In Red Wings Land

Red Wings prospect Givani Smith meets with youth player who faced racist taunts | WIIM

Great stuff from Givani Smith and the Griffins.

Red Wings hopeful Filip Zadina can pattern game after Tampa Bay star Nikita Kucherov | Detroit News

Hope is not a strategy, but if Filip Zadina develops into half the player that Nikita Kucherov is then the Red Wings will probably take that.

Around the League

BACKES CLARIFIES ENFORCER COMMENTS: ‘I’M NOT LOOKING FOR THE NHL HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP BELT’ | The Hockey News

Oh man. I’m a wrestling fan and I could absolutely get behind an NHL Heavyweight Championship.

Let’s remove the glass from the rink, take the best tough guy/fighter on each team and do a 31-man over the boards battle royal. It can be the NHL’s version of the Royal Rumble. Two men start at center ice and every 2:00 minutes a new player emerges from the dressing room. The last man standing on his skates is declared the NHL Heavyweight Champion. If he fights in a game and loses, then he surrenders the title to the victor. Whomever is the champ at the end of the season gets rewarded at the NHL Awards or something.