​The post The Daily: ‘Newsy’ Already in a New Spot; Plante Adding to the Trophy Case appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now. IMGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect IMGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect It didn’t take former Red Wings bench boss Derek Lalonde long to find a new team to coach after the Toronto Maple Leafs announced they had let the 53-year-old coach go earlier this week. Montreal Canadiens quickly announced yesterday that they had hired him as an assistant coach. This move puts Lalonde on the resumes of three Original Six teams and places him in the mix with half of the Atlantic Division between Tampa Bay, Detroit, Toronto, and now Montreal. Following a surprisingly deep playoff run last season, the Canadiens should look to Lalonde to help develop their younger players and tighten up a stronger defensive structure. The Canadiens shouldn’t be unfamiliar with having a “Newsy” Lalonde around, even if this one is a bit younger than the last.
2024 ninth-round pick Max Plante added another accolade to what’s turning into a rather long list. On Wednesday, Plante was named to the CSC At-Large Academic All-America Team after maintaining a 3.58 GPA over the past year. That recognition came amid his Hobey Baker Award campaign, which honors the NCAA’s most outstanding player in college hockey, and his leadership in guiding the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs on a deep playoff run. Plante logged 52 points across 40 NCAA games last year and has emerged as one of the Red Wings’ more intriguing prospects. Last year the young forward played alongside his older brother, Zam, and he will be joined next year by his younger brother Victor at Minnesota-Duluth.
On a lighter note than much of the past week, the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate announced the dates for their 18th annual “Lids at the Library” bike helmet giveaways, held in partnership with the Grand Rapids Public Library and the Kent District Library. Part of the “Put A Lid on It” initiative, the event aims to encourage helmet use among children by providing free helmets and fittings to the first 100 attendees. The Kent District Libraries Plainfield Township Branch (2650 5 Mile Rd. NE) will host the first event on Monday, July 13 from noon to 1 p.m., with the Grand Rapids Public Library’s Seymour Branch (2350 Eastern Ave. SE) set to host on Wednesday, July 15 from 2 to 3 p.m.
Bob Duff has more on Lalonde’s hire by the Montreal Canadiens. Dylan Larkin’s trade request becomes more complex the longer he remains at the center of a burgeoning market. The Red Wings have added an intriguing young Swedish forward who is likely to start with the Grand Rapids squad but could be promoted this offseason. Florida Hockey Now notes that yesterday marked the sister site’s sixth anniversary, though not all the news was celebratory, as one of the Panthers’ newly acquired goaltenders filed for arbitration. In other developments, New Jersey H remains in the headlines for improved search optimization. This recap includes multiple items of note, from coaching moves to prospects and community outreach programs, all shaping Detroit’s broader hockey landscape.