Red Wings Brendan Smith Suspended 5 Games

By AJ Petronzi


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The Detroit Red Wings' Brendan Smith has been suspended for five regular season games plus the remainder of the pre-season for his hit on Chicago's Ben Smith on Wednesday night in Chicago.

Brendan Smith has never played an NHL regular season game and is not likely to start this season in Detroit. He is the eighth defenseman and having a two-way contract plus being immune to waivers means the promising young defenseman is doomed to playing in Grand Rapids until injuries open a spot in the Wings' lineup. However, Smith now will be forced to sit for five additional games whenever, or if ever, the call back to Detroit comes.

In Brendan Smith's defense, the hit against Chicago's Ben Smith was not quite as dirty as the Chicago Blackhawks made it seem. Ben Smith unquestionably made a last minute movement that caused the resulting hit to the head instead of the full body check Brendan was lining up. Under the NHL's new head hits rule effective this season, the hit is definable as "Reckless" and Ben Smith was knocked unconscious on the play and will also have his chances of starting his NHL career postponed an equal amount of time because of the concussion resulting from the hit to the head.


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RED WINGS TRIM TRAINING CAMP ROSTER BY 16. WINGS v LEAFS THIS FRIDAY!

… Wings and Griffins Players Set to Square Off in Grand Rapids Tonight …

Detroit, MI...The Detroit Red Wings today announced that 16 players have been removed from the team’s training camp roster. Thirty-nine players now remain in camp.

Members of both the Red Wings and Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) will hit the ice at Western Michigan’s Van Andel Arena later today (puck drop – 6:00 p.m.) for a Red-White intrasquad game. 

The following players have been reassigned to the Griffins:

Greg Amadio, Defenseman

Louis-Marc Aubry, Forward

Mitchell Callahan, Forward

Willie Coetzee, Forward

Adam Estoclet, Forward

Gleason Fournier, Defenseman

Jamie Johnson, Forward

Thomas McCollum, Goalie

Andrej Nestrasil, Forward

Nick Oslund, Forward

Francis Paré, Forward

Trevor Parkes, Forward

Sébastien Piché, Defenseman

Brent Raedeke, Forward

Bryan Rufenach, Defenseman

Goaltender Ramis Sadikov, meanwhile, has been given his unconditional release and is expected to rejoin his Ontario Hockey League club, the Erie Otters.

Currently 2-2-0 on the 2011 NHL pre-season, Detroit’s home exhibition schedule continues on Friday, September 30 when the Toronto Maple Leafs pay a visit to Joe Louis Arena for a 7:30 p.m. showdown with their longstanding rivals. This is the only appearance the Maple Leafs are scheduled to make in the Motor City this year.

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RED WINGS MOURN THE PASSING OF EARL COOK

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Detroit, MI… The Detroit Red Wings mourn the passing of their friend and honorary coach, Earl Cook. Earl was an amazing 23-year-old young man who was diagnosed with Osteogenic Sarcoma on January 25, 2007.  His journey has seen him battle through numerous rounds of chemotherapy, 9 surgeries, and learning to live with one leg.  He became friends with Head Coach Mike Babcock and the Red Wings players over the past several seasons, serving as an inspiration to the team and everyone who heard his story.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Earl and his family,” says Babcock.  “Earl had an unbelievable spirit that allowed him to battle through a long list of challenges that most of us are fortunate to never know.  He served as a fantastic role model for myself and our team.  He may have passed today, but with the way he lived his life, he never allowed this disease to beat him.”

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RED WINGS AND FOX SPORTS DETROIT ANNOUNCE 2011-12 BROADCAST SCHEDULE

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Detroit, MI… The Detroit Red Wings and FOX Sports Detroit today announced the 2011-12 Red Wings local television schedule.

FOX Sports Detroit (FSD) continues its award-winning production and carriage of Red Wings games by airing a total of 73 regular-season and pre-season contests with 61 games slated for FSD and 13 on FOX Sports Detroit Plus (FS PLUS).  Additionally, FOX Sports Detroit will carry all non-exclusive games in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs if the Wings advance. 

 Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond return as the Wings TV on-air broadcast crew with former Red Wing and Hockey Hall of Famer Larry Murphy filling in for Redmond during select road games and serving as a between-the-benches reporter for home games.  John Keating will serve as primary host of  the RED WINGS LIVE pre-game shows which air 30 minutes prior to most game times. RED WINGS LIVE postgame follows most FSD telecasts with live reaction, analysis and game highlights.

Daniels is this year’s recipient of the Ty Tyson Excellence in Sports Broadcasting Award as presented by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association, and is the reigning Michigan Sportscaster of the Year from the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. Meanwhile, Redmond is the 2011 recipient of the prestigious Foster Hewitt Memorial Award as presented by the Professional Hockey Writers Association, to be awarded Nov. 14 as part of the Hockey Hall of Fame ceremonies in Toronto.

All 82 regular-season games, all playoff contests and five preseason games will be carried live by 97.1 FM The Ticket with Ken Kal and Paul Woods providing the call of the games.

DETROIT RED WINGS

2011-12 PRESEASON

DATE         DAY      OPPONENT         SITE                                     TIME (ET)      TV             ^RADIO

Sept.     21   Wed.    at Pittsburgh          CONSOL Energy Center               7:00                        AM 1270

              22   Thur.    at Philadelphia       John Labatt Centre (London, ON)  7:00

              23   Fri.       PHILADELPHIA   Joe Louis Arena                              7:30                        AM 1270

              25   Sun.     CHICAGO            Joe Louis Arena                            *5:00      FSD

              28   Wed.    At Chicago            United Center                                  8:30

              30   Fri.       TORONTO           Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD           AM 1270

Oct.         1   Sat.      At Toronto             Air Canada Centre                          7:00                        AM 1270

                2   Sun.     PITTSBURGH      Joe Louis Arena                            *5:00      FSD

*-Time changed from originally released schedule.

2011-12 REGULAR SEASON

DATE           DAY    OPPONENT         SITE                                     TIME (ET)      DET TV    US TV    CAN TV

Oct.         7   Fri.       OTTAWA              Joe Louis Arena                              7:00      FSD

                8   Sat.      at Colorado           Pepsi Center                                   9:00      FSD

              13   Thur.    VANCOUVER      Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD

              15   Sat.      at Minnesota         Xcel Energy Center                        8:00      FSD

              21   Fri.       COLUMBUS         Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD

              22   Sat.      at Washington       Verizon Center                                7:00      FSD           NHLN

              25   Tue.     at Columbus          Nationwide Arena                           7:00      FSD

              28   Fri.       SAN JOSE           Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD           NHLN

              29   Sat.      at Minnesota         Xcel Energy Center                        8:00      FSD

Nov.        1   Tue.     MINNESOTA        Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD

                3   Thur.    CALGARY            Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD

                5   Sat.      ANAHEIM             Joe Louis Arena                              7:00      FSD

                8   Tue.     COLORADO        Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD

              11   Fri.       EDMONTON        Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD

              12   Sat.      DALLAS                Joe Louis Arena                              7:00      FSD

              15   Tue.     at St. Louis            Scottrade Center                            8:00      FSD

              17   Thur.    at San Jose           HP Pavilion                                   10:30      FSD

              19   Sat.      at Los Angeles      Staples Center                                4:00      FSD           NHLN

              20   Sun.     at Anaheim            Honda Center                                 8:00      FS Plus

              23   Wed.    CALGARY            Joe Louis Arena                              7:00      FSD                          TSN

              25   Fri.       at Boston               TD Garden                                      1:00      NBC          NBC

              26   Sat.      NASHVILLE          Joe Louis Arena                              7:00      FSD

              30   Wed.    TAMPA BAY         Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      VS             VS

Dec.        2   Fri.       at Buffalo              HSBC Arena                                   7:30      FSD           NHLN

                4   Sun.     at Colorado           Pepsi Center                                   8:00      FS Plus

                6   Tue.     at St. Louis            Scottrade Center                           *7:30      FSD           VS

                8   Thur.    PHOENIX             Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD

              10   Sat.      WINNIPEG           Joe Louis Arena                              7:00      FSD                          CBC

              13   Tue.     at Pittsburgh          CONSOL Energy Center               7:00      FSD

              15   Thur.    at Nashville           Bridgestone Arena                          8:00      FSD

              17   Sat.      LOS ANGELES    Joe Louis Arena                              7:00      FSD           NHLN

              19   Mon.    at Edmonton         Rexall Place                                    9:30      FSD

              21   Wed.    at

Vancouver        GM Place

                                      10:00      FSD                          TSN

              22   Thur.    at Calgary             Pengrowth Saddledome                *9:30      FSD                          TSN

              26   Mon.    at Nashville           Bridgestone Arena                          8:00      FSD

              27   Tue.     ST. LOUIS            Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD           VS

              30   Fri.       at Chicago             United Center                                  8:30      FS Plus

              31   Sat.      ST. LOUIS            Joe Louis Arena                              7:00      FSD

Jan.         3   Tue.     at Dallas                American Airlines Center              *8:00      FSD           VS

                7   Sat.      at Toronto              Air Canada Centre                          7:00      FSD           NHLN     CBC

                8   Sun.     at Chicago             United Center                                  7:30      VS             VS

              10   Tue.     at NY Islanders     Nassau Coliseum                            7:00      FSD

              12   Thur.    PHOENIX             Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD

              14   Sat.      CHICAGO            Joe Louis Arena                            12:30      NBC          NBC

              16   Mon.    BUFFALO             Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD

              17   Tue.     at Dallas                American Airlines Center                8:30      FSD

              19   Thur.    at Phoenix             Jobing.com Arena                          9:00      FSD

              21   Sat.      COLUMBUS         Joe Louis Arena                              7:00      FS Plus

              23   Mon.    ST. LOUIS            Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FS Plus     VS

              25   Wed.    at Montreal            Bell Centre                                      7:30      VS             VS          TSN, RDS

                     ALL-STAR BREAK

              31   Tue.     at Calgary             Pengrowth Saddledome                 9:00      FS Plus

Feb.         2   Thur.    at

Vancouver        GM Place

                                      10:00      FSD

                4   Sat.      at Edmonton         Rexall Place                                  10:00      FSD                          CBC

                6   Mon.    at Phoenix             Jobing.com Arena                          8:00      VS             VS

                8   Wed.    EDMONTON        Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FS Plus                    TSN

              10   Fri.       ANAHEIM             Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD           NHLN

              12   Sun.     PHILADELPHIA   Joe Louis Arena                            *7:30      #NBC/VS  NBC/VS

              14   Tue.     DALLAS                Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FS Plus

              17   Fri.       NASHVILLE          Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FS Plus

              19   Sun.     SAN JOSE           Joe Louis Arena                            12:30      NBC          NBC

              21   Tue.     at Chicago             United Center                                *8:00      FSD           VS

              23   Thur.    VANCOUVER      Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD           NHLN

              25   Sat.      COLORADO        Joe Louis Arena                              7:00      FSD

              28   Tue.     at Columbus          Nationwide Arena                           7:00      FS Plus

Mar.        2   Fri.       MINNESOTA        Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD

                4   Sun.     CHICAGO            Joe Louis Arena                              4:00      FSD           NHLN

                6   Tue.     at Philadelphia       Wells Fargo Center                         7:00      FSD

                9   Fri.       LOS ANGELES    Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FS Plus

              10   Sat.      at Nashville           Bridgestone Arena                          8:00      FSD

              13   Tue.     at Los Angeles      Staples Center                              10:30      FSD

              14   Wed.    at Anaheim            Honda Center                               10:00      FSD

              17   Sat.      at San Jose           HP Pavilion                                   10:30      FSD

              19   Mon.    WASHINGTON    Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD

              21   Wed.    at NY

Rangers      Madison Square

Garden                7:30      VS             VS

              24   Sat.      CAROLINA           Joe Louis Arena                              7:00      FS Plus

              26   Mon.    COLUMBUS         Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD

              28   Wed.    at Columbus          Nationwide Arena                           7:30      VS             VS

              30   Fri.       NASHVILLE          Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FS Plus

Apr.         1   Sun.     FLORIDA              Joe Louis Arena                              4:00      FSD

                4   Wed.    at St. Louis            Scottrade Center                            7:30      VS             VS

                5   Thur.    NEW JERSEY      Joe Louis Arena                              7:30      FSD

                7   Sat.      CHICAGO            Joe Louis Arena                              4:00      #NBC/VS  NBC/VS

*-Time changed from originally released schedule.

^-All Regular Season Games on 97.1 The Ticket

#-Game may be selected by NBC or VS two weeks prior.

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