In Red Wings Land

.@PietensArt is the Steve Yzerman of pencil art. 🤩 #LGRW

(🎥: https://t.co/XGeGlB0Rvf) pic.twitter.com/5dMyWuFwmE

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 14, 2020

Holy shit.

PAYWALL

‘He wants the pressure’: Lucas Raymond is built for the Red Wings’ road ahead - The Athletic

“I think everyone that is really competitive, especially when you’re young, you sometimes can have trouble controlling it,” Raymond said. “So (Johansson) really helped me with that, as well, to really channel it to a good cause. I think when you want to win so bad, you can get frustrated that the team isn’t winning or you (aren’t) playing good and you feel like you’re not helping and you get frustrated. So to be able to control that and channel it to something good, I think that’s been huge.”

Raymond’s competitive drive mixed with his maturity beyond his years really excite me for when he ends up signing his ELC and coming over. No rush on that just yet but I’m really looking forward to his tenure.

Around the NHL

The prognosticator is at it again: Here’s what to expect in sports media - Sports Business Daily

Expect the NHL’s rights fees to more than double as the league looks to split its package among multiple networks. NBC is a shoo-in to keep half of the package; the league likes NBC and NBC likes the league and is committed to pay to keep it. Look for Fox to pick up the other half, which will see the two networks split the playoffs, producing the Stanley Cup Final every other year. The NHL deal means that Fox eventually says goodbye to NASCAR … but that’s a prediction for the 2024 version of this column.

As a note you have to register for access.  It’s free, but you do have to give an email address.  Also, these are just prognostications (you know... fancy guesses).  Ourand puts out one of these each year with a whole lot of guesses (last year he predicted the NHL would sign with ESPN/ABC).  Take it as it is.

He also predicts that NBC is going to fold NBCSN and move that sports coverage over to USA/Peacock.