titanium2

25 Brian Lashoff: Big. Mobile. Dependable. Humble. Hard-working. Brian Lashoff ended up playing a very offensively-minded role as the team’s unofficial captain (no one wears the “C” in Detroit except the Red Wings’ captain, but Lashoff’s “A” was a de-facto “C") and he looked very good doing so. Lashoff’s coming out of the OHL but he’s played in two stints for Grand Rapids, and he both looks, acts, and plays like a man. In a tournament full of extra passes and too-fancy plays, he kept things simple and was very effective doing so. He can knock the heck out of his opponents, too. The scary part about Lashoff is that he’s all of 20 years old and a very tall 6’3” and at least 205-210 pounds, and is equally over-mentally ripe in his maturity and approach to working hard on a shift-by-shift basis while expecting as much of his peers. Lashoff admitted that he got a little vocal in the room at times, and I can sure as hell tell you that he also led by a consistent, hard-working and steady example. http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/a2y/comments/red_wings_prospects_conclude_tournament_with_a_loss_prepare_for_main_camp/

21 Tomas Tatar: Undersized only in terms of his height, the now-musclebound little Slovak winger whose shoulders make him look Popeye, Tatar’s dazzling ability to deke, dangle and fire wicked wrist shots and one-timers at the net after grinding the puck out in the corners like a fourth-liner, charging up the ice, lurking in dead spots or jamming the crease make him look like Jiri Hudler II, except that the player fans call “Tater Tot” (I believe it’s “TAH-tur,” but Ken Holland didn’t recognize his name until I said, “Ta-TAR") doesn’t just match Hudler’s enthusiasm--he’s probably the hardest worker on the team, and while he’s all of 19, he lived alone for a good chunk of last season while playing for the Grand Rapids Griffins, he lives with his girlfriend there now, and I’ve met 50-year-olds who are less level-headed or dead-on determined than Tomas. He already understands that he’s got a 24/7/365.25-a-year job, on and off the ice, to be the best player and professional athlete he can be while keeping his nose as straight as can be, and he’s incredibly humble given his celebrations. You will like him, and I’ll put it this way--last summer, he told me he was going to play in North America, and he did. This year, he says he hopes to earn a game or two with the Wings. He will. http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/a2y/comments/red_wings_prospects_conclude_tournament_with_a_loss_prepare_for_main_camp/

Brent Raedeke: I spent a considerable amount of time before and sometimes during games speaking to Brent’s father, so I’m a little biased here. Brent’s a tremendously hard-working, slightly smallish center who’s coming out of the WHL expecting to play as a third or fourth-line center in Grand Rapids, and he certainly possesses the faceoff ability, hard skating, defensive awareness and willingness to “eat the puck” in order to protect it in all three zones, even if that means somebody’s trying to run him into the boards or is going to hack and whack him into slices, that he’s certainly going to excel at the role the Griffins want him to fulfill. Do I think that the way he tucks that short stick into his body when he goes against the grain looks a little Dan Cleary-ish? You bet. He scored a really beautiful goal in the Wings-Blues game and he does have the ability to generate offense, so where he goes from here is up to him, and Mr. Raedeke (it’s RAY-de-kee, though he’s called “Rads") says, Brent understands that he has to approach hockey as a job, though it’s one that he loves. He’s that kind of blue-collar player. http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/a2y/comments/red_wings_prospects_conclude_tournament_with_a_loss_prepare_for_main_camp/

49 Andrej Nestrasil: Andrej is a true power forward in every sense of the term save perhaps the toughness part. He’s about 6’3” and 200 lbs, he absolutely roars up the ice both with and without the puck on his stick, he’s got fantastic instincts, passes well, shoots hard, can pick corners or make plays, loves to cycle the puck and is a more tenacious checker than you’d imagine, and in a contract year, if he can keep improving, he’s going to be a very, very good player. http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/a2y/comments/red_wings_prospects_conclude_tournament_with_a_loss_prepare_for_main_camp/

50 Brooks Macek: Macek improved by leaps and bounds from the summer camp in terms of his strength and plain old level of confidence. He’s an offensively-minded center who the coaches used as a winger most regularly, and at a WHL level, he could easily post 35 goals and 80-90 points with the Tri-City Americans. What he can do among bigger and stronger players as he’s 5’10” and maybe 165 lbs? I don’t know. http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/a2y/comments/red_wings_prospects_conclude_tournament_with_a_loss_prepare_for_main_camp/

http://www.redwingscentral.com/prospects/macek.php Position: Center Shoots: Right Vitals: 5'11'' / 180 lbs. Birthdate: May 15, 1992 Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba Acquired: Detroit's sixth choice (171st overall) in the 2010 draft CSS Ranking: 86th North American skater (2010) SCOUT COMMENTS "He's a very skilled guy with great vision. He's an excellent skater with good speed. He competes hard, he's very skilled, and I'd call him a playmaking center, for the most part." — Red Wings scout Jeff Finley (June 2010) ... "He's another one of those guys you wish was a little bigger, but he skates so well and he sees the ice so well and he's able to produce points so well ... We're just hoping he can continue to do that." — Red Wings scout Joe McDonnell (June 2010). STRENGTHS Tremendous vision and playmaking ability ... Willing to go into traffic to make plays ... Gets his nose dirty ... Excellent skater with good acceleration and top speed ... Doesn't always stand out but finds a way to produce points ... Creative on the power play and works well with time and space. WEAKNESSES Small and slight and must get stronger to have a chance in the pros ... Has the makeup of a player whose production could stall beyond the junior level ... Doesn't neglect his defensive duties but doesn't excel in that department, either, and needs to be better.

57 Landon Ferraro: Still undersized at about 5’11” and 170-175 pounds on a very lean frame, Ferraro did struggle with consistency, but when he’s on, he’s a fantastic two-way pivot whose skating, playmaking ability, hockey sense, shot, ability to win faceoffs, work ethic and mostly his puck-handling abilities make you think, “Star in the making,” big time. The fact that he’s level-headed and mature off the ice speak volumes for his ability to rebound from a rough season with the Red Deer Rebels and prove that the Wings should sign him this season. http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/a2y/comments/red_wings_prospects_conclude_tournament_with_a_loss_prepare_for_main_camp/

70 Willie Coetzee: I still haven’t figured Coetzee out. He possesses elite offensive skills, super-soft hands, a great shot, he can deke and dangle with the best of ‘em, he’s fast and smart and spins himself out far too regularly. If this makes any sense whatsoever, he’s like a 5’11,” 180-pound version of Todd Bertuzzi--when his hands and feet and the puck are all going in the same direction, he’s a little freight train with a nasty bite, but when everything isn’t aligned, it’s like watching a whirling dervish get dizzy. Put simply, though he has AHL eligibility, I firmly believe that he needs to go back to the WHL, dominate down there and come back a little more confident and a little more focused. http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/a2y/comments/red_wings_prospects_conclude_tournament_with_a_loss_prepare_for_main_camp/

65 Mitchell Callahan: Weasel. Pest. Shift-disturber. Endlessly enthusiastic checking forward with the offensive chops to serve as Landon Ferraro’s partner in crime. The kind of player who gets cross-checked in the head, wriggles his helmet off and pops up with that poofy haircut and gap-toothed smile asking if that’s all his opponent can give him. He likes to fight on occasion, but is mostly an agitator and an energy forward who’s far smarter than his appearance lets on. He works very hard. http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/a2y/comments/red_wings_prospects_conclude_tournament_with_a_loss_prepare_for_main_camp/

53 Louis-Marc Aubry: Aubry is definitely 6’3” going on 6’4"--remarkable given that his parents are both under 5’10"--but he might weigh 180 lbs. at best, and he’s still baby-faced at 18. He’s certainly got a big body to grow into, but his ability to play as a defensively-inclined center is almost as mature as Andersson’s, if not more so. Aubry just knows where to be to bail his teammates out, and because he took Tomas Storm’s lessons from this past summer to heart, he’s very speedy. His hands need work but he’s deft as he is whiskerless at times. http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/a2y/comments/red_wings_prospects_conclude_tournament_with_a_loss_prepare_for_main_camp/

http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/a2y/comments/red_wings_prospects_conclude_tournament_with_a_loss_prepare_for_main_camp/ 62 Joakim Andersson: The big Swedish centre started to look more like a prospect as the tournament proceeded, exhibiting some very hard corners to his game in terms of its professional fit and finish, but at the same time, Andersson’s not the Mr. Heavyfoot the Wings drafted, and after playing for two seasons with the SEL’s Frolunda Indians, he looks and plays like a big man who excels as a two-way forward. He’s very responsible defensively and wins the vast majority of his faceoffs.

Babcock and Hitchcock.

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2010/09/red_wings_training_camp_lines.html Training Camp Teams and Lines. Team Howe Henrik Zetterberg-Pavel Datsyuk-Tomas Holmstrom Mattias Ritola-Cory Emmerton-Jan Mursak Francis Pare-Brent Raedeke-Aaron Downey Jordan Owens-Stephen Johnston-Brooks Macek Jonathan Ericsson-Ruslan Salei Doug Janik-Brendan Smith Marc Zanetti-Greg Amadio Jimmy Howard Jordan Pearce Team Lindsay Johan Franzen-Valtteri Filppula-Todd Bertuzzi Drew Miller-Justin Abdelkader-Kirk Maltby Tomas Tatar-Joakim Andersson-Jamie Tardiff Andrej Nestrasil-Landon Ferraro-Trevor Parkes Antonin Honejsek Brad Stuart-Brian Rafalski Brian Lashoff-Derek Meech Sebastien Piche-Sergei Kolosov Brenden Kichton (injured) Chris Osgood Petr Mrazek Team Delvecchio Jiri Hudler-Mike Modano-Dan Cleary Kris Draper-Darren Helm-Patrick Eaves Ilari Filppula-Johnson-Willie Coetzee Darren Archibald-Louis Marc Aubry-Mitchell Callahan Chris Minard (injured) Nicklas Lidstrom-Niklas Kronwall Jakub Kindl-Logan Pyett Gleason Fournier-Travis Ehrhardt Joey MacDonald Thomas McCollum General manager Ken Holland said he expects everyone to be healthy and ready to go when players take the ice Saturday. "They’ve been skating in Detroit (for two weeks),'' Holland said. "I think the conditioning of our team is as good as it’s been in a long time. The extra month of training has been good. “Some veterans told me they think they’re in the best shape they’ve ever been in.’’

How did he get fired in the first place?

I don't quite understand the bolded part. Who does he want what from a young guy?

I don't really need to tell you this but Lilja can beat 'em.

Same thing with Stevie. Or at least I hope.

Very few things seem to be by accident.

http://redwingscentral.com/stories/2010_09/14_Andersson.php Andersson going on the offensive Joakim Andersson is hoping to prove he can contribute offensively. Andersson, a Swedish center expected to embark on his American Hockey League rookie year with the Grand Rapids Griffins, is known for his strong defensive game but has not yet produced offense beyond the junior level. He has toiled on the third and fourth lines in the Swedish Elite League for the past few seasons. "I hope I get an opportunity to play on the top two lines and maybe the power play," Andersson said. "I did play there some last year and I played pretty well. When I (have had the chance) to play on the top two lines, I have produced some points." Andersson saw his role diminished last season when Frolunda unexpectedly signed hard-hitting NHLer Joel Lunqvist. The move knocked Andersson down the depth chart and limited his ice time. "Some games I didn't play that much, but some games I played a lot," he said. "If it was up to me, of course, I would have played a little bit more and play more on the offensive lines." The 6-foot-2 205-pounder collected six goals and 12 assists in 55 games last season and signed a three-year entry-level contract in June. He's started his adjustment to North American hockey at the NHL prospects tournament in Traverse City this week. "It's a different kind of hockey," Andersson said. "It's a smaller rink and you have to be quicker in your head. I am trying to make decisions quicker, but I have to learn a bit more." Through two games with the Red Wings, Andersson is seeing plenty of ice time, centering the top line between Tomas Tatar and Willie Coetzee. He has no points but is a plus-1 with seven shots on goal. "It's fun to get into the hockey here," he said. "I have just been trying to play smart hockey and work hard. I have a pretty good passing game and I try to play good two-way hockey." The 22-year-old has some familiarity with the AHL already — he had a goal and three assists in a 11 games with Grand Rapids in 2008-09 while on an amateur tryout contract. Although he is the lone Swede on the prospects tournament roster, he'll have company once the main camp starts later this week and his Red Wings' compatriots arrive. "I am excited to play with the Red Wings and maybe speak some Swedish again," he said. "Right now I am just learning from the guys here and learning about the organization. It's been fun."

http://record-eagle.com/sports/x600171218/League-language-are-new-for-Wings-top-prospect League, language are new for Wings' top prospect Tatar adjusts to longer season BY JAMES COOK TRAVERSE CITY — Two things were major factors in Tomas Tatar's season last year: English and a 58-game schedule. While one got better, the other got the better of him. The Slovakian left winger worked on his language skills. He showed a drastic improvement from this time last year, when his broken English at the NHL Prospects Tournament was sometimes difficult to understand. The 19-year-old's skills on the ice were prominently displayed early in the American Hockey League schedule, as he dazzled the Detroit Red Wings with 21 points in his first 27 games, despite being the youngest player in the entire AHL. However, he slowed down as the season wore on, notching just 11 points in his final 31 games for the Grand Rapids Griffins. "I'm not surprised," Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill said. "He's a pretty young kid. It's just him maturing as a player and getting stronger. He's got the skills and he's hard-working. It's just an adjustment to the game over here." The franchise's top prospect has done what the team expects in this week's tournament. Through two games, Tatar leads the Red Wings with two goals and three points. "I think I'm a little better prepared for this season," Tatar said. "Last season, I didn't speak too much English. It was real tough for me, but the guys in the locker room were really helpful to me. Now I'm a little better and I've already played a season in the AHL. So I think this season will be better for me." He's bulked up a bit, now carrying 188 pounds instead of the 179 he played at last season. "Last year was so tough for me because I never played so many games like last year," Tatar said. "So I've worked hard and tried a little more to work on my weight. Now I'm five kilos up. That will be good for me." Nill envisions the 2009 second-round pick as someone who can occupy a forward spot in a Red Wings jersey for many years to come. "I project him to have top two line potential — a top six forward," Nill said. "He can score, is competitive and is strong on the puck. He's got a good chance of being a scorer at the next level. That's a big step from playing over there to playing here in the American league. And he handled it very well." Tatar's game has often been compared to that of Jiri Hudler, who returns to the Red Wings this season after a year playing in Russia. "He's a better skater than Jiri Hudler," Nill said. "Jiri might have a little better hockey sense, but he's a very skilled player for his age." And despite only being 19 (he'll turn 20 in December), Tatar could be a player the Red Wings look to if they sustain some injuries to forwards during the season. "I hope I can get up (to Detroit) for a couple games this season," Tatar said. "Maybe some players get injured. I never wish that kind of thing, but you never know."

Really? I thought the Hawks would. And then at the lottery their fans will be there chanting, "DETROIT SUCKS! DETROIT SUCKS!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWawEndwdM8 Who's the red haired boss; who wins and wins without all the gloss? (BABS!) You're damn right. Whooo is the mann that works harder than the other mannn? (BABS!) Can ya dig it? Who's the cat with the piercing stare it'll make you soil your underwear... (BABS!) ...Well? You see this cat Babs is one fuuunnn sponge- (Shut your mouth!) But I'm talkin' about Babs. (Then we can dig it.) He's a Saskatoon mannn and no one understands him but his woman... (Mike Babs!)

They should have a lottery for them or something.