Follow me on Twitter
Breaking - Amazon and Disney are working out details of partnership for ESPN. = This just came out. Early estimates are $20 $35 per month for ESPN to go to streaming. Providers who still have contracted time with ESPN will likely continue to broadcast and then the service would move to stream
Here is the Reuter’s update.
Here is the list for the prospect tournament which commences right before training camp.
Joe Veleno provided insight on his mindset going into camp this year. He has a list of personal and club provided goals including, of course, adding to his “finishing touch”
I’ve made no secret of that thought that I feel Veleno could be very much in play in terms of dealing. He has strength, speed, and “potential” but at some point you make a decision to either continue to develop or part ways. We saw Zadina leave and found out later that he’d requested a change of scenery. Veleno wants a change, but more in terms of promotion than relocation.
Andrew Copp has some quotes in the article I linked up above. He apparently pushed JV to up his game, conceding that he may have been too hard on the 2018 pick. That wall of frustration is one that seems to be shared and will have to be broken through. Many of us tend to think that sport is still a meritocracy. Someone can have the pieces and potential but if it doesn’t show up on the game sheet it doesn’t bode well for the player.
I’ve said multiple times that I want someone to come in and take a job. If Joe shows up and has a jaw dropping camp and pre season, I’ll take it. I’ll gladly be wrong. If a prospect or camp invite puts a veteran on rotation or even on waivers that’s a hunger that you want to see. Yes, camp is a chance to bond. Players will share outings driving go karts, playing putt putt, or even 18 holes at the Grand Traverse Inn. I don’t know if this happens still, but there were “sightings reports” on restaurants and even an out of town bowling alley that players and/or staff would frequent. At the end of the day, however, this is where you go to get a job.
We’ve seen past iterations where a rookie outperformed veterans and was still relegated to Grand Rapids. Yzerman has seemed to be more willing to let players determine their location. If you get to go, the whole thing starts out with 4 “teams”. As camp goes on the list dwindles before the preseason. During preseason play more cuts are made until the starting roster emerges. I watched one season of an NHL special following the roster cuts of a team and it is much more unpleasant than I thought. Notes are shared in a board room, a player is called and receives a visit in their hotel room. While you see the disappointment, most of the skaters reassigned or cut talk about improving in different areas and thank the representative for the opportunity (at least in this series).
If you get a feeling that someone is going to jump off the page, please let us know in the comments. If you get to Traverse City, enjoy it!
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»