Detroit Red Wings Clips March 18, 2015

Transcription

1 Detroit Red Wings Clips March 18, 2015 Detroit Red Wings PAGE 2 Notes: Wings enjoy final break, plus injuries, goalies PAGE 4 Hildebrand is B1G player of year; Larkin top frosh PAGE 5 State: No danger to hockey arena deal in Obama proposal PAGE 6 Construction starting soon on Detroit hockey arena PAGE 7 Darren Helm set to return, bolster Red Wings lines PAGE 9 Hurdles remain, but equipment's ready to go at Red Wings area site PAGE 11 General managers recommend three-on-three overtime in regular season; still needs approval PAGE 13 Red Wings hoping Darren Helm's anticipated return Thursday will provide energy boost PAGE 14 Red Wings will start Petr Mrazek in goal in Florida, go back to Jimmy Howard next night in Tampa Bay PAGE 15 5 things to watch: GMs discuss three-on-three OT; Red Wings-Lightning a playoff preview? PAGE 17 Pat Caputo - For Jimmy Howard to end Red Wings' goalie controversy, he needs to play much better PAGE 19 Darren Helm likely to return to lineuup Thursday PAGE 21 Will Babcock, like Suh and Scherzer, follow the money?

2 Notes: Wings enjoy final break, plus injuries, goalies By Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press 3:40 p.m. EDT March 17, 2015 Reports of the Detroit Red Wings' demise have been greatly exaggerated. That much was clear when they stopped a weeklong swan dive with a 5-1 shellacking of the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. The question now is: How do the Wings keep their momentum going, especially with a three-day break before Thursday's game at Florida (7:30 p.m., FSD, NHL Network)? "Well, let's be honest," coach Mike Babcock said after today's practice. "We've sucked for a bit here, and so it was important to get back and playing right and doing the things that we do to be successful. And that's more a mental thing than it is a physical thing." The three-day respite is the final chance for Babcock to rest his older players, who were kept off the ice today. The team won't have more than one day off during the final stretch of the regular season. "I think, anytime you get a break like this, it's nice," forward Justin Abdelkader said. "Regardless of whether you can keep the momentum or not, this late in the season, (if) we get some days off like we have here, you'll take it. "You kind of rest up and heal up and get ready, because I think, after we get back out of here Thursday with back-to-backs, I think we're pretty much playing almost every other day. So we'll take this break and hope everyone gets refreshed, gets healthy and gets ready for this last stretch of 14 games." In the end, Babcock said, it will come down to staying healthy and doing the kind of things that opened the floodgates in Pittsburgh, where the Wings had a good penalty kill and outstanding goaltending. "And we've got to push and we've got to get better," he said, "and that's the whole key. If we can keep getting better, we have a chance to be successful." Helm update: Center Darren Helm, who has been out of action since he strained his oblique Feb. 28, said he might return Thursday. "Yeah, as long as nothing hurts tomorrow or the next day," he said. "I feel pretty good. And hopefully, I took enough time off where it feels good enough to play." Net gain: Babcock plans to start different goaltenders Thursday and Friday. Petr Mrazek is scheduled start at Florida, and Jimmy Howard will start Friday at Tampa Bay. DETROIT FREE PRESS St. James: Which goalie should start next for Wings? New rules? NHL general managers are meeting in Florida this week to discuss implementing three-on-three overtime play and video reviews for goalie interference. Babcock is not a fan of shoot-outs and does favor expanded replay. 2

3 "Well, anything to avoid a home run competition at the end of the game," he said. "Doesn't make any sense to me. So anything to avoid that is important. "And my theory on the rest is to get it right. We're in the age of technology. It takes two seconds to get it right get it right." Detroit Free Press LOADED:

4 Hildebrand is B1G player of year; Larkin top frosh Detroit Free Press Staff Reports 11:27 a.m. EDT March 17, 2015 Michigan State's Jake Hildebrand led the Big Ten in every goaltending category on his way to being named the conference's player and goaltender of the year Monday. The sophomore allowed just 39 goals while starting all 20 conference games, registering a.940 save percentage and five shutouts. Michigan's Dylan Larkin was tabbed freshman of the year, and teammate Zach Hyman was named the scoring champion after leading all players in points during conference play with 33. Larkin, a Detroit Red Wings prospect, leads all Big Ten freshmen with 43 points (15 goals, 28 assists) on the season. U-M's Zach Werenski joined Hyman, Larkin and Hildebrand on the All-Big Ten first team. Michigan's Andrew Copp and Michael Downing, and Michigan State's Travis Walsh, were selected to the second team. Larkin and Werenski were unanimous selections for the all-freshman team and were joined by MSU's Josh Jacobs. Lacrosse: Detroit Mercy freshman Mark Anstead was named the MAAC's rookie of the week for the third time this season. Anstead had a goal and an assist in the Titans' 9-6 loss at Air Force. Cross-country: Authorities rescued three Grand Valley State University cross-country runners who were caught on an island in rising waters along the Grand River. The Grand Rapids Press and the Grand Haven Tribune report the rescue happened Sunday in Ottawa County's Tallmadge Township. Authorities say a 19-year-old man was treated for hypothermia at a hospital, and men ages 19 and 20 were treated at the scene. Softball: Wayne State sophomore pitcher and outfielder Lyndsay Butler swept the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) player and pitcher of the week awards after the Warriors went 4-0 last week. Detroit Free Press LOADED:

5 State: No danger to hockey arena deal in Obama proposal By John Gallagher, Detroit Free Press 10:32 a.m. EDT March 17, 2015 State officials say financing for Detroit's new hockey arena is in no danger from an item in President Barack Obama's budget that would deny tax-exempt bonding to future sport facilities. Obama included an obscure item in his most recent budget proposal that would bar the use of government-issued tax-exempt bonds to finance professional sports arenas. USA Today reported that the long-standing use of such taxpayer-financed, tax-exempt bonds costs the U.S. Treasury $146 million, according to a 2012 Bloomberg analysis. But Michigan officials say the tax-exempt bonds that are paying for Detroit's new arena project, the future home of the Ilitch family's Detroit Red Wings, are too far along in in the pipeline to be affected by the Obama proposal. "There would be no impact on the Red Wings arena project from this proposal. The arena project bonds have already been sold," said Mark Morante, senior vice president of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and fund manager for the Michigan Strategic Fund, the state entity that issued the arena bonds. "The funds at issue are now pledged to bonds and are subject to statutory lien at the (Detroit Downtown Development Authority) and MSF level," he added. If attempts were made to apply such a ban retroactively, the state could possibly go to court over what Morante called "the broad constitutional issue of impairment of contracts." As USA Today reported, what Congress will do with the president's proposal to eliminate the tax exemption is uncertain. But USA Today quoted tax writers as saying that making comprehensive tax changes is not out of the question this year. In Detroit, the $450-million arena for the Red Wings is being paid for through a complex arrangement in which the Michigan Strategic Fund is selling 30-year bonds that would be paid off in part through revenue collected from the city's expanded tax increment financing district downtown. The Ilitch family, the Red Wings' owners who are building the arena, would also contribute to paying off the bonds. Overall, the arena will be 58% publicly financed and 42% privately financed. The use of publicly issued tax-exempt bonds for stadium and arena projects has long raised controversies in city after city. Proponents say using government-issued taxexempt bonds for these projects creates new jobs and new tax base. But critics say the projects are nothing but welfare for rich team owners and that the public never sees the promised benefits. Detroit Free Press LOADED:

6 Construction starting soon on Detroit hockey arena By John Gallagher, Detroit Free Press 10:31 a.m. EDT March 17, 2015 With winter passing and warm weather returning, construction work is to begin soon on Detroit's new arena complex on the northern edge of downtown. In recent days, earthmoving equipment has turned up on the site in preparation for the work. Doug Kuiper, a spokesman for Ilitch Holdings, the Ilitch family's umbrella entity for its many operations, said the start of construction could begin "in the next several weeks." In a statement, Ilitch Holidings said it looked forward to getting started "so we can bring 8,300 construction and construction-related jobs online and begin to hire Detroiters and others -- as well as local, regional and state companies -- to build this transformative project." The $450-million stadium is expected to be finished and ready for the Red Wings' season opener in late Detroit Free Press LOADED:

7 Darren Helm set to return, bolster Red Wings lines Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 6:21 p.m. EDT March 17, 2015 Detroit Darren Helm is likely to return to the Red Wings lineup Thursday against Florida. And with Helm available, the Red Wings are excited about their ability to put out four balanced and deep lines that could make this a formidable team in the playoffs. Helm skated Tuesday with most of the roster, as coach Mike Babcock gave the overage 35 set a day off from being on the ice. As long as Helm is cleared from his oblique strain and doesn't suffer a setback, he'll likely play against the Panthers. Hhe's missed the last seven games. "It allows us to spread things out," Babcock said. "It puts Glennie (Luke Glendening) back in his right spot, which is real important for our team. "We think we're going to have a real good team here." Gledening has been used on a wing on Pavel Datsyuk's line, but will return to centering the fourth line. Helm likely would reunite with Datsyuk and Tomas Tatar on a line that was developing chemistry and effectiveness. "He's a real good player for us, an important player," Babcock said of Helm, who has 13 goals and 16 assists. Helm is anxious to get back into game action. "It's always tough being out and watching your teammates go out there and battle so hard while you're sitting in the room watching," Helm said. "As long as nothing hurts tomorrow or the next day, I feel pretty good. Hopefully I took enough time off to feel good enough to play." Helm is optimistic his chemistry with Datsyuk and Tatar can be revisted. "We were buzzing around pretty good and producing," Helm said. "All we can hope for is to get back out there and find a way to click and win some hockey games." Goalie lineup Babcock said Petr Mrazek will start in net Thursday in Florida, while Jimmy Howard will start the next night in Tampa Bay. Mrazek starred Sunday in the 5-1 victory over Pittsburgh, stopping 42 shots. "It's an important back-to-back we go with two goalies, Howie will get the opportunity in Tampa but Mrazek played real well the other night and got us the win and he'll go the next game," Babcock said. All for it 7

8 NHL general managers will recommend a new 3-on-3 overtime format, and a coach's challenge to determine goaltender interference calls. The change in overtime is aimed at reducing shootouts in the regular season. Further discussions will take place, although many GMs prefer three minutes of 4-on-4, followed by four minutes of 3-on-3. "Anything to avoid a home-run competition at the end of the game," said Babcock, who'd prefer the 3-on-3 to the shootout. The coach's challenge might include a video monitor at ice level for officials to review the play while communicating with hockey operations in Toronto. "We're in the age of technology," Babcock said. "It takes two seconds to get it right. Get it right." Right balance Babcock gave the veteran players a day off the ice Tuesday, and will look for the correct balance between rest and ice time over these final weeks of the regular season. "We've given our players quite a few days off, our older players to get them freshened up the best we can," Babcock said. "We'll continue to do that. It's a matter of them living right. You have to eat right, sleep right, drink right, and play right." Detroit News LOADED:

9 Hurdles remain, but equipment's ready to go at Red Wings area site Khalil AlHajal By Khalil AlHajal DETROIT, MI -- Construction equipment has been moved to the project site for work on building a new Detroit Red Wings arena. It's the first bit of action the project has seen in months as developer Ilitch Holdings looks to clear some remaining hurdles to construction. The 785,000 square-foot hockey arena will be built in large part with public money, and the project will regularly require approvals from city regulatory authorities, according to the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. Land transfers and bond sales were approved last year. Officials held a ceremonial groundbreaking in September Zoning changes before City Council are up next. "We have moved heavy equipment on site to prepare for the start of construction on the new Detroit Events Center in the next several weeks and to comply with local frost laws," said Doug Kuiper, Ilitch Holdings spokesman vice president of communications, in a statement. "In the meantime, we continue to work with City Council on zoning approvals so we can bring 8,300 construction and construction-related jobs online and begin to hire Detroiters and others -- as well as local, regional and state companies -- to build this transformative project." The Downtown Development Authority in September approved plans for a pair of 30- year bond sales to fund the $450-million, 20,000-seat arena. Taxes captured by the DDA will pay back $250 million and interest on one set of bonds. Olympia Development of Michigan -- the real estate branch of the Ilitch family-run company that owns the Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers -- will pay back $200 million, interest and taxes on the other. Zoning approval had been set to go before City Council back in September, but the vote was postponed at the request of the developer amid discussion on two historic but vacant hotel buildings that sit at the edge of the project site. There were talks of demolishing one or both of the Park Avenue buildings, the Hotel Eddystone and the Park Avenue Hotel. Historic preservationists and members of a community advisory group for the project advocated for saving at least one of the buildings. It wasn't yet clear when Olympia will ask the council to revisit zoning approval. City Council and the community advisory board initially sought to steer Olympia toward a binding agreement on community benefits attached to the project. 9

10 Instead, Mayor Mike Duggan's office wants to craft a new approach to community benefits deals designed to encourage more developers to build in the city. "Olympia's development agreement with the DDA does include the 51 percent requirement for hiring Detroiters for the construction of the arena," said Duggan spokesperson John Roach. "It also includes a requirement that 30 percent of the dollars spent on construction go to Detroit based companies." A 45-block entertainment district is also planned for the area surrounding the arena. Olympia plans to spend $200 million within five years on mixed-used development between Charlotte Street, Grand River Avenue, Grand Circus Park and Woodward Avenue. The DDA could reimburse Olympia up to $74 million for approved expenditures if the full $200 million is spent within five years. Olympia in September released renderings of the configuration of parking decks, townhouses, retail and office space to be built around the arena. View the full presentation here. Michigan Live LOADED:

11 General managers recommend three-on-three overtime in regular season; still needs approval Ansar Khan By Ansar Khan The NHL has moved one step closer to reducing the number of games that are decided in the shootout. The league's general managers on Tuesday recommended the NHL adopt some form of three-on-three overtime for regular season games starting in "The consensus in the room, overwhelmingly, is we're not getting rid of the shootout, it was, how do you reduce the number of games that go to the shootout, keep the shootout special?" NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told media covering the meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. The league implemented the shootout in in order to decide regular season games that are tied after a five-minute four-on-four overtime. General managers discussed two new methods. One follows what the AHL instituted this season - four-on-four play for the first three minutes of a seven-minute OT followed by three-on-three play after the first whistle past the three-minute mark. The other option is five minutes of three-on-three play. "We're going to look at both variables and figure out which one, collectively with the competition committee, we think makes the most sense," Bettman said. Any potential changes must be approved by the joint NHL-NHLPA competition committee and the league's board of governors, who meet in June. Red Wings general manager Ken Holland has been pushing for three-on-three OT for some time. "Where 40 percent of our games are decided in overtime and 60 percent in shootouts, ideally we'd like to switch those numbers," Holland told reporters at the meeting. "We still want the shootout, we think the fans like the shootout but we're trying to get more games decided by playing hockey in overtime. I think whether you do five minutes of three-on-three or whether you do the AHL format, the statistics -- tried in the Swedish Elite League and in the American Hockey League -- show that it works." Holland said 78 percent of Swedish Elite League games that are tied are being decided in the three-on-three overtime as opposed to just 38 percent previously during four-onfour play. The numbers are similar in the AHL. "They're not five, six and seven percent changes, they're dramatic changes," Holland said. "So we think at our level it's going to have a dramatic impact, too." Red Wings coach Mike Babcock favors some form of three-on-three OT in order to reduce shootouts, which he calls "home run competitions." The Red Wings, for some odd reason, have struggled in shootouts, going since the start of the lockout-shortened 2013 season. 11

12 "I like the idea (of three-on-three OT)," Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist said. "I don't think any of us in here are big fans of the shootout, just the way our record is in it. I think we'd be happy if they took that away." They're not going to take it away, but, pending approval, they're going to limit this skills competition. Expanded video review recommended The general managers also recommended implementation of a limited coaches videoreplay challenge for scoring plays that might involve goaltender interference. "My theory is get it right," Babcock said. "We're in the age of technology. It takes two seconds to get it right." Michigan Live LOADED:

13 Red Wings hoping Darren Helm's anticipated return Thursday will provide energy boost Ansar Khan By Ansar Khan DETROIT - Darren Helm's anticipated return to the lineup Thursday should have a ripple effect on the Detroit Red Wings. The team figures to be deeper and more energetic. It'll boost linemates Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Tatar. It'll spark the penalty kill. It'll enable Luke Glendening to return to his familiar spot as a fourth-line grinder. Coach Mike Babcock said Tuesday that Helm hasn't been cleared but believes he'll be ready. Helm, out since Feb. 28 with a strained oblique muscle, said he'll play as long he doesn't experience a setback. "I'm feeling pretty good the last while," Helm said. "Hopefully I've taken enough time off where it feels good enough to play." Datsyuk, Tatar and Helm formed the club's most dangerous line at times this season. "We were buzzing pretty good and producing," Helm said. "All we can hope for is we get back out there together and find a way to click and win some hockey games." Helm has 13 goals, one more than his previous career high, and 29 points in 61 games. "He's a very important guy for our team," Gustav Nyquist said. "He's played great. I thought that line was great when he was playing with Pav and Tats. He gives them a lot of energy and gets them a lot of pucks and that rubs off on the other lines. Just the energy he brings to every game rubs off on other people." Said Justin Abdelkader: "He was playing so well with Pav and Tats; he'll help those guys out. He's a great skater, he gets pucks back for those guys, he's around the net, really lets those guys showcase their skill." Babcock had been using Glendening on that line the past four games. "It allows us to spread things out more," Babcock said. "It gets Glennie back in his right spot, which is real important for our team. "We think we're going to have a good team here, so ideally - knock on wood - we can stay healthy and start playing the best we can play." Helm was injured midway through the first period of a 4-3 win in Nashville. The team has gone in the games he has missed. "It's always tough being out. It's always tough watching your teammates go out there and battle so hard while you're sitting in the room just watching," Helm said. "I definitely want to get out there and help them and be part of the team again." Michigan Live LOADED:

14 Red Wings will start Petr Mrazek in goal in Florida, go back to Jimmy Howard next night in Tampa Bay Ansar Khan By Ansar Khan DETROIT - Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock will ride the hot hand by starting Petr Mrazek in goal Thursday in Florida and then go back to Jimmy Howard Friday in Tampa Bay against their possible first-round playoff opponent. Mrazek made 42 saves in Sunday's 5-1 victory at Pittsburgh, helping the team bounce back from the debacle in Philadelphia the day before and raising his record to "I've said it a number of times, what we've asked him to do is work on his skill-set, be NHL-skilled," Babcock said after practice Tuesday. "There's no question (about) his moxie and his ability to play the puck, but I thought he played real well for us the other night. "It's important back to back that we go with two goalies, so Howie will have the opportunity in Tampa. But Mrazek played real well the other night and got us a win." The Red Wings, after a lethargic two-week stretch following a West Coast trip, hope to maintain momentum following a three-day break. "Well, let's be honest, we've sucked for a bit here and so it was important to get back and playing right and doing the things that we do to be successful," Babcock said. "That's more a mental thing than a physical thing. "We erred on the side of caution today. Our 35-and-plus group wasn't on the ice. It was more of a skills day today and we'll get back at 'er, practice hard tomorrow and get ready for back-to-back. We're fortunate that our schedule is a good schedule here on in. We play every second day, but in saying that, when we play back-to-back the teams that we're playing, other than Tampa, have already played (the night before) as well. We have to push, we have to get better and that's the whole key. If we can keep getting better we have a chance to be successful." The Red Wings will look for the right balance of maximizing practice time and resting over the final four weeks. "We've given our players quite a few days off, our older players, this month to get them freshened up to the best we possibly can," Babcock said. "We'll continue to do that. We play every second day, so it's a matter of them living right. It's not a long period of time. You got to eat right, you got to sleep right, you got to drink right and you got to play right." Michigan Live LOADED:

15 5 things to watch: GMs discuss three-on-three OT; Red Wings-Lightning a playoff preview? Ansar Khan akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan akhan1@mlive.com DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings looked in disarray following a 7-2 loss at Philadelphia Saturday but bounced back with a 5-1 win in Pittsburgh the next afternoon. They went in their first six games after the March 2 trade deadline. Was it just a lull that all teams experience at some point or a sign of trouble? This week could shed more light. Here are five things to watch: 1. GMs discuss new overtime format Changing the regular season overtime format to include three-on-three play is among the topics being discussed this week at the NHL general managers meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. Red Wings GM Ken Holland has spearheaded this cause for some time as a way to have fewer games decided in shootouts. One method that has been discussed is expanding OT from five minutes to seven minutes, with the final three minutes devoted to three-on-three play. The AHL adopted the format this season and has seen a sharp reduction in games decided in shootouts. But even if there is enough support among GMs, the change must be approved by the Board of Governors in June. 2. Darren Helm due back on Thursday Perhaps it's no coincidence the Red Wings' slide started with the first full game Darren Helm missed due to an oblique strain. He is expected to return Thursday against Florida. The team has missed Helm's speed and tenacity as well as his secondary scoring (13 goals, 29 points in 61 games). He had developed chemistry with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Tatar, doing the heavy lifting for the line by retrieving pucks and going to the net. 3. Florida on the fringe of playoff chase The Red Wings will face a team that is barely alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race in Florida. The Panthers are six points behind the Boston Bruins for the final wild card spot, with just 13 games remaining. Florida has gone with Dan Ellis in goal, after Roberto Luongo (shoulder) and Al Montoya (groin) were injured in the same game (March 3 vs. Toronto). The Panthers are against the Red Wings since the start of the season, including a 3-0 record in shootouts. It will be Detroit's first game against Florida since it acquired future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr (goal, four assists in seven games). 15

16 Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said on Sunday he hadn't decided if he'll start Jimmy Howard or Petr Mrazek in Florida. Chances are, whoever doesn't play will start the next night in Tampa Bay. 4. Potential playoff preview in Tampa Bay Friday's game in Tampa Bay could be a preview of the first round of the playoffs, and it could help determine which club gets home-ice advantage. The Lightning lead the NHL in goals per game despite a mediocre power play. They're led by Steven Stamkos (39 goals) and Tyler Johnson (65 points). Tampa Bay is against the Red Wings since the start of , including a 3-0 record in overtime/shootouts. 5. Are the Blues the best of the West? The Red Wings have dominated the Western Conference, going , including a mark against the Central Division. They host the Central-leading St. Louis Blues on Sunday (noon, NBC). The Red Wings have won the past two meetings between the teams, including a 3-2 overtime win in St. Louis on Jan. 15, and are in their past 12 vs. the Blues, who are competing with Anaheim and Nashville for the top spot in the West. Michigan Live LOADED:

17 Pat Caputo - For Jimmy Howard to end Red Wings' goalie controversy, he needs to play much better By Pat Caputo Petr Mrazek is fresh and new, a 23-year-old goalie with a flair for the dramatic. It s made Red Wings fans smitten with him. Jimmy Howard, who will turn 31 next week, has been the Red Wings No. 1 goalie for six seasons. He represents the same thing. Howard was having one of his best seasons, getting selected for the NHL All Star Game, when he suddenly and awkwardly pulled a groin muscle one Saturday night in Washington. Up from Grand Rapids came Mrazek, and he started winning games. As a kicker, he is very good in the overtime shootout, something Howard has been alarmingly inept at. So any time Mrazek shows progress, up the charts he goes in the Hockeytown s version of the popularity polls. And down goes Howard, especially after there is such a contrast like this past weekend. The Red Wings lost 7-2 with Howard in goal at Philadelphia Saturday. The following day, they won 5-1 over Pittsburgh. Adding to the circumstance, is merely glimpsing at the box scores. At Philly, Howard allowed seven goals on 36 shots. At Pittsburgh, Mrazek stopped 41 of 42 shots, doing so against a much more threatening team offensively. It was very misleading, sure. The Red Wings played horribly at Philly. They were outshot 15-4 in the first period. It was like Howard was stranded alone on an island as the rubber flew at him from point-blank range. Clearly embarrassed, and seeing their shot at a relatively good seed in the Eastern Conference starting to dwindle, the Red Wings played inspiring hockey at Pittsburgh. They led 4-0 by the midway point of the second period. Red Wings coach Mike Babcock often uses a baseball term for this as it relates to his goalies, calling it run support. Howard got none in Philly, and Mrazek got plenty in Pittsburgh. Yet, perception often is everything. It s not like Howard hasn t stolen games recently. He did with tremendous efforts on nights the Red Wings won recently against Edmonton and the New York Rangers. Howard made 36 saves on 38 shots against the Oilers, and 39 of 40 vs. the Rangers. It s not like Mrazek hasn t had a few stinker games. He has been pulled multiple times. Overall statistically, Howard has the better goals against average (.2.38 compared to 2.47) and there is just a hair s difference in save percentage (.913 for Howard,.914 for Mrazek). 17

18 It s true, Howard s numbers have dropped off dramatically since he returned from injury. He had been fourth in the NHL in goals against average at the time of the injury, and ninth in save percentage. Howard isn t close to the Top 10 in either category at this stage. Yet, the Red Wings also went through an especially difficult portion of their schedule in February, and after a very good road trip against some of the best teams in the NHL, started to flounder until waking up in Pittsburgh. The playoffs are less than a month away, though. It s getting pretty late with a seed of doubt in this town s collective mind about Howard. He has played well more times than poorly in the playoffs, but that s largely forgotten because the Red Wings were in a transitional period and often an underdog. Expectations are much higher this season. Howard s numbers earlier this season have been overshadowed because there is a new kid in town, Mrazek, and he is nothing else if not intriguing. Mrazek will start Thursday night at Florida, and Howard Friday night at Tampa Bay. If Jimmy Howard wants to end the goalie controversy in this town, he can by merely playing better. Because it s not like Red Wings fans seem to want to forget about Petr Mrazek, but rather to be reminded he is there. Macomb Daily LOADED:

19 Darren Helm likely to return to lineuup Thursday By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily DETROIT >> The Red Wings could get a very important component back in the lineup as early as Thursday. Darren Helm, who has missed the last seven games with a strained oblique, is expected to return when Detroit plays at Florida. We re thinking he ll be back, Wings coach Mike Babcock said. He s an important player. It allows us to spread things out more. It gets (Luke Glendening) back in his right spot, which is real important for our team. We think we re going to have a good team here, so ideally knock on wood we can stay healthy and start playing the best we can play. The Wings have gone without Helm in the lineup. He ll go back on the line with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Tatar, allowing Glendening to go back to the fourth line. He s going to be a big help, Justin Abdelkader said. He was playing so well with Pav and Tats, I imagine that line will get back together. He ll help those guys out. He s a great skater, he gets pucks back for those guys, he s around the net, really lets those guys showcase their skill. Glennie can help whatever line he plays on, Abdelkader continued. It kind of gets everyone in their right places and makes us deeper as a team. (Helm) was playing real well before he got hurt. It was unfortunate to see him go down. It ll be good to see him out there. Helm s 13 goals this season is one more than his previous career high. He also has 16 assists. He s a very important guy for our team, Gustav Nyquist said. He s shown that this year. He s played great. I thought that line was great when he was playing with Pav and Tats. He gives them a lot of energy and gets them a lot of pucks and that rubs off on the other lines. Just the energy he brings to every game himself rubs off on other people, Nyquist added. He s a real good player and real important to our team. Petr Mrazek will start Thursday in Florida. I ve said it a number of times, what we ve asked him to do is work on his skill set, continue to work on his skill set, be NHL skilled, Babcock said. There s no question his moxie and his ability to play the puck, but I thought he played real well for us the other night. Mrazek made a career high 42 saves in the Wings 5-1 over Pittsburgh, Sunday. 19

20 Jimmy Howard, who allowed seven goals on 36 shots Saturday, will start Friday against Tampa Bay. It s important back-to-back that we go with two goalies, so Howie will have the opportunity in Tampa, Babcock said. But Mrazek played real well the other night and got us a win. He s going the next game. The message during the player s only meeting following Saturday s loss was simple, according to Nyquist. Hank said Enough s enough. We ve got to come out with better efforts out there, Nyquist recalled. Several games in a row we didn t come out with an effort at all in the first and ended up playing catch-up hockey for the last I don t know how many games. I think that was the big message. Just come out and play hard for each other, for your teammates and we ll be successful. Babcock on the general managers discussing possibly playing some 3-on-3 in overtime before a shootout, Well, anything to avoid a homerun competition at the end of the game which doesn t make any sense to me. So anything to avoid that I think is important. And my theory on the rest of it is get it right. We re in age of technology. It takes two seconds to get it right. Get it right. Macomb Daily LOADED:

21 Will Babcock, like Suh and Scherzer, follow the money? FOX Sports Detroit As the regular season winds down, talk of Mike Babcock's future is heating up around the NHL. The clock is ticking on the NHL season, and with its conclusion also comes the end of Red Wings coach Mike Babcock's contract. And potentially a lot of handwringing. Will he go the way of other Detroit free agents, such as Max Scherzer and Ndamukong Suh, opting for a huge contract elsewhere? Or will he give the Wings a significant hometown discount to stay beyond the 10 productive years they've enjoyed together? As the regular season winds down, talk of Babcock's future is heating up around the NHL. It was the topic of conversation between periods of Sunday's nationally televised Red Wings-Penguins game in Pittsburgh. Negotiations between the Wings and Babcock have been tabled since the start of the season, when Detroit offered him a long-term deal that would have made him the highest-paid coach in the league -- a well-earned distinction, by the way. The deal is presumed to be worth between $3 million and $3.5 million over four or five years. But will that be enough to keep him? It's widely believed that Toronto, which has had eyes for Babcock for years now, might be willing to part with $5 million per season on a long-term deal. More recently, Philadelphia -- where owner Ed Snider covets a Stanley Cup after some near-misses -- has been mentioned as landing spot for Babcock if he decides to leave Detroit. Other teams no doubt will be seeking coaches after the season, too. Among the leading contenders for coaching vacancies: San Jose, Buffalo, Edmonton and even Boston if the underachieving Bruins don't finish strong. But among all those teams, only the Maple Leafs and Flyers would likely even consider paying Babcock what he could command. The Wings have every right to feel they've made the right and fair offer to keep their coach. And though no one in the organization is speaking publicly about it, they like to think their odds are about 4-1 in favor of keeping him. For his part, Babcock is saying all the right things, without commenting on the status of contract talks: He likes it in Detroit. His family is comfortable here. He likes his team and is optimistic about its future. Oh, and like most coaches, he likes winning. The Wings are betting he'll stay in Detroit for that reason alone. This is a good franchise, deep in talent throughout the organization, with a great upside. It won't be like that in Toronto, where the Leafs are undergoing a massive roster overhaul -- which, they say, is a rebuilding process that will take 3-5 years before they 21

22 can be considered a serious Stanley Cup contender. And that time frame might be awfully optimistic. As Mike Milbury -- the former general manager and coach, now an NBC studio analyst - - said Sunday: "A great coach lines up behind great players." Babcock isn't a top-six forward or a top-four defenseman, but as a coach, "he's a glue guy, one who can put everything together in place," Milbury said. "And he's as confident a coach as there is in the league... but he can't go to a place like Toronto and think he's going to turn it around in a couple of years." Losing is painful for guys who are used to winning. But how much pain could Babcock put up with for, say, $7.5 million dollars? Think about it: If he takes Detroit's offer of $3.5 million a year over five years, he'd collect $17.5 million over the life of the contract, excluding any bonuses for accomplishments, such as extended playoff runs or Coach of the Year honors. If Toronto or Philly end up offering him $5 million a year for five years, he'd collect a minimum of $25 million -- or $7.5 million more over the life of the contract than he would in Detroit. That kind of money eases a lot of pain. Especially if one of those teams were to offer him control over personnel, something a lot of coaches wish they had. That's not likely to happen in Detroit, where the Wings have one of the best general managers in sports in Ken Holland. And he isn't about to give up that most-important duty. One more thing to consider: How much responsibility does Babcock feel toward his coaching brethren? NHL coaches make up a small, close-knit fraternity, and Babcock would be doing none of them a favor if he took smaller money in Detroit instead of a big raise somewhere else. A raise like that would buoy the entire group, with salaries rising as teams competed for the best coaches. On the players' side, Wayne Gretzky took a lot of heat at the height of his career -- as did Gordie Howe a generation before him -- by settling for a lot lower salary than he could have commanded in the market conditions of his time. My guess is that this is one more thing that Babcock is weighing heavily as he works toward a decision. So what if Toronto or Philadelphia make the kind of offer Babcock will find difficult, perhaps impossible, to refuse? Will the Wings match it? Or will they wish him luck with his new team and turn to someone new to lead this entertaining, talented, young team to a 25th consecutive season of Stanley Cup tournament hockey? No one knows for certain because neither the Wings nor Babcock are saying right now. But until they reach an agreement, one way or another, speculation about his future will remain rampant. Stay tuned. foxsports.com LOADED: