Red Wings News & Rumors: Tanguay, Petruzzelli & More

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It’s been a while since we’ve published a news and rumors article, but boy do we have some news to report today. A lot of things are going on in the world of the Detroit Red Wings right now, so let’s dive right in.

Red Wings Hire Alex Tanguay

Raise your hand if you saw this one coming. The Red Wings announced on June 30 that they had hired Alex Tanguay as Dan Bylsma’s replacement on head coach Jeff Blashill’s coaching staff.

Per the Red Wings’ press release about the news:

Tanguay, 41, has spent the last two years as an assistant coach with the American Hockey League’s Iowa Wild. Over those two seasons, the Wild combined for a 54-31-8-4 record, with a second place finish in the Central Division and Western Conference during the 2019-20 campaign. Iowa had the AHL’s fifth-best power play in Tanguay’s first season behind the bench at 21.9 percent, and its offense was among the league’s most productive, improving from 3.08 goals per game in 2019-20 to 3.15 goals per game over a 34-game schedule in 2020-21. The Wild also had the second-best shot-per-game average in the AHL in each of the past two seasons, averaging 32.68 combined in Tanguay’s tenure with the club.

– Red Wings Press Release

This move seems to check a lot of boxes for what the Red Wings were looking for in an assistant coach. Tanguay is a fresh face as far as coaches are concerned, so it stands to reason that he’ll bring fresh ideas to a Red Wings offense and power play that were painfully stale this season. With no prior head coaching experience, there also isn’t going to be a power struggle between Blashill and him, as some have speculated there was between “Blash” and Bylsma. Finally, yes, Tanguay does not have a full head of hair.

As a former player, Red Wings fans are most likely familiar with Tanguay due to his time with the Colorado Avalanche, with whom he played 598 regular season games and won a Stanley Cup with in 2001. The Quebec-native also played five seasons with the Calgary Flames, as well as stints with the Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning and Arizona Coyotes. He had 863 career points through 1,088 career regular season games. Hopefully his personal offensive success will translate in his coaching game.

Keith Petruzzelli On His Way Out?

This bombshell started circulating Wednesday evening as well:

Selected 88th overall by the Red Wings in the 2017 draft, Petruzzelli was a Hobey Baker finalist this season with Quinnipiac University. With Filip Larsson fizzling out and no other goalies in Detroit’s system looking close to NHL-ready, the Massachusetts-native is considered by most to be the Red Wings’ top goaltending prospect.

Should this news prove to be true, it is certainly a setback for an organization that was already severely lacking quality goaltending prospects. The Red Wings have until August 15 to get Petruzzelli signed, otherwise he will officially become a free agent, able to sign with any team in the league. Perhaps this development will add a sense of urgency for the Red Wings to take one of the top goaltenders available in this year’s draft….

Red Wings’ Draft Picks (Mostly) Set

With the exception of Tampa Bay’s fourth round pick (acquired in the trade that sent David Savard to the Lightning), the Red Wings now know exactly where each of their picks in the 2021 draft will be. The list is as follows:

  • Round 1, Pick 6 (DET)
  • Round 1, Pick 22 (WSH)
  • Round 2, Pick 37 (DET)
  • Round 2, Pick 47 (NYR)
  • Round 2, Pick 51 (EDM)
  • Round 3, Pick 69 (DET)
  • Round 3, Pick 93 (VGK)
  • Round 4, Pick 101 (DET)
  • Round 4, Pick 126/127 (TB)
  • Round 5, Pick 133 (DET)
  • Round 5, Pick 137 (OTT)
  • Round 6, Pick 165 (DET)

With eight picks out of the first 101, the Red Wings should be in a position to add plenty of talent to an already impressive prospect pool. Should general manager Steve Yzerman decide to trade up in the draft at any point, he certainly has plenty of ammunition to do so.

More…

  • Swedish defenseman and Red Wings prospect Albert Johansson has been loaned to Farjestad of the SHL.

One of Detroit’s top prospects (arguably their second-best defensive prospect behind Moritz Seider), many had hoped that Johansson would be making his North American debut next season with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL. Instead, he’ll likely receive top-four ice time in the Swedish league, gaining experience as a go-to guy at just 20 years old. While it is a bit of a bummer that fans will have to wait a little longer to see him play in the Mitten State, this move is likely in his best interest.

  • Defenseman Malte Setkov, selected with the 100th pick of the 2017 draft, was not signed to a contract by June 1. Because of this, the Red Wings no longer hold his rights. This season in 11 games with the Malmö Redhawks (the same team Joe Veleno played with this season), Setkov had two points and was a minus-1. At 22 years old, it remains to be seen whether or not the North American audience will ever see him play in person.

ICYMI