Long a proponent of three-on-three hockey to settle games in overtime, Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland is delighted that his notion was approved by the NHL board of governors and will become a reality in 2015-16.
“Over the last number of years more and more people have been interested in trying to get more games decided before the shootout,… said Holland, whose team was a dismal 4-10 in shootuts during the 2014-15 campaign, placing them 27th in the league.
“We understand the shootout is exciting for the fans,… said Holland, who after watching experimental three-on-three OT in the AHL last season is certain it will be equally embraced.
“It’s exciting for players, it’ll be exciting for the fans.…
Holland is of the belief that most games will be decided during three-on-three play and shootouts will become rare occurrences.
“That’s the hope,… Holland said. “With the open ice the expectation is there will be a lot of scoring chances at both ends.…
Opener Announced It was as if they planned.
Oh wait a minute - they did plan it.
The Wings announced the date and opponent for their home opener of the 2015-16 NHL season Wednesday and the guests at Joe Louis Arena Oct. 9 will be none other than former Wings coach Mike Babcock and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It will be the season opener for the Wings, but Game 2 of the season for Toronto, which opens two nights earlier against the Montreal Canadiens.
Zetterberg Recognized The charitable work of Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg was acknowledged by the NHL when he was named this season’s winner of the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which recognizes the player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.
Zetterberg and his wife Emma give back to the metro Detroit community through numerous initiatives as well as international causes in Ethiopia, Guatemala and Nepal. Zetterberg. He hosts children’s charities, including metro Detroit area children’s hospitals and mentoring non-profits, at each Red Wings home game during the regular season in the Zetterberg Foundation Suite. Zetterberg also funds a high school hockey scholarship each year and underwrites the Hockey Weekly High School All-Star Banquet.
As the team spokesman for the Red Wings annual Smoke Detector Collection, Zetterberg personally matches all smoke detector donations. Working with area fire departments, more than 28,000 smoke detectors have been distributed since 2001 to low-income and physically-disabled residents, who could otherwise not afford one or be able to install one in their home.
Internationally, Zetterberg and his wife built the Chige Primary School in Kemba, Ethiopia, in cooperation with Action Aid Ethiopia. The school consists of four classrooms and gives 225 children in Kemba access to a primary school education. The Belta Telo Middle School had 780 kids sharing four small classrooms; however, thanks to a donation from the Zetterberg Foundation, a block of four new classrooms were added on to create more room for students to learn.
They also support microloan programs in Ethiopia and Guatemala to provide women with the opportunity to start their own business and work themselves out of poverty. To date, over 500 women have benefited from these loans. In addition, the Zetterberg Foundation has financed and built six houses for former debt slaves in Nepal.
Development Camp The Wings announced the dates for their annual development camp, which will again be held at the Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City, Mich.
The camp kicks off on Friday, July 3 and features on-ice and off-ice workouts each day, including scrimmages on Saturday, July 4 and Tuesday, July 7. The camp roster will be released following this weekend’s 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
The camp is open to the public and daily passes are available at the door for $5.
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