| Detroit Free Press
Steve Yzerman talks Red Wings rebuild, hopes for 2021 season
Steve Yzerman discusses the Wings rebuild and hopes for 2021 season. Nov. 4, 2020.
In what does not seem encouraging news that there will be professional hockey in North America soon, the Detroit Red Wings have loaned another player to a team in Europe.
The Wings announced Tuesday that minor-league goaltender Calvin Pickard has been assigned to the Vienna Capitals in Austria.
While hockey leagues across Europe have had to postpone numerous games because of the pandemic, they are in action. That is in contrast to professional leagues in North America, which are aiming to start playing in the new year. The NHL has targeted a Jan. 1 start date, though that grows more unlikely as it’s already December.
Pickard is among multiple Wings who have turned to Europe in order to play. Forward Michael Rasmussen is also in Austria, with Graz.
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Forward Filip Zadina (HC Ocelari Trinec) and defenseman Filip Hronek (Mountfield HK) are in the Czech Republic. Defenseman Moritz Seider is playing for Rögle in the Swedish Hockey League, and Joe Veleno is with Malmo, also in the SHL. Defenseman Gustav Lindstrom and goaltender Filip Larsson are both Almtuna in HockeyAllsvenskan (the second-highest league in Sweden).
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Everyone except Seider and Veleno are eligible to be recalled once the NHL signals training camps can commence. Wings players in the metro Detroit area have started skating on their own this week, as ice was put in at the practice facility at Little Caesars Arena.
Pickard was signed to a two-year, $1.5 million deal by general manager Steve Yzerman in July 2019. Pickard was supposed to be insurance in case of injury to Jimmy Howard or Jonathan Bernier, but in three appearances with the Wings Pickard posted a .797 save percentage and 5.46 goals-against average.
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