• Olli Maatta Placed on Injured Reserve

The Detroit Red Wings today recalled left wing Elmer Soderblom from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins and placed defenseman Olli Maatta on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 6.

Soderblom, 21, has recorded two goals and six penalty minutes in 13 appearances with the Red Wings during the 2022-23 campaign, scoring what proved to be the game-winner in his NHL debut on Oct. 14 vs. Montreal. The 6-foot-8, 246-pound forward has also appeared in two games with the Griffins, making his AHL debut on Dec. 9 at Springfield. Soderblom had a breakout campaign in 2021-22 with Frolunda HC in the Swedish Hockey League, ranking among the team leaders with 21 goals (1st), 12 assists (7th), 33 points (3rd), seven power play goals (1st), 11 power play points (4th), eight game-winning goals (1st) and 132 shots (1st) in 52 games. He also produced nine points (6-3-9) and a plus-five rating in 11 Champions Hockey League games as Frolunda reached the semifinals of the competition. Additionally, Soderblom recorded six points (3-3-6) and a plus-six rating in nine postseason contests to help Frolunda reach the SHL playoff semifinals. In all, Soderblom compiled 38 points (24-14-38) and 11 penalty minutes in 90 SHL games and won a CHL title with Frolunda in his first professional season in 2019-20.  

Selected by the Red Wings in the sixth round (159th overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Soderblom made his SHL debut during the 2019-20 campaign after leading the under-20 circuit with 29 goals in 36 games. In total, Soderblom recorded 76 points (40-36-76) and 22 penalty minutes in 87 games at the under-20 level, 53 points (26-27-53) and 14 penalty minutes in 60 games at the under-18 level and 93 points (62-31-93) and 49 penalty minutes in 78 games on the under-16 circuit, all with Frolunda. The Gothenburg, Sweden, native racked up three points (2-1-3) in five appearances for his country at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship. Along with fellow 2019 Red Wings draftees Albert Johansson and Albin Grewe, Soderblom was also a member of Sweden’s silver-medal Hlinka Gretzky Cup team (1-2-3 in five games) in 2018 and gold medal-winning IIHF World Under-18 Championship squad (1-0-1 in seven games) in 2019.

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• Robert Hagg Placed on Injured Reserve

The Detroit Red Wings today recalled defenseman Steven Kampfer from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins and placed defenseman Robert Hagg on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 8.

Kampfer, 34, has recorded 10 points (3-7-10) and 12 penalty minutes in 19 games with Grand Rapids to begin the 2022-23 season. The 5-foot-11, 198-pound defenseman signed a one-year contract with Detroit on May 22 after tallying 30 points (11-19-30) and 49 penalty minutes in 46 games with Ak Bars Kazan in the Kontinental Hockey League during the 2021-22 campaign, in addition to four points (2-2-4) in six postseason contests. Kampfer has skated in 231 NHL games with the Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers and Boston Bruins since 2010-11, compiling 39 points (15-24-39) and 110 penalty minutes. Originally selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the fourth round (93rd overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Kampfer was a Black Ace on Boston’s Stanley Cup-winning team in 2011 as a first-year professional. He has also appeared in 293 AHL games between the Providence Bruins, Houston Aeros, Iowa Wild, San Antonio Rampage, Hartford Wolf Pack, Providence Bruins and Griffins, totaling 129 points (34-95-129) and 223 penalty minutes.

A native of Ann Arbor, Mich., Kampfer played four seasons at the University of Michigan from 2006-10 prior to turning pro, amassing 60 points (7-53-60), 134 penalty minutes and a plus-65 rating in 147 games. Kampfer was named to the NCAA Midwest All-Regional Team as a senior and helped the program win Central Collegiate Hockey Association tournament championships in 2008 and 2010. A product of the Little Caesars AAA Hockey Club, Kampfer joined the Wolverines after playing two seasons with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League from 2004-06, where he logged 35 points (12-23-35) and 190 penalty minutes in 103 contests. On the international stage, Kampfer served as an alternate captain for the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics, notching four points (1-3-4), two penalty minutes and a plus-four rating in four games. He was also an alternate captain at the 2005 Under-18 Junior World Cup, posting one goal in five appearances.

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Tickets Go On Sale Friday, December 16 at 12 p.m.

Off the heels of her long-awaited new sophomore album SOS, music trendsetter and icon SZA will embark on a highly anticipated arena tour this spring with support from Grammy® nominated best new artist Omar Apollo. Produced by Live Nation, the exclusive 17-city tour will include a performance at Little Caesars Arena on Friday, February 24 at 8 p.m. This tour marks the first time the Grammy® Award-winning artist is playing venues of this size and debuting her latest album live to fans.  

Tickets go on sale Friday, December 16 at 12 p.m. at 313Presents.com, LiveNation.com and Ticketmaster.com.

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• Goaltender Made Four Starts with Grand Rapids During Conditioning Stint

The Detroit Red Wings today recalled goaltender Magnus Hellberg from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

Hellberg, 31, joined the Griffins for conditioning on Dec. 1 after being claimed off waivers by Detroit from the Seattle Kraken on Nov. 23. The 6-foot-6, 209-pound netminder posted a 2-2-0 record with a 2.50 goals-against average and a 0.932 save percentage in four starts with Grand Rapids. Hellberg has split the 2022-23 season between the Ottawa Senators, Kraken, Red Wings and Griffins, becoming the first goaltender in NHL history to earn his first three career wins with three different clubs when he made 29 saves for Ottawa in a 4-2 win on Oct. 24 against Dallas. He appeared in one game with the Red Wings in 2021-22, stopping 20 shots in a 5-3 victory on April 29 at New Jersey. Prior to joining the Red Wings, Hellberg spent the 2021-22 season with Sochi HC of the Kontinental Hockey League, posting a 2.42 goals-against average, 0.917 save percentage and five shutouts in 37 games. In all, Hellberg suited up the last five seasons in the KHL for Kunlun Red Star (2017-18), St. Petersburg SKA (2018-21) and Sochi (2021-22), compiling an 81-64-14 record in 169 appearances. A native of Uppsala, Sweden, Hellberg also represented his country at the 2022 Winter Olympics, showing a 1-0-1 record with a 2.46 goals-against average and a 0.933 save percentage in two appearances. Additionally, Hellberg played for Team Sweden at the 2018 IIHF World Championship and posted a 3-0-0 record in three starts en route to helping his country win the gold medal.

Originally drafted by the Nashville Predators in the second round (38th overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Hellberg spent five seasons (2012-17) in North America before playing in the KHL. Hellberg has made six NHL appearances for the Predators, New York Rangers, Red Wings and Senators, holding a 3-0-0 record with a 2.60 goals against average and a 0.891 save percentage. He also suited up in 191 AHL games between the Milwaukee Admirals (2012-15), Hartford Wolf Pack (2015-17) and Griffins (2022-23), building an 86-73-15 record with a 2.49 goals-against average, a 0.915 save percentage and 14 shutouts, including a 30-win season for the Wolf Pack in 2015-16. Hellberg was named to the AHL All-Star Classic during the 2014-15 season as a member of the Admirals. He also made nine appearances in parts of two seasons for the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones, posting a 6-2-1 record.

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Ms. Jackson is back! Today, the five-time Grammy® Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® Inductee, Janet Jackson, announced her highly anticipated return to the road after four years with her ninth concert tour, “Together Again.” The tour will perform at Little Caesars Arena on Wednesday, May 24 at 8 p.m.

Tickets go on sale Friday, December 16 at 11 a.m. at 313Presents.com, LiveNation.com and Ticketmaster.com.

Citi is the official card of the “Together Again” tour. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Tuesday, December 13 starting at 11 a.m. local time until Thursday, December 15 at 10 p.m. local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit CitiEntertainment.com.

Produced by Live Nation, the 33-city tour will start spring 2023 visiting North American arenas and amphitheaters in Atlanta, New York, Toronto, and more; kicking-off in Hollywood, FL on April 14th at the Hard Rock Live and wrapping up in Seattle, WA on June 21st at the Climate Pledge Arena. In addition, 3x- Grammy® Award-winning recording artist and Fast and Furious actor, Ludacris will join Jackson on tour across all dates as a special guest.

The “Together Again” tour will offer everyone the long-awaited chance to reunite with Ms. Jackson in celebration of her 50th anniversary in entertainment and spotlight the milestones for two of Jackson’s most critically acclaimed albums – 25 years of The Velvet Rope, and 30 years of janet, featuring her biggest chart-topping hits, plus new music.

• 6-Foot-8 Forward Scored Two Goals in 13 Appearances with Detroit

The Detroit Red Wings today activated left wing Elmer Soderblom from injured reserve and assigned him to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

Soderblom, 21, has recorded two goals and six penalty minutes in 13 appearances with the Red Wings during the 2022-23 campaign, scoring what proved to be the game-winner in his NHL debut on Oct. 14 vs. Montreal. The 6-foot-8, 246-pound forward had a breakout season in 2021-22 with Frolunda HC in the Swedish Hockey League, ranking among the team leaders with 21 goals (1st), 12 assists (7th), 33 points (3rd), seven power play goals (1st), 11 power play points (4th), eight game-winning goals (1st) and 132 shots (1st) in 52 games. He also produced nine points (6-3-9) and a plus-five rating in 11 Champions Hockey League games as Frolunda reached the semifinals of the competition. Additionally, Soderblom recorded six points (3-3-6) and a plus-six rating in nine postseason contests to help Frolunda reach the SHL playoff semifinals. In all, Soderblom has compiled 38 points (24-14-38) and 11 penalty minutes in 90 SHL games since 2019-20 and won a CHL title with Frolunda in his first professional season.  

Selected by the Red Wings in the sixth round (159th overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Soderblom developed in Frolunda’s system since 2014-15 and made his SHL debut during the 2019-20 campaign after leading the under-20 circuit with 29 goals in 36 games. In total, Soderblom recorded 76 points (40-36-76) and 22 penalty minutes in 87 games at the under-20 level, 53 points (26-27-53) and 14 penalty minutes in 60 games at the under-18 level and 93 points (62-31-93) and 49 penalty minutes in 78 games on the under-16 circuit, all with Frolunda. The Gothenburg, Sweden, native racked up three points (2-1-3) in five appearances for his country at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship. Along with fellow 2019 Red Wings draftees Albert Johansson and Albin Grewe, Soderblom was also a member of Sweden’s silver-medal Hlinka Gretzky Cup team (1-2-3 in five games) in 2018 and gold medal-winning IIHF World Under-18 Championship squad (1-0-1 in seven games) in 2019.

Photo credit: Dave Reginek / Detroit Red Wings

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As dog lovers and hockey fans combine their appreciation for both, the Detroit Red Wings’ annual Pucks for Paws calendar is now on sale! Presented by PetSmart, each calendar showcases Red Wings players with their furry friends. For just $20 each, supporters can purchase a 2023 wall calendar of which proceeds will benefit PetSmart Charities and the Detroit Red Wings Foundation. Calendars will ship within 3 to 4 weeks of purchasing. Buy your 2023 Pucks for Paws Wall Calendar, here!

If you’d like to instantly get your hands on a calendar, stop by the concourse by the team store in Little Caesars Arena during the December 13 game, where the Detroit Red Wings Foundation along with some of the Red Wings players’ significant others will be selling them. In addition to the calendars, Michigan Humane will be on the concourse with adoptable puppies available to take home that same day, just in time for the holidays.

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The Detroit Tigers announced that they have acquired third base/corner outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy and lefthanded pitcher Jake Higginbotham from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for righthanded pitcher Joe Jiménez and cash considerations.

Malloy, 22, saw time across three levels of the Braves organization in 2022, playing in 133 games between Single A Rome, Double A Mississippi and Triple A Gwinnett and hitting .289/.408/.454 with 28 doubles, 17 home runs and 81 RBI. Malloy is ranked as the top position player prospect in the Braves organization (No. 6 overall) by Baseball America and was named the best hitter for average and as possessing the best strike zone discipline in Atlanta’s Minor League system. He led all Braves Minor Leaguers in doubles (28), on-base percentage (.408), total bases (217) and walks (97), while ranking second in hits (138), RBI, extra-base hits (45), slugging percentage and OPS (.862). Following the season, he was named a Braves Organization All-Star by MiLB.com and was selected to the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Team.

Malloy’s only other professional season came in 2021 with Single A Augusta, when he hit .270/.388/.434 with five doubles, five home runs and 21 RBI in 37 games.

A native of New York, NY, Malloy was originally drafted by Atlanta in the sixth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Georgia Tech.

Higginbotham, 26, spent the entire 2022 season with Double A Mississippi, appearing in 48 games and posting a 2-5 record with three saves, a 4.73 ERA (51.1IP/27ER) and 48 strikeouts.  He ranked fourth in the Southern League with 48 appearances.

In four professional seasons, Higginbotham has pitched in 103 games, compiling a 9-10 record with eight saves, a 3.30 ERA (155.1IP/57ER) and 163 strikeouts.

A native of Buford, GA, Higginbotham was drafted by the Braves in the 11^th round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Clemson University.

Jiménez, 27, made 62 appearances for the Tigers in 2022, and went 3-2 with two saves, a 3.49 ERA (56.2IP/22ER) and 77 strikeouts. Jimenez, who was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2013, was selected to the American League All-Star team in 2018.

The Tigers 40-man roster is now at 38.

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The Detroit Tigers selected righthanded pitcher Mason Englert from the Texas Rangers in the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft.

Englert, 23, made 24 appearances last year, all as a starting pitcher, between Single A Hickory and Double A Frisco, posting a combined 8-6 record and 3.64 ERA (118.2IP/48ER) on 31 walks and 136 strikeouts. Most of his action came with Hickory, where he went 7-5 with a 3.57 ERA (103.1IP/41ER) over 21 starts, holding opponents to a .193 batting average.

His only other professional experience came in 2021, making his debut with Single A Down East. That season he posted a 6-3 record and 4.35 ERA (80.2IP/39ER), walking 26 and striking out 90.

Englert, a native of Forney, TX, was drafted by the Rangers in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Forney High School (TX), and currently ranks as the Rangers No. 29 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. During his senior year of high school, he went 11-1 with a 0.57 ERA, establishing a Texas high school state record with a 55.1-inning scoreless streak.

With the selection of Englert, the Tigers 40-man roster is now at 39.

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