Hi everybody and welcome to Episode 85 of Red Wings Rant hosted by the Brothers of Discussion and brought to you by the Hockey Podcast Network.  Tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings, finally, have a home.

With very little to talk about, let’s jab about Niederbach’s opportunity with Frolunda, the Detroit Sports situation, overdosing on tryptophan, and play a couple of Red Wings games!

We are also continuing our Rochester Mills 12 Days of Christmas sampling with the King Cake Stout and ‘Paul Woods’ returns to play Who is That Pokemon

Niederbach and Jeff Blashill Conversation

Red Wings Prospect Update

Theodor Niederbach gets a chance on the second line with Lucas Raymond

• FInishes with 17 minutes, 33% on FO, 2 shots 0+/-

• Lucas Raymond had 4 shots

Time to get your tin foil caps out, folks!

Raymond being 2nd on the team in goals, I can’t figure out if this is a Jan Mursak demotion or a way to get Niederbach more involved. It also reeks of Steve Yzerman’s involvement. Is it possible that while Frolunda continues to benefit from Red Wing talent (and a Red Wing spotlight for generating revenue), is there any chance that Yzerman and the Red Wings are asking for a little cooperation?

The chances of this are very slim because Frolunda needs to worry about the standings and winning. But then why does this benefit Frolunda this season?

It could honestly just be a shakeup for the lineup that lost some it’s steam, but Niederbach is a guy who has struggled to get minutes (and has struggled to produce). The last thing you’d want for Lucas Raymond is to see his production continue to dip, so what did Frolunda see in Niederbach’s time in the SHL to allow him to receive this opportunity?

We don’t hate Niederbach in the slightest, but that’s where we’re wondering if Steve Y got involved.

NHL vs NBA - Exhibit double Z

NBA has a preseason mapped out, despite the NHL supposedly working on their solution weeks before NBA got started. What gives? Is this just another victory for the NBA in the unspoken/never agreed upon rivalry? Or are we mere days away from an NHL announcement?

Rochester Mills 12 Days of Christmas - King Cake

The Brothers of Discussion are excited and proud to present their first beer tasting of the network. We’re going festive for the holiday season and decided to sample Rochester Mills’ 12 Days of Christmas Beer Package. The Brothers will be tasting the beers for a flavor match to the beer’s name, drinkability, the packaging, and provide an overall score (weighted by the drinkability).

Rochester Mills is a Michigan Brewery, famous in the state for its 12 Days of Christmas Box Set. Release on an annual basis, the brewery tinkers with the list of 12 beers, but always follows through with a smooth, milk-like base. 

Our third beer is the King Cake Stout. What is a King Cake?

A king cake is a type of cake associated in a number of countries with the festival of Epiphany at the end of the Christmas season; in other places, it is associated with the pre-Lenten celebrations of Mardi Gras/Carnival. Wikipedia

Main ingredients: Flour, eggs, butter, dried fruit, nuts, candied fruit

This week’s ‘Be the GM’ 

Are you shocked or surprised to see Matt Patricia go before Jeff Blashill?

WHO’S THAT POKEMON?

Starring head coach Jeff Blashill and guest read by Paul Woods. Another exciting edition! As we teleport you back to 2019!