Grigorenko: Detroit or bust
Igor Grigorenko signed a contract with the Detroit Red Wings allowing him to head home to Russia after three weeks in Grand Rapids with the Wings’ AHL affiliate, the Griffins. Detroit management asked Grigorenko to stay in Grand Rapids after the three weeks expires and he said no thanks according to Bruce MacLeod.
When asked where Grigorenko fits in the lineup plans, coach Mike Babcock answered: “That’s a good question. Everything here’s on an at-earn basis. We’ll see if he has enough pace to fit in.”
He will practice with the team tomorrow morning according to the Detroit News.
He’s been average,” general manager Ken Holland said. “He’s still adapting to the game over here.”
“He’ll be evaluated every day,” Holland said. “I don’t know what the future holds. We’re in the business of winning hockey games. He has to show he can help our team.”
How will the team have room on their roster? Well, Johan Franzen has been out with a strained MCL and the team just placed him on injured reserve. He is close to being able to play and has been practicing with the team (aside from contact drills). Once he returns, the team will obviously have to decide which forward will be sent back down to Grand Rapids.
I think Babcock agrees with me when I say that Matt Ellis and Aaron Downey have proven themselves with their play of late (Ellis in particular) while Grigorenko has gotten zero points in his five games with the Griffins in the AHL. I like the grittiness and hard work that the former Griffins captain brings to the Wings and I love having a player who’s willing to drop his gloves (Downey), but also plays smart. Grigorenko has not proven himself in training camp or in his stay in Grand Rapids and I don’t believe he deserves a roster spot on the team right now.
Grigorenko in 5 games with GR: 0 points, -1, 4 PIM
Ellis in 7 games with DRW: 3 points (2 assists, 1 goal), +4, 2 PIM
Downey in 4 games with DRW: 0 points, +1, 7 PIM, 1 fight with Kyle McLaren (he averaged 3:47 minutes per game)
In my opinion, Ellis and Downey have better stats in the NHL. Grigorenko has been playing in the AHL and is playing worse. Hmm.
Andersson flies under the radar
SI.com’s hockey beat reporter Michael Farber comments about the five hockey individuals who are frequently overlooked in his latest online column.
The Red Wings’ director of European scouting, Hakan Andersson, was the number one guy on the list. Andersson was the one who found Pavel Datsyuk and he’s also responsible for Henrik Zetterberg as well. The Wings don’t get those high draft picks so it’s because of Andersson and his staff, the team has been able to develop successful young and talented players.
No. 1: Hakan Andersson, the Detroit Red Wings’ Director of European Scouting. General manager Ken Holland gets the credit, and occasional blame, for the state of the Wings, who remain an elite team on an annual basis despite rarely having a high draft choice. (Since 1993, Detroit has selected only once in the top 20: Jakub Kindl, in 2005, at No. 19.) But even with the retirements of Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull and Igor Larionov and the departure of Brendan Shanahan and others in the merry roundelay of sports, the cupboard never seems bare in Detroit because of the exemplary work of Andersson, a name known only to puckheads. His assessment of European talent is akin to the keen eye of David Conte, New Jersey’s celebrated director of scouting who keeps the Devils stocked with American-born players.
Andersson doesn’t ever get a crack at the Ovechkins and Malkins, but he perceives value in later rounds that other teams miss. In 1998, he recommended Pavel Datsyuk, the Russian who was taken with the 171st pick. He followed that up with Henrik Zetterberg, who was drafted 210th in 1999 and made a name three years later while starring for Sweden at the 2002 Olympics. Niklas Kronwall, taken 29th in 2000, will be a core defenseman if he can ever stay healthy. Maybe Jiri Hudler, the gifted Czech drafted 58th overall in 2002, might never be the high-end forward the Wings envisioned, but at No. 95, Detroit picked Valtteri Filppula, another key forward, in the same draft. In 2004, Andersson recommended Johan Franzen at No. 97. His track record in a hit-and-miss business is astounding.
10/22 - Quick Links
There are a few new posts up at Behind the Jersey: No. 19…
Yzerman to attend Griffins game
Zetterberg’s game patterned after Yzerman
Allen believes Yzerman’s retirement part of why team isn’t selling out
Wings 5, Coyotes 2
The game recap is up at Winging It In Motown.
Thanks to George @ Snapshots, I found a video of Al Sobotka’s BBQ on October 11th. Al does that everytime the players have to do mass signings for the community/public relations department. Pretty much all of the pucks you saw signed by the players in the video will be sent out to various charities throughout the season. I was there working the signing and you can first see me around 15:13 into the video, but it’s just my back (I’m the girl wearing the blue polo shirt). The interns were able to eat after most of the players had left. I got the last hamburger and despite it being lukewarm (because I ate it awhile after it had been cooked), it was a huge burger and quite delicious.
Wings 4, Sharks 2
Game recap is up over at Winging It In Motown.
Drake & Rafalski autograph signing
On Monday evening, October 22nd, newcomers Dallas Drake and Brian Rafalski will be signing autographs at Hockeytown Authentics in Troy from 6-8pm. Yours truly will be working the event.
Fans who donate a new smoke detector with batteries will receive one autograph from Drake. Together with local fire departments and law enforcement agencies, all detectors will be donated to low-income residents throughout Metro Detroit. The signing will conclude this year’s smoke detector collection which also took place at three home games earlier this month when fans generously donated 800 detectors. Spokesman Henrik Zetterberg will match the total of all detectors collected with a personal donation.
Rafalski will sign autographs for fans who make a monetary donation to the Red Wings Breast Cancer Awareness Program (minimum donation of $5 requested). The team will host its first Breast Cancer Awareness Night on Friday, October 26 when the Wings take on the San Jose Sharks. All proceeds will benefit local families battling breast cancer.
Wristbands for Monday’s autograph signing will be issued at Hockeytown Authentics beginning at 10 a.m. October 22. A maximum of 500 wristbands will be handed out prior to 6 p.m. For more information, please call Hockeytown Authentics at (248) 680-0965. Hockeytown Authentics is located at 1845 E. Big Beaver on the Northwest corner of Big Beaver and John R in Troy.
Who: Detroit Red Wings Dallas Drake & Brian Rafalski
What: Autograph Signing For Charity
When: 6-8 p.m. Monday, October 22, 2007
Where: Hockeytown Authentics in Troy
10/17 - Quick Links
Recent posts I’ve made at my other sports blogs:
Roy Williams delivers pizza in metro Detroit @ Lions Den
Wings support waning, Yzerman calls on ND to save hockey, Yzerman introduces Comerica Bank Legends Club at the Joe, Dandenault remembers playing with 19, Crosby much like Yzerman, and Was Yzerman almost traded? @ Behind the Jersey: No. 19.
NHL players to test heated skate blades @ Winging It In Motown
UM Kinesiology auction
This Monday, the University of Michigan Kinesiology department opened up its online auction. All of the money raised in the auction will go towards the Bernard “Pat” Maloy Scholarship. In less than 24 hours, the auction has already raised over $10,000 in bids. Be sure to head over there and bid on an item before the auction ends on November 6th!
One of the co-chairman of the scholarship committee, Noel Cimmino, can explain it better than me:
The scholarship gives a money to undergrads at the Univeristy of Michigan who either have cancer or whose family members have cancer. We’re holding an online auction of sports memorabilia, much of which is UofM stuff including UofM Hockey stuff from Marty Turco, Brendan Morrison and more.
As a student at the University of Michigan and one within the Division of Kinesiology, I hope you will take the time to look at the various sports memorabilia on the website including UM hockey and Detroit Red Wings items as the money will be going towards a worthwhile cause.
Check out the Online Auction Here!
Sabres don’t sell out a game
A lot has been said about the Red Wings failing to sell out all of their home games thus far this season including their season opener and justly so. According to James Mirtle, the Wings have been the most dominant team in the NHL in terms of hockey attendance over the last 17 seasons.
Over that 17 season span, from the end of the Oilers’ dynasty in 1989-90 to last season, the Detroit Red Wings have been the NHL’s top team for attendance, averaging nearly 20,000 fans per game for nearly two decades. … Detroit’s been a ridiculous model of consistency over the past 17 seasons, so much so that any potential drop off this season would be a huge story.
Graph made by James Mirtle
The Wings aren’t the only team struggling at the gate this season. Despite the threat of their team moving away, the Nashville Predators have failed to reach the 14,000 ticket mark in their first four games to prevent a move of the team.
While the Buffalo Sabres certainly aren’t struggling with ticket sales like the Wings (who no longer have a season ticket waiting list), the Sabres did fail to sell out a game this season breaking a streak of 62 sellouts (45 sellouts if you only include the regular season).
Monday is “not a traditional hockey night in Buffalo,†and the game had the “most expensive ticket-price designation.†Tickets cost $68-203, which “would limit walk-up numbers.†Also, the game was the third played in five nights and a “lack of knowledge about ticket availability†could be factors for the empty seats (BUFFALO NEWS, 10/16).
“Heroes” attend LA Kings games
So I just finished watching the first season of the NBC hit show Heroes this week and it was amazing. Definitely my favorite TV show over the past few years (and I’m a 24 addict). Anyways, I saw that a couple members of the Heroes cast have attended LA Kings games this season, including my favorite actor of the Heroes cast (Milo Ventimiglia). I support any attractive actor who likes hockey so to honor that statement, here are some photos:
Milo (from Heroes) & John (from The Office)
Hayden and Milo (from Heroes)
Hayden and Milo with the Stanley Cup
Milo before a Kings meet and greet this season