The Red Wings begin training camp around 8 AM this morning, and I’m not there for the first time since the last lockout. I’ve expressed my frustration about not being at what is essentially Christmas for Wings fans and correspondents, but the situation is what it is, so I’m going to do my best to give you what coverage I can over the next four days.
You’re also going to see some fundraising posts to plain old pay the bills, because I’m already pondering a paywall, but I want to keep this website reader-supported and ad-free but still free to peruse, so the NPR of blogs = the fundraising never ends.
Let’s begin with some content.
Of Red Wings-related note this morning:
- The Free Press’s Helene St. James posts her training camp preview this morning, discussing items of note as training camp begins in about an hour:
Second line option: Patrick Kane and newcomer Vladimir Tarasenko are familiar with one another from being teammates with the New York Rangers, albeit briefly. They’re both natural right wingers who shoot left, but during his time last season with the Ottawa Senators, Tarasenko played on the left wing, and in July, he didn’t sound averse to giving it another go: “It just took a little bit of time to understand the systems and if you know what you are doing on the ice, I don’t think there is a difference what wing you play.”
Putting Kane and Tarasenko on the same line, likely with J.T. Compher in the middle, would be worth exploring for the Wings. These next handful of days offer an opportunity for Kane and Tarasenko to work on their chemistry and see if they can be a fit together, behind what projects to be a top line of Dylan Larkin with Raymond and Alex DeBrincat.
Man advantages: No offseason departure may be felt more pointedly than that of Shayne Gostisbehere, who took his offensive expertise to the Carolina Hurricanes as a free agent. He led the Wings with 29 power play points while running the first unit. Seider played the point on the other unit, so as long as he remains absent, there’s an opportunity to audition two options. Newcomer Erik Gustafsson was brought in on the blue line via free agency (two years at $2 million per) partly in the expectation he could run one of the units. Jeff Petry has done it in the past, but this seems like a good opportunity to give Simon Edvinsson some looks in no-pressure situations.
After camp breaks, the Wings return to Detroit and begin an eight-game exhibition slate on Wednesday (in Chicago against the Blackhawks) that features home games against the Blackhawks (Sept. 27), Pittsburgh Penguins (Sept. 28), Toronto Maple Leafs (Oct. 3) and Ottawa Senators (Oct. 4).
Continued (paywall);
2. MLive’s Ansar Khan discusses five roster and/or position battles as training camp begins…
Who will be the odd-men out on defense? Right now, it looks like veteran Justin Holl and rookie Albert Johansson would start the season as extras, but it’s fluid. Odds are Seider will sign soon and likely will be paired with Ben Chiarot, his partner the second half of last season. It would take a disastrous camp for Simon Edvinsson not to make the roster and he’ll likely be paired with a familiar partner in Jeff Petry. That would leave Olli Maatta and newcomer Erik Gustafsson as the other pairing.
Which prospects have the best shot at breaking through? Barring any unexpected moves, the Red Wings appear inclined to start with 12 forwards. If there’s an injury, one of prospects Carter Mazur and 2022 top pick Marco Kasper could be the first call-up. Both improved throughout the season and during the playoffs with Grand Rapids. “Both of those kids have shown us that they’re really committed, they’re really driven,” general manager Steve Yzerman said. Nate Danielson, their first pick in 2023, had a strong camp and preseason last year but likely needs some development time in Grand Rapids as he transitions to pro hockey.
Continued (paywall)
3. In a subscriber-only article, Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff offers “5 things to like” about Michael Brandsegg-Nygard:
Red Wings Love His Shot: Whether Brandsegg-Nygard has a shot to play in the NHL this season is debatable. Whether he has an NHL-caliber shot is not. This kid can pound a puck. And he gets it away without heistation.
“He’s got a wicked shot and release timing,” Detroit player development director Dan Cleary said.
It’s a facet of his game that everyone notices quickly.
“The first thing that pops out to you is his shot,” Lombardi said. “Especially off that left side, his one-timer side. He’s got a crazy-good shot.”
Brandsegg-Nygard Comes Equipped With Cloaking Device: In the attacking zone, Brandsegg-Nygard displays a Brett Hull-like ability of now you see him, now you don’t. It’s like he comes equipped with a Romulan cloaking device.
He’ll disappear and reappear in the attacking zone. And when he reappears, Brandsegg-Nygard has inevitably found some open space in a scoring area.
Continued (paywall);
4. The Athletic’s Harman Dayal discusses 10 potential breakout candidates, including Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson, and I can only share so much here as Dayal breaks down some video of Edvinsson playing:
Simon Edvinsson, Detroit Red Wings
Edvinsson looked NHL-ready during his nine-game cameo with the Red Wings in 2022-23. He should have played a prominent role on Detroit’s blue line last season, but the club’s logjam on left defense — with Jake Walman, Ben Chiarot and Olli Määttä — meant he was limited to 16 NHL games, as he spent the majority of the year developing in the AHL. Walman’s departure this summer has created an opportunity for the 2021 No. 6 pick to slide into a top-four role.
Edvinsson is a towering 6-foot-6, skates well and plays a competitive, physical game. He closes gaps remarkably quickly as a one-on-one defender, leveraging his size, reach and mobility to assertively kill plays.
Edvinsson has the talent and opportunity to flourish as a valuable top-four defender this year, just don’t expect him to pile up big point totals.
Continued (paywall);
5. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler discusses ways in which to watch NHL prospects play online this morning, and he mentions a couple of Red Wings prospects along the way. These are just tidbits, but I figured that you might want to read ’em:
After winning an SHL championship with Skellefteå, can Red Wings first-rounder Axel Sandin-Pellikka take another step toward North America?
…
There are two drafted prospects playing in Germany this year. Red Wings 2023 fifth-rounder Kevin Bicker will play his second season in the DEL with Frankfurt and Capitals 2021 fifth-rounder Håkon Hänelt will do the same in Cologne (his rights are expected to expire with the Caps).
6. The Traverse City Record-Eagle’s James Cook ponders the future of the Red Wings’ Prospect Games and training camp, and the director of the Red Wings’ training camp suggests that fans need not to worry about the team leaving Traverse City:
Training camp director Tom Rodes said Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill — a former Red Wings executive — favors keeping the prospects event, but that there’s a possibility it could also turn into something Dallas and Detroit alternate hosting.
More and more NHL teams are hosting their own similar tournaments closer to home and saving the expense of relocating a team to Traverse City for a week.
“I think they stole our idea,” Rodes quipped. “We should have patented it.”
Training camp itself is much more secure, Rodes said.
“As long as Steve (Yzerman) is there, they’ll be back,” Rodes said.
And here’s an FYI for those attending:
Rodes said metal detectors are likely coming to training camp security practices, as the NHL has started requiring the measure as part of any official game activities. That could be as soon as next year.
It’s the way of the world, folks.
Update: Bleacher Report’s Lyle Fitzsimmons offers a slate of power rankings this morning, and the Red Wings land a wee bit north of the middle of 32 teams:
15. (tie) Detroit Red Wings
Previous Ranking: 17
And here’s another candidate alongside Buffalo and Ottawa for the “will they or won’t they?” list in the Eastern Conference.
The Red Wings haven’t reached the playoffs since 2016 or won a series since 2013, but they have held onto Cup-pedigree veteran Patrick Kane for another season and added Vladimir Tarasenko from the Panthers.
Continued; the media’s not going to be polite about the Red Wings’ playoff chances for the most part as we approach the 2024-2025 season. Detroit’s got to prove that it belongs this year.
