Red Wings Rumblings
Well, the biggest news is the Olli Maatta trade. Read more about that here. My take here is that this was a sensible move to make. Maatta was expendable and to get a third-round pick for a third-pair LHD is decent asset management. Detroit gets a pick, a valuable roster spot (more playing time for Albert Johansson), and $3 million in cap relief.
Looking overseas, 2022 2nd round pick Dmitri Buchelnikov is off to a hot start with his new KHL team. The 21-year-old forward has 18 points (6-12–18) through 20 games. Yesterday, Buch had a two-point game in an OT loss:
Still remains to be seen when or if Buchelnikov will make the move to North America. My guess, and it really is just a guess, is maybe two or three years.
In Sweden yesterday, a big match between two SHL heavyweights featured three Red Wings prospects. Frolunda beat Skelleftea 4-2, and while Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard had decent games, Noah Dower Nilssson picked up a goal for Frolunda:
It’s great to see ASP logging so much ice time.
Back here at home — some potentially big news for the future of pro women’s hockey. It’s being reported that Detroit is in the conversation for the PWHL’s expansion. Will it happen for sure? No one knows, but women’s hockey is growing, and since we still carry that old moniker of “Hockeytown,” it’s a no-brainer to bring in a new pro team to the Motor City. Maybe that would give local universities a firm shove into reality and get women’s college hockey programs. I’m excited for this. Really hope it comes to fruition.
