Detroit Red Wings Clips August 7, 2014

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1 Detroit Red Wings Clips August 7, 2014 Detroit Red Wings PAGE 2 Brian Rafalski elected to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame: 'I'm very humbled' PAGE 4 Operator agrees to make Joe Louis Arena more accessible to people with disabilities PAGE 5 Former Red Wing Brian Rafalski elected to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame PAGE 6 Daniel Alfredsson to begin skating next week, says Red Wings are his only option for PAGE 7 Former Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski elected to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame PAGE 8 Former Deroit Red Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski named to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame PAGE 10 USA TODAY / 2014 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame class announced PAGE 12 Former Wing Rafalski inducted into U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame

2 Brian Rafalski elected to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame: 'I'm very humbled' 2:48 PM, August 6, 2014 By Helene St. James Detroit Free Press Sports Writer From the Detroit suburbs to Finland and back to the U.S., Brian Rafalski's hockey career spanned internationally from inauspicious to illustrious. The diminutive defenseman from Dearborn won the Stanley Cup three times, including with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008, and collected two Olympic silver medals with Team USA. That led, naturally enough, to today s announcement that Rafalski, now 40, is part of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame s class of "I'm very humbled and honored," Rafalski said on a conference call from his off-season home in Wisconsin. "It's very rewarding for myself. I wasn't really expecting this." The class also boasts Karyn Bye Dietz, a pioneer in women's hockey; Jeff Sauer, a longtime college coach who had Rafalski at the University of Wisconsin; and Lou Vairo, a longtime coach at various levels. The class will be enshrined Dec. 4 in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Other Wings recently inducted include Chris Chelios (2011) and Mike Modano (2012). Wings owner Mike Ilitch was inducted in Last year's class was heavy on Michigan, featuring Warren native and Lake Superior State alumnus Doug Weight and Detroit businessman Peter Karmanos. Sauer saw Rafalski's success coming two decades ago, even as he went undrafted after graduation. Sauer recalled calling Devils GM Lou Lamoriello to talk up Rafalski after his graduation from Wisconsin. "I said, 'I've got a defenseman here for you that might be pretty good,' and Lou Lamoriello told me he's too small, he can't stand the physical game. Four years later, he's playing in the National Hockey League, and he ends up playing for Lou Lamoriello and does an excellent job." After gaining attention overseas, Rafalski joined the Devils in 1999 and won the Stanley Cup in A second Cup followed in He came home to Detroit in 2007, when the Wings saw his tape-to-tape passes ideally suited to their puck-possession style. It was a fantastic experience for Rafalski. "The best part of playing in Detroit was coming home and playing in front of family and friends, and the opportunity to play with some other great defensemen, like Nick Lidstrom, Chris Chelios," he said. "Throughout my career I've had the opportunity of being coached and playing with some of the best defensemen of all time, going back to Slava Fetisov and Larry Robinson in New Jersey, and then also Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer, and in Detroit, guys like Mark Howe, Larry Murphy, just being in the locker room and seeing those guys come through." 2

3 Rafalski quit hockey with a year to go on his contract, citing health and a desire to explore new horizons. He now spends most of his time serving as a chaplain in the area around Ft. Myers, Florida. While he went through a failed comeback attempt earlier this year, Rafalski said he didn't second-guess his decision to retire in "I'm very happy God has put me back where I'm supposed to be at the right time," Rafalski said. "It's worked out great." Detroit Free Press LOADED:

4 Operator agrees to make Joe Louis Arena more accessible to people with disabilities Louis Aguilar The Detroit News Detroit The operator of Joe Louis Arena has reached a settlement with the U.S. Attorney s Office to make the home venue of the Detroit Red Wings more accessible to people with disabilities. The U.S. Attorney s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced the deal Wednesday. The settlement agreement with Olympia Entertainment Inc. resolves a complaint filed by a patron with a disability who was unable to attend Red Wing games at The Joe. The arena was built prior to the American Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodation, communications, and governmental activities. This agreement provides people with disabilities with much improved access to enjoy events at Joe Louis Arena, and perhaps even more importantly, ensures full and equal opportunity at Olympia s new events center for generations of hockey fans to come said U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade in the press statement. She was referring to the new arena that is slated to begin construction soon. Under the settlement agreement, Olympia will provide 45 wheelchair accessible seats. Olympia has also agreed to improve accessibility in restrooms, concession stands, restaurants, and clubs throughout the arena. Detroit News LOADED:

5 Former Red Wing Brian Rafalski elected to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Staff The Detroit News Former Red Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski has been elected to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, it was announced Wednesday. Rafalski, a Dearborn native, played for the Wings from 2007 through the season before retiring. He also played seven seasons before that with the New Jersey Devils. He helped the Devils win the Stanley Cup in 2000 and 2003, then partnered with defensive legend Nicklas Lidstrom to help the Red Wings hoist the Cup in Rafalski scored 79 goals and had 515 points in 833 regular-season games with the Devils and Red Wings. Other inductees announced Wednesday included Karyn Bye Dietz, who played on the U.S. Olympic gold-medal women s team in 1998; Jeff Sauer, college and U.S. Paralympic sled hockey coach; and Lou Vairo, former U.S. hockey assistant coach. The induction ceremony is Dec. 4 in Minnesota. Detroit News LOADED:

6 Daniel Alfredsson to begin skating next week, says Red Wings are his only option for Brendan Savage By Brendan Savage on August 06, 2014 at 4:44 PM, updated August 06, 2014 at 4:45 PM The Detroit Red Wings might soon learn what the future holds for veteran forward Daniel Alfredsson. According to a Tweet by Szymon Szemberg of Europe's Champions Hockey League, Alfredsson plans to begin skating next week to see how his back feels before deciding if he returns for an 18th NHL season. Alfredsson battled back problems for much of last season, his first with Detroit. If he does play this season, it will be for the Red Wings and no one else. "Daniel Alfredsson says on Swedish radio that he will hit ice next week," Szemberg said in a Tweet. "Depending on how his back will respond, he will decide about future. "@DAlfredsson11 said that if he plays one more year, it will be with@detroitredwings. No other options. "Playing at home 1 last season not an option. It actually takes more to prepare for Euro season than for NHL." Alfredsson, 41, will take a pay cut if he returns to Detroit. He made $5.5 million last season but the Red Wings only have $5.2 million remaining under the salary cap and they still have to re-sign defenseman Danny DeKeyser. In 68 regular-season games last season, Alfredsson had 18 goals, 49 points and a plus- 2 rating. He shared the team scoring lead with Niklas Kronwall. Alfredsson had no points in three playoff games. General manager Ken Holland told MLive last week that the club would evaluate Alfredsson's situation once he resumes skate in Detroit prior to training camp. Michigan Live LOADED:

7 Former Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski elected to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Brendan Savage By Brendan Savage on August 06, 2014 at 12:02 PM, updated August 06, 2014 at 12:04 PM Former Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski is among four people who have been elected to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, USA Hockey announced this morning. Rafalski, a native of Dearborn, spent the final four seasons of his 11-year NHL career with the Red Wings. Also elected were Karen Bye Dietz, Jeff Sauer and Lou Vairo. They'll be inducted Dec. 4 at the U.S Hockey Hall of Fame in Minnesota. Rafalski spent the first seven seasons of his NHL career with the New Jersey Devils before signing with the Red Wings as a free agent in In 292 games with the Red Wings, Rafalski had 35 goals, 169 assists and a plus-78 rating. He helped the Red Wings win the 2008 Stanley Cup during his first season in Detroit, getting four goals and 10 assists in 22 playoff games. In 541 career games with the Red Wings and Devils, Rafalski had 44 goals and 267 assists. He finished in the top 10 of Norris Trophy voting as the NHL's best defenseman three times, including twice with the Red Wings. Before beginning his NHL career, Rafalski spent four seasons at the University of Wisconsin and played another four years in Europe. Rafalski retired in 2011 with one year remaining on his contract after undergoing surgery on his back and knee. He attempted a comeback with the ECHL's Florida Everblades last season but his body was not up to the grind of pro hockey. As for the other players elected, Bye Dietz was one of the world's top female forwards for the U.S. National Team from , playing in two Olympics; Sauer spent 40 years coaching and won a pair of NCAA championships at Wisconsin; and Vairo spent six decades at virtually level of hockey, coaching the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, serving as a scout for the 1980 Miracle On Ice team and working as an assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils. Michigan Live LOADED:

8 Former Deroit Red Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski named to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily Posted: 08/06/14, 4:56 PM EDT DETROIT >> When former Detroit Red Wings defenseman Brian Rafalski announced his retirement from professional hockey following the season with one year and $6 million left on a contract, it came as quite a shock. Conversely, the announcement made Wednesday was no surprise. Rafalski was among four people elected to the class of 2014 of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. He was a player that always was involved in the play, said his former coach at Wisconsin Jeff Sauer, who was also named as part of the class of He was a guy that you could count on in all situations and circumstances along the way. He was the type of player that you looked down the bench and who s the next guy that you need out there to kill a penalty or work the power play or be out there in a critical situation in a game? He certainly was the first guy you would pick. Rafalski ranks 10th all-time amongst American-born NHL defenseman with 515 points (79 goals, 436 assists) in 833 regular season games, while totaling 29 goals and 71 assists in 165 playoff games. I remember him telling us you come to college as a boy and you want to leave as a man, Rafalski said of his former coach. He gave you responsibility to grow up and learn what it took to be a professional athlete. You come to the rink every day, work the 3-4 hours and when you came out of there, you were ready to work hard and try to make a career out of hockey if you wanted to. It really allowed us to grow up and to go on to better things in our lives. It was something all the guys appreciated. Rafalski also finished in the top 10 in voting for the Norris Trophy, awarded to the NHL s best defenseman, three times, twice with the Wings. Rafalski, who reached the playoffs all 11 seasons of his career, played in three Olympic Games, winning silver medals in 2002 and 2010, where he was named the best defenseman at the Vancouver Games. For me it was just that I got the chance to play with a lot of guys I grew up watching, Rafalski said of playing in the 2002 Games. It was a very high-profile team, a lot of great players. It was a great opportunity for us to perform well on home soil. Getting the opportunity to play for Herb Brooks was a great honor, something that I ll cherish and remember. It s a fond memory for me. In 2007, Rafalski, a Dearborn native, signed a five-year, $30 million free-agent contract to come to Detroit as the Wings lost Mathieu Schneider after he signed with Anaheim. 8

9 I remember growing up in the 80s when the Wings were in the Norris Division and they had no chance of winning, said Rafalski, who also won a bronze medal at the 1992 world juniors. You d get into Joe Louis (Arena) no problem and sit wherever you wanted. They really changed through the late 1980s and 90s with Steve Yzerman and Nick Lidstrom. They developed a great program there through great ownership with the Ilitches. Rafalski won three Stanley Cups in his career, two with the New Jersey Devils and one in Detroit (2008). It was great to play in front of family and friends and have the opportunity to play with other great defensemen like Nick Lidstrom and Chris Chelios, Rafalski said. Throughout my whole career I had the opportunity to be coached and play with some of the best defensemen of all-time, going to back to Slava Fetisov, Larry Robinson, Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer and Ken Daneyko in New Jersey. Going to Detroit, there was Mark Howe and Larry Murphy, Rafalski continued. Just being around the locker room when those guys would come through and playing with Chelios and Lidstrom, I ve had so many different influences and people to learn from. I just tried to absorb all that. Rafalski, who played four seasons in Europe after four years at Wisconsin, attempted a comeback last season with the ECHL s Florida Everblades which didn t last long. Also elected were Karen Bye Dietz and Lou Vairo. The induction ceremony will take place Dec. 4 at the U.S Hockey Hall of Fame in Minnesota. Macomb Daily LOADED:

10 USA TODAY / 2014 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame class announced Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports 4:54 p.m. EDT August 6, 2014 Former Wisconsin coach Jeff Sauer recalls calling New Jersey Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello in 1995 hoping to convince him to sign Badgers defenseman Brian Rafalski, who was an undrafted player. "Lou Lamoriello told me, 'Oh he is too small. He can't stand the physical game,' " Sauer says. Today it was announced that Rafalski, a veteran of 11 NHL seasons, will be entering the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in December as a member of the 2014 class that also includes his former college coach Sauer, plus women's hockey legend Karyn Bye Dietz and former NHL coach and 1984 U.S. Olympic coach Lou Vairo. It was Lamoriello who ended up signing Rafalski, and the smallish, puck-moving defenseman helped the Devils win Stanley Cup championships in 2000 and He also was a member of the Detroit Red Wings' Stanley Cup championship team in In 833 NHL games, he had 79 goals and 436 assists. Rafalski helped USA win the silver medal at the 2002 and 2010 Olympic Games. A power forward, Dietz is viewed as one of the pioneer's of women's hockey. Dietz and Cammi Granato were the dominant forwards of the U.S. women's program in the 1990s. Dietz has already been inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame. Sharks will host Kings outdoors in Stadium Series "Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be sitting here and getting inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame," Dietz said. "It was just something one never thought, especially being a female hockey player." Sauer has spent more than 40 years in coaching, racking up 655 wins as a college hockey coach, ranking him seventh all-time. He led Wisconsin to NCAA championships in 1983 and This year, he coached the 2014 U.S. Paralympic sled hockey team to a gold medal in Sochi, Russia "My dad always said I've never had a real job," Sauer said. "And to this day, I've never had a real job. I've always enjoyed going to work and being part of hockey." Vairo has been a fixture in the USA Hockey program since the 1970s. He was a scout for the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, a head coach of the 1984 team and an assistant on the silver-medal team in He has coached the U.S. Men's National Team five times. He has been one of the sport's great ambassadors at the international level. Vairo grew up in Brooklyn, and never played organized ice hockey like we know it today. But he made himself into a successful coach. "It just goes to show you that you can achieve anything if you stick with it and don't take 'no' for an answer," Vairo said. 10

11 The Class of 2014 will be formally enshrined on Dec. 4 in Minneapolis/St. Paul. "The class of 2014 is an extraordinary collection of individuals that have had an immensely positive impact on hockey in our country," said Ron DeGregorio, president of USA Hockey. "Cumulatively, they have been involved at every level of hockey and this group is a big reason why our sport has advanced to the point it has in the United States." USA TODAY LOADED:

12 Former Wing Rafalski inducted into U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame By Bob Duff / Windsor Star Last winter, Brian Rafalski made a brief return to professional hockey. Wednesday, he became a hall of famer. The former NHL defenceman who won a Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in was announced as part of the class of 2014 to be enshrined into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. Rafalski will be joined in the Hall by coaches Lou Vairo and Jeff Sauer, the latter Rafalski s college coach at Wisconsin, and Olympian Karen Bye Dietz. It s very rewarding for myself, Rafalski said. I wasn t really expecting this. Rafalski, 40, began his NHL career with the New Jersey Devils in and won two Stanley Cups with them. The Dearborn, Mich.-born Rafalski moved to his hometown team as an unrestricted free agent in 2007 and won a third Cup in his second season as a Red Wing. It was something I wanted to have the opportunity to do and I was blessed to have that opportunity, Rafalski said of playing for the Wings. It was great to play in front of family and friends and have the opportunity to play with other great defencemen like Nick Lidstrom and Chris Chelios. Throughout my whole career I had the opportunity to be coached and play with some of the best defencemen of all-time, going to back to Slava Fetisov, Larry Robinson, Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer and (Windsor-born) Ken Daneyko in New Jersey. Going to Detroit, there was Mark Howe and Larry Murphy. Just being around the locker room when those guys would come through and playing with Chelios and Lidstrom, I ve had so many different influences and people to learn from. I just tried to absorb all that. His earliest memories of the Wings as a young boy and a fan of the team aren t as cherished by Rafalski. I remember growing up in the eighties when the Wings were in the Norris Division and they had no chance of winning, Rafalski said. You d get into Joe Louis (Arena) no problem and sit wherever you wanted. 12

13 They really changed through the late 1980s and 90s with Steve Yzerman and Nick Lidstrom. They developed a great program there through great ownership with the Ilitches. Rafalski made a brief three-game comeback with the ECHL s Florida Everblades last season before the same back issues that prompted his retirement from the NHL in 2011 cropped up again. His 515 career points are the 10th-most by an American-born NHL defenceman and his point-per-game average of.618 rates eighth-best among U.S. defenders. Internationally, Rafalski played in three Olympic Games, winning silver medals in 2002 and He was named the best defenceman at 2010 Vancouver Games. He also won a bronze medal with the USA at the 1992 world juniors. 13