- The Red Wings announced that they’ve recalled defenseman Luke Witkowski from Grand Rapids of the AHL. The 31-year-old has seven points and 62 penalty minutes in 43 games with the Griffins. He has been used on the wing in his last few NHL stints and with Robby Fabbri (injury) and Tyler Bertuzzi (unable to cross the border) unavailable for the next three games, it’s likely that Witkowski will have to play up front if he’s going to see his first NHL action since 2019-20.
Red Wings Rumors
Snapshots: Kotkaniemi, Staal, Foligno
Nothing has really been definitive on the various reports of a Jesperi Kotkaniemi extension in Carolina over the past 24 hours, and now there’s some clarity why. CapFriendly reports that Kotkaniemi, as a result of the 2020 Memorandum of Understanding that the league and NHLPA passed prior to the bubble playoffs, can’t actually sign his eight-year extension until after this year’s Trade Deadline. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported yesterday afternoon that an extension between the two parties was on the horizon, with Bally Sports Midwest’s Andy Strickland then reporting an eight-year extension in the $4.25MM-$4.5MM range while PuckPedia pegs it at $4.82MM. The hockey world will need to wait at least a week and a half to learn the official deal, however.
Some other Saturday morning notes:
- Detroit Red Wings defenseman Marc Staal will become the third Staal brother to play 1,000 NHL games tonight, setting a record in the process. It’ll be the first time in NHL history that three brothers will have played in 1,000 or more games, besting out the Sutter and Stastny families, among others. He’ll set the marker at the Saddledome in Calgary.
- The Wild’s Marcus Foligno has been under scrutiny from NHL Player Safety for a variety of plays this season, and they may be handing out a punishment to ’Moose’ once again in the form of a fine. The Athletic’s Michael Russo says that while he’s likely to escape a suspension for a knee-on-knee collision with Columbus’ Jakub Voracek last night, he could see a fine in the near future. Update: That fine did indeed come with the Department of Player Safety issuing a $5K penalty.
Robby Fabbri Out Indefinitely; Could Miss Rest Of Season
The Detroit Red Wings could be without Robby Fabbri for the rest of the year, as head coach Jeff Blashill told reporters today that the team suspects he suffered a torn ACL. While he is still undergoing further evaluation, the expectation at this point is that Fabbri will not play again this season.
In a likely related move, the Red Wings have recalled Taro Hirose from the AHL. Hirose, 25, is one of the players that will become a Group VI unrestricted free agent this summer given how little opportunity he’s had at the NHL level to this point. In the minor leagues, the undrafted Michigan State star has been outstanding, with 45 points in 52 games this season. In the NHL, just one game for the Red Wings this season and 43 over parts of four years.
For Fabbri specifically, an ACL injury is the last thing anyone wants to hear. The 26-year-old forward has already undergone multiple knee surgeries in his career, which at one point threatened to derail it completely. He missed the entire 2017-18 season and played just 32 games in 2018-19, only finding his way back to top-six relevance after a trade to Detroit. Those surgeries were on his left knee, and this injury is to his right.
This season, he’d been one of the team’s most consistent players, with 17 goals and 30 points in 56 games. The fact that he’ll be sidelined with another knee injury is obviously going to once again cloud his future in the NHL. Luckily for him, he signed a three-year contract extension with the Red Wings in December–one that pays him an average salary of $4MM through 2024-25. While he’ll hopefully be able to recover in time to start next season, ACL surgery would certainly not guarantee that outcome.
Filip Zadina No Longer Waiver-Exempt
- When Filip Zadina stepped on the ice for the Detroit Red Wings last night, he crossed an important threshold in his career. As CapFriendly points out, his 141st game means that Zadina is no longer waiver-exempt and would need to clear them in order to be assigned to the minor leagues. With his effectiveness at the NHL level still very much in question–the 22-year-old has seven goals and 18 points in 55 games this season–and Jakub Vrana returning, some have questioned whether Zadina is long for Detroit. His entry-level contract will expire at the end of this season and he will become a restricted free agent for the first time.
Jakub Vrana Activated From Injured Reserve
The Detroit Red Wings have officially activated Jakub Vrana from injured reserve, and expect him to play in tonight’s game against the Arizona Coyotes. Vrana has yet to play this season after undergoing shoulder surgery in late September, a procedure that has kept him out much longer than the initial four-month timeline. Vrana lit Detroit on fire last season after coming over from the Washington Capitals, scoring eight times in 11 games including a four-goal effort in his fourth appearance. He’ll try to continue that success now that he’s back, though it certainly may take him some time to get up to speed.
Interestingly enough, the Red Wings have actually moved Danny DeKeyser to injured reserve to make room. DeKeyser cleared waivers earlier today, which means he could have been assigned to the minor leagues. Instead, he’ll go to the injured list meaning he can stay with the team as he deals with whatever this new ailment is.
Danny DeKeyser Clears Waivers
March 8: DeKeyser has cleared waivers and can now be assigned to the minor leagues. With Vrana already confirmed for tonight’s game, the team will need to move someone off the roster to make room for his return. If they do assign DeKeyser to the AHL, $1.125MM of his cap hit would be buried. Sustr meanwhile was claimed by the Anaheim Ducks.
March 7: After claiming Olli Juolevi yesterday, the Detroit Red Wings have placed a veteran defenseman on waivers. Danny DeKeyser has been waived, along with Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Andrej Sustr, according to Chris Johnston of TSN.
DeKeyser, 32, cleared waivers multiple times last season but has spent this year on the active roster while he plays out the end of his long-term contract. Signed to a six-year, $30MM deal in 2016, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career this offseason. Where his career goes next is unclear, as the once stalwart two-way defender has found his role diminished in recent years.
Interestingly enough, at even-strength DeKeyser has played almost exclusively alongside rookie phenom Moritz Seider, giving the young defenseman a stable veteran partner to lean on as he transitions to NHL life. But it’s that even-strength ice time that has come way down, with DeKeyser averaging less than four other regular defensemen in Detroit. On the other hand, the penalty kill is where he still provides some nice value, logging the most short-handed time of any Red Wings player, but none of that would suggest that a team would take a chance on his $5MM cap hit through waivers. With Juolevi now in the fold–and a roster spot likely needed for Jakub Vrana’s impending activation–it’s not clear what role DeKeyser will have on the Red Wings down the stretch.
For Sustr, waivers is nothing new. He has already cleared them before the season began, and several other times throughout his NHL career. This season he has played in 15 games for the Lightning, basically serving more as a practice player and injury insurance than anything else. If he clears, he’ll likely be bounced up and down between the AHL and NHL for another chunk of the season.
Red Wings Recall Joe Veleno
- The Detroit Red Wings have recalled Joe Veleno, with the team back in action tomorrow night. The 22-year-old rookie has five goals and ten points in 40 appearances for Detroit this season, but still isn’t quite living up to the hype that made him the 30th overall pick in 2018. To make room, the team has moved Carter Rowney to injured reserve.
Detroit Red Wings Claim Olli Juolevi
Per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, both players on waivers today were claimed. Austin Czarnik, who was placed on waivers by the Seattle Kraken, was claimed by the New York Islanders. After being placed on waivers by the Florida Panthers yesterday, Olli Juolevi will be headed to the Detroit Red Wings, having been claimed as well.
Carter Rowney Injured Again
- Red Wings winger Carter Rowney left Friday’s game with what appeared to be a foot injury, notes Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News. He had just come back from a lower-body injury that cost him 17 games, scoring in two straight before last night. Veteran penalty killing forwards are often something playoff teams look to add by the deadline but this injury may end any chance of Rowney being on the move by March 21st.
Jakub Vrana Participated In Morning Skate But No Firm Timetable For His Return
- While Red Wings winger Jakub Vrana was a full participant in the morning skate today, there remains no timetable for his return, notes Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press. Head coach Jeff Blashill has expressed optimism that the 26-year-old will be able to make his season debut soon as he continues to work his way back from shoulder surgery back in October. Detroit currently has a full roster and will need to make a move in order to activate Vrana off IR in the coming days.