In Red Wings Land

Here’s everything you need to know about the new kids on the block for the Red Wings: Ryan Kuffner & Taro Hirose.

• Red Wings sign pair of free agent wingers out of NCAA | WIIM
• College free agents Ryan Kuffner, Taro Hirose will play for Red Wings this season | MLive
• Meet the two college free agents the Detroit Red Wings signed | Freep/

I don’t expect much from either of these forwards, but I’m glad the Wings are going to take a look at them at the NHL level before the year is wrapped up. Maybe one of them is a diamond in the rough? If so, hell yeah. If not, oh well, it’s still worth it to at least see if either player has the ability to stick at the highest level.

(NOTE: Kyle’s article is the best of the three links)

Around the League

Rielly, Dubas leave no doubt about Leafs’ stance on LGBTQ rights | Sportsnet

“If a homosexual, a bisexual or transgender fan walks in the rink, [we want them to] feel welcome here and safe here,” said Dubas. “If we have a player whose contemplating what their sexuality is [we hope] they feel safe here and can be themselves here. That’s why the cause matters to me and I think that because of our role in the community and in the country as the Toronto Maple Leafs, we have a unique opportunity to be proactive and to take a stance on the matter.”

That will be remembered long after this particular incident has been forgotten.

Strong words from Kyle Dubas and the Maple Leafs.