The Detroit Star - News You Might Trust!

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The Detroit Star - News You Might Trust!

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(I decided to call these The Detroit Star because I loosely work for a Star-branded media company ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

Red Wings hire new GM

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Following a difficult season, in which the Wings finished just under .500 and 6 points out of the playoffs, team ownership decided to go in a new direction, hiring the experienced, but mostly unsuccesful, Kevin Smith as their new GM. Smith has spent almost 20 years managing across various EHM leagues, including stints with Edmonton, Phoenix, Montreal, Minnesota, Nashville, Los Angeles, Columbus, and possibly others that he's since forgotten. He was even fundamental in a brief attempt to move a team to Lima, Peru, as part of an international league. Unfortunately, like most of his efforts, the Llamas were not able to win the Stanley Cup.

He does have one championship on his resume, from the 2011 RHL season, where his off-season free agent acquistion of Zdeno Chara helped lead the 5th placed western team to triumph in 7 games against Boston in the finals, having shocked the world by upsetting conference leaders St Louis in 6 games in the second round.

Rumour has it that Smith is planning to turf head coach Mike Babock and replace him with Jukka Koivu, the father of Saku and Mikko, because why the hell not, with other formers Habs (possibly including Mats Naslund, Steve Shutt, Eric Weinrich, and Rollie Melanson) as assistants.

Editor's note: We still aren't entirely sure which Kevin Smith has been hired in Detroit so here's a collage of all the ones we know of. We're pretty sure the one who played Ares in the 1990s Hercules and Xena TV shows has not joined the Red Wings, as he sadly passed away during post-filming celebrations in 2002, but we included him as we could not be sure.
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Re: The Detroit Star - News You Might Trust!

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Blockbuster Trades Highlight Red Wings' Draft

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New Red Wings GM Kevin Smith made many unexpected moves on draft weekend but none more impactful than trading top defenceman Erik Gudbranson, young top forward Vasili Podkolzin, and a mid-1st for third overall and a late first. This put Smith in a rather interesting position, with Lafreniere and Byfield certainties to go one-two but a lot of uncertainty in drafting third.

Eventually Smith decided that the German Tim Stutzle was the player to rebuild the team around. Whether the pick, or even the trade, were good moves remains to be seen, but no one can argue that it was an ambitious blockbuster.

It was not the only blockbuster move he would make that weekend. In a more controversial move, Smith dealt Toews for a large package that essentially boiled down to stud defensive prospect Kevin Bahl, a 2nd round pick, and two offensive forwards in the veteran Phil Kessel and the youngster Kasperi Kapanen, as well as versatile prospect Isac Lundestrom and some future picks.

Toews, who had 45 goals in 19-20, did not fetch as much as some commentators had been expecting. However, Smith argued that Bahl was underrated and a key piece of the Wings' puzzle going forward, while Toews' may have been over-performing compared to his analytics.

These two deals also combined to lead to some others - the 2nd round pick from the Toews deal was traded for a 1st and defenceman John Moore. That 1st, along with the late-1st acquired in the move up to 3rd overall, were packaged with Mike Green for a higher 1st, veteran Rostislav Klesla, and a late-2nd.

Smith used this newly acquired 1st to draft William Wallinder 14th overall, later describing him as possibly "the 5th best player in the draft", while another GM said Wallinder could become the "top D in the draft".

In another clear sign of rebuilding, Smith traded Drew Doughty to Dallas for a package including Joonas Donskoi, Derek Forbort, prospects Henry Thrun and Alexander Yakovenko, the rights to Jayce Hawryluk, and a 2nd.

In the end, these moves left Detroit with two 2nd round picks, and they selected centres Thomas Bordeleau and Jaromir Pytlik.

Further moves followed as Smith restocked an empty cupboard, moving a mid-third for three 4th round picks and a 5th, while trading a 2021 5th round pick for David Pastrnak and four 5th round picks in 2020.

More information on the players chosen with those picks will follow.
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Re: The Detroit Star - News You Might Trust!

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One 5th for Pastrnak and four 5ths? Someone was desperate to get out of drafting...
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Re: The Detroit Star - News You Might Trust!

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Authors note: because of their NHL experience, Ty Dellandrea, Maxime Fortier, Oliver Kylington, and Samuel Montembault were not considered eligible for this listicle. They will feature more heavily in the upcoming prospect season preview.

(also I used the same picture as the last one for the Press Box side, so sue me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )

1. Tim Stutzle is an all-around forward with decent, but not great, size, who can skate like the wind. Even at just 18, he would be one of the top skaters in the league. He has excellent offensive attributes, though his shot won't be a strength, while his checking, positioning, and hitting should be decent, though nothing special. It might take a couple years before he reaches the NHL, but once he does he will be one to watch.

2. William Wallinder is a bit of a project that shows great potential. Projected to hit like a truck, many scouts were saying he'll just be average otherwise, a borderline NHL player at best. GM Smith evidently felt differently, suggesting that the organization views Wallinder as a solid top pairing defender, one that can shutdown opponents while occasionally putting the puck in the net.

3. Isac Lundestrom is a character player with no significant weaknesses, but no particularly special talents. He can shoot, pass, stickhandle, check, skate, and even hit... but he's not especially good at any of it. Likely topping out as a second liner, he is almost the prototypical low-risk, low-reward prospect.

4. A defensive defenceman, Kevin Bahl is unlikely to offer much of anything offensively, but he should be an excellent shutdown option. He probably won't ever be a good first pairing defenceman, he could make for a dynamic second pairing if given an offensive partner.

5. Thomas Bordeleau
6. Kasper Simontaival
7. Daniil Gushchin
Grouped together for simplicity, this trio are likely competing with each other for future roster spots, with Bordeleau having the edge at the moment. All three are small forwards offering significant attacking talent and mediocre defensive ability. Bordeleau projects as a very strong shooter, passer, and stickhandler, but AHL level checking and positioning. Simontaival is an equally strong passer, slightly weaker but still strong shooter and stickhandler, but better defensively, albeit not amazing. Gushchin is the weakest shooter of the three but also the strongest passer, with good stickhandling to go with it. However, he's also the weakest defensively. All three are good skaters, and it will be interesting to how many of them manage to secure places in the Detroit lineup.

8. Much like Wallinder, Antti Tuomisto hits like like a truck. Unlike Wallinder, Tuomisto's potential is a bit more certain, but not as high. Though a very solid passer and hitter, he's lacking in other areas of the game and may struggle at times as a result.

9. Though not linked as closely with the small trio from 5-7, Ryan Francis is not terribly dissimilar, if only because he is a small forward with strong skating and stickhandling ability. However, that's where the comparisons end, as Francis is not nearly as strong shooting or passing, but is significantly stronger on the defensive side of the puck. The question for Francis is whether his lack of size and shooting will hold him back, or whether he will be able to use his positioning to carve out a roster spot.

10. The only 'big' forward on this list, William Dufour is the forward equivalent of Bahl, with all around solid defensive abilities and little to no offensive talent. He seems destined for the 4th line and the penalty kill, but needs to show more consistency.

HM: Yegor Smirnov lacks the consistency of Bahl, and his defensive abilities are not as well rounded, but, much like Wallinder and Tuomisto, he will deliver crushing hits. If the Wings do eventually line up Wallinder, Tuomisto, Bahl, and Smirnov on the blueline, their opponents are not going to enjoy the experience.

Other considered prospects include: Zayde Wisdom, Ivan Lodnia, Carson Bantle, and Pavel Novak.
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Another offensive forward and another big draft class for Detroit
Red Wings' GM Kevin Smith is clearly getting a reputation for collecting prospects, having drafted 13 this year and 17 in 2020, leaving the team with 28 players under-20 and 33 junior prospects total, though a few (notably including goalie Nico Daws) will likely be joining Grand Rapids to start the season.

However, while the 2020 class was very deep, it did not have a great deal of high end talent to it - only Stutzle (3rd) and Wallinder (14th) were first round picks, while the two second rounders (Pytlik and Bordeleau) were late in the round at 54th and 56th.

By comparison, the 2021 class is a mix of very strong prospects and several boom or bust projects, with a rather significant seven (7!) picks in the first two rounds.

Though they won the lottery to move up to first overall, ultimately Smith decided to trade back down to 2nd, gaining 43rd overall and a prospect (Thimo Nickl) in the process, in his only draft floor trade. He used 2nd overall to pick William Eklund, who he described as "a lot like Tim Stutzle, a dynamic offensive centre with great hands and strong defensive awareness," adding that "this should give us an excellent 1-2 down the middle for years to come".

The team followed that up with a pair of wingers - Brennan Othmann, a well-rounded offensive talent with a very good shot and decent skills away from the puck, at 13 and Zachary L'Heureux, a solid two-way forward with some reliability concerns, at 21.

Rounding out the first round was Roman Schmidt, a 6'6" beast of a defenceman who projects very much as a shutdown type who will crush opposing forwards and bully them in front of the net.

Using the aforementioned 43rd overall pick, acquired from Colorado earlier in the draft, the Wings went for a bit of a project in Nolan Allan. Another defensive defenceman, Allan is projected at more of a high-end AHL level, but has shown glimpses of NHL talent that suggest he could be as solid as Schmidt defensively but with a bit more offensive upside. Whether he reaches that peak is the question.

Late in the second, the Wings selected Oliver Moberg and Jack Matier back to back at 56 and 57, both continuing with a trend in Smith's 2021 drafting - a focus on defensively solid picks. Moberg projects as an inconsistent third liner, while Matier is a slightly smaller and slightly lesser version of Schmidt.

They chose another boom or bust project at 73rd in Wyatt Johnston, a two-way centre who might be a career second-line AHLer or could thrive as an NHL third line centre, followed by Alexei Kolosov at 77, a 19-year-old Russian goalie with very good consistency. Not likely to be a starter, he looks a solid backup.

The final four picks are all viewed as projects, with Olivier Nadeau (111), Victor Stjernborg (125), and Albert Sjoberg (126) two-way forwards and Topias Vilen (143) a two-way defenceman. None are expected to be stars, but all could be depth NHLers - or depth AHLers.

the editor apologizes for mixing up Canadian World Junior gold medalist and dual-national Nigel Dawes with Canadian World Junior gold medalist and dual-national Nico Daws
Last edited by DetroitGM on Sun Sep 26, 2021 11:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Detroit Star - News You Might Trust!

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Nigel Daws haha
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Re: The Detroit Star - News You Might Trust!

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AvalancheGM wrote: Sun Sep 26, 2021 11:41 pm Nigel Daws haha
whoops 🙃🙃🙃
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Re: The Detroit Star - News You Might Trust!

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Kempe, Strome, and Myers highlight another busy summer for Smith

To the surprise of some, Red Wings GM Kevin Smith was fairly active in the free agent market - to the extent that prize free agent stud defenceman Dion Phaneuf was reported to have Detroit among the three or four teams whose offers he was most compelled by, while he also signed an audacious, though ultimately quite futile, offer sheet with the Kings' Serron Noel.

The result is a fairly bloated roster full of depth and prospects, both promising and otherwise, but not much in the way of high-end talent. Indeed, there are persistent rumours that the signings are going to cost a couple players their jobs as Smith looks to make room in the lineup for one or two of his top prospects.

Up front there are some 18 forwards competing for the 13 or 14 spots, depending on whether utility man Brian Lashoff is counted as a forward or a defenceman. The list includes UFA signings Adrian Kempe and Ryan Strome, who both look to have the edge on top-6 spots, along with trade acquisition Kevin Stenlund (Vancouver, via Tampa Bay). Leading scorers Kasperi Kapanen and David Pastrnak return, while prospect Isac Lundeström, who spent last season in Grand Rapids, looks to make the step up.

Filling out the bottom-6 are several players acquired from Winnipeg, including Connor Bunnaman (who spent 20-21 in the Nashville organization), Quinton Howden, Dustin Jeffrey (who was actually claimed off waivers by Winnipeg from Detroit just prior to the playoffs), as well as Matthew Freytag and Dalton Smith, who just came over from Arizona and Florida respectively.

Second overall pick William Eklund, as well as 2020 third overall pick Tim Stützle, will be hoping to make the opening day lineup as well, though team sources suggest some uncertainty amid concerns they are not ready.

On the backend, Oliver Kylington will be back as the clear #1, supported by returning veterans Derek Forbort and John Moore. The towering figure that is Tyler Myers signed as a free agent, having left San Jose in the off-season, and is presumed to have a top-4 spot as well.

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Prospects Ty Smith and Kevin Bahl, who spent the bulk of the previous season in Grand Rapids, are hoping to secure NHL jobs, while Troy Donnay and Guillaume Brisebois return but look to be at risk. Roland McKeown is another addition from Winnipeg, but he is expected to be on LTIR for the first couple months of the season, dealing with the head injury he suffered in mid-January.

2018-19 Vezina trophy winner Jack Campbell, who was absurdly robbed of his second Vezina last season, is the assumed starter once again, but there is uncertainty behind him as two similarly young and reliable goalies compete for the backup spot while an even younger prospect looks likely to be sent to Grand Rapids to develop.

Tyler Parsons, who will turn 24 in mid-September, was signed as a UFA and hopes to usurp 24-year-old Samuel Montembault, who backed up Campbell for most of the previous season, while Nico Daws, another of the many aquisitions from Winnipeg, will play his first pro games.


While none of the forwards competing for a job, with the possible exception of the recent draft picks, appear to be AHL-level players, there is also a clear lack of talent. When the top returning offensive player (Kapanen) had just 22 goals and 44 points and only one addition did better (Kempe, with 28 goals and 56 points), the attack is a concern.

And it's not as if there is a strong defensive focus either, though the acquisitions, particularly Kempe, do appear to be an improvement in that area.

Much like up front, there is a clear dearth of talent at the moment. And though the addition of Myers will certainly help keep the puck out of the net, that wasn't exactly the issue with the team last year - they were right in the middle, 14th, in goals against but a horrendous 30th in goals for. The team will need a big step forward from Ty Smith, who had 28pts in 36 games for Grand Rapids, while Oliver Kylington (32pts in 82 games) and John Moore (28pts in 77 games) will need to produce more.

The playoffs, even were they able to sign Phaneuf, seem a stretch, but this is not a team without hope. If a couple of their star prospects arrive early, the Wings could surprise.
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Detroit Stunned: Yakovenko flies off to Switzerland

Star prospect Alexander Yakovenko has unexpectedly left the Detroit Red Wings, returning to Switzerland, just as the regular season gets underway. The 24-year-old defenceman was expected to play a big part in the team's quest to return to the playoffs, having failed to qualify in each of the last four seasons.

Initially acquired from Dallas as a key piece in the Drew Doughty trade, Yakovenko was convinced to move on from EV Zug, where he'd been a point per game player. Asked to take a couple seasons to get used to the North American ice, Yakovenko offered a steady attacking presence on the backend, and was presumed to be ready to take the next step.

And it wasn't just Detroit GM Kevin Smith who thought that would happen. "Ever since he came over, I've been constantly getting calls from other GMs looking to acquire him, including several just this week" seemingly referring to the rumoured offers from San Jose, Anaheim, and Dallas. Toronto was also reportedly very interested, offering up former 1st round pick Isaac Ratcliffe and a 3rd or 4th round pick for Yakovenko, having previously tried (and failed) to convince Smith that Wilhelm Westlund was an adequate match.

Indeed, a quick search of this paper's own rumour pages show over 25 rumours for Yakovenko just in the month of September!

But with Kevin Smith always firmly denying that he was actively shopping Yakovenko, it is now quite a surprise to find out that the player has torn up his contract and returned to EV Zug.

"We're going to miss the little guy", Smith said, "but Switzerland is closer to home, so we understand. Hopefully they treat him well."
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Re: The Detroit Star - News You Might Trust!

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For the first time in Kevin Smith's tenure as GM of the Red Wings, the team was without a first round pick, having swapped it (along with a 4th round pick) for two firsts at the draft a year ago.

"We had a great offer on the table last year, as we felt sure we were a playoff team while they were banking on us being a lottery team. Turns out we were right, with both Sammy (Samuel Savoie) and Snuggy (Jimmy Snuggerud) looking like great prospects"

As a result, Detroit fans had to wait until the middle of the second round for Smith to make his first pick, grabbing Jaden Lipinski 49th overall, dropping two spots in order to add a third round pick.

"Jaden's a big strong kid with great positional sense, we definitely think he'll have a place in our bottom six a few years from now, though he also needs to work on some things."

The main knock on Lipinski is a lack of offence, particularly weak passing, while his consistency could be better.

In the third, Smith rolled the dice and chose Roman Kantserov, a diminutive winger who has shown flashes of potential, but is a bit of a risk. If he does fully develop, he'll still be in tough to make the NHL, but his shot may be enough to get him there.

Smith also pulled off a major trade from the draft floor, adding a solid two-way centre in Drew Stafford and swapping offensive dynamos with Edmonton, as Jordan Eberle makes the move to Motown with Yakupov heading west.

"Yak's a great kid, but we felt that we were lacking a true sniper, while Stafford's addition will allow Ekky (William Eklund) to spend more time on the wing"

Along with Yakupov, the Wings were forced to part with prospects Thomas Bordealeau and Oliver Moberg, as well as goalie Colten Ellis. The teams also exchanged late picks, which left Smith with a pair of 5th round picks, used to select defencemen Étienne Morin and Nolan Collins.

Morin, like Kantserov, is a bit on the small side, with flashes of potential, while Collins, who was actually passed over last year, is a physical defenceman that could provide depth, but needs to be more consistent.
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