tri-City (WHL) -- Camp invitee Patrick McCarron, Cornell (ECAC) -- Camp invitee GOALTENDERS Filip Larsson, Djurgarden (Sweden) sixth round Chase Perry, Wenatchee (BCHL) fifth round Joren van Pottelberghe, Linkoping (Sweden) fourth round Stephen Dhillon, Niagara (OHL) -- Camp invitee Connor Hicks, Hamilton (OHL) -- Camp invitee DEVELOPMENT CAMP SCHEDULE Wednesday, July 6 10:45 11:15 a.m. on-ice skill development (all players) 11:30 noon on-ice conditioning (David s Rink) 11:30 a.m. 12:15 p.m. on-ice practice (West Rink) 12:30 1:30 p.m. off-ice workout (all players) Thursday, July 7 10

11 9:30 10:15 a.m. on-ice skill development (all players) 10:30 11 a.m. on-ice conditioning (David s Rink) 10:30 11:15 a.m. on-ice practice (West Rink) 11:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. off-ice workout (all players) Friday, July :45 a.m. on-ice skill development (all players) 4:45 5:30 p.m. on-ice warm-up (goaltenders) 5 5:45 p.m. off-ice warm-up (all players) 6 7 p.m. scrimmage (all players) Saturday, July 9 9:30 10:15 a.m. on-ice skill development (all players) 10:30 11 a.m. on-ice conditioning (David s Rink) 10:30 11:15 a.m. on-ice practice (West Rink) 11:30 a.m. noon off-ice workout (all players) Sunday, July 10 9:45 10:30 a.m. on-ice warm-up (goaltenders) 10 10:45 a.m. off-ice warm-up (all players) 11 a.m. 12:30 p.m. scrimmage (all players) Detroit News LOADED:

12 NHL free agent rumors: Milan Lucic has narrowed choice of teams to two Brendan Savage June 30, 2016 If Pierre LeBrun of ESPN.com is correct, the teams still in the running to land free agent forward Milan Lucic of the Los Angeles Kings is down to two. Lucic is one of the most attractive free agents expected to hit the market Friday now that Steven Stamkos has re-signed with the Tampa Bay Lighthning. Stamkos was going to be the Detroit Red Wings No. 1 target and Lucic is another possibility. "Interest sky high in Milan Lucic," LeBrun tweeted. "Told that Montreal among the many teams showing interest. Edm, Van, Dallas, etc. No shortage of interest. Hearing that Milan Lucic has narrowed his choices to two teams. Decision time Friday when market opens. "Don't know which are the 2 teams but we know that Edmonton, Vancouver, Montreal, Dallas among teams very interested." Vancouver is out according to Matthew Sekeres of Vancouver radio station TSN AM. The #Canucks were told this morning by Milan Lucic's camp that they are no longer being considered. He's not coming home #NHLFreeagency Matthew Sekeres (@mattsekeres) June 30, 2016 Unconfirmed report says Lucic has deal with Oilers: Freelance reporter Curtis Stock reported Lucic has already agreed to a contract with Edmonton. The Edmonton Journal's David Staples isn't so sure and addressed the report. "I talked to Stock, as a rumour had spread his account had been hacked," Staples wrote. "He confirmed it had not and that this is what a source had told him. So a whole lot of smoke here, but no official fire. I'll believe these signings have come to pass when I see both players in Oilers sweaters. Obviously this information from Stock is far from official confirmation of any deals, so we'll see how this all plays out. Stock has covered the Oilers in the past and has deep connections in the Edmonton sports world. He worked at the Journal for several decades and is now a freelance writer." Bruins won't re-sign Eriksson: It's looking like Loui Eriksson won't be returning to Boston, according to WEEI.com's DJ Bean, who says the Bruins aren't close to reaching an extension with a 30-year-old forward who could be on the Red Wings' radar. "Though Eriksson's camp won't officially rule out the Bruins, the team has not budged in negotiations regarding the versatile winger's next contract this week," Bean wrote. "As such, Eriksson's camp feels that a deal will not be struck unless things change drastically between Thursday afternoon and the open of free agency Friday. Furthermore, they do not feel that the Bruins' buyout of Dennis Seidenberg had anything to do with a deal for Eriksson." 12

13 Andrew Ladd update: TSN.ca's Darren Dreger says the teams pursuing Andrew Ladd will include... Islanders, Nashville, Tampa Bay, Montreal...among the many with interest in Andrew Ladd. When Stamkos decision is made the next wave hits. Darren Dreger June 29, 2016 Okposo the best player available? Ken Campbell of The Hockey News says that the Islanders' Kyle Okposo is "the most sought after free agent" available now that Stamkos is gone. The Red Wings are expected to pursue Okposo, who will help any team that signs him, according to ESPN.com's Scott Burnside. "Let's look at an interesting forward group that, while diminished by Stamkos' absence, remains deep and talented," Burnside wrote. "Kyle Okposo will get a long look from teams seeking a top-six winger with grit and skill. He's used to playing with John Tavares on Long Island and will be a good fit pretty much anywhere." Michigan Live LOADED:

14 Red Wings seek scoring, grit in free agency Ansar Khan June 30, 2016 DETROIT The Detroit Red Wings averaged only 2.55 goals per game in , their lowest output in a full season since Then they lost their most creative talent, Pavel Datsyuk. Scoring is a huge concern. Solutions include getting more production from Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar, who combined for 16 fewer goals than the previous season. Younger players like Dylan Larkin (team-leading 23 goals), Andreas Athanasiou and Anthony Mantha can contribute more. Making a trade for a puck-moving defenseman (Cam Fowler, Kevin Shattenkirk and Jacob Trouba are possibilities) can boost their offense, but would come at a high cost. Another answer is acquiring one of the top-six forwards set to hit the market when free agency begins at noon Friday. The Red Wings' main target, Steven Stamkos, re-signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning Wednesday but there are other options, albeit support players and not stars. A center to fill the void left by Datsyuk would be preferable. Frans Nielsen of the New York Islanders is high on the Red Wings' wish list. He's 32 and likely would cost in excess of $5 million per season on a five-year deal. David Backes of the St. Louis Blues also is a possibility, but they might be hesitant to give a 32-year-old with a physical style more than three years. Wingers who can provide an offensive boost include Kyle Okposo (Islanders) -- whose age (28) adds to his value -- Loui Eriksson (Boston), Troy Brouwer (St. Louis), Andrew Ladd (Chicago) and Mikkel Boedker (Colorado). Milan Lucic (Los Angeles) might be at the top of that list for Detroit but he has a host of suitors and might sign with Edmonton. Some of these players could re-sign with their club before hitting the market. The Red Wings have roughly $20 million in cap space, about half of which is set aside for their own restricted free agents: Danny DeKeyser, Petr Mrazek, Alexey Marchenko and Teemu Pulkkinen. The Red Wings are still talking to Darren Helm, hoping to bring back the speedy center/winger who has spent his entire career in Detroit. The Red Wings' offer likely is in the $3.5 million range, below Justin Abdelkader's $4.25 million cap hit. Helm might receive more lucrative offers elsewhere. If Helm leaves, the Red Wings will be looking for a bottom-six forward, preferably with an element of grit and toughness. They like Matt Martin of the Islanders, but he might command a three-year deal for $3 million a season, a steep price for a fourth-line player. 14

15 Steve Ott of the St. Louis Blues could be a more reasonably priced alternative on a oneyear deal. Other possibilities include Dale Weise (Chicago) and Jason Chimera (Washington). Red Wings general manager Ken Holland found the price for a top-four puck-moving defenseman to be too high at last weekend's draft. Fowler remains on their radar. The thin free-agent market for defensemen includes Jason Demers (Dallas), Dan Hamhuis (Vancouver) and Brian Campbell (Florida), who might return to Chicago. Some interesting names were added to the list Thursday when Dennis Seidenberg (Boston) and Matt Carle (Tampa Bay) were waived for the purposes of being bought out and James Wisniewski (Carolina) was bought out. Michigan Live LOADED:

16 Red Wings free-agent focus: Loui Eriksson coming off bounce-back season Ansar Khan June 30, 2016 (MLive.com periodically will profile a potential Detroit Red Wings free-agent target until the start of free agency on Friday). Loui Eriksson team: Boston Position: Right wing/left wing Height/Weight: 6-2/183 Age: 30 Shoots: Left stats: (regular season) 82 games, 30 goals, 33 assists, 63 points, plus-13 rating, 12 penalty minutes, averaged 19:28 in ice time. Career stats: (regular season) 725 games, 212 goals, 292 assists, 504 points, plus-59 rating, 146 penalty minutes; (playoffs) 34 games, 6 goals, 8 assists, 14 points, plus-2 rating, 12 penalty minutes salary: $4.5 million ($4.25 million cap hit). The lowdown: He appeared in decline his first two seasons in Boston following a trade from Dallas but rebounded last season with his second 30-goal season, his first since He's a good two-way player. He has an accurate shot and finishing ability and is regarded as a reliable defensive player. Notable: Tied for second in points and was third in goals on the Bruins.... Topped 70 points three years in a row with the Stars from , including a career high 73 in Didn't miss a game in five of the past eight seasons.... Has appeared in the playoffs only once since Has extensive international experience with Sweden, playing in two Olympics (2010, 2014), four World Championships and two World Juniors.... Drafted by Dallas in second round (33rd overall) in Why he would interest the Red Wings: They had trouble scoring last season and lost Pavel Datsyuk in the off-season, so they need an offensive boost. Eriksson has a proven track record for producing. How he could fit in with the Red Wings: He would be a top-line winger and play in all situations (power play, penalty killing). What it might take to get him: Perhaps a five-year deal in the range of $6 million a season. Three key questions: 1. Should the Red Wings invest in a center instead? 2. Can he continue producing like he did in or will he revert to his underachieving ways of 16

17 the previous three seasons? 3. Is it too risky to give a five-year term to a player who turns 31 in July? Michigan Live LOADED:

18 Prospect Tyler Bertuzzi, 2016 draft picks headline Red Wings' development camp roster Brendan Savage June 30, 2016 DETROIT The Detroit Red Wings have invited 39 players to their annual development camp, which begins next week in Traverse City. The list includes all seven of the club's picks in this month's NHL entry draft defensemen Dennis Cholowski, Filip Hronek, Alfons Malmstrom and Jordan Sambrook as well as goaltender Filip Larsson and forwards Givani Smith and Mattias Elfstrom. Cholowski was taken in the first round (20th overall) while Smith and Hronek were the Red Wings' second-round picks. The list also includes forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Zach Nastasiuk of the Grand Rapids Griffins; Evgeny Svechnikov, the Red Wings' first-round draft pick from a year ago; and defenseman Joe Hicketts, who signed as a free agent two years ago. Former draft picks who are also on the list include Axel Holmstrom, Dominic Turgeon and Christoffer Ehn from the draft class of 2014; Patrick Holway, Vili Saarijarvi and Joren van Pottelberghe from last year's draft class; tough guy Mike McKee, a 2012 draft pick who played last season at Western Michigan; and Dylan Sadowy, who played for the Saginaw Spirit last season before being acquired in a trade. Although Holmstrom and Turgeon will be on hand at Centre I.C.E. Arena, they won't take part in any on-ice activities. Both are injured, according to Red Wings assistant general manager Ryan Martin, and will be in Traverse City "for treatment and assessment of rehab." Among the notable missing from the camp roster are 2013 top draft pick Anthony Mantha, who spent 10 games with the Red Wings last season, and Robbie Russo, who had a plus-40 rating in Grand Rapids after signing as a free agent last summer out of Notre Dame, where he was a team captain. Martin said Mantha has "outgrown" the development camp and the Red Wings are going with a younger group of players this season. The camp runs Wednesday through Sunday. There will be four workouts each day two on the ice, two off it beginning at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. Saturday and 9:45 a.m. Sunday. Scrimmages will be held at 6 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Sunday. Grand Rapids coach Todd Nelson will run the camp. Tickets are $5 per day and available only at Centre I.C.E. Here are the remaining players who are scheduled to attend the camp: 18

19 Forwards Adam Marsh, Chase Pearson, David Pope, Julius Vahatalo, Chase Berger, Mike Borkowski, Justin Brazeau, Kyle Criscuolo, Jeff de Wit, Alex Globke, Luke Kirwan, Griffen Molino and Matthew Santos. Defensemen James de Haas, Dan Renouf, Dylan Coghlan and Patrick McCarron. Goalies Chase Perry, Stephen Dhilon and Connor Hicks. Michigan Live LOADED:

20 What advanced stats say about Red Wings' potential defensemen targets Tom Mitsos June 30, 2016 On Wednesday, we took a look at some of the forwards the Detroit Red Wings are pursuing in free agency. Now, it's time to look at some defensemen. The defensemen situation is a bit different, as only one of the players featured is an unrestricted free agent. Two of them still are under contract, and the Red Wings would have to make a deal with their respective teams to get them. The last player is a restricted free agent, meaning general manager Ken Holland would have to draw up an offer sheet for that player, but the player's team has the ability to match that deal. Let's take a look at some of the top defensemen the Red Wings could acquire Friday with their score-, zone- and venue-adjusted five on five stats from the season: 5 on 5 (15-16) Cam Fowler Dan Hamhuis Jacob Trouba Kevin Shattenkirk GP TOI (minutes) 1, , , CF CA CF% Relative CF% xgf xga xgf% GF GA GF% As you can see, Jacob Trouba stands out among the four defensemen. He played the most minutes and leads in Corsi for per 60 minutes, expected goals for per 60, expected goals for percentage, team goals for per 60, team goals against per 60 and team goals for percentage. However, Trouba will be hard to acquire, as he is a restricted free agent, so the Jets can match any offer Holland gives him. Winnipeg certainly could trade Trouba, and with the recent extension for Dustin Byfuglien, that is a possibility. But the Jets will want a hefty return for the 22-year-old who shows promise. The Red Wings also would have to compensate the Jets with draft picks if Winnipeg didn't match an offer sheet. 20

21 Kevin Shattenkirk looks like a solid option as well. He leads in Corsi against per 60 and expected goals against per 60. Dan Hamhuis, the only unrestricted free agent, certainly is the weakest defenseman of the four. He had poor possession stats and poor scoring stats. Hamhuis would be more of a depth option than an answer to the Red Wings' struggling defense. Let's take a look at the stats from the past three seasons: 5 on 5 (13-16) Cam Fowler Dan Hamhuis Jacob Trouba Kevin Shattenkirk GP TOI (minutes) 3, , , , CF CA CF% Relative CF% xgf xga xgf% GF GA GF% Again, Trouba looks like the go-to player, but the gap is much smaller. Shattenkirk has better possession numbers and does a better job of defending than Trouba does. Let's take a look at the radar chart: Screen Shot at PM.pngDefensemen radar chart by Ryan Stimson. The chart doesn't help the Red Wings' case to acquire Cam Fowler. The only metric close to the edge is Corsi of quality of teammates, which means he has played with topline talent and hasn't been able to take advantage of that. Shattenkirk appears to be the better all-around defenseman. He produces a lot of shots and keeps the shot differential in his favor, but doesn't reach the edge of the chart in any category. None of these defensemen are game changers who can quickly turn around the Red Wings, but for the right price, they could help a unit that has struggled ever since Nicklas Lidstrom's retirement in Michigan Live LOADED:

22 Red Wings free-agent focus: Kyle Okposo's age, scoring ability will attract suitors By Ansar Khan June 30, 2016 (MLive.com periodically will profile a potential Detroit Red Wings free-agent target until the start of free agency on Friday). Kyle Okposo team: N.Y. Islanders Position: Right wing Height/Weight: 6-0/217 Age: 28 Shoots: Right stats: (regular season) 79 games, 22 goals, 42 assists, 64 points, minus-4 rating, 51 penalty minutes, averaged 18:12 in ice time; (playoffs) 11 games, 2 goals, 6 assists, 8 points, minus-3 rating, 4 penalty minutes, averaged 22:03 in ice time. Career stats: (regular season) 569 games, 139 goals, 230 assists, 369 points, minus-60 rating, 310 penalty minutes; (playoffs) 24 games, 7 goals, 8 assists, 15 points, minus-3 rating, 11 penalty minutes salary: $4.5 million ($2.8 million cap hit). The lowdown: If the Red Wings don't land center Frans Nielsen or right wing Milan Lucic who is expected to sign with Edmonton Okposo might be their next choice. Okposo has good offensive skills. He can finish and facilitate. He has a good shot and a nose for the net. Notable: Led the Islanders in assists and was second in points.... He has tallied 18 or more goals in six seasons, including a career-high 27 in Had a career-high 69 points in ' Was an alternate captain for the Islanders.... Has posted a minus rating in seven of the past eight seasons, most of that time with a below average to bad club.... Has not been durable, missing many games over his career with injuries.... Played for the U.S. in two World Junior Championships (2007 and 2008) and three World Championships (2009, 2010 and 2012).... Selected in the first round (seventh overall) by the Islanders in the 2006 entry draft. Why he would interest the Red Wings: He's relatively young with proven offensive ability. It's an area of concern for a team that had trouble scoring and lost Pavel Datsyuk. His right shot would be valued on a team loaded with left shooters. How he could fit in with the Red Wings: He would play first- or second-line right wing and on the power play. He doesn't kill penalties. What it might take to get him: Perhaps a five- or six-year deal in the range of $6 million a season. 22

23 Three key questions: 1. Should the Red Wings pursue a center instead? 2. Does Okposo's age make him a more desirable target than someone like David Backes, Troy Brouwer or Andrew Ladd? 3. How important is it for the Red Wings to have a righthanded shot among their top-six forwards? Michigan Live LOADED:

24 Any takers for Detroit money? By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings have the cap space. Now, can they find the right free agents to fill the holes needed for the next few seasons? Jeff Blashill and I talked to a lot of players this week, Wings general manager Ken Holland said. We ve got cap space. We d like to sign somebody. We ve got to let this system play itself out. Some of these guys might re-sign with their teams, Holland continued. I think there are probably 10 or 12 teams doing the same thing we re doing and we ll see what happens over the next week. One that did re-sign was Tampa Bay s Steven Stamkos, who Detroit had a ton of interest in but was never given the chance to speak to him. Stamkos, who took less money (eight-year deal worth $8.5 million a season), would have been the most coveted unrestricted free agent in some time had he hit the market at noon Friday. The Wings will now turn their focus on the second set of forwards Frans Nielsen, Milan Lucic, Andrew Ladd, Troy Brouwer, Kyle Okposo, Loui Eriksson, Jeff Backes and Mikkel Boedker they feel could fill a hole on one of the top two lines. Detroit has roughly $20 million in cap space with half of that earmarked for resigning its restricted free agents which include Petr Mrazek, Danny DeKeyser, Alexey Marchenko, Teemu Pulkkinen and Ryan Sproul, all of which got qualifying offers on Monday. That gives the Wings about $10 million to spend when free agency opens at noon Friday. There are lots of teams in the game now and every year it might be different teams, Holland said. Because of the salary cap, because of competitive balance, there once was a time where there were six or eight teams in the league 15 years ago that were a cut above everyone else that if you wanted to go and compete for a Stanley Cup. The Wings are in desperate need of a top-six forward after Pavel Datsyuk decided to not fulfill his final year of his contract. They re also looking for a physical bottom-six forward Matt Martin, Jason Chimera, Dale Weise and Steve Ott and a top-pair defenseman, which there are none to be had in free agency. When you re talking to players there are lots of different priorities that are important to them as they ultimately make their decision, Holland said. One is money. One is how good is your team. Another is how do they fit in on your team, what is their role. Another one is maybe this is where the player is from or where the player s wife is from and 24

25 they d like to go home and play. You work your way through a whole bunch of different reasons why. Darren Helm is also talking to the Wings about possibly returning, but there s also a strong chance he ll test free agency. We ve obviously created some cap space with the trading of Datsyuk, Holland said. Part of what we re selling is we have fabulous ownership that s committed to winning. Up to this year we re up to the cap and many years we re over the cap because we ve spent more money than what the cap is based upon the way we structure contracts and LTI and things like that. We talk about the future with (Petr) Mrazek, (Dylan) Larkin, (Andreas) Athanasiou, (Anthony) Mantha, (Tomas) Tatar, (Gustav) Nyquist and Riley Sheahan so certainly there are some young pieces here. I think that our history, we ve made the playoffs here 25 years in a row, I think is something in some cases for players, they want to go to an organization that s going to be competitive for a playoff spot, Holland added. That s what we re selling. Macomb Daily LOADED: