Detroit Red Wings Clips February 26, 2016
Detroit Red Wings
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How to watch Red Wings vs. Avalanche alumni game
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Chris Ilitch updates fans on new arena progress
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Once again, The Captain will wear red
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How Kris Draper assembled the Wings’ alumni roster
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Red Wings ready for ‘awesome’ game outdoors with Avs
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Red Wings old-timers taking it outside against the Avs
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Red Wings-Avalanche alumni game to rekindle memories of great, fierce
and bloody rivalry
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Red Wings young players eagerly anticipating first NHL outdoor game
experience
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New Red Wings arena will have 5 restaurants, 7 clubs, more concessions
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NHL trade rumors: Unclear if Red Wings are among 10-plus teams after
Jonathan Drouin
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Former Detroit Red Wings coach Dave Lewis joins Saginaw Spirit staff
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Red Wings-Avalanche alumni game expected to be competitive, not
chippy, despite 'screwball'
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Red Wings, Avalanche and fans ready for rivalry revisited Friday
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Blashill looking to jump start Nyquist
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Avs-Red Wings rivalry hits stage in alumni, NHL outdoor game
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Prospect Tyler Bertuzzi valued for grit, but scoring streak a confidence
booster
How to watch Red Wings vs. Avalanche alumni game
James Jahnke, Detroit Free Press 12:56 p.m. EST February 25, 2016
Trying to figure out which channels will carry the Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado
Avalanche alumni and regulation games this weekend? Look no further!
Alumni Game
When: 7 p.m. Friday.
Where: Coors Field, Denver.
TV: FSD, NHL Network.
Among the alums to appear: Colorado: Rob Blake, Ray Bourque, Peter Forsberg,
Claude Lemieux, Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic. Detroit: Chris Chelios, Dino Ciccarelli, Kris
Draper, Igor Larionov, Nicklas Lidstrom, Darren McCarty, Steve Yzerman.
Avalanche vs. Red Wings
When: 8 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Coors Field, Denver.
TV: NBC Sports Network.
A feud to remember
The Red Wings and Avalanche faced each other in the Western Conference playoffs
five times over seven seasons in the late 1990s and early 2000s:
1996: Avalanche 4, Red Wings 2
The Wings lost the first two games of the Western Conference finals at Joe Louis Arena
while scoring just two goals against Patrick Roy, who had been acquired by Colorado
midseason.
1997: Red Wings 4, Avalanche 2
The rematch in the Western finals went the Wings’ way this time, even though they lost
the opener on the road. Mike Vernon allowed just four goals in the Wings’ four victories.
1999: Avalanche 4, Red Wings 2
This time, the franchises met in the second round. The Wings looked to be on their way
to an easy series win after winning the first two on the road but then lost four straight.
2000: Avalanche 4, Red Wings 1
Roy set the tone in the Western semis opener with a 2-0 shutout. Chris Drury’s game
winner 10 minutes into overtime in Game 4 dashed the Wings’ hopes of tying the series.
2002: Red Wings 4, Avalanche 3
2 The Avs built a 3-2 lead in the Western finals as three of the first five went to OT. But
Dominik Hasek didn’t allow a goal in the last two, and the Wings chased Roy with six
goals in Game 7.
Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.26.2016
3 Chris Ilitch updates fans on new arena progress
Shawn Windsor, Detroit Free Press 9:20 p.m. EST February 25, 2016
Chris Ilitch dropped by the Detroit Economic Club on Thursday and provided an update
on the Red Wings’ new arena.
He said the arena will have five restaurants, seven clubs, a concourse area three times
the size of Joe Louis Arena’s and several stories of glass enclosing a “vibrant, urban
experience.”
The president and CEO of Ilitch Holdings told a group of fans that arena construction
was on schedule and progressing nicely.
“Last year, I told you we were preparing the site for construction,” he told the crowd in a
ballroom at MotorCity Casino for the DEC’s luncheon. This year, “the bowl is taking
shape as we speak.”
Ilitch said some 9,500 tons of steel has gone up and foundation work for the 200,000
square feet of retail space has been poured. By the fall, he said, the arena will have a
roof.
He said work is being done 12 hours a day, six days a week, and that more work will be
done in the summer.
“We want to create a destination,” he said, “like a plaza.”
He said fans will have more choices — including 60% more concession options — and
will sit in seats closer to the rink with better sight lines. He said the grounds will serve as
a summer entertainment mecca, too.
“Our suites have already sold out,” he said.
Ilitch wouldn’t divulge the name of the new arena but said, “We will find out soon what
(it) would be called.”
He said his company still is seeking ways to enhance the experience.
“It will be a great day when our arena opens the door to this community because we will
have built it together,” he said.
The arena is scheduled to be ready for the 2017-18 season.
Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.26.2016
4 Once again, The Captain will wear red
Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 1:03 a.m. EST February 26, 2016
Steve Yzerman wanted in for the reunion, and that didn’t change when he found out the
date.
Yzerman is joining the Red Wings for their alumni game against the Colorado
Avalanche tonight at Coors Field in Denver, putting on hold for a few hours his job as
general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The chance to see so many old friends — and foes — from when the Wings-Avs rivalry
was at its height simply was too alluring to miss. Nicklas Lidstrom is playing, as are
Darren McCarty, Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, Tomas Holmstrom, Igor Larionov, Brendan
Shanahan and many more. On the Avs side, there’s Joe Sakic, Patrick Roy, Peter
Forsberg and Claude Lemieux, among others.
Two decades after its heyday, Yzerman recalls the fantastic hockey played by highly
skilled teams more so than the fisticuffs.
“My sense through it all was, outside of the two teams on the ice, everybody wanted to
talk about the fights,” Yzerman told the Free Press on Thursday. “But the players, we
just wanted to play. My best memories are the incredible hockey — more so the playoff
games than the regular-season games.”
Yzerman, who retired in 2006 after 22 seasons with the Wings, found out about the
game “last year when I got a call from Joe Sakic,” Yzerman said, referring to the former
Avs captain who is now the team’s general manager. “My initial reaction was, it was lots
of fun to play in Detroit, so I’d love to do it again.”
Yzerman played in the Wings alumni game at Comerica Park that preceded the 2014
Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium.
When he found out this outdoor game would fall days before Monday’s NHL trade
deadline, “I wouldn’t have been so enthusiastic about playing,” Yzerman said. “But
we’re pretty organized. I’ll get in and get out, stay in contact with everybody, and be
back in the office Saturday afternoon.”
Yzerman, 50, still lives in metro Detroit. When he isn’t watching the team he now runs,
he’s often watching the team he once captained. As a former teenage NHL player,
Yzerman has been impressed with 19-year-old Wings rookie Dylan Larkin.
“He’s just an outstanding all-around hockey player, and for a young guy, he’s got really,
really good habits,” Yzerman said. “He’s got a good understanding of how to play the
game, all over the ice.”
Today’s NHL belongs to a younger generation, but oh how Yzerman thrills at lacing up
his skates with middle-aged men.
“I’m looking forward to playing,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing all the guys.”
Yzerman especially is pleased that Lidstrom is in the lineup.
5 “He’s going to embarrass us all,” Yzerman said. “He could play today and be a
candidate for the Norris. I hope the plan is to play him 50-60 minutes.”
The Tampa Bay Lightning is in good hands with Steve
The men playing tonight were central to a rivalry that became hockey lore. A year after
the Wings had been ousted by the Avalanche in the 1996 Western Conference finals,
they met again in a series Yzerman can recall like it was yesterday.
“The ’97 playoffs, conference final, we played Games 1 and 2 in Denver,” Yzerman
said. “Game 6, we beat them, 3-1, it was a really close game, one of the best we ever
played. That was a great game.”
Years later, memories linger. A chance at a reunion? Yzerman wanted to be part of it.
A rivalry renewed ... outdoors
Alumni Game
When: 7 tonight.
Where: Coors Field, Denver.
TV: FSD, NHL Network.
Avs. vs. Red Wings
When: 8 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Coors Field.
TV: NBC Sports Network.
Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.26.2016
6 How Kris Draper assembled the Wings’ alumni roster
Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 12:16 a.m. EST February 26, 2016
On the desk in his office is a note with a simple message.
As a C-suite member of the Red Wings, Kris Draper has a nice, big corner office in Joe
Louis Arena, dominated by a giant U.S. flag that spans the entire back wall. Most
recently Draper has used his office to keep track of the roster he has assembled to play
for the Wings in tonight’s alumni game against the Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field in
Denver.
Draper was put in charge of the roster by Wings general manager Ken Holland soon
after the game was announced. “We were driving to London to watch an OHL game,”
Draper said. “Ken kind of said, ‘Well, you put the team together.’ So, I was like, ‘OK, I
can do that.’ ”
Draper has reeled in some big names, none bigger than Steve Yzerman. Yzerman
wanted to play, even though he’s general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning and
Monday is the NHL trade deadline.
Yzerman’s involvement dates to last summer, when Draper visited Yzerman at his
cottage in Muskoka, Ontario.
“We were sitting there talking, and I was thinking, OK, this could be the perfect time to
lob it out,” Draper said. “It was beautiful scenery. Stevie was in a great mood. He
brought it up. He started talking about how much fun it was going to be to be back with
the guys and play Colorado.
“So, I was just like, all right, now it’s easy. You got Steve Yzerman in — basically,
everyone else is just kind of going to come.”
Nicklas Lidstrom is coming (“I told him he’s going to get plenty of ice time,” Draper said),
as are Chris Chelios, Brendan Shanahan (now president of the Toronto Maple Leafs),
Igor Larionov, Tomas Holmstrom, Kirk Maltby, Darren McCarty, Jiri Fischer, Martin
Lapointe and others.
Some had to decline. Sergei Fedorov is busy in Moscow running his KHL team. He,
Slava Fetisov and Slava Kozlov “wished us luck,” Draper said.
Scotty Bowman wanted to coach but had a prior commitment with the Montreal
Canadiens. His two assistants in Detroit, Dave Lewis and Barry Smith, will be there,
assisting Mickey Redmond.
The guy Draper wishes he could have gotten was goaltender Chris Osgood, who fought
Patrick Roy a year after Mike Vernon did. The two goalies playing tonight for the Wings
are Manny Legace and Ty Conklin.
“I’m disappointed that Ozzie is not playing for a lot of reasons,” Draper said. “He was
such a part of the rivalry, and one of my best buddies, too. I was hoping he would come.
7 But I get it. It’s different for that position. We just lace our skates on and go and get up
and down the ice and get to change every 40 seconds. He’s got to stay in net.
“But I wish he was going to be there for a lot of reasons.”
Osgood told the Free Press he had hernia surgery in early January.
“Chris has his reasons,” Maltby sad. “He tells us his reasons whether we believe them
or not.
“He’ll probably be sitting down in his basement, in his recliner having a couple of beers
and chuckling at us.”
The odds of there being any fighting seem small.
“I don’t think anything stupid like that will happen,” Maltby said. “I do think it’s going to
get a little competitive. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a whack here or there.”
Larionov said: “You don’t want the kids around the country watching old men doing
some fights. It’s stupid. I don’t think we’re going to be doing that.”
Assembling the roster was a satisfying experience for Draper. He retired as a player in
2011 after helping the Wings win four Stanley Cup championships and immediately
started serving as a special assistant to Holland.
Draper moved into his current office this past off-season, when Chelios segued from the
front office to the coaching staff. There was one caveat.
“The deal was that I had to keep the American flag up,” Draper said, laughing. “I do
have a board under there, but there’s no sense writing on it, because I can’t use it.
Obviously when Cheli says that’s part of the negotiation, that’s why the flag is there.”
So is a note from Chelios that reads, simply, “Go Wings! I want my office back!”
Alumni game rosters
Red Wings: Doug Brown, Chris Chelios, Dino Ciccarelli, Ty Conklin, Mathieu
Dandenault, Boyd Devereaux, Kris Draper, Steve Duchesne, Jiri Fischer, Tomas
Holmstrom, Mike Knuble, Joe Kocur, Martin Lapointe, Igor Larionov, Manny Legace,
Nicklas Lidstrom, Kirk Maltby, Darren McCarty, Larry Murphy, Stacy Roest, Brendan
Shanahan, Steve Yzerman. Coaches: Dave Lewis, Barry Smith, Mickey Redmond.
Avalanche: Craig Billington, Rob Blake, Ray Bourque, Adam Deadmarsh (coach), Greg
de Vries, Adam Foote, Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk, Dan Hinote, Valeri Kamensky,
Mike Keane, Jon Klemm, Claude Lemieux, Curtis Leschyshyn, Eric Messier, Sandis
Ozolinsh, Shjon Podein, Mike Ricci, Patrick Roy, Joe Sakic, Chris Simon, Stephane
Yelle.
Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.26.2016
8 Red Wings ready for ‘awesome’ game outdoors with Avs
Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 4:31 a.m. EST February 26, 2016
Denver — The NHL regular season is a grind.
That’s what makes an outdoor game such as Saturday’s Red Wings-Avalanche
matchup at Coors Field so enjoyable — it breaks the monotony.
“It’s going to be fun,” Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. “It’s one of those
games that you circle, even before the season starts.
“Hopefully the ice holds up and we can enjoy it.”
Temperatures could approach the mid-60s in the afternoon, but drop into the upper-30s
by the 8 p.m. EST faceoff.
Kronwall believes the outdoor game still can be special and enjoyable despite the
pressure of earning two critical points.
“You have to find a way to embrace it, enjoy it and have some fun with it,” Kronwall said.
“The minute you start focusing too much on what’s at stake, it’s just going to push you
down and hinder you from moving forward.”
Today’s alumni game is attracting as much buzz as Saturday’s Stadium Series
matchup, and some Red Wings players have said they’ll try to catch some of that game.
Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill just wants his players to embrace the entire weekend.
“It’s important to enjoy the moment,” Blashill said. “It’s important to enjoy the journey in
life. I’ve stressed that a lot. Myself and the team, we want to enjoy the journey. You can
go through life, and you blink and it’s over.
“Moments like this, within the season, when you get an opportunity to play in an
unbelievable setting and obviously it’s a big deal, it’s awesome.”
Fun with close calls
Five of the last seven Red Wings games have been decided by one goal — they’re 2-3,
but earned at least one point in the three losses.
Players are getting used to the tightness of the games, which have a postseason feel.
“I feel like our last handful of games have been like this, so they’re fun to play in,”
forward Riley Sheahan said. “Obviously it’s more fun when you come out with a win.
“Your attention is all into the game and you’re focused and the intensity of the crowd
and everything. It’s an adrenaline rush and we have fun with it.”
Detroit News LOADED: 02.26.2016
9 Red Wings old-timers taking it outside against the Avs
Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 4:54 a.m. EST February 26, 2016
Detroit — The roar was fierce, a reverberation from the attack on Kris Draper 10 months
earlier.
The shout of resounding approval from the crowd at Joe Louis Arena rang down like the
cry of ancient, resentful hordes, urging retribution against a reviled adversary.
Vengeance is said to belong to the Lord. But in a pivotal episode from one of the
greatest rivalries in the history of the NHL — indeed, in all of sport — Darren McCarty
laid explicit claim to it.
As McCarty skated with vindictive resolve at Claude Lemieux on March 26, 1997, in the
early moments of one of the most riotous hockey brawls of the last 20 years, the 20,066
officially packed into the steeply rising rows issued a fierce exclamation, like some
primal battle yell emanating from the guts of the metropolis.
It was an instinctive, uncontained reaction to one of the most violent episodes in one of
the bitterest rivalries: Lemieux’s unseemly, unforgiven cross-check and boarding of
Draper in Game 6 of the 1996 Western Conference finals.
Some rivalries are proclaimed in marketing by broadcasting networks. Some are
matters of geography.
Others are intense and celebrated.
But once upon a time in the NHL, a rivalry manipulated the soul and stirred the marrow
of bone.
The Red Wings and Avalanche.
Friday night (7 p.m., FSD), outdoors in a ballpark in Denver, the timeworn combatants
gather again.
That they are older is welcome deterrence, though none is likely needed. In the code of
this sport, when rivals age, a respect once veiled is made plain, even celebrated.
They were the two most talented, accomplished teams for several years from the late
1990s to the early 2000s. In their eyes and those of many hockey fans across North
America, their rivalry was the best hockey.
“When you sit back and think about it, to have been a part of what is seriously, in sports
history, a rivalry that is among very few and everyone knows it — it’s something really
special,” McCarty said.
“It was the Hatfields and the McCoys. It was back and forth, for years.
“But what folks need to understand: It was a hall of fame rivalry. I mean, it’s like every
year, someone from each team is going into the (Hockey) Hall of Fame, it seems like.”
Getting together
10 Evidence of the point is the fact that the uncontrolled fighting in Detroit that night 19
years ago, dubbed by some “Fight Night at The Joe,” began with two of the most-skilled,
least combative players on the ice, Red Wings center Igor Larionov and Avalanche
center Peter Forsberg.
What led to violence between two players prone to skilled, almost ballet-like offense,
distant from any jurisdiction of the Marquess of Queensberry?
“Ah, you know what? It was a lot of voice, a lot of questions,” Larionov said of the pretussle dialogue.
“But I can’t really tell you why,” he said, smiling. “Privately, I can.”
“But it was good; it was good. I think it helped us to get together as a team before the
playoffs, and get us going.”
Such is the significance of the rivalry that, to a man, former Red Wings of the era
believe the wild melee, especially McCarty’s retribution, transformed the franchise from
an also-ran to champions tilting toward dynasty.
For a franchise without a Stanley Cup in 42 years at the time, the brawl birthed
champions.
“Oh, we are talking now about a big chapter in the book!” Larionov said.
In the game in which Lemieux mugged Draper, the Avalanche ousted an outstanding
Red Wings team, which finished with 131 points (62-13-7) that season, from the
playoffs.
The attack peeled back skin from Draper’s face like rind off an orange. It broke his jaw,
cheek and orbital bone, and sent him into reconstructive surgery. Draper’s family was
burdened with the specter of near-tragic misfortune.
Then, six months into the following season, a perennially powerful Wings team lost the
first three games to the Avalanche and began to appear, once again, like an
enormously talented disappointment.
“When you are going into the playoffs and you lost three games to them in the season
and you go into the last game with them — after you lost to them in the conference
finals a year ago — it reaches a point,” Larionov said.
“So that was a crucial game for us to kind of overcome the trend and send them a
message, and to make the NHL face what was going to come ahead for us.”
To Larionov, Joe Kocur and many of the retired Red Wings, March 26, 1997 was the
day it all turned. Three months later, more than a million people provided full-throated
witness to the Red Wings parading the Stanley Cup down Woodward.
“I think that was the most important thing that the team ever accomplished together,”
Kocur said of exacting revenge and asserting force.
“Winning the Stanley Cup was the most important for us and the fans and everything.
But when that night had happened, there was just a different team in that locker room, a
team that felt that they had grown together and could win the Stanley Cup.
“And we went on a good roll, after that.”
11 Similarity breeds contempt
For Draper, games against Colorado were noted on the NHL schedule the moment of
its release.
“Obviously, you talk about, you know, the brawl and the rivalry and the hatred and
everything that goes along with that,” he said. “But the bottom line is: Two organizations
who put a lot of guys in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“There was some unbelievable hockey.
“And both teams could play any style of hockey, as well. If you wanted to run-and-gun,
they could do it, we could do it. Obviously, if you wanted to play a physical style of
hockey, too.
“I think that’s what made this rivalry exactly what it was. For me, from the end of ’96
through 2002, in professional sports, I don’t think there was anything like it.”
The two teams were not only closely matched, they were similarly composed.
“Both teams were kind of built the same way,” Kirk Maltby said. “Both teams had a lot of
skill, great goaltending. Defensively, we were as good as anybody. And we had
toughness.
“We were well-balanced, they were well-balanced.”
Adding to the rivalry, of course, was the pursuit of the ultimate goal, something unseen
in Detroit for a generation.
“We knew we’d have to go through them to win the Stanley Cup,” Maltby said. “We
knew it was going to be a grind. We knew it was going to be a battle.”
Until McCarty battered Lemeiux, and other Wings paired off against other Avalanche on
fight night, Detroit had not won much.
“You know, the way that happened, we were 0-3 against them, coming into that game
here,” Draper said. “They were the defending Stanley Cup champions.
“We were both three weeks away from the playoff, and we were yet to beat them.”
Something needed
Immediately after Larionov and Forsberg tumbled in a violent embrace, McCarty arrived
at Lemieux.
With an abrupt, contemptuous right hand, he reduced the hulking Lemieux to a
crumpled, vanquished victim, on all fours, face down on the ice.
One blow, and Public Enemy No. 1 was too dazed to continue, as it turned out.
As Avalanche goaltender Patrick Roy sprinted to center ice to intercede, Wings forward
Brendan Shanahan intercepted him.
Meanwhile, Wings goaltender Mike Vernon rushed from the crease to peel Roy away
from Shanahan. And bruising Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote, known as one of the
strongest men in the game, engaged Shanahan.
12 By then, all 12 players on the ice were fully involved. The officials scarcely knew which
scrap to attend first.
The crowd was frenzied.
To a player, the retired Red Wings say it forged the team that won the next two Stanley
Cups, and carried on with two more in the next decade.
“Just the way everything kind of played out here on March 26, with the brawl and
Lemieux turtling and Shanny and Roy kind of meeting each other at center ice in
midair,” the avenged Draper said. “And Vernie and Roy fighting. And Shanny and Foote
fighting — I mean, it was unbelievable how it happened.
“And from there, we ended up finding a way to tie up the game and win it in overtime.
And who scores the overtime goal? It was Mac, with everything he just went through.
“It was electric in this building. You could feel it from the fans.
“And then, certainly, when we came into the dressing room, we could feel it. That was
something that we needed.
“I think it was statement to us in our dressing room, and I think it was a statement to the
Avalanche, as well, that we were going to do whatever it takes to get our team to the
next level.”
Detroit News LOADED: 02.26.2016
13 Red Wings-Avalanche alumni game to rekindle memories of great, fierce and
bloody rivalry
Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com
on February 25, 2016 at 6:01 AM, updated February 25, 2016 at 8:22 AM
DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche forever will be linked in
hockey history for the fiercest, bloodiest and arguably most entertaining rivalry in
professional sports from 1996-2002.
It was triggered by Claude Lemieux's hit from behind on Kris Draper. It blew up during
an epic brawl a year later. It continued for several years with a series of memorable
fights, battles and playoff moments.
Ready for a trip down memory lane? Most of the key players from the rivalry will be
reunited Friday during the NHL Stadium Series Alumni game at Coors Field between
former Red Wings and Avalanche (7 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit).
"For me, from the end of '96 through 2002, in professional sports I don't think there was
anything like it," Draper said.
That's why there might be a bigger spotlight on this exhibition than the real game the
following night between teams battling for an important two points.
"To have this kind of magnitude of Detroit-Colorado games back in the day, it was
crazy," Igor Larionov said. "All the media, all the fans and the style of the game, there's
no limits. Referees kind of forgot the whistles sometimes. They let us go to the war, plus
we created some great hockey, in terms of spectacular goals and great chances."
The Red Wings, led by Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, Sergei Fedorov and the
Russian Five, and coached by Scotty Bowman, won an NHL-record 62 games in 199596. But a stacked Avalanche club featuring Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Patrick Roy
had them on the brink of elimination in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals at
McNichols Arena.
Early in the game, the abrasive Lemieux, who had been suspended for a game in the
series for a suck-punch on Slava Kozlov, cross-checked Draper in the back, sending the
Red Wings' checking line center face-first into the dasher boards. Draper suffered
numerous facial injuries requiring hospitalization back in Detroit.
The Avalanche won the game and went on to capture the Stanley Cup.
Dino Ciccarelli – who after that Game 6 famously said of Lemieux, "I can't believe I
shook his freaking hand" – was traded to Tampa Bay in the off-season but expected his
former team would get retribution and that Darren McCarty, Draper's close friend, would
be the catalyst.
"I was pretty much with the guys that whole summer and I remember going up to the
hospital a few times seeing Drapes," Ciccarelli said. "We knew payback was going to
happen."
14 Said Joe Kocur: "After what happened to Kris Draper, every follow-up game we were
just as excited in the locker room as the fans were. We knew something was going to
happen and we were prepared for it."
The first three meetings between the teams the following season were incident-free –
and Colorado won all of them. The Red Wings had one final chance to send a message
– on March 26, 1997, at Joe Louis Arena.
Kris Draper talks abkut Red Wings-AValanche rivalry back in the day Kris Draper talks
abkut Red Wings-AValanche rivalry back in the day
The hostilities that night were triggered by unlikely combatants Larionov and Forsberg,
who wrestled each other to the ice. As luck would have it, McCarty and Lemieux were
on the ice at the same time. McCarty pounced on Lemieux, who turtled, and began
pummeling him.
It was on, and it escalated. Roy rushed out of crease to help Lemieux and was
intercepted by Brendan Shanahan's flying body block. Mike Vernon joined the fracas
and began exchanging haymakers with Roy, who was bloodied.
"I just know McCarty was going to do what he had to do because he had to protect his
friend and all the other stuff that happened was just a buildup of animosity between two
teams that really didn't like each other," Kocur said. "When that night happened, there
was just a different team in that locker room, a team that felt they had grown together
and could win the Stanley Cup."
Ironically, not only was McCarty not ejected from the game, he scored in overtime as
the Red Wings prevailed 6-5.
"That was a crucial game for us to kind of overcome that hump and to kind of send them
a message -- we're not soft, we're ready to face any challenge that's going to be ahead
of us," Larionov said. "I think it helped us get together as a team right before the
playoffs and get us going."
Said Draper: "It was electric in this building. You could feel it from fans and then
certainly when we came into the dressing room you could feel that was something we
needed. It was a statement to us in our dressing room and we felt it was a statement to
the Avalanche that we were going to do whatever it takes to get our team to the next
level."
The teams met again in the Western Conference finals and this time the Red Wings
prevailed in six games before sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers in the finals to end a 42year Stanley Cup championship drought.
The bad blood continued. Roy initiated a fight with Chris Osgood the following season.
Lemieux, trying to regain some of his lost manhood, fought McCarty during the opening
faceoff a game.
"It made for great hockey, knowing that everybody anticipated the extra-curricular stuff
that went on, but at the end of day, it was very entertaining," Kirk Maltby said.
"When the schedule came out you knew when you were going to play Colorado,"
Draper said. "You talk about the brawl and the rivalry and the hatred and everything that
15 goes along with that, but the bottom line is it was two organizations that put a lot of guys
in the Hockey Hall of Fame. There was some unbelievable hockey as well and both
teams could play any style that you want. You want to run and gun? They could do it.
We could do it. If you want to play a physical style of hockey, that could be done, too.
So I think that's what made this rivalry.
Colorado eliminated the Red Wings in the second round in 1999 and 2000. They met
again during a memorable conference finals series in 2002, culminated by Detroit's 7-0
victory in Game 7, when Roy was chased from the net, on the way to the club's third
Cup title in six seasons.
"There's a lot of respect from both teams," Roy said. "Even if on the ice was war, today
it's over and we all respect each other because we know that we all gave our best and
we pushed hard and we tried to win."
When the Red Wings and Avs met back then, it was the talk of the town.
"I was talking to someone and they said, 'Do you hate them?' " Maltby said. "I wouldn't
say there is hatred – well, there might be in some people's eyes – I
respected them. They had a lot of great players like we did.
"It was a lot of fun to be a part of those games. It's remembered for the great hockey,
the great entertainment. The fans and both organizations loved it."
Here is the latest list of players who committed to play in the game:
Detroit: Doug Brown, Chris Chelios, Dino Ciccarelli, Ty Conklin, Mathieu Dandenault,
Boyd Devereau, Kris Draper, Steve Duchesne, Jiri Fischer, Tomas Holmstrom, Joe
Kocur, Mike Knuble, Martin Lapointe, Igor Larionov, Manny Legace, Nicklas Lidstrom,
Kirk Maltby, Darren McCarty, Larry Murphy, Brendan Shanahan, Steve Yzerman.
Colorado: Craig Billington, Rob Blake, Ray Bourque, Adam Foote, Peter Forsberg,
Milan Hejduk, Dan Hinote, Valeri Kamensky, Mike Keane, Jon Klemm, Claude Lemieux,
Curtis Leschyshyn, Eric Messier, Sandis Ozolinsh, Shjon Podein, Mike Ricci, Patrick
Roy, Joe Sakic, Chris Simon, Stephane Yelle.
Michigan Live LOADED: 02.26.2016
16 Red Wings young players eagerly anticipating first NHL outdoor game experience
Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com
on February 25, 2016 at 1:03 PM, updated February 25, 2016 at 1:10 PM
DETROIT – A 17-year-old Dylan Larkin recalls how fun it was sitting in the stands at
Michigan Stadium, watching the 2014 Winter Classic between the Detroit Wings and
Toronto Maple Leafs.
"It was a cold day," Larkin said. "It was pretty cool though, a lot of people in one area
watching a hockey game. Great venue, one of the best stadiums, that was pretty
special, too."
Larkin is looking forward to participating in his first outdoor game as a pro Saturday at
Coors Field in the NHL Stadium Series contest between the Red Wings and Colorado
Avalanche (8 p.m., NBC).
"I played in one last year with Michigan, but it was in Chicago and there wasn't much of
a crowd," Larkin said. "I think it's going to be awesome to look out and see all the fans.
It's going to be pretty special.
"It'll just be cool to have like tons of fans and have it be between great rivals like
Colorado and Detroit."
This will be the Red Wings' third outdoor game in eight seasons, but several players will
be taking part in their first such event at the NHL level.
It'll be Andreas Athanasiou's first outdoor game since he was a kid growing up in
Ontario.
"You always go on the outdoor rinks or ponds and get a group of buddies and throw
your sticks in the middle and set up the team," Athanasiou said. "It'll bring back
memories.
"I think it's so exciting. You see the atmosphere there, you don't get that every day, so
it's something you have to appreciate."
It will be Alexey Marchenko's second outdoor game as pro – he played for the Grand
Rapids Griffins at Comerica Park two years ago.
"I think it's going to be great," Marchenko said. "A lot of my friends are going to come.
Always great to play outdoor game. Great atmosphere, lots of people, should be fun."
The Red Wings were scheduled to fly to Denver Thursday afternoon and practice Friday
at Coors Field – home of baseball's Colorado Rockies.
Weather could be an issue. Temperatures are expected to top 70 degrees during the
day Saturday but dip to the mid-30s at night.
"You want the ice to be as normal as it can be," Larkin said. "Sometimes it can be
better. I watched the Minnesota and Chicago game (on Sunday) and the ice looked
pretty awesome, it was probably pretty chilly there. There wasn't too much snow.
17 "With it being warm you don't want it to be slow, you dig in pretty hard to be wet.
They've been doing it for a little while. They did a game in California last year. I think the
crew on it will do a good job.
"Both teams have to play through it. It is what it is. You have to play the conditions that
are there and battle."
Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill doesn't believe the thin air will adversely affect his team.
"For a 60-minute game I don't believe so," Blashill said. "There's nothing we can do
about it anyways. We'll be out there early enough that I think you can get adjusted
enough. I don't think it's a factor."
Both teams are fighting for a playoff spot in their respective conferences, so are
important two points are at stake. But that doesn't mean players can't enjoy the
moment.
"You have to enjoy the whole atmosphere," Blashill said. "But while you're focusing on
playing, you've got to remember the ice conditions might not be great, the visibility might
not be great. Lots of factors can happen. You've just got to keep playing and both teams
are going to see the same thing.
"I always say it's like your wedding day. If you think it's going to go perfect, you're going
to be sorely mistaken. Things are going to go wrong and you've still got to enjoy the
whole thing."
Michigan Live LOADED: 02.26.2016
18 New Red Wings arena will have 5 restaurants, 7 clubs, more concessions
Ian Thibodeau | ithibode@mlive.com By Ian Thibodeau | ithibode@mlive.com
Email the author | on February 25, 2016 at 2:28 PM
DETROIT - The Detroit Events Center will have five restaurants, seven bars and 60
percent more concessions than Joe Louis Arena, Christopher Ilitch said Thursday.
Ilitch, president and CEO of Ilitch Holdings, told a group gathered for an annual lunch
with the Detroit Red Wings that the $627-million arena project in Detroit's Cass Corridor
has rapidly progressed since just a year ago.
The 20,000-seat arena will be finished in time for the start of the 2017 NHL season.
Ilitch said Thursday that the rink, which will be officially named soon, will bring a "vibrant
urban experience" to sports entertainment.
"It will be a great day when our community opens the doors to this arena, because we
will have built it together," he said.
According to numbers released in January, half of the 200 employees on the
construction site daily are Detroit residents, and over $197 million in construction
contracts have gone to Detroit-based companies.
The development is also funded by private investment and an estimated public
investment of $284.5 million.
It will be an "arena built by our own community," Ilitch said.
In late February, precast cement is added to the new Red Wings arena
Near the end of February, the aggressive construction on the arena continues to rapidly
progress. Precast concrete has been installed in parts of the upper bowl, where it's now
possible to see where the seats will be.
The arena should have a ceiling by the fall.
A video shown at the luncheon referred to the arena as an intimate place for fans, and
an intimidating arena for visiting teams.
Danny Dekeyser, defenseman for the Red Wings, said at the luncheon that he and his
teammates are "just excited to have newer updated facilities."
Ilitch and other speakers at the lunch also took time to note that the 2016-2017 NHL
season would be Joe Louis Arena's final hockey season.
As far as the Detroit Events Center goes, Olympia Development of Michigan has said
there will be a player walkthrough area, much like that seen in modern NFL stadiums,
for fans. The massive 785,000-square-foot facility will house the entire Wings practice
facility; that includes an ice rink, locker rooms, a track and training facilities. The new
locker room will be three times bigger than that at Joe Louis Arena.
19 The 20,000-seat facility will have "gondola" seating, a public plaza with a big video wall,
practice and amateur hockey arenas and "additional video and sound capabilities. The
additions will add an additional $95 million to the arena cost, according to the company.
The arena will sit on a plot of land along Woodward Avenue just north of downtown
Detroit. Retail, restaurants, offices, living space, parking garages and a park will all be
pieced into the current planned development zone.
Sponsorships and official names have yet to be released.
Michigan Live LOADED: 02.26.2016
20 NHL trade rumors: Unclear if Red Wings are among 10-plus teams after Jonathan
Drouin
Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com By Brendan Savage | bsavage@mlive.com
on February 25, 2016 at 4:04 PM, updated February 25, 2016 at 4:13 PM
DETROIT – The number of teams interested in acquiring exiled forward Jonathan
Drouin from the Tampa Bay Lightning is at least 10 and growing, according to Bob
McKenzie of TSN.ca.
Whether or not the Detroit Red Wings are part of that group is unclear.
But with the trade deadline looming Monday, McKenzie said there's considerable
interest in Drouin, the third overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft who was suspended
without paya after refusing a minor-league assignment.
He has since demanded that general manager Steve Yzerman trade him.
"There's a sense that maybe the finish line is in sight," McKenzie said. "Obviously,
Steve Yzerman is not obliged to trade Jonathan Drouin by Monday's deadline. But there
are more and more teams getting more and more interested as we get closer to that
deadline.
"Right now I would say there's easily 10-plus teams in the National Hockey League and
the list I would suggest is growing because those teams sense that the finish line might
be in sight. They're putting their best foot forward to Steve Yzerman."
Yzerman has admitted he would like to move the 20-year-old Drouin, perhaps for a
defenseman who would beef up the Lightning's power play, before Monday's 3 p.m.
deadline.
"I definitely prefer to deal him sooner than later, it would be better for everyone,"
Yzerman told the Tampa Bay Times. "A lot of things factor into it when making the
trade, a lot of things to consider here. But number one is, 'Can I do something involving
Jonathan that benefits the team that makes us better right now that helps us for the
playoffs?'
"I'd certainly like to do that."
Blackhawks eyeing at least three: The Chicago Blackhawks are apparently going to do
everything possible to strengthen their roster before the start of the playoffs, when they'll
be attempting to become the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champions since the
1997-98 Red Wings. In addition to being among the teams in pursuit of Winnipeg Jets
captain Andrew Ladd, the Blackhawks are also reportedly interested in Vancouver's
Radim Vrbata and Dan Hamhuis, according to a tweet by Farhan Lalji of TSN.ca. All
three are unrestricted free agents after the season and Hamhuis has a no-trade clause.
Panthers cooling on Ladd: The Florida Panthers, who lead the Atlantic Division, might
be backing off on their pursuit of Ladd. The price tag is the reason, according to a tweet
by George Richards of the Miami Herald. The Jets are reportedly asking for first-round
21 pick as well as a player or prospect. Montreal forward Dale Weise of is also on Florida's
radar, according to Darren Dreger of TSN.ca.
Eric Staal to The Big Apple? McKenzie said the New York Rangers don't want to get
into the bidding for a rental player but they could change their tune when it comes to
Carolina captain Eric Staal, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. With
the Rangers playing better heading toward the deadline, they see Staal as somebody
who could help them during the regular-season stretch run and beyond. Staal has not
been asked to waive his no-trade clause yet but he told the Charlotte News-Observer
that he would consider it depending on the situation.
Michigan Live LOADED: 02.26.2016
22 Former Detroit Red Wings coach Dave Lewis joins Saginaw Spirit staff
Hugh Bernreuter | hbernreu@mlive.com By Hugh Bernreuter | hbernreu@mlive.com
on February 25, 2016 at 6:23 PM, updated February 25, 2016 at 6:37 PM
SAGINAW, MI — The Saginaw Spirit added a little Detroit Red Wings flavor to its
coaching staff with the addition of former Red Wings coach Dave Lewis.
Lewis, the Red Wings' head coach for two seasons, joins Spirit head coach Moe
Mantha as the team's defensive consultant.
"I would like to thank (Spirit President) Craig Goslin and (Spirit General Manager) Dave
Drinkill for this opportunity to mold the hockey minds of these young defensemen,"
Lewis said in a press release. "Now that the timing is right for everyone, it's a great
opportunity to come in and help out. The Spirit could have the next Nicklas Lidstrom on
their roster right now. That is what I am here to find out."
Lewis, 62, played 15 seasons in the NHL with the New York Islanders, Los Angeles
Kings, New Jersey Devils and Red Wings, joining the Red Wings coaching staff in 1988.
Lewis was an assistant coach for three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings in 1997, 1998
and 2002, becoming the head coach in 2003 and 2004 and leading Detroit to two firstplace finishes in the Central Division.
But he was just 6-10 in the playoffs in those two seasons and lost his job after the 200405 season. He is currently the head coach of the Belarusian National Team.
"As an organization we are thrilled to add someone with the experience and expertise
that Dave Lewis can bring to the Saginaw Spirit," Drinkill said in a press release. "As the
team's new defensive consultant, he will work closely with our coaching staff for the rest
of the season, ensuring that our players will maximize the skills they have and help take
their game to another level."
The Spirit play at Erie Saturday and Hamilton Sunday.
Michigan Live LOADED: 02.26.2016
23 Red Wings-Avalanche alumni game expected to be competitive, not chippy,
despite 'screwball'
Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com By Ansar Khan | akhan1@mlive.com
on February 25, 2016 at 7:04 PM, updated February 25, 2016 at 7:06 PM
DETROIT -- Nearly two decades after the bad blood was spilled, the main combatants
of the fiery Detroit Red Wings-Colorado Avalanche rivalry will gather for a friendly
exhibition Friday.
So don't expect any hard hitting, cheap shots or fights, and definitely no brawl. Then
again ...
"There's always that screwball that's going to run around and take it serious, but as far
as any of that, no," Chris Chelios said.
Who is this screwball to which you are referring?
"Claude (Lemieux)," Chelios said. "You always have to give Claude the nod for that.
He'll do something dumb. At the end of the day ... who knows? One player thinks he got
wronged, hockey players are hockey players."
Said Dino Ciccarelli: "You wouldn't think that's going to happen, but then again boys will
be boys. We're a little older and a little slower, but it's still in our blood."
The matchup at Coors Field (7 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit) isn't your typical alumni game.
Several of these players aren't that far removed from retirement, and they're still
competitive. They want to win.
"I think after the first period it'll probably be a little more competitive," Joe Kocur said. "I
know playing against Toronto (in 2013) we really didn't have a playoff rivalry so it wasn't
that competitive. But I got a feeling with some of the guys -- Cheli, (Kris) Draper, (Jiri)
Fischer, (Darren) McCarty -- it'll be a little more competitive and we don't want to lose.
"The good thing is we're all pretty close to the same age, between 40 and 50, so it
shouldn't be a big discrepancy in speed and talent. ... We want to go out there and play
hard and play well and not embarrass ourselves."
A lot of former stars will be on the ice, no less than a dozen Hall of Famers (Steve
Yzerman, Niklas Lidstrom, Brendan Shanahan, Igor Larionov, Larry Murphy, Chelios
and Ciccarelli for Detroit; Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Ray Bourque, Rob Blake and
Patrick Roy for Colorado).
Most of these players were part of the best rivalry in sports from 1996-2002, when the
teams met five times in the playoffs and combined for five Stanley Cup championships.
"I don't think there's going to be any animosity that carries over," Kirk Maltby said. "I
hope not. I think the competitive juices will come out and at the end the day; we don't
want to lose to them."
Players from both sides have been preparing for weeks.
24 "If you got a lot of people watching the game, you want to entertain them," Larionov
said. "So that's the main thing. It's got to be cautious hockey, you don't want to get hurt
or get crazy, but it's going to be a good hockey game."
Lidstrom, who retired in 2012, arrived from Sweden this week, where he's been skating
with his son's team.
"It hasn't been all too serious, I haven't broken many sweats in the last little while,"
Lidstrom said. "But it'll be fun being back on the ice, especially with the guys that you
played with for so long and had so much success with."
Like he did during much of his 20-year career with the Red Wings, Lidstrom likely will
log the most ice time.
"Nick could probably still play 20-25 minutes for the current Red Wings and you wouldn't
even notice the difference," Ciccarelli said.
Said Larionov: "To have (Lidstrom) in the lineup, it gives you so much confidence
because you know he's going to be taking care of defense and at the same time he can
be helpful to create the offense as well."
The Red Wings also expect a good game from Draper, the lead organizer of the event.
"There's no question he's going to be in the best shape amongst anybody," Chelios
said. "Drapes wants to score."
The Avalanche might have an edge in goal with Roy, as the Red Wings counter with
Manny Legace and Ty Conklin. Or maybe not.
"The long shots I'm fine, it's the in-close plays that I struggle with," Roy said. "Obviously,
I'm about 30 pounds heavier than my last game (in 2003). It's tougher but hey, I'm not
going to play in the NHL, I'm going to play like, retired game."
There was much animosity between many of these players back in the day. But that
shouldn't be evident on Friday.
"I'm sure both teams will have a laugh about what happened and talk about the rivalry
and the good teams we both had," Lidstrom said.
"When you win Stanley Cups with these guys, I think it brings great memories as a
group but also, there was a great rivalry with the Red Wings," Roy said. "It's nice to see
them as well. There's a lot of respect from both teams."
In the end, they just want to entertain and put on a good show.
"It should be a good night for everybody," Larionov said. "Most important to promote the
game and give the people a little sense of what happened 20 years ago and just have
fun and enjoy the evening."
Here is the latest list of players who committed to play in the game:
Detroit: Doug Brown, Chris Chelios, Dino Ciccarelli, Ty Conklin, Mathieu Dandenault,
Boyd Devereau, Kris Draper, Steve Duchesne, Jiri Fischer, Tomas Holmstrom, Joe
Kocur, Mike Knuble, Martin Lapointe, Igor Larionov, Manny Legace, Nicklas Lidstrom,
Kirk Maltby, Darren McCarty, Larry Murphy, Stacy Roest, Brendan Shanahan, Steve
Yzerman.
25 Colorado: Craig Billington, Rob Blake, Ray Bourque, Adam Foote, Peter Forsberg,
Milan Hejduk, Dan Hinote, Valeri Kamensky, Mike Keane, Jon Klemm, Claude Lemieux,
Curtis Leschyshyn, Eric Messier, Sandis Ozolinsh, Shjon Podein, Mike Ricci, Patrick
Roy, Joe Sakic, Chris Simon, Stephane Yelle.
Michigan Live LOADED: 02.26.2016
26 Red Wings, Avalanche and fans ready for rivalry revisited Friday
By Don Gardner, The Macomb Daily
Posted: 02/25/16, 6:29 PM EST | Updated: 6 hrs ago
Dino Ciccarelli wasn’t there when everything erupted on the ice between the Detroit Red
Wings and Colorado Avalanche at Joe Louis Arena on March 26, 1997.
But he was the one that delivered a memorable sound bite the year before after Game 6
of the 1996 Western Conference Finals between the bitter rivals that ended the Wings’
season.
“I can’t believe I shook this guy’s friggen hand after the game,” Ciccarelli said after
Colorado’s Claude Lemieux crosschecked Kris Draper in the back that sent the Wings
forward face-first into the dasher boards. “That pisses me right off.”
Draper suffered numerous facial injuries and was hospitalized back in the Detroit after
the incident.
“When Kris got hurt I think a lot of the guys knew it was a cheap shot at the time, but we
didn’t know the extent of the injury,” Ciccarelli said Tuesday at Joe Louis Arena. “Now
we finish the third, we lose, we shake hands, we get into the dressing room and now we
all go up to see Kris on the (trainer’s) table. He was almost unrecognizable that’s how
bad the injury was.
“That’s really where the hatred started for the whole rivalry,” Ciccarelli continued. “I tell
people it would be like cutting the side of your face with a knife and pulling the skin
back. That’s how bad Drapes’ face looked and for me personally, you’re out of the
playoffs, you lost and that happens. Of course I said what I said after seeing the extent
of the injury. But for the rest of the guys that’s where the whole rivalry started right there
and then. It was payback the next season.”
Ciccarelli was traded that offseason to Tampa Bay and was unable to take part in the
epic on-ice brawl a year later.
“I knew it was about to happen even though I got traded to Tampa. I was a big fan and
watching it on TV,” Ciccarelli said. “Everything I saw was everything I expected,
because I was pretty much with the guys that whole summer and I remember going up
to the hospital a few times seeing Drapes.
“We knew the payback was going to happen and then it continued for I don’t know how
many years,” Ciccarelli added. “But that’s what created the whole thing and probably
had a lot to do with a couple of those Cups.”
Most of the same players that were part of the incident and were part of that intense
rivalry from 1996-2002 will take part Friday during the NHL Stadium Series Alumni
game at Coors Field in Colorado.
Not only will Ciccarelli be on the ice Friday night as part of the game, but the
establishments he owns and operates, Ciccarelli’s Sports Bar -- with locations on Hayes
27 Road in Shelby Township, Lapeer Road in Auburn Hills and West Congress Street in
downtown Detroit -- are expected to be a popular spot with fans looking to watch the
revival of what was one of the most heated sports rivalries of its time.
“There’s always that screwball that’s going to run around and take it serious,” Chris
Chelios said when asked if he expected the game to be physical. “It seems to get more
competitive as the game wears on especially if the game is close.”
Chelios said Lemieux is that kind of a screwball.
“You always have to give Claude the nod for that,” Chelios laughed. “He’ll do something
dumb. At the end of the day over the years you’ve seen them, who knows one player
thinks he got wronged, hockey players are hockey players.”
Lemieux had already been suspended for a game in the series for a suck-punch on
Slava Kozlov.
Oddly enough the first brawl, which featured a goalie fight between Patrick Roy and
Mike Vernon, was triggered between two non-fighters, Igor Larionov and Peter
Forsberg, and it sparked everything. Darren McCarty exacted some revenge for Draper
by pummeling Lemieux has he turtled on the ice.
The very next season Lemieux fought McCarty off the opening faceoff and later Roy
initiated a fight with Chris Osgood.
“Every playoff series was chippy,” Ciccarelli said. “Roy was always trying to give me the
business all of the time. I remember the referees letting that go and then me retaliating
and getting penalties and he wouldn’t get anything, and then the whole thing with
Kozlov. But maybe it was brewing but ultimately capped off with the chip shot. I think it
still doesn’t sit well, from what I understand, they really have not apologized to Drapes
or Lemieux really hasn’t apologized. That’s why it kind of leaves a bad taste in a lot of
guys’ mouths.”
Draper said he wouldn’t change anything of how things played out.
“I had some injuries, they healed,” Draper said. “You saw that my beautiful looks are all
good, so that was the thing. It defined a lot of us on how everything played out that year
and on March 26th and moving forward.
“No, I don’t think I’m going to talk to too many of those guys,” Draper added when asked
if he planned on saying anything to Lemieux. “I don’t know them. I know a couple of
them. I’m going have fun with all of my alumni team and all my former teammates.”
Macomb Daily LOADED: 02.26.2016
28 Blashill looking to jump start Nyquist
By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily
Posted: 02/25/16, 6:33 PM EST | Updated: 6 hrs ago
DETROIT >> Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill is doing everything he can to jump
start Gustav Nyquist.
One game after having the struggling winger skate with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik
Zetterberg, Blashill has Nyquist back with Riley Sheahan and Tomas Tatar.
“We went and looked at a lot of things statistically and when they’ve played together
they did a good job of creating a real good differential in chances for compare to
chances against,” Blashill said. “Not the goal differentiation, but we determined that was
kind of a little bit of bad luck and that over a longer period of time if they kept getting
those chances that they would equate to a better goal differentiation.
“The only thing is it was against lesser competition and that’s something that has to be
factored into it,” Blashill added. “I thought Nyquist had good jump, I thought Sheahan
had good jump. They’ve been a good line together, let’s see if they can be a good line
together again.”
Nyquist has just 14 goals this season, but has just scored just twice over the last 28
games.
“If we knew the one thing we would change it pretty fast,” Nyquist said when asked if he
can figure out why he’s struggled to score of late. “I think we go through stretches where
we score a lot but then long stretches where we don’t score many goals. It’s tough to
say.
“I think there are a lot of different reasons,” Nyquist added. “Not shooting the puck
enough. Not having guys in front when our D gets the shots through. We’ve got to win
battles in front of the net and I don’t think we’ve done that enough. There are a lot of
different reasons.”
Nyquist recorded a career-high 54 points last season was a goal off (27) from tying his
career-high in that category.
“I just try to work hard and try to create chances,” Nyquist said. “I feel like I’ve had
chances. I don’t know how many games it’s been since I scored, but for me it’s just
trying to create chances. Hopefully I can get one and then you’re not thinking about it as
much.
“For sure you do start thinking about it,” Nyquist continued. “Obviously you hear about it
when you haven’t scored in a long time. It’s impossible to not hear it. But like I said you
just keep working hard, creating chances and hopefully when you get one you can build
on that and get a couple more.”
Nyquist ranks sixth on the team in shots on goal with 123.
29 “Nyquist, Tats, those are guys that have certainly proven there’s more offense in them,”
Blashill said.
In eight of the last nine games, Pavel Datsyuk has seen his time ramp up to over 20
minutes a night. For Henrik Zetterberg, it has been 20-plus minutes in seven of the last
nine.
“They’ve played lots of minutes lately,” Blashill said. “We’ll have to manage that and
continue to monitor it and part of that monitoring is asking them how they feel and then
observing their energy. I thought even late in the game (against Columbus) I thought
Pavel had good energy and I thought the same thing in New York. He played 24
minutes. At the end of the shift he got into a battle at the blue line and got a two-on-one
out of it when he rang it off the crossbar. He didn’t seem to be tired at all.
“Those two guys are in elite shape and I mean elite shape,” Blashill added. “I don’t know
if age is a big factor if you’re in that kind of shape.”
At 37 years old, Datsyuk leads the Wings’ forwards in average ice time (19:55), while
Zetterberg, 35, is second (19:27) and Justin Abdelkader, 28, his third (18:24).
Macomb Daily LOADED: 02.26.2016
30 Avs-Red Wings rivalry hits stage in alumni, NHL outdoor game
By PAT GRAHAM, AP Sports Writer
Posted: 02/25/16, 7:26 PM EST | Updated: 5 hrs ago
DENVER >> This is Joe Sakic’s version of a hat trick as he returns to the ice: Don’t get
hurt, avoid embarrassment and quickly store his equipment back in the garage.
After a win, he’s hoping. It may be a friendly game, but it’s against a bitter rival and old
feelings still linger.
The Colorado Hall of Fame forward turned general manager will lead the Avalanche into
an outdoor alumni contest Friday at Coors Field against Steve Yzerman and his Detroit
buddies. Then, on Saturday, Sakic will sit back and watch the team he’s constructed
take on the Red Wings during the first outdoor NHL game in Colorado.
“The rivalry we had, it was just an incredible rivalry,” said Sakic, the longtime Avalanche
captain who retired in 2009 and later moved into the front office. “That was a special
time for the two organizations. The two teams didn’t like each other.”
More like loathed each other. Mainly because they were always standing in the other’s
path to a Stanley Cup crown. The rivalry has only simmered in recent seasons with
Detroit’s move to the Eastern Conference.
But this is a chance to get reacquainted. Of course, the bad blood will be nothing like
what there was in the past. Things like Claude Lemieux’s brutal hit along the boards on
Kris Draper. Or Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy mixing it up with goaltender Mike
Vernon and later Chris Osgood.
“You could use the word hatred if you want,” Draper said in September when he
checked out the venue. “But it wasn’t just a bunch of goons going at each other. It was
some of the greatest players that played in our game.”
The alumni lineup for the Avalanche features familiar names such as Sakic, Roy, Peter
Forsberg, Ray Bourque, Rob Blake, Lemieux, Milan Hejduk, Mike Ricci and Adam
Foote.
The Red Wings roll out players like Dino Ciccarelli, Chris Chelios, Tomas Holmstrom,
Nicklas Lidstrom, Kirk Maltby, Darren McCarty and Draper.
“It’s going to be a great time,” Draper said. “But we want to win the game and I’m sure
Colorado wants to do the same thing.”
No surprise, Roy’s actually taking this quite serious. The coach of the Avalanche
actually broke in new equipment for the occasion. He also stepped into the net against
his team at practice a few times, just to get a feel for what it’s like to stop the puck
again.
Roy did promise to stay near his goal area for the game. No charging after anyone.
31 “I’m there to enjoy myself. That’s the No. 1 thing. I’ve had my career,” Roy said. “Yes, I
love to compete, but I’m not that crazy. I love it. But at the same time, I’m going there to
have fun.”
Forsberg wouldn’t miss this chance for anything, even if he hasn’t skated much because
of a nagging foot injury.
“With my foot problem and all that stuff, I’m not really that good on the ice anymore,”
Forsberg said in an interview with the Avalanche on Wednesday. “It’s not like I can
really skate. I’m out of shape — should’ve skated a little more.”
All eyes will still be on him. On quite a few players, actually.
“So many great players that it’s scary if you think back to (the rivalry),” said Keith Jones,
a former Colorado player who’s now an NHL on NBC studio analyst. “The games were
exciting, fast-paced and full of intense competition.”
Sakic has been polishing his famed wrist shot. Working on his skating, too. He’s
nowhere near elite hockey shape, with the only checking he’s done lately being into
whether a player may be available through a trade.
Still going to be a good time, though.
“We want to make sure we don’t embarrass ourselves and try to put on a decent show,”
Sakic said.
It’s a fitting warmup act before the main event Saturday. Both Colorado and Detroit are
in the thick of the playoff chase, making this game vital for each side. The place will be
packed and the weather ideal — lower 60s at game time.
“It will be great to play at Coors Field,” Sakic said. “But as much as the guys are excited
about playing in the outdoor game, once the game starts, it’s all about winning.”
Macomb Daily LOADED: 02.26.2016
32 Prospect Tyler Bertuzzi valued for grit, but scoring streak a confidence booster
By Peter Wallner / MLive.com
GRAND RAPIDS – Goals may not solely define success for the Griffins' Tyler Bertuzzi,
but his recent run of scoring doesn't hurt his confidence, either.
The second-year forward, who struggled mightily to start of the season, is in the midst of
his best production to date. He has a goal in five of the past seven games, including
three in a row, as the Griffins prepare to host Iowa on Friday.
That's a good sign for Bertuzzi, who now has eight goals after starting the season
scoreless his first 26 games. When he scores, the Griffins also usually win (7-2-0-0).
"It's confidence, getting accustomed to playing and the surroundings and knowing
where he fits in," said coach Todd Nelson. "He has the skills to score, no question, but
he has a lot of grit and he gives us some of that physical presence we need."
Bertuzzi, Detroit's third choice in 2013 and who turned 21 on Wednesday, is valued as a
rugged force on the ice while the jury's out on what kind of scorer he will be as a pro. He
had 98 points in 68 games last season in juniors with Guelph Storm, but he also had 91
penalty minutes.
He has 121 so far with the Griffins, second most in the league, including six
misconducts.
"Nellie has told me, 'Hey, really good game tonight' and I'll have nothing on the board,"
said the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Bertuzzi. "I try to play hard, get on bodies and grind and
play good defensively in the zone. If I do little things like that, I'm happy with myself. The
goals will come."
He also contributed to his own pressure at the start of the season. Last year, he arrived
in Grand Rapids shortly before the playoffs began and joined Dylan Larkin as upstarts
who stole the postseason. Bertuzzi played great with seven goals and 12 points in 14
games, while Larkin had three goals and five points in six games.
"I really didn't know what to expect because it's my first full season as a pro," Bertuzzi
said. "I had a pretty good playoff run. I thought I was playing good hockey at the start (of
this season) but the points weren't there."
He was surprised the season didn't start better,
"I'm hard on myself," he said. "Obviously, I want to score and contribute offensively, so I
had to realize that points are everything. So I was grinding and getting my confidence
going."
33 He also agreed his exuberance as a physical force has worked against him. Bertuzzi,
the nephew of longtime veteran Todd Bertuzzi, has been suspended twice this season –
for a slew foot against Toronto in November and for a cross check at Iowa on Feb. 12.
Bertuzzi is enjoying success playing with center Tomas Nosek and a recent change that
has brought in big-shooting right wing Martin Frk into the mix.
"It's a good group," Bertuzzi said. "We'll all have something to contribute. (Nosek) is a
good center man and can get the puck out and Frk has the hardest shot around and I'm
a grinder. So it's been really good the last few games."
The Griffins have three consecutive home games this weekend, with Iowa on Friday
and Saturday and a 4 p.m. game Sunday against Chicago.
34