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Quick Hits: The Testing out the New Toys Edition

In Red Wings Land

New Red Wings Jakub Vrana, Richard Panik eager for ‘a new beginning’ in Detroit – Detroit News

“But when Steve (Yzerman, the Wings’ general manager) called me, and when somebody wants to give you a chance and wants you in their organization, wants to play for their team, it just gives me excitement to come here and do my best to help this group build something here.

“I can create offense, create some momentum, and help the team at the important moments,” Vrana said. “It’s a new system for me. I’m going to do my best to fit in as quickly as possible.”

Lots of good juicy quotes in here. Also they talk to Richard Panik. Yay.

Around the League

An official team account sharing this is kind of a big deal. The compression of the Canucks’ schedule here is irresponsible and unnecessary.

31 Thoughts: Why Taylor Hall may be more than a rental for Bruins – Sportsnet

15. This is purely my opinion and not anything I’ve heard, but, coming out of the enormous Detroit/Washington deal, does anyone ask Steve Yzerman about Dylan Larkin? One of the reasons Anthony Mantha and Jakub Vrana were traded was due to frustration with their play (and, especially in Vrana’s case, his own consternation at the way he was being used). But another key factor is that the Red Wings feel their rebuild will take longer than originally predicted.

I’d written earlier about Detroit making everyone available except Larkin, 2020 first-rounder Lucas Raymond and 2019 first-rounder Moritz Seider (and possibly co-leading scorer Filip Hronek). Mantha is signed for three more seasons, and may be out of his prime before they’re ready. Larkin is signed for two more. He’s their captain, and it’s not insignificant to consider the fan base’s reaction. If you were another team, though, and you liked him, the Mantha deal could give you reason to ask.

I maintain my stance that absolutely everybody has a “right price.”  It just so happens to be higher for Larkin than anybody else on the team and probably higher than another GM would want to pay because yeah, as the GM you absolutely DO have to factor in whether the fans will turn on you for trading a guy.

The Red Wings aren’t selling a ton of tickets now, but eventually those concourses are going to fully reopen and they’re going to decide with their hearts whether they want to watch.

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