The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan’s first article of the day (there are usually two, an article and then a notebook) discusses Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde’s first day on the job:
Lalonde guided his first practice Thursday as an NHL head coach, after several months of planning and strategizing about it endlessly. Sure, it was a special day for Lalonde, 50, but he didn’t let himself soak in the moment.
“Not really,” Lalonde said. “You’re really busy trying to get everything checked, check off all the boxes in being prepped. I was more nervous today about everything going smoothly. You want to make a good first impression with everyone, we want to be sharp with what we’re doing as a staff which will reflect in our practice and play. Maybe early in the season, through the first game, first win (I’ll let the moment sink in). But maybe I’m getting really cold in my old age.”
The first practice, like a first game, is unique in that a coach has an entire summer to prepare for it. In that sense, Lalonde was pleased to get through what was a spirited and effective first practice.
“You put so much time into your summer and preparing for Day 1,” Lalonde said. “We’ve got our entire camp pretty much skeletoned out. We were fortunate enough to hire (assistant) Bob Boughner because he’s supposed to be my experience and he was pacing today, so I guess it’s still jitters no matter how long you’ve been at this. We were just excited to get this thing going and we talked this to death and preparing. We just wanted for it to translate on the ice.”
Continued (paywall); the Detroit News also posted a massive, 66-image gallery of photographer David Guralnick’s work.
Photo gallery: First day of training camp is in the books. https://t.co/JvduUQMLex #redwings #traversecity @nhl @DetroitRedWings pic.twitter.com/e6FldsUPOt— David Guralnick (@DavidGuralnick) September 22, 2022
