Of Red Wings-related note early on a Thursday morning:
- The Montreal Canadiens dropped their road opener via a 5-2 tally to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, but the final score is deceptive. Montreal actually blew a 2-1 lead to the Maple Leafs–surrendering the game-winner to Morgan Rielly with 9:02 left in the 3rd period (thanks to a snapped Canadiens stick)–and the Habs also gave up 2 empty-net goals. As such, the Canadiens’ garish plus-minus stats were not indicative of the competitive game that was played between the teams.
Montreal will start Jakub Dobes in goal tonight opposite John Gibson when the Red Wings and Canadiens (with Joe Veleno in the lineup) meet at Little Caesars Arena (7 PM EDT start; 6:35 PM pregame ceremony, on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit/TSN2/RDS/97.1 the Ticket).
After tonight’s home opener, the Red Wings will play a home-and-home series with the Leafs, who don’t play again until Saturday’s Hockey Night in Canada game in Detroit.
Here are the Habs-Leafs game’s Sportsnet highlights, should you wish to watch them:
2. The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan filed a late-evening article which discusses the performances of the Red Wings’ likely debutantes in Emmitt Finnie, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Axel Sandin Pellikka. Kulfan discusses the characteristics which set the trio apart from other players on the Wings’ roster:
▶ With Brandsegg-Nygard, a 2024 first-round draft pick, it’s been the fact he appears to be able to play a physical game that most 20-year-olds aren’t usually capable of doing. He’s played against men in Europe, he has an NHL shot, and carries himself like a professional.
“We have to pay attention to his strengths like his physicality, he can play as a bully a little bit,” McLellan said. “He’s got a tremendous shot. The hunt mentality we’re trying to adopt, he’s part of that.”
Brandsegg-Nygard felt it was important the Wings knew he could play a physical, hard game. They obviously know now.
“It’s pretty cool to be here and it’s been a dream, so hopefully I can keep the spot,” Brandsegg-Nygard said. “I know what I can do, and I just try my best and see what comes out of it.”
▶ Finnie has to be the biggest surprise. A 2023 seventh-round pick (201st overall), Finnie’s ability to complement Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond on the team’s No. 1 line, playing with speed, energy and smarts has been eye-opening.
“I had the mindset coming in here I was just going to take it one day at a time and work as hard as I can and see where it gets me,” Finnie said. “To be in this position right now is pretty cool.”
Said McLellan: “His gas tank runs on nitro because the way he skates is just not regular premium. He’s such an efficient skater.”
▶Sandin-Pellikka was a 2023 first-round pick, who dominated the Swedish Elite League with his playmaking and on-ice vision, as one of the best offensive defensemen in recent memory. He built up to that during training camp, getting more comfortable and dynamic with each preseason game.
“Axe has improved as camp’s gone on better and better each night, each game, each practice,” McLellan said. “(He felt) a little more confident, comfortable, whether it’s with us as a coaching staff, his teammates, the level of play, the size of the ice surface, strength and pace he’s been able to adjust to.”
Sandin-Pellikka felt it was vital to “keep the game simple. Just be good defensively, have a good stick, (and) use my brain. Offensively, just keep doing what I’m doing,” Sandin-Pellikka said.
3. Kulfan also offers a list of “10 things to know about the Red Wings as a do-or-die season gets underway“:
▶ 4. Internal improvement will be vital: Players such as forwards Marco Kasper and Elmer Soderblom, and defensemen Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson, all made their first extended NHL debuts last season and showed exciting potential.
For the Wings to make a rise up the standings, those players’ sophomore seasons will need to be as good or better.
It’ll be interesting to see where Kasper plays. To begin the season, Kasper will center Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane on a line that thrived late last season. But McLellan also has the option to put Kasper on a wing with Larkin and Lucas Raymond, a line that excelled, if the offense stalls.
Johansson, after gaining new life under McLellan last season, had a great camp and looks like he’s ready to expand his performance.
▶ 5. Other newcomers: Along with Finnie, Brandsegg-Nygard and Sandin-Pellikka, forwards James van Riemsdyk and Mason Appleton, defensemen Jacob Bernard-Docker and Travis Hamonic, and Gibson are new to the roster.
The Wings will need offense from van Riemsdyk, who has been good for 15-20 goals per season throughout his career. He missed most of training camp, didn’t play a game, tending to family matters. How quickly van Riemsdyk can get up to speed will be important.
Keep an eye on Appleton, who was an integral part of Winnipeg’s bottom-six forward group and penalty kill.
Again, Kulfan continues…
4. Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff also posted a subscriber-only article which discusses the rookie debuts of several prominent Red Wings, including the current captain:
Red Wings Larkin Lights Up Maple Leafs
Today, he’s the captain of the Red Wings. But on October 9, 2015, Dylan Larkin was a teenager who defied the odds and made the Red Wings out of training camp.
Larkin’s NHL debut was at Joe Louis Arena against the Toronto Maple Leafs. On the first shift of the second period, Larkin burst down the left wing. He snapped a shot past future teammate Jonathan Bernier.
He was the first teenager to score a goal in his Red Wings debut since current Detroit GM Steve Yzerman in 1983. He later added an assist as the Wings won 4-0.
