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[Son of Sam99]

Detroit Red Wings December 2014-15 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Dec 1	vs Tampa Bay Lightning
Dec 2	vs Dallas Stars
Dec 4	vs Nashville Predators
Dec 7	vs Winnipeg Jets
Dec 11	at Winnipeg Jets
Dec 13	at St. Louis Blues
Dec 15	at Nashville Predators
Dec 17	at Pittsburgh Penguins
Dec 19	vs Washington Capitals
Dec 21	vs Pittsburgh Penguins
Dec 22	at Philadelphia Flyers
Dec 26	vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Dec 27	at Boston Bruins
Dec 29	vs Ottawa Senators

[Son of Sam99]

December 22 2014

Red Wings Battered & Bruised but Winning

Detroit, MI- The Red Wings won their fifth game in a row on Sunday night at home against the Penguins 4-1. Detroit has won five in a row coming off the heels of a tough losing streak and with the win they move into third place in the highly competitive Eastern Conference.

Surprising as this recent surge may be, the Wings have recently had to scramble to find healthy bodies to stick in the lineup thanks to a string of injuries.

Pavel Datsyuk, Brendan Smith, and Riley Sheahan all left the Wings game in Winnipeg on December 11th. Datsyuk, the team’s scoring leader was able to return soon after with extra face protection as he recovers from a broken nose. Top four defenseman Brendan Smith suffered a strained groin and was able to return at full capacity after two weeks off the ice. Riley Sheahan, the franchise’s top prospect, suffered a sprained MCL and is unlikely to return until mid-January.

More recently defenseman Kyle Quincey and winger Wojtek Wolski were unable to finish Detroit’s game at home versus Washington. Quincey is still being evaluated while Wolski has been diagnosed with concussion symptoms isn’t expected back until late March at the earliest.

The rash of injuries has some questioning the defending Stanley Cup Champions’ toughness. Criticized last season for being over stocked with skilled players and unable to stand toe to toe with more physical teams, the front office was either unable or unwilling to address these claims in the off season.

“We know people say we have a soft team but we won the cup last year with basically this same squad.” Captain Henrik Zetterberg stated post game on Monday “There is concern about this rash of injuries but we’ll adapt and bring guys up from the AHL who are very capable. This is the NHL, injuries happen and when they do you adapt.” General Manager Rick Watkins stated when reached for comment. “As for this team’s toughness… No, no concern there.”

[Son of Sam99]

December 27, 2014

Traded for McDavid

Detroit, MI-- On Saturday night the Red Wings pounded the Bruins in Boston 8-4 but the real news came from the front office.

General Manager Rick Watkins completed a deal with the New York Islanders to acquire what will in all likelihood be the number one overall pick in the 2014 NHL entry draft.

This move puts the Wings in the position to select super prospect Connor McDavid.
“The top of this years’ entry draft is loaded and we’re very excited to have secured a spot among the top three teams making selections.” Watkins said when asked about the trade.

The deal doesn’t come without critics as the team had to send their 2015 first and second round picks and 2016 first round pick to the Islanders along with prospect William Nylander and minor leaguer Tomas Jurco. Nylander was a first round pick last year and many scouts are saying he also has the potential to be a top talent in the coming years. Jurco has spent the last three seasons in Grand Rapids. The Red Wings expected his skills to eventually translate to NHL talent but he’s stalled in the minors.

ESPN NHL analyst Barry Melrose had this to say of the trade “Its not a surprise to me that it took this kind of package for Detroit to secure the number one overall pick. McDavid is a once in a lifetime prospect. That being said the Wings had to part with a lot of future potential in players and picks, we’ll see if it hurts them in the long run.”

General Manager Rick Watkins to this point in his tenure had the benefit of a very solid roster since having taken over at the beginning of last season. This trade will undoubtedly shape his legacy as top executive in the Red Wings organization. Full details of the drade below.

receive:
LW Tomas Jurco, RW William Nylander, 2015 1st and 2nd round picks, 2016 1st round pick

receive:
NY Islanders’ 2015 1st round pick

[SENS_AK27]

Huge Trade! Any chance you surprise everyone and draft Eichel?

[Son of Sam99]

Quote: Originally Posted by SENS_AK27

Huge Trade! Any chance you surprise everyone and draft Eichel?

I don't think he's even in this game! I actually had some buyer's remorse for a while after making this trade but that wore off soon enough

[Son of Sam99]

Entry: January 2nd, 2014

December was quite the interesting month for this squad on and off the ice. On the ice the team is hurting but winning a lot and scoring a lot. The tops scoring line is leading the way on putting the puck in the net, Vlad Taresenko potted nine goals and Datsyuk and Zetterberg contributed 14 and 13 points respectively just in the month of December. This effort has helped rocket the team to a nine game winning streak and the top of the division and we’ve got Columbus in our crosshairs to take over the tops in the conference.

This good work is all despite a myriad of injuries; Quincey, Clutterbuck, Sheahan, DeKeyser, Kindl, Datsyuk, and Smith have all lost time this month plus Wolski will be out for three months. Injuries happen in hockey so it’s not terribly surprising but it still hurts. We can thank the Grand Rapids staff for having guys ready to step up at a moment’s notice.

The worst games were a Sunday, Thursday back to back against Winnipeg. Datsyuk, Smith, and Sheahan all left the second game with injuries. Offhand I don’t know when we’ll see Winnipeg again but I doubt it will be a pretty game when we do.
Off the ice I decided to pull the trigger on a trade sending two first round draft picks and prospect William Nylander to the New York Islanders for their 2015 first round draft pick. Essentially we traded for Connor McDavid as there is little doubt that the Islanders will receive the first overall pick. I’m excited about the chance at having a ‘generational’ talent in our system but did experience some buyer’s remorse as I thought about the fact that the time to stock up on prospects is now what with our top players possibly playing out their last contracts.

Our scouts will tell me if this was the right move as we look closer at Mr. McDavid. I suppose we can always trade back down if need be.

[Son of Sam99]

Detroit Red Wings December 2014-15 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Dec 1	vs Tampa Bay Lightning	Won, 6-5
Dec 2	vs Dallas Stars	Lost, 4-3
Dec 4	vs Nashville Predators	Lost, 5-2
Dec 7	vs Winnipeg Jets	Lost, 4-2
Dec 11	at Winnipeg Jets	Lost, 5-4
Dec 13	at St. Louis Blues	Won, 5-4
Dec 15	at Nashville Predators	Won, 3-2
Dec 17	at Pittsburgh Penguins	Won, 3-0
Dec 19	vs Washington Capitals	Won, 4-1
Dec 21	vs Pittsburgh Penguins	Won, 4-1
Dec 22	at Philadelphia Flyers	Won, 5-4
Dec 26	vs Toronto Maple Leafs	Won, 6-1
Dec 27	at Boston Bruins	Won, 8-4
Dec 29	vs Ottawa Senators	Won, 4-3

[Son of Sam99]

Detroit Red Wings Leaders - Updated: Jan 1, 2015
Goals		G	Assists		A
	1. P. Datsyuk	17		1. N. Kronwall	25
	2. V. Tarasenko	15		2. G. Nyquist	22
	3. H. Zetterberg	12		3. B. Smith	18
	4. D. Helm	9		4. V. Tarasenko	18
	5. K. Quincey	8		5. J. Kindl	17
Points		P	+/-		+/-
	1. V. Tarasenko	33		1. V. Tarasenko	+19
	2. P. Datsyuk	30		2. B. Smith	+15
	3. N. Kronwall	30		3. P. Datsyuk	+14
	4. G. Nyquist	29		4. N. Kronwall	+14
	5. H. Zetterberg	26		5. J. Kindl	+11