In Detroit Land

Dennis Cholowski aims to ‘be more responsible,’ earn Detroit Red Wings’ trust
The true test of whether the demotion worked, whether it advanced Cholowski’s game, will be determined in September’s training camp and how Cholowski looks against other NHL players.

Earning a job on the Wings’ roster will not be easy, given the veteran depth at the position

Some good quotes in here from Cholowski. It’s never easy to be sent down to the minors, but it sounds like he has the right attitude about it.

Bonus Article

When the rebuild ends: Projecting the Red Wings’ lineup for 2022-23 – The Athletic
So when fans get to see that collection of talent finally play together, it’s understandably exciting. It’s a reminder that all this waiting really should pay off someday.

This article is about that “someday.”

Max always does a good job, and this is a realistic look at what the team could look like in a few years. Obviously, projecting that far into the future involves making educated guesses, but with that caveat added, this makes sense.

Around the NHL

NHL’s Top 10 UFAs remaining: Latest rumours, reports – Sportsnet.ca
Two weeks after the madness, here we sit.

National Hockey League general managers will need to dig deeper, and jobless players may need to lower their asking prices, but there are still a few gems — or at least some worthy gambles and depth additions — to be unearthed from 2019’s UFA class after the July 1 frenzy.

We round up the rumours and assess the value of the free agents who are taking a more patient approach this summer (in some cases, that’s even by choice) and are still up for grabs a week in mid-July.

If Detroit was further ahead in the rebuild cycle, I would be calling about Gardiner, although there is the very big question of how well his back will hold up (which is addressed in the article). The injury aspect would make me very cautious of signing him. As it stands, I don’t think Detroit will be looking at anyone on this list, nor should they.

Bonus Article

Down Goes Brown: Which first name produces the best starting six in NHL history? – The Athletic
Today, we’re going to try to answer a pressing question: What’s the greatest first name in NHL history?

I’m going to stop right here and acknowledge that you’ve immediately got two thoughts going through your mind. The first is, “Wow, this is dumb. Slow news day, guys? You’re really going to post a whole article about hockey players with the same first names?” Surely you’re tempted to cut-and-paste that in the comment section right now.

The second thought involves you immediately coming up with ideas for names you think should be on the list. You’re already having the debate in your own head.

I get it. If I’m being honest, I feel the same way. This is dumb, and we’re doing it anyway. Embrace the cognitive dissonance.

For those of you with a subscription to The Athletic, this is a fun read. I won’t spoil it by telling you which “team” is judged to be the best, but I was a bit disappointed that Team Peter was only #16.

Also, there’s some bonus fun in which the first comment is someone doing what Sean jokingly suggests in the excerpted part, and a lot of people take it seriously.