The FAA’s grounding of flights across the U.S. has created a messy travel picture for a handful of Michigan teams, but most of the state’s major pro and college clubs appear to be in the clear. The one big question mark, as of 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, is in East Lansing.
Michigan State was set to host Washington in a Big Ten football game at 4:15 p.m. Saturday, and the Spartans are already in place.
The Huskies, though, have not yet left Seattle, which puts the game in doubt. The timing makes things even trickier: there isn’t much room to slide the matchup around this weekend or early next week, since MSU is also scheduled to host Oregon on Friday, Nov.
Michigan’s teams, meanwhile, are mostly settled. The Wolverines traveled to Eugene on Thursday and are on track for their football game against Oregon at 3:30 p.m.
Saturday. The only potential issue still ahead for U-M is the men’s basketball team’s home game against William & Mary, which is supposed to tip at 2 p.m.
Sunday. William & Mary is coming from Virginia.
The Detroit Lions are already overseas and should be unaffected. They’re in Munich, Germany, where they’re scheduled to “host” the New England Patriots at 9:30 a.m. ET Sunday at Allianz Arena.
The Pistons also seem to be fine. They already flew to Miami before Saturday night’s game after playing the Washington Wizards in D.C. on Thursday night.
And the Red Wings, who are in the middle of a longer road swing, have already made it to Tampa. They played the Florida Panthers on Thursday in the southeast part of the state and are set to face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night. After that, they’ll have time to get back to Detroit before their next game, which is scheduled for Nov. 18 against the Boston Bruins at Little Caesars Arena.
In Other News...
Red Wings Have A Bigger Problem Than This Losing Streak
The Red Wings five-game skid has put them in an uncomfortable spot, but the bigger concern may be the way they are trying to stop it. Todd McLellan said the team has become so focused on avoiding mistakes that it is playing too cautiously, a mindset that can drain the pace and confidence from a group already searching for answers.
Detroit has been through longer losing streaks before and still found a way to recover and reach the playoffs, so the current slide is not automatically fatal. Still, the way the Wings respond now matters, because getting out of this stretch will require more than just tightening up. It will take a team willing to take some risks again and trust that playing to win is better than simply playing not to lose. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Suddenly Have A Goalie Story Fans Need To Watch
Trey Augustine picked up his first professional win in style, stopping 31 shots in Grand Rapids 3-0 shutout of the Iowa Wild and giving the Griffins another reason to feel good about the crease. The young goalie has been steady through his early run with a 5-1-2 record, a 2.26 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage, and he did it for a team that has been rolling under Dan Cleary with a 12-2-1-1 record.
The goalie picture gets even more interesting because Michal Postava has been just as sharp, going 6-0 with a 1.50 GAA and a .944 save percentage, and he is expected back in Detroit this season. With Grand Rapids getting strong play from names like Carter Bear, John Leonard and Jesse Kiiskinen, the organization suddenly has real depth developing in net, and the next move on the goalie front is worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Face A Brutal Roster Squeeze Shawn Horcoff Must Solve
A busy stretch is already forming for Shawn Horcoff, and the Red Wings interim general manager has a roster puzzle that reaches well beyond the usual early-season housekeeping. Detroit has to sort out restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson by the December 1 deadline, while also weighing what to do with a group of pending unrestricted free agents that includes John Gibson, Andrew Copp and Justin Faulk. At the same time, the club is keeping an eye on its next wave of talent, with prospects such as Carter Bear and Jesse Kiiskinen in the conversation as the front office looks for ways to balance present needs with future flexibility.
The wrinkle is that Detroit is not operating in a vacuum. Reports say Edvinsson and suspended former captain Dylan Larkin both have multiple suitors, and the team is actively scouting potential trade partners as it tries to navigate a crowded market. For a club trying to stay competitive while reshaping parts of the roster, the next few weeks could determine whether Horcoff is merely managing a squeeze or making a far more consequential move. [Read more 🡒]