Return to HockeyTown... A Detroit Red Wings BeaGM

Pretty solid month.  Interesting trade for Tarasenko, you using NHL15?

NHL 14. I'm a year or two behind every game release because I'm cheap. Also it takes time to have a long running franchise so I never want to dump something I've put time into just for a newer version of game. I've still got NHL 09 sitting around because I've got a Be a Pro in like his 10th season.

Anyway thanks for following along!

February 24, 2014

Ken Holland Officially Retires as Wings’ Top Exec

Detroit, MI--  Longtime Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland announced in an emotional press conference at Joe Lewis Arena on Friday that he is cancer free but would not be returning to that position as had been previously planned.

Holland announced in September that he would be temporarily stepping down as GM so he could focus on his health after recently being diagnosed with stage two toe cancer. On Friday he made his full retirement official when he confirmed suspicions that he would not be returning to the franchise.

“Since stepping back from my duties in the front office earlier this season I’ve realized how much time I’ve missed with my family over the years.” Holland stated. “Now with a clean bill of health I know I need to cherish the time I have with the people I love.” The former team executive stated that he would be happy to support and help out the organization if asked, just not as the General Manager.

“This is a sad day for me because I love the Red Wings, but also a very hopeful one. I’m excited to begin this next phase of my life.”

Rick Watkins has been serving as the head team executive since Holland’s announcement in September and has been given the title of Interim General Manager as of Friday. Team owner Mike Illich stated that Watkins’ performance would be reviewed in the off season as to whether he would stay on as GM or if they would consider bringing in a new face.

“We have full confidence in Rick but this is a top position on a top franchise. We want to be sure that we’re moving forward with the right hire. At the moment Rick is the leading candidate.”

Entry: March 1^st, 2014

            Ken Holland formally retired the other day. I guess its not surprising as there had been rumors that he would do just that since September but I’ve tried to ignore them and keep my head in my work. Everyone in the front office has been very professional by just doing their work day in and day out and not constantly speculating as to whether the owner would make a change in staff. Regardless, with the somewhat sudden changes there is an air of uncertainty that’s undeniable.

            I like to believe I’m secure in my job, as are the staff around me. Ken did an amazing job of building a fantastic team on and off the ice so the pressure continues to produce winning teams. If I’m lucky enough to secure the full time General Manager position I don’t think I’ll be making any changes to the people around me that’s for sure.

            February was a tough month for the team though fortunately a short one as they went 2-4 including a 7-1 beat down at the hands of the Senators to close out the month. We’re still in solid shape for the playoffs at 35-22 but there are still 25 games to go in the season so really anything could happen. With the Olympics now behind us I’m hoping Babcock can find some games in the schedule to give our older players some nights off.

            Over the break the staff and I looked closely at our roster to see if any deadline moves needed to be made to secure a deep run into the finals. Half the front office team is urging us to make a move to punch up our blue line while the other half is saying we ought to stand pat. I’m reticent to make any moves as the prospects we have are so promising and I think this team will be a true cup contender next season. If the phone rings with an interesting deal though we’ll have to consider it of course. 

Detroit Red Wings February 2014 Results

March 6th 2014

Wings Stand Pat on Deadline Day

Detroit, MI--  Red Wings’ interim General Manager Rick Watkins chose to stick with his current roster through to the end of the 2013-14 season as trade deadline day came and passed without any personnel moves from the team.

“The franchise has the utmost confidence in the roster we have and we believe just getting Abdelkater and Quincey back and healthy will be the best moves we can make at this point.” Watkins said this morning.

The Interim GM has a point in that getting two important players back and healthy just before the playoffs can be a big boost, however, the defense has at times shown cracks that speculators believe can’t be filled by Kyle Quincey’s return.

The team has lost their last four consecutive games and allowed an average of six goals over that span. Pundits and fans alike have assumed that performance (or lack there of) would make the Wings buyers on deadline day in an attempt to solidify a recently exposed corps of blue liners.

There is still speculation that the team could reach into the free agent market to add to the team, however, the lack of options provides little certainty.

For better or worse the Red Wings roster for the balance of the season is set. 

Entry: April 1^st, 2014

            Well March was a bloodbath. Just four wins in fourteen games and now the team is in risk of completely missing the playoffs. I knew when I accepted this position that the fan base would be looking to me for leadership and now that the team is struggling everyone is calling for my job since we didn’t make any moves on deadline day. 

            I felt that if we got everyone back and healthy it would basically be the same as making additions to the team but for some reason they cant get back the mojo they had in December and January. I’m concerned the guys are gassed after the Olympics but Babs can’t give any games off because now we need every point we can get.

            In terms of making the playoffs we’re saved by the fact that our division and the rest of the Western Conference is very poor. None of the teams behind us have shown any pulse since the deadline. However a first round exit from the playoffs is almost as bad as not even making them for this franchise.

            Despite the on ice disaster the team has suddenly turned into the front office staff is all in business as usual mode and working hard to prepare for the offseason. The players below have their contracts up and several of which we’ll have to look hard at whether or not we will want to offer them another deal.

-          Unrestricted Free Agents:

o   Dan Cleary

o   Todd Betruzzi

o   David Legwand

o   Kyle Quincey

o   Brian Elliot

o   Jonas Hustoffson

o   Mikel Samuelsson

-          Restricted Free Agents:

o   Tomas Tatar

o   Danny DeKeyser

o   Riley Sheahan

o   Corey Emmerton

o   Mitch Callahan

o   Landon Ferraro

o   Max Nicastro

o   Louis-Marc Aubry

o   Andrej Nestrasil

Detroit Red Wings March 2014 Results

Entry: 4/14/14

            The regular season has concluded and the team qualified for the playoffs by a thin margin. In the end we captured the 42 wins that Illich said he expected out of this team at the beginning of the season so I guess it was a success. I’m still concerned though that it was a big mistake to leave the roster as is at the trade deadline.  I trust our scoring is in good shape but the blue liners have struggled to get the puck out of the zone resulting in several chances for the opposing team.

            The first round matchup will be against the Penguins, the second best team in the east. We went 1-2 against them in the regular season and they were all very hard fought games. I have confidence that with a healthy squad we can split the first four games and turn it into a best of three situation. From there we’ll just have to see how the cookie crumbles I guess.

            With Pittsburgh there’s no real secret as to how you beat them. You’ve got to shut down Crosby & Malkin and just try to deal with the rest of their roster separately which, of course, is full of talent. I suspect Babs will assign guys to shadow the Pens’ stars in attempts to shut them down while allowing our scorers to worry about doing just that. Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury  

            In the Stanley Cup Playoffs anything can happen but I certainly have my doubts about this team’s ability to beat Pittsburgh.

Detroit Red Wings April 2014 Results

2013-14 Regular Season Stat Leaders

NHL League Leaders - Updated: Apr 14, 2014
Goals		G	Assists		A
	1. Z. Parise	40		1. J. Toews	62
	2. S. Stamkos	39		2. R. Nugent-Hopkins	60
	3. T. Hall	38		3. N. Kronwall	57
	4. C. Stewart	36		4. J. Thornton	53
	5. E. Malkin	36		5. R. Getzlaf	50
Points			+/-		+/-
	1. Toews	88		1. G. Nyquist	+31
	2. R. Nugent-Hopkins	86		2. T. Hall	+27
	3. S. Stamkos	83		3. K. Quincey	+26
	4. P. Datsyuk	75		4. J. Franzen	+26
	5. Z. Parise	74		5. A. Kopitar	+25

Detroit Red Wings 2013-14 Regular Season Top Scorers

Detroit Red Wings 2013-14 Regular Season Assist Leaders

Detroit Red Wings 2013-14 Regular Season Points Leaders

April 20th 2014

Wings Win Game 3, Datsyuk, Nyquist Out for Season

Detroit, MI--  As the Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway every season the pace and intensity of the games kicks up a notch (or three). That’s been more evident for the Red Wings and Penguins than ever as through three games the two teams have gone at each other hammer and tongs laying big hits all over the ice.

This type of play has finally yielded expected results as four players left last night’s game three with injury, none of which are expected back for the rest of the playoffs.

In the first period Pavel Datsyuk was steamrolled by Penguins defender Matt Niskanen in the offensive zone and had to be helped off the ice by teammates and trainers. Perhaps in response Niklas Kronwall demolished Pens winger Pascal Dupuis at the Detroit blue line resulting in Dupuis leaving the game not to return.

After the first intermission, just two minutes into the second period, Todd Bertuzzi squared off with Rob Scuderi for an epic fight wich left the Pittsburgh defender on his back.

“We’re not going to stand for cheap shots. If they want to play that way they’ll have to answer for it.” Bertuzzi told assembled media after the game.

The second period progressed from there with more hitting until Gustav Nyquist was blindsided in the offensive zone by Kris Letang. Letang was sent to the box for two minutes for charging while Nyquist lay unconscious on the ice before eventually skating off with help from his teammates. 

Soon after Letang returned from the penalty Johan Franzen enacted his own brand of justice by hammering the Penguins top defensemen into the corner boards.

After the dust settled on the showdown at the Joe the Wings won the game 4-2 but have lost two top scoring line forwards. Pavel Datsyuk has been diagnosed with a separated shoulder and Gustav Nyquist with a concussion, neither are expected to return this season.

Criticism has been lobbed at the officials working this series for their leniency to the physical play, however, the league office has stated there will be no suspensions resulting from game three.

April 26th, 2014

Wings Finish Off Pens, Headed to Next Round

Detroit, MI-    The Red Wings extended their season by at least four more games on Friday night by beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 and thus winning their first round matchup four games to two.

Red Wings goaltender Brian Elliot held strong under heavy attack from the Penguins top scorers while Henrik Zetterberg, Darren Helm, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Brandon Smith all netted goals for the home team.

With the series victory the Wings will be off over the weekend as they wait to see if they’ll be matched up against the New Jersey Devils or Ottawa Senators in the next round.

Series Recap:

Game 1: Red Wings 5 – Penguins 3

Game 2: Red Wings 1 – Penguins 4

Game 3: Penguins 2 – Red Wings 4

Game 4: Penguins 1 – Red Wings 3

Game 5: Red Wings 2 – Penguins 4

Game 6: Penguins 1 – Red Wings 4

May 7th 2014

SWEEP!

Detroit, MI-  The Red Wings on Tuesday closed out their second round playoff series against the New Jersey Devils with a comfortable 4-1 victory at Joe Lewis Arena.

Game four followed a similar script to the rest of the series as New Jersey couldn’t put much offensive pressure together thanks to suffocating neutral zone play by Detroit. The Wings didn’t waste any time asserting their scoring dominance as they closed out the first period with a three to zero lead.

The quick four game series was just what the Wings’ doctors & trainers ordered for the many bruises and aching bones on the team’s roster.

It’s the first time the Red Wings have won their division since the 2010-11 season and will have a chance to win their conference for the first time since 2008-09, the same season the team last won the Stanley Cup. This will also be their first opportunity to win the Eastern Conference ever.

On the other side of the bracket the Tampa Bay Lightning are leading their series with the Columbus Blue Jackets three games to one with game five schedule for tonight.

Series Recap:

Game 1:  Red Wings 5 - Devils 1

Game 2: Red Wings 4 - Devils 0

Game 3: Devils 1 - Red Wings 4

Game 4: Devils 1 - Red Wings 4

Getting hot at the right time it would seem.  Sucks you lost Nyqvist though...