Detroit Red Wings Clips March 11, 2016

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1 Detroit Red Wings Clips March 11, 2016 Detroit Red Wings PAGE 2 Dylan Larkin becomes first Wings rookie to notch 20 goals in 13 years PAGE 3 Wings rookie Andreas Athanasiou thrilled to be on Pavel Datsyuk s line PAGE 4 Red Wings sign Maine defenseman Dan Renouf to two-year deal PAGE 5 Detroit Red Wings' Mrazek, 2 others back in vs. Jets tonight PAGE 6 Detroit Red Wings star Bill Gadsby dies at 88 PAGE 8 As new arena takes shape, concert plans in the works PAGE 10 Resilient Wings rally to beat Jets, snap 3-game skid PAGE 12 Krupa: Red Wings Gadsby was The Defenseman PAGE 15 Wings Athanasiou teams up with Datsyuk PAGE 17 Wings Hall of Famer Bill Gadsby dies at 88 PAGE 18 Dylan Larkin first Red Wings rookie with 20 goals since PAGE 20 Red Wings postgame: Justin Abdelkader a jack-of-all-trades in big win over Jets PAGE 21 Red Wings edge Jets on Justin Abdelkader's late goal PAGE 23 Red Wings still enjoy outdoor games, despite increased frequency PAGE 24 Red Wings sign free-agent defenseman Dan Renouf of Maine to entrylevel contract PAGE 26 Recap: Red Wings-Jets scoring summary, stats, video highlights and more PAGE 29 Red Wings Gameday: Looking at remaining foes in bid for 25th straight playoff berth PAGE 31 Former Red Wings Hall of Fame defenseman Bill Gadsby dies at age 88 PAGE 32 Red Wings lineup vs. Jets: Andreas Athanasiou on Pavel Datsyuk's line; Petr Mrazek in goal PAGE 34 How new Red Wings arena will radically change Detroit entertainment PAGE 37 Abdelkader scores late to lift Red Wings past Jets

2 Dylan Larkin becomes first Wings rookie to notch 20 goals in 13 years Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 1:36 a.m. EST March 11, 2016 Dylan Larkin checked another milestone off his remarkable debut. He became the first Detroit Red Wings rookie to hit 20 goals since Henrik Zetterberg in when he scored in Thursday's 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets at Joe Louis Arena. "It's pretty cool," Larkin said. "It was a goal of mine coming into this year. But for me, it's what's next -- maybe 25? There's always more." Zetterberg recalled reaching 20 as a rookie as being "hard" and credited Larkin for his work ethic."he's been doing a great job, even when stuff hasn't gone his way, I think he's been working hard and really doing the right things, so it's nice to see that he gets rewarded." Zetterberg recalled scoring his 20th goal as a rookie "I think it was in St. Louis" but what stood about the season, he said, "we exited pretty quick in the playoffs. That's what I remember, unfortunately." Larkin, 19, hadn't score since Feb. 18, but bristled at the suggestion he'd been in a cold spell. "I don't think it was a cold spell, really," he said. "I think I was playing good hockey. Just a lot of factors. I don't think I was playing terrible, but it was nice to put that one away. "For me, the biggest thing is to try to find a way to contribute to the team." Coach Jeff Blashill credited Larkin for getting more chances the last few games. "I thought he had shown up more offensively," Blashill said. "He went through a little bit of a slump where maybe he wasn't getting as many chances, but I thought it was just a matter of time. There's no question when he's got the puck on his stick, he can do some real good things." Detroit Free Press LOADED:

3 Wings rookie Andreas Athanasiou thrilled to be on Pavel Datsyuk s line Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 12:30 a.m. EST March 11, 2016 Andreas Athanasiou has shown how much he can do in a short amount of time. Now he may have a little more room to skate. Athanasiou drew an assignment next to Detroit Red Wings superstar Pavel Datsyuk to start Thursday s game against the Winnipeg Jets at Joe Louis Arena, where the Wings prevailed, 3-2. Athanasiou didn t spend the whole game next to Datsyuk and Tomas Tatar, but part of that stemmed from having to adjust lines after special teams. Having just rounded 20 career NHL games, Athanasiou thrilled at the prospect of lining up next to Datsyuk. I think my speed will complement him a little bit and give him a little extra bit of space, Athanasiou said. If you give a skilled player like that a split-second more time with the puck, it s going to be a huge part. Athanasiou has acquitted himself well since being called up for a second time this season in early February, producing five goals and three assists in 21 games overall entering Thursday night. He has gone from averaging in the six-minute range to nine minutes, making the most of a few shifts per period. It s hard to get in a little bit of a rhythm like that, but I think I m handling it well, he said. I m using my speed out there. I just have to make sure my legs are always ready to go. Coach Jeff Blashill pointed to Athanasiou s lack of special-teams time as the reason his minutes are meager. That should change now that Athanasiou will get an opportunity to play with some real good players, Blashill said. I don t necessarily think it s about Andreas. I think it s about the line combinations and trying to put together the best combinations that we think can be as effective as possible. I think he s had a good impact in the minutes he s played. Athanasiou even racked up his first NHL fight this week, when he engaged with Columbus Matt Calvert, something Athanasiou said he did because we were down a couple of goals so I just tried to get the boys going a little bit, spark them up a little bit. He s not a fighter, averaging about one a year. Tuesday s fight, Athanasiou said with a smile, was to meet my quota. Outdoors men: The Wings sounded delighted to take part in another outdoor game Jan. 1 against Toronto at BMO Field. It s in a great area, forward Riley Sheahan said. Good sight lines. I think it ll be great fun. Rookie Dylan Larkin, who just got a taste of it last month at Coors Field, said, It ll be a cool event. Detroit Free Press LOADED:

4 Red Wings sign Maine defenseman Dan Renouf to two-year deal Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 8:35 p.m. EST March 10, 2016 The Detroit Red Wings are hoping they've struck gold with another undrafted defenseman. They announced Thursday evening they had agreed to a two-year, entry-level deal with free agent Dan Renouf. "We like his size," assistant general manager Ryan Martin told the Free Press. "He's 6- foot-2, 3, 210 pounds, really good mobility. Played a strong two-way game in college. Played three years at University of Maine. "He's a guy we identified when he was in the USHL, we identified him as a later-round pick, but seven rounds went quickly and like many other players his age who are later developers, he didn't get drafted. Went to college and continued to improve." That's a tale similar to that of Danny DeKeyser, who went undrafted only to play so well at Western Michigan he became a coveted player in the spring of He signed with the Wings, and is now a part of their top-four defense." Martin credited team amateur scout Len Quesnelle for the Wings' interest. "It was on his strong recommendation that prompted us to make him a contract offer," Martin said. Renouf, 21, just completed his junior season at Maine. He is to immediately join the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins on an amateur tryout. "He still has some school commitments to allow him to become a business major," Martin said. "There are certain classes he has to finish this spring. So he will be with Grand Rapids days, leave and go back to school, then come back and rejoin GR." Martin said the Wings have Renouf in "the same category as defense prospects Robbie Russo, Ryan Sproul and Nick Jensen. Guys that have NHL potential. We like a lot about Dan, especially his size. We don't have a lot of size in the organization." Detroit Free Press LOADED:

5 Detroit Red Wings' Mrazek, 2 others back in vs. Jets tonight Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 12:33 p.m. EST March 10, 2016 Recent struggles have left the Detroit Red Wings in a most serious mode. They host the Winnipeg Jets tonight at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, FSD) having gone more than a week without banking any points, with the end of the regular season a little more than four weeks away. Petr Mrazek is back in net, and Brendan Smith and Teemu Pulkkinen return to the lineup as the Wings go in search of a victory. "Tonight is extremely important," defenseman Mike Green said after the morning skate. "It's up to to us to move forward." This is a low point for the Wings, who have lost three straight games, most recently thanks to a lethargic performance Tuesday at Columbus. The Wings -- who had been on a five-game point streak -- now occupy the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, with Philadelphia just two points behind (the Flyers next play Friday). "I think everything is magnified this time of year," Green said. "Obviously, with how tight it is, the magnitude is stronger, and we have to make sure we do the right things tonight." Coach Jeff Blashill had some new and old lines going during the morning skate, putting speedy Andreas Athanasiou with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Tatar, and reuniting Dylan Larkin (who has no points his last seven games) with Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader. Riley Sheahan centered Gustav Nyquist and Pulkkinen, leaving Luke Glendening, Darren Helm and Brad Richards on the fourth line. Putting Athanasiou with Datsyuk might gain the puck magician a split-second more of space, as Athanasiou can make things happen with this speed. Blashill said the move is less a reflection on Athanasiou and more on trying to find good line combinations amid the recent slide. "Hopefully, that line together can do some real good things," he said. Mrazek is back in net after being pulled Sunday after allowing two goals on five shots inside seven minutes -- a performance that came two hours after Blashill said Mrazek had earned the team's No. 1 spot. "Everybody, Petr included, needs to pick their game up a little bit," Blashill said. "I didn't think we played a complete 60 minutes the other night; I thought we played 30 or so. We need to play 60 minutes. Every individual needs to play a a high level for 60, and that includes Petr." Detroit Free Press LOADED:

6 Detroit Red Wings star Bill Gadsby dies at 88 Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 8:11 p.m. EST March 10, 2016 The friendship began with their wives, and never waned. As little as three months ago, Mark Howe still made sure to visit Bill and Edna Gadsby when in Detroit. Mark came to know the two through his father, Gordie, and mother, Colleen, as the two families were close for decades. Gadsby passed away Thursday at the age of 88. He played 1,248 NHL games between the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Red Wings, spending the final five seasons of his legendary career in Detroit from Gadsby coached the Wings to a record from To Mark Howe, himself a fellow Hockey Hall of Fame inductee and now director of pro scouting for the Wings, the Gadsbys were like a second family. "It started way back, sometime around 1948," he said. "My mom and Edna were the best of friends. Then when Bill got traded to the Red Wings, their relationship even got that much better. "We used to take family vacations together all the time. And Bill as a player, I remember his last year playing, I remember they lost to the Maple Leafs, I was watching the game on TV and I knew it was Bill's last year. I remember sitting in front of the TV crying. We were very close families." The male sides of the families used to take fishing trips to Mexico and Ecuador and Florida, and "played golf together, too." As Gadsby retired from hockey and Howe grew up, he still made sure to treasure the friendship. Howe recalled how one autumn he stopped by Franklin Hills cider mill and picked up fresh donuts before heading over to the Gadsbys. "I made a mistake the first year," Howe recalled, smiling. "I only brought six donuts to Bill's house, and I brought Edna pie. We visited maybe two, three hours. And Bill ate all six donuts while we were sitting there. So I knew to bring a dozen next time." Howe also recalled a famous story that the day Gadsby got traded from the Rangers to Detroit, he and Gordie Howe had a little run-in on the ice. "I was told the story by Bill a few years ago," Howe said. "Gordie and he went into a corner and Gordie told Bill to take it easy, because he was going to be playing here tomorrow. "Dad and Bill were great, great friends, but the strength of the friendship was my mother and Edna. We called them uncle Bill and aunt Edna." Mark said Gordie, who turns 88 at the end of the month, is doing relatively well given he has dementia and a history of strokes. Gordie lives in the Toledo area with his son, Murray and his family. 6

7 "He sleeps a lot," Mark said. "We are working on getting him here for a game. My brother brought Dad up four or five times to visit with Bill and Edna. "Dad is doing well. If he didn't have dementia I think he'd be doing extremely well. He's still a fighter." Detroit Free Press LOADED:

8 As new arena takes shape, concert plans in the works Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press Pop Music Critic 8:40 a.m. EST March 10, 2016 With construction work on schedule thanks to a mild winter, officials with Detroit's new indoor arena outlined details Wednesday about the venue's musical future. Detroit entertainment journalists were given a tour of the muddy Midtown construction site, where the oval steel skeleton is emerging and workers are installing the upper-bowl concrete onto which seats will be bolted. Once open in fall 2017, Detroit Events Center as it's known for now will accommodate up to 22,000 attendees for shows in the round and about 15,000 for a standard concert configuration, said Tom Wilson, president and CEO of the Ilitch family's Olympia Entertainment. (Capacity will be about 20,000 for hockey games and 21,000 for basketball.) About 12,000 of those seats will be in the venue's lower bowl, Wilson said, significantly more than at Joe Louis Arena (7,000) and the Palace of Auburn Hills (9,000), thanks to the new venue's below-ground design. A special concert event is planned for the building's debut, either before or after the start of the Detroit Red Wings' 2017 season at the new site, said communications director Jennifer Arapoff. Much of the public focus so far has been on the building's use as the Red Wings' home. But Olympia also foresees a state-of-the art facility that would become the region's leading concert arena, a status held for nearly three decades by the Palace. Artists and tour executives have been consulted for the project. A backstage compound will include a lavish "living room" area for performers, with fireplaces, furniture, bar service and gym equipment. Show setups will be notably quicker than at Joe Louis: With an underground drive leading from Cass Avenue to six backstage loading bays, load-in and load-out times will be cut in half, Wilson said. Unlike the days when arenas were thrown up as sports-first facilities with little regard for acoustics, sound quality "is now a critical piece," Wilson said. There will be no glass on suites' stage-facing side, for instance, and planners are considering overhead acoustic panels that could be adjusted on a show-by-show basis. Calling the 37-year-old Joe Louis Arena "old and tired," Wilson talked up its replacement as a sleek focal point of the emerging 50-block District Detroit, the $1.2- billion Ilitch project entailing new restaurants, bars, offices and residential complexes. Once all is up and running, he said, about 1,000 entertainment events will happen yearly within the district, which includes venues such as the Fox and Fillmore theaters. A high-end hotel planned next to the arena is intended as the go-to stopover for visiting performers and sports teams, Wilson said. 8

9 Six restaurants and seven clubs will be situated along the arena's perimeter, where glass walls will give patrons a visual link to the venue concourse. An outdoor plaza will host Red Wings broadcasts and other special events, with room to accommodate festivals such as the Downtown Hoedown, Wilson said. Joe Louis event-goers dogged by cramped concourses near concession spots and merchandise booths will find relief: The new arena will feature nearly double the number of purchase locations. All 40 of the arena's corporate suites have been sold, Wilson said, and in coming months, about 3,500 Red Wings season-ticket holders will be offered first dibs on seating plans at the new venue. Detroit Free Press LOADED:

10 Resilient Wings rally to beat Jets, snap 3-game skid Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 11:40 p.m. EST March 10, 2016 Detroit The start wasn t great, but the ending was so very sweet for the Red Wings. They rallied for a 3-2 victory Thursday over the Winnipeg Jets, overcoming a first period deficit to earn two extremely important points in the standings and end a three-game losing streak. Justin Abdelkader broke a 2-2 tie with 4:36 left. Winnipeg defenseman Tyler Myers passed the puck to Tomas Tatar behind the Jets net. Tatar found Abdelkader streaking to the net all alone and Abdelkader roofed his 17th goal, capping the Red Wings' rally. It was a huge game for us, a huge win, Abdelkader said. Obviously we know what is at stake, and those are two big points. It was nice to not have to push that to overtime and a shootout where sometimes that s a flip of a coin. To get the win in regulation after being down 2-0 shows character in this room. Goaltender Petr Mrazek made 23 saves for the win, surviving a brief Jets flurry after Abdelkader s tie-breaking goal and a late Jets' power play after Henrik Zetterberg was called for slashing at 18:15. One Jets shot rang off the crossbar in the final minute. It was hard to watch from the penalty box but the guys did a great job there, Zetterberg said. There was one off the post or crossbar that was close but it was nice to see we found a way to win. We ve been here before (fighting for a playoff spot). The last four or five years we ve been in this and we know how to do it (make the playoffs). We just have to start playing playoff hockey a little earlier and we re doing that right now. The Red Wings ( , 77 points) moved four points ahead of idle Philadelphia for the final wildcard spot. Dylan Larkin and Jonathan Ericsson scored second-period goals, tying the game 2-2 after a rough end to the opening 20 minutes. Mild boos rained down from the sellout crowd at Joe Louis Arena after a first period in which the Red Wings were sloppy late and deservedly trailed 2-0. Marko Dano and Myers had Winnipeg first-period goals. Larkin s goal was much needed. The Red Wings needed some sort of spark and Larkin needed a goal, after not scoring in seven games (February 18 was his last one). The goal was Larkin s 20th, making him the first rookie to score 20 since Zetterberg in

11 It s pretty cool, it was a goal of mine coming into the year, Larkin said. I wasn t playing terrible (during the slump) but it was nice to put that one away. Larkin scoring sparked the Red Wings, who wound up outshooting the Jets, 13-6, in the second period. Ericsson tied the game 2-2 at 12:25, his third goal. Niklas Kronwall found Ericsson open near the left dot and Ericsson lifted a shot that Hutchinson made a kick save, but the puck bounced off the skate of defenseman Paul Postma battling in front and into the net. Coach Jeff Blashill liked the character and urgency his team showed, particularly after falling behind. They scored the second one and now you have to dig yourself out of a hole and that s not easy, Blashill said. It s a challenge but the guy came back. We had numerous guy with extraordinary high compete levels. We have winners in our room and we showed that type of character. We got put on our heels a little bit but that happens, that s the ebb and flow of hockey. We came out in the second, had a great shift right off the bat, and kept grinding. Detroit News LOADED:

12 Krupa: Red Wings Gadsby was The Defenseman Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 10:38 p.m. EST March 10, 2016 Detroit To my young, learning eyes Bill Gadsby was The Defenseman. Gadsby, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, died Thursday, at 88. He and his loving, gracious wife, Edna, remained in Metro Detroit for the five decades after his playing days with the Red Wings. Tough and talented, Gadsby guarded the Wings blue line in days that were an echo of the magnificent 1950s, when they won four Stanley Cups. Acquired by the team in 1961, after his 15 years with Blackhawks and Rangers clubs that chronically struggled, Gadsby hoped for his first Cup in Detroit, where Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Terry Sawchuk and Marcel Pronovost all still skated in a sixth season after the Red Wings last one. They played in the Stanley Cup Final four times, but did not win. Regardless, Gadsby was a star. Opposing forwards on the attack all knew to note Gadsby s position. The considerable threat of his poke-checking ability was outdone only by his fierceness. He featured a hip-check of the old school that, perfectly timed, could separate a forward from the puck and the ice. That his craggy face seemed, to me, as a pre-adolescent, to permanently register the expression of a downcast but dutiful executioner only added to the perception of menace. And if he did not take away the puck or the legs, Gadsby could erase the shot. Beginning after World War II, for two decades, he ranked among the very best few shotblockers in the six-team league. Gadsby was so proficient that, in marketing, the Red Wings often used a photograph of him on the ice, in uniform, posed in a deep crouch, stick in his right hand extended laterally along the ice, palm of his left hand facing forward with his fingertips scraping the surface. As a pose, it had its merits. But, in fact, it was Gadsby s signature technique. He blocked a lot of shots, and more than a few pucks caught him in the face. Bill Gadsby always said you weren t a real hockey player unless you had lost a few teeth, said Dr. John Finley, a Red Wings doctor for nearly 50 years, in his biography, Hockeytown Doc. Tough? In 1,248 career games, Gadsby earned 1,539 penalty minutes. In those days, when NHL teams played each other 14 times and grudges were easy to maintain, Gadsby was the Wings biggest target for fans on the road. 12

13 But there was even more to Gadsby, an attribute that increased the extensive appreciation of his outstanding career. Beyond all the great defense, Gadsby scored. And, for a blue-liner of his day, he scored a lot. When he retired, Gadsby was the all-time leading career scorer among NHL defensemen. His 130 goals, 438 assists and 568 points in 20 seasons were the professional standar at the time although Bobby Orr s brilliant, revolutionary career, begun the autumn after Gadsby retired, changed all of that. I m proud that I left the NHL as the highest-scoring defenseman in NHL history, Gadsby told the Hockey Hall of Fame, for his induction. One tough life He was durable, too. I m more proud of the fact that Gordie Howe and I were the first players to play 1,000 games, he said. Gadsby said he took more than 600 stitches, and the inventory of other wounds included: broken legs, several fractures on his nose, a dozen broken thumbs, some broken ribs, several fractured toes, a cracked cheekbone and a twice-separated shoulder that nearly cost him his career. That he recalled only two concussions demonstrates how much contact was lower on the body, in those days, with less dangerous equipment, like the large, hard shoulder pads of the current era. A tradition in hockey is that players from western Canada are particularly tough, but events in Gadsby s life beyond his birth in Calgary, Alberta, instilled his rough durability. At age 12, returning from Europe with his mother in 1939, a German U-boat sunk their ocean liner, the Athenia. They spend five hours in a life raft before their rescue Early in his career, in Chicago, he was diagnosed with polio and told he might not walk. He fought it with grim determination and kept playing hockey. Through it all, he became one of the greatest NHL players never to win a Stanley Cup. No fan should forget Gadsby coached the Wings for one fine season, beginning in In a move that still riles Red Wings fans of a certain age, two games into the season, owner Bruce Norris fired him. Gadsby made the mistake of standing up to Norris, who liked calling down to the bench with instructions on whom to play. After that one season as coach, Gadsby ordered the phone removed. That may be why, Dr. Finley wrote in his book, after winning the first two games of the following season, Gadsby was fired, to the surprise of nearly everyone. 13

14 No one was surprised later that winter, when The Defenseman of my youth was inducted by the Hockey Hall of Fame, after a playing career few hockey fans, and no Red Wings fans, should forget. Detroit News LOADED:

15 Wings Athanasiou teams up with Datsyuk Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 1:14 a.m. EST March 11, 2016 Detroit Andreas Athanasiou s plan was to keep his head up. Not because of Tuesday s fight in Columbus, his first in the NHL. But rather because Thursday, he was playing on a line with Pavel Datsyuk, the wizardlike passer for the Red Wings. Every guy on the ice, everybody in the arena, doesn t know when it s coming, Athanasiou said. And when it does come, you question how it got there? It s pretty impressive, and he s (Datsyuk) a lot of fun to watch. Some might look at Athanasiou being put on Datsyuk s line as a sign of the spark he s provided or his growing importance to the lineup thanks to his speed. Jeff Blashill tempered that train of thought. It s about the line combinations and I m trying to put the best we think can help us be effective as possible, Blashill said. He s had a good impact in the minutes he s played. Other guys have as well. Hopefully that line together can do some real good things. Athanasiou has eight points (five goals) in 21 games, averaging nine minutes of ice time. It s just going out there and staying with it as much as possible, Athanasiou said. It s hard to get in a bit of a rhythm (with less ice time) but I m handling it well and making the most of it and using my speed out there. I just make sure legs are always ready to go whenever I m called upon. Wings add depth The Red Wings signed undrafted free agent defenseman Dan Renouf to a two-year entry-level contract that ll begin next season. Renouf, 23, had 38 points (10 goals, 28 assists) in 111 games at Maine the last three seasons. In 38 games this season, Renouf had 15 points (six goals, nine assists). At 6-foot-3, 209-pounds, Renouf has good size and is mobile, and developed into a legitimate prospect at Maine after a productive career at Youngstown in the United States Hockey League (43 points in 115 games). Renouf will join the Grand Rapids Griffins before the end of the American Hockey League season. Another outdoor game Red Wings players were excited about playing the Maple Leafs in an outdoor game Jan. 1, 2017, at Toronto s BMO Field. The game is being billed as the Centennial Classic the NHL and Maple Leafs are celebrating their 100th anniversary next season. 15

16 It ll be exciting to be part of it, forward Justin Abdelkader said. It s always fun to play outdoors. It will be the fourth outdoor game for the Red Wings. But the concept isn t getting old. I thought this one (in Denver last week) would be redundant, but it really wasn t, it was great, said defenseman Mike Green, who played in three outdoor games in Washington before joining Detroit. It was a great experience. Ice chips Goaltender Petr Mrazek started against the Jets.... Brendan Smith replaced Alexey Marchenko on defense, and Teemu Pulkkinen took over for Tomas Jurco at forward.... Athanasiou, who battled Blue Jackets forward Matt Calvert, has averaged roughly one or two fights per season. Met my quota, Athanasiou said. I don t go looking for a fight but if I see an opportunity to get the boys get back on track and turn the momentum, I m not afraid to do it, to stick up for my teammates. Detroit News LOADED:

17 Wings Hall of Famer Bill Gadsby dies at 88 Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 2:53 p.m. EST March 10, 2016 Detroit Bill Gadsby, who retired in 1966 after five seasons with the Red Wings and a 20-year NHL career, died Thursday at age 88, the Red Wings announced. When he retired he was the leading career scorer among defensemen with 568 points. Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1970, Gadsby played for the Wings in five seasons while their legendary stars of the 1950s, Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Terry Sawchuk, Marcel Pronovost and, in a comeback year, Ted Lindsay, tried in vain to add to their total of four Stanley Cups from that decade. Gadsby, and his wife Edna, remained in the Metro Detroit area during his long retirement. A terrific shot-blocker and fine defender, in an era before Bobby Orr permanently altered the role of defensemen and hooked stick blades changed the nature of offense in the NHL, Gadsby was a terrific offensive defenseman. His 130 goals, 438 assists and 568 points in 20 seasons were the professional standard, and the most garnered in a career by any NHL defenseman, as Orr first began to skate for the Bruins. Gadsby played 1,248 games with the Blackhawks, Rangers and Red Wings. His 1,539 penalty minutes were testament to his tenacious, tough-as-nails approach to the sport. In 323 games with the Wings, he scored 18 goals and garnered 94 assists for 112 points, while compiling 478 minutes in penalties. A common publicity photograph of the era was Gadsby on his skates, in a crouch, with left hand extended palm forward and right hand extending his stick to the side, the expression on his rough-hewn face registering his preparation for an opponent s shot. It was Gadsby s frequently employed positioning for blocking shots in the Red Wings zone. A native of Calgary, Alberta, Gadsby was a three-time first team All Star and four times on the second team. For two seasons, , Gadsby coached the Wings to a record. Detroit News LOADED:

18 Dylan Larkin first Red Wings rookie with 20 goals since Ansar Khan By Ansar Khan on March 11, 2016 at 5:05 AM DETROIT It's becoming increasingly difficult in today's defensive-minded NHL to score 20 goals. It's even harder for a 19-year-old rookie to reach that plateau. But the Detroit Red Wings' Dylan Larkin did it on Thursday, scoring his 20th in a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets at Joe Louis Arena. "It's pretty cool," Larkin said. "It was a goal of mine coming into the year. But for me it's what's next and maybe 25, so there's always more. I want that for myself and for our team to be successful." Larkin is the first Red Wing rookie to score 20 since Henrik Zetterberg in Zetterberg was 22 at the time and had played professionally in Sweden. "It is hard," Zetterberg, who assisted on Larkin's goal, said. "He's been doing a great job even when it was tough, hasn't gone his way. He's been working hard and really doing the right thing, so it's nice to see that he got rewarded today." Larkin had gone seven games without a goal and had just two points in 13 games (goal, assist), following a strong first half that earned him an All-Star Game berth. "It's always nice to score when you haven't seen the net in a while," Zetterberg said. "I thought he created a lot of chances today. I think he could have one or two more but it was nice to see that he scores. He needs that." Larkin didn't think his offensive slump was a typical case of a rookie hitting the wall during a long and grinding NHL season. "I don't think it was a cold spell, really," Larkin said. "I think I was playing good hockey. There were a lot of factors. I don't think I was playing terrible in the cold spell, but it was nice to put that one away. "For me the biggest thing is contributing to the team. I'm trying to find a way to do that." Said coach Jeff Blashill: "I thought the last number of games he had been getting more chances and I thought he had shown up more offensively. I think he went through a little bit of a slump where maybe he wasn't getting as many chances, but I thought it was just a matter of time." His team riding a three-game losing streak, Blashill shuffled lines before the game, joining Larkin with Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader, whom he played with earlier in the season when he was flourishing. "I think Henrik, Abby and him have a pretty good line, they've been pretty good all year when they've played together," Blashill said. "I think the will and determination of Z and Abby is a great learning thing for Larks to understand. Then learning how committed you have to be on the (defensive) side of the puck. 18

19 "There's no question that when he's got the puck on his stick, he can do some real good things, and he needs to continue to play at a high level when he gets the kind of minutes that he gets." What does Zetterberg remember from his rookie season? "I think what I remember is we exited pretty quickly in the playoffs," Zetterberg said. "That's what I remember, unfortunately." Michigan Live LOADED:

20 Red Wings postgame: Justin Abdelkader a jack-of-all-trades in big win over Jets Brendan Savage bsavage@mlive.com By Brendan Savage bsavage@mlive.com on March 10, 2016 at 11:16 PM, updated March 10, 2016 at 11:23 PM DETROIT If you missed the Detroit Red Wings' 3-2 win Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets, we've got you covered. Here's a quick snapshot: THREE STARS 1. Justin Abdelkader The Red Wings veteran forward did everything but get into a fight. He scored the game-winning goal, picked up an assist, drew a penalty and one of his five hits led to Winnipeg's Adam Lowry getting a misconduct with 2:29 left. 2. Dylan Larkin The Red Wings rookie snapped a seven-game goal drought after Winnipeg built a 2-0 lead, bringing his team and the entire arena to life and triggering the comeback. 3. Jacob Trouba The Jets defenseman didn't figure into the scoring but he had a plus- 2 rating and blocked seven shots. The Red Wings, by comparison, blocked eight as a team. BY THE NUMBERS 1 Number of points the Red Wings lead the Pittsburgh Penguins by in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. The Penguins are holding down the final wild-card spot. 6 Shots by the Red Wings on their second power play after getting none on their first. They didn't score on either. 13 Faceoff wins in 20 attempts by Pavel Datsyuk, the most on either team as the Red Wings compiled a advantage in that department. 20 Goals this season by Larkin, the first Red Wings rookie since Henrik Zetterberg in to reach that milestone. TWEET TWEET Another angle of Abdelkader's hit on Kosmachuk from earlier. #RedWings #NHLJets pic.twitter.com/bbieqm3ptp Stefan Kubus (@StefanKubus) March 11, 2016 Michigan Live LOADED:

21 Red Wings edge Jets on Justin Abdelkader's late goal Ansar Khan By Ansar Khan on March 10, 2016 at 10:11 PM, updated March 11, 2016 at 2:51 AM DETROIT The urgency and resolve the Detroit Red Wings were missing in their previous game was apparent on Thursday. After falling behind in the first period, the Red Wings played with urgency, battling back to beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 at Joe Louis Arena. Justin Abdelkader snapped a 2-2 tie with 4:36 remaining in regulation. He also had an assist and played a strong, physical game. The Red Wings ( ) snapped a three-game losing streak. Detroit needed to kill a slashing penalty on Henrik Zetterberg with 1:45 to play. The Jets turned it into a six-on-four advantage with a minute remaining by pulling goaltender Michael Hutchinson. The Red Wings' hold on the second wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference still is precarious. The Philadelphia Flyers, with two games in hand, and the resurgent Carolina Hurricanes are only four points behind them. Detroit outshot Winnipeg Petr Mrazek (23 saves) bounced back after being pulled less than seven minutes into his previous start Sunday at Chicago. Abdelkader notched his 17th goal after Tyler Myers passed the puck to Tomas Tatar behind the Jets net. Tatar centered to Abdelkader, who roofed a shot past Hutchinson. The Red Wings played with urgency in the second period, outshooting the Jets 14-6 and scoring twice to tie it 2-2. Dylan Larkin notched his 20th goal at 6:40, on a pass from Abdelkader. It ended Larkin's seven-game points drought. He is the first Detroit rookie to score 20 goals since Zetterberg in Zetterberg also assisted on the play, his first point in nine games. Jonathan Ericsson tied it at 12:35 with his third goal of the season. His shot from the top of the faceoff circle deflected into the net off Paul Postma's skate. The Red Wings outshot the Jets in the first period but had difficult in their zone. Coverage issues cost them a couple of goals as Winnipeg took a 2-0 lead into the intermission. Marko Dano opened the scoring at 11:23. He cruised into the slot undetected and fired in a one-timer on a pass from Mathieu Perreault. Luke Glendening and Abdelkader lost track of Dano while focused on Perreault, while Kyle Quincey and Ericsson were behind the net. 21

22 Myers made it 2-0 at 16:31. The 6-foot-8 defenseman skated around the Detroit defense and left Zetterberg flat-footed in the slot before burying a shot past Mrazek. Michigan Live LOADED:

23 Red Wings still enjoy outdoor games, despite increased frequency Ansar Khan By Ansar Khan on March 10, 2016 at 9:06 PM, updated March 10, 2016 at 9:18 PM DETROIT Outdoor games no longer are the novelty and fresh experience they were a few years, since the NHL schedules several each season. But players say they still enjoy playing in the open air. "I think they're still good," Detroit Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader said. "As long as fans keep coming and keep selling out, I think it should be a part of every year, having three or four outdoor games. "I think the fans enjoy them just as much as the players enjoy them. It's a different type atmosphere. It's always fun watching a hockey game outdoors. Players obviously enjoy the experience." The Red Wings will play in their fourth outdoor game in nine seasons on Jan. 1, 2017, in the Centennial Classic against the Toronto Maple Leafs at BMO Field. "There's lots of perks of being a Red Wing and certainly that's one of them, you get those opportunities," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "I hope the weather is as good as it was in Denver. Those are cool events, for sure." The Red Wings defeated the Colorado Avalanche 5-3 on Feb. 27 in a Stadium Series game at Coors Field. "I even thought this one (at Coors), you've been through it, is it going to be sort of redundant?" Red Wings defenseman Mike Green said. "It really wasn't. I was excited to play it. It was a good experience. It's always fun playing outdoors." BMO Field, with a capacity of slightly more than 30,000, will be the smallest venue to host an NHL outdoor game, increasing demand for tickets. These teams played before 105,491 at Michigan Stadium in the 2014 Winter Classic. "It's unfortunate we'll only see (30,000) because I imagine we could easily get as many as we had in the Big House," Abdelkader said. "I imagine tickets will be pretty expensive. Why not play two outdoor games, each team has a home game?" Red Wings forward and Ontario native Riley Sheahan said of BMO Field: "It's in a great area, right in the core downtown. There's tons of hockey support there. There will be great sightlines. It's set up in a spot where every fan will be able to see the ice rink. It'll be fun." The teams are expected to have alumni game the day before. "One of my favorite parts (of the Stadium Series experience) was going to the alumni game," Dylan Larkin said. "You're kind of watching that as a fan and just taking in the sights. It was a great event." Michigan Live LOADED:

24 Red Wings sign free-agent defenseman Dan Renouf of Maine to entry-level contract Brendan Savage By Brendan Savage on March 10, 2016 at 6:58 PM, updated March 10, 2016 at 9:07 PM DETROIT The Detroit Red Wings have signed free-agent defenseman Dan Renouf from the University of Maine to a two-year, entry-level contract, the club announced today. Renouf, who recently completed his junior season at Maine, will begin his pro career with the the Grand Rapids Griffins. In 38 games this season, the 6-foot-3, 209-pound Renouf had six goals and nine assists to lead Black Bears defensemen in scoring. He was fifth on the team. "Good size, really good mobility, plays with a bit of aggression from the back end," said Red Wings assistant general manager Ryan Martin. "Good two-way game in college. He's a guy that we followed through the USHL into his college career. "Len Quesnelle, our area scout out in New England, actually knew Dan from when Len was a collegiate coach. He had watched Dan as a potential recruit and Len, doing the scouting now in the Northeast, had identified him as an elite college free agent the last couple of years. "It was really Len's recommendation that prompted us to follow him closely and get into the mix to sign him to the free-agent contract that we signed him to today." In three seasons at Maine, Renouf had 10 goals, 28 assists, a plus-14 rating and 72 penalty minutes in 111 games. The Red Wings have had their eye on Renouf since he was first eligible for the NHL draft. Martin said Renouf was a bit of a late bloomer at Maine after spending two seasons in the United States Hockey League. "Like I told Dan today, during his draft year we had him down as sort of a later-round pick but seven rounds goes really quickly and 210 picks is not that many," Martin said. "So there's a lot of players that for whatever reason don't get drafted or they're later developing and there's certainly opportunities, as Danny DeKesyer would prove. "There's a lot of opportunity for these guys who are later developers. He went to a really good program in Maine and has sort of steadily improved for three years there and we're really excited about getting him into the mix and developing him as a pro." Martin said Renouf would be with the Griffins for about 10 days before returning to Maine to finish some school commitments. He should return to the Griffins before the end of the season. 24

25 Renouf, 21, was a Maine scholar-athlete award winner in and was named to the Hockey East all-academic team as a freshman in Michigan Live LOADED:

26 Recap: Red Wings-Jets scoring summary, stats, video highlights and more Brendan Savage By Brendan Savage on March 10, 2016 at 6:30 PM, updated March 10, 2016 at 10:07 PM FREQUENTLY REFRESH this page for the latest live updates. If you're viewing this on our mobile app, Click here for updates and to comment. THIRD PERIOD Red Wings 3, Jets 2 (0:00): Winnipeg bangs one off the crossbar in the final seconds but the Red Wings hold on to end a three-game skid and get a huge two points. Red Wings 3, Jets 2 (1:45): Biggest stretch of the game for the Red Wings as Winnipeg goes back on the power play when Henrik Zetterberg goes off for slashing. Abdelkader's go-ahead goal, his 17th of the season. #RedWings #NHLJets pic.twitter.com/ukla5qeetn Stefan Kubus (@StefanKubus) March 11, 2016 Red Wings 3, Jets 2 (4:36): Tomas Tartar intercepts a pass behind the Winnipeg net and feeds Justin Abdelkader in the slot for a one-timer that gives the Red Wings their first lead. Red Wings 2, Jets 2 (9:51): Justin Abdelkader takes a beating in front of the net and it pays off when the Red Wings get a power play after Chris Thornburn goes off for holding. Scoreboard watching - Carolina beats Boston in OT, two points for the hard-charging Hurricanes and another point for the surging Bruins Ted Kulfan (@tkulfan) March 11, 2016 Red Wings 2, Jets 2 (15:44): Jets back on the power play when Niklas Kronwall goes off for tripping. Red Wings 2, Jets 2 (19:59): Detroit outhit the Jets 8-6 in the second period for a edge overall. Red Wings also have an edge in faceoff wins (24-17) and scoring chances are 9-9..@Dylanlarkin39 nets his 20th of the year! #LGRWhttps://t.co/j3vswoLqSJ Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 11, 2016 SECOND PERIOD Red Wings 2, Jets 2 (0:00): Red Wings outshoot the Jets 13-6 in the second for a advantage in the game. Ericsson's third of the season. #RedWings #NHLJets pic.twitter.com/aoofagoosm Stefan Kubus (@StefanKubus) March 11,

27 Red Wings 2, Jets 2 (6:35): Red Wings tie it on a bit of a fluke goal when Jonathan Ericsson throws the puck at the net, Michael Hutchinson makes the save and the puck deflects off the skate of Winnipeg defenseman Paul Postma before hitting Hutchinson's pad again and going into the net. Larkin's 20th of the season (and first point since Feb. 18) that made it a 2-1 game. #RedWings #NHLJets pic.twitter.com/6ytnysglab Stefan Kubus (@StefanKubus) March 11, 2016 Jets 2, Red Wings 1 (10:33): Off-setting penalties as Detroit's Justin Abdelkader and Winnipeg's Chris Thorburn go off for roughing. Jets 2, Red Wings 1 (13:20): Dylan Larkin takes a pass in the slot from Justin Abdelkader and scores his 20th goal of the season, ending a seven-game drought. He's the first Red Wings rookie to score 20 since Henrik Zetterberg had 22 in Zetterberg with the other assist. Jets 2, Red Wings 0 (17:47): Jets get their second power play when Gustav Nyquist goes off for holding Chris Thorburn. Jets 2, Red Wings 0 (19:59): Red Wings with a big edge in faceoff wins (17-9) but Jets had the advantage in hits (10-9) and scoring chances (6-4) during the first period. Myers goal. #RedWings #NHLJets pic.twitter.com/k6lscdedvp Stefan Kubus (@StefanKubus) March 11, 2016 FIRST PERIOD Jets 2, Red Wings 0 (0:00): Red Wings with an edge in shots but they had just three in the final 11:58 after getting six on one power play. Winnipeg had eight of the final 11 shots in the period. Jets 2, Red Wings 0 (3:29): Winnipeg strikes again at even strength when Tyler Myers beats Petr Mrazek with a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle. Tatar close, but couldn't get around Hutchinson's pad. #RedWings #NHLJets pic.twitter.com/meod4ftlmo Stefan Kubus (@StefanKubus) March 11, 2016 Jets 1, Red Wings 0 (4:41): Off-setting penalties to Detroit's Luke Glendening and Winnipeg's Chris Thorburn. Both for slashing. Dano left uncovered in the slot, buries the feed from Perreault for his first with WPG. #RedWings #NHLJets pic.twitter.com/imffd0gdjh Stefan Kubus (@StefanKubus) March 11, 2016 Jets 1, Red Wings 0 (8:37): Winnipeg strikes first when Marko Dano, left all alone in the slot, takes a pass from Mathieu Perreault and buries a one-timer behind Petr Mrazek. Red Wings 0, Jets 0 (10:49): Winnipeg gets its first power play when Jonathan Ericsson goes off for hooking Marko Dano. 27

28 #RedWings with 6 shots on PP but still #NHLJets kill it off. No score with 11:45 left in 1st. Dana Wakiji (@Dwakiji) March 11, 2016 Red Wings 0, Jets 0 (13:58): Red Wings get the game's second power play when Mark Scheifele goes off for holding Jonathan Ericsson. Red Wings 0, Jets 0 (16:41): Red Wings get the game's first power play when Blake Wheeler goes off for cross checking Danny DeKeyser. Red Wings 0, Jets 0 (19:59): Before the national anthems, the Red Wings held a moment of silence in honor of Hall of Fame defenseman Bill Gadsby, who died of cancer this morning at age 88. #RedWings starters: G Mrazek, D Smith, D Green, F Datsyuk, F Tatar, F Athanasiou #NHLJets Dana Wakiji (@Dwakiji) March 11, 2016 Michigan Live LOADED:

29 Red Wings Gameday: Looking at remaining foes in bid for 25th straight playoff berth Brendan Savage By Brendan Savage on March 10, 2016 at 3:03 PM GAME INFORMATION Who: Detroit Red Wings ( ) vs. Winnipeg Jets ( ) Where: Joe Louis Arena When: 7:30 p.m. TV: Fox Sports Detroit, NHL Network Radio: 97.1 WXYT-FM, 1270 WXYT-AM and Red Wings radio network Social media: Follow MLive sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Twitter: Follow Ansar Khan and Brendan Savage Live coverage: Join our live updates at 6:30 p.m. GAME NOTES With 16 games remaining in the regular season, the Red Wings are holding down the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race. They're one point behind Pittsburgh in the wild-card race, trail third-place Florida by six points in the Atlantic Division and are eight behind division co-leaders Tampa Bay and Boston. They're two points ahead of Philadelphia and four in front of Carolina in the bid for a wild-card spot. Philadelphia has one game in hand on the Red Wings, who have one in hand on Carolina. The Red Wings will face 12 opponents in their final 16 games. They play the New York Rangers, Toronto, Philadelphia and Montreal twice apiece. Five of those 12 teams the Rangers, Florida, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and Boston are currently holding down playoff spots. Eight of the 12 have records above.500. Five of those teams Toronto, Columbus, Buffalo, Montreal and Winnipeg appear to already be out of the playoff race. Four others the Rangers, Tampa Bay, Boston and Florida appear to be locks to make it. After 66 games a year ago, the Red Wings had a record for 85 points. That's 10 points more than this season. In their final 16 games last season, the Red Wings posted a record to finish with 100 points and make the playoffs for the 24th straight season. To match those 100 points this season, the Red Wings would need to have a winning percentage of.781 in their final 16 games. The Red Wings are on pace for 93 points, which would match their lowest total in a full season since , when their playoff streak began. They had 76 that season. They also had 93 two years ago as well as in