In Red Wings Land

Yzerman encouraged by progress, focused on big picture with Red Wings | NHL.com

“Even during that stretch where we lost a lot and gave up a lot, I can’t say it wasn’t because we weren’t competing,” Yzerman said a few hours before a 4-3 loss to the Ottawa Senators. “I’m encouraged by the speed of play and the enthusiasm and the work ethic that the team has, and I think we’re seeing progress. … I think collectively as a team, the team plays fast, the team plays hard, and it’s a competitive group.

”So obviously we’ve got a long way to go, but I like the atmosphere within the locker room, within the coaching staff. I think it’s very good.”

Some pretty good quotes from Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman in this one. He’s correct that there’s a long way to go in this rebuild, but his words — at least to me — are reassuring that the franchise is moving in the right direction. There’s light at the end of the tunnel and I’m very optimistic about what the future looks like in Detroit.

Mike Babcock Fired

Looking at Mike Babcock’s Maple Leafs career by the numbers | Sportsnet

0: The number of Stanley Cups that Mike Babcock won with the Maple Leafs.

Around the League

NHL stars carrying the biggest offensive burden for their teams | ESPN

Anthony Mantha cracks the top ten of this list.