Author: George Malik

Dylan Larkin spoke to the media prior to Steve Yzerman’s remarks on Friday afternoon, and MLive’s Ansar Khan noted that Larkin is not discouraged because the Wings did not name him their captain:

“In our locker room I can assure you that leadership is not a problem,” Larkin said. “I’m extremely happy for Luke [Glendening]. It’s well deserved. But you could look at 10 guys that could wear ‘A’s’ on our team and could wear ‘C’s.’

“They (coaches and management) know what they’re doing. I’m not disappointed at all. A new manager where we’re all looking to impress him and take a step in the right direction for our organization.”

Larkin and Yzerman spoke a couple of weeks ago.

“It wasn’t negative at all. It was encouraging,” Larkin said. “We talked a lot about how to be a pro even more, to look at the guys who have led on our team before, what I can do to be an all-around leader. For me it’s exciting to have conversations like that where it’s someone who’s been through it and someone that’s done it very well. Having conversations like that is invaluable to my career and something that I’m excited and grateful for.”

He doesn’t view it as a slight and doesn’t need any more incentive.

“I want to win. I want to play well. I want to represent the city, my teammates and the fans and my family as well as I can,” Larkin said. “I’m a driven person. I want to be great. I want this team to be great. I want to have a great season. I’m motivated to take this team to where we need to be.”

Continued

As noted earlier this afternoon, Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman gave an 18-minute press conference today, and he was pressed most consistently regarding the comments made by Dylan Larkin a little earlier in the day, and why the team chose to go without a captain, at least for the present moment.

The Free Press’s Helene St. James took note of both gentlemen’s comments:

“Look at the guys that have led on our team before and what I can do to be an all-around leader,” Larkin said. “For me it’s exciting to have conversations like that where someone who has been through it and someone who has done it very well. It’s invaluable to my career. It’s something I’m excited and grateful for.”

Larkin said he isn’t disappointed the decision has been delayed, and that he’s focused on impressing Yzerman.

Yzerman wants to get to know Larkin and all of the players better before a captain is named. There is no better choice than Larkin, who is only 22 and who in four seasons has emerged as the face of the rebuild. Larkin occasionally wore the ‘A’ last season, his first wearing a letter on his sweater, splitting time as alternate captain with Frans Nielsen. This year, Larkin will wear a permanent letter. Nielsen will rotate with newly minted alternate Luke Glendening, and Justin Abdelkader is the other alternate. 

Yzerman wants to see every player assert himself.

“I’m looking for them all to step forward as leaders on the ice and off the ice and set the tone the way we’re going to play and the way we’re going to conduct ourselves,” Yzerman said. “I want to get to know all these guys — a few of the veteran guys I know somewhat from when I left the organization, but it’s an opportunity to take the time to get to know everyone and when we eventually do name a captain, I intend that person to be the captain for a long time.”

Continued; if and when the Red Wings do name a captain, Yzerman’s not concerned about the timing thereof.

FYI:

#DRWTC Schedule Update for Sat., 9/14:

Team Howe will now hit the ice at 9:30am at @CentreICEArena. Team Lindsay will take the ice at 12:40pm. https://t.co/yKE4d0s0Ge— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 13, 2019

The Athletic’s Max Bultman wrote an article which published just after I left to head to training camp, and I haven’t been able to post it until now. In the “worth your time” department, Bultman assesses the Red Wings’ roster as it applies to training camp and the exhibition season, classifying players by their likelihood of making the Red Wings’ roster:

Forwards

Locks: Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi, Frans Nielsen, Valtteri Filppula, Luke Glendening, Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader

Write Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha in ink as the top line, and then the rest of the puzzle will come together over the next couple weeks. It’ll be interesting to see how having a new general manager motivates some of the longtime veterans, but most of them have rather large contracts and/or were named alternate captains, so their roster spots, at minimum, feel safe.

Continued

DetroitRedWings.com’s Josh Berenter spoke with Kendall Hanley, who took part in the Red Wings’ prospect tournament as a referee working with the ECHL officials:

Similar to the way she approaches officiating, Hanley did her research on the NHL Prospect Tournament. She said she was honored to have the opportunity to be a pioneer as the first-ever female official at the most prestigious preseason tournament in the NHL.

“It’s an unbelievable opportunity. Doors are opening in for women in the NHL,” said Hanley, who officiated four games in Traverse City, including the Red Wings vs. St. Louis Blues matchup this past Saturday. “The NHL is doing everything they can to have the best officials at their events, and if those officials are women, then they’re going to bring them in.

“I think in time, they’ll find the right person to continue down this path, and this is an amazing first step. I’m very fortunate to be part of the first four. Other women and girls can get excited about officiating and know they’ll be supported and know there are opportunities to advance.”

The inclusion of women in hockey is part of the NHL’s growing Hockey is for Everyone initiative. The initiative uses the game of hockey and the NHL’s global influence to drive positive social change and foster more inclusive communities.

Continued

DetroitRedWings.com’s Arthur J. Regner, Red Wings play-by-play announcer Ken Kal, Carley Johnston and Daniela Bruce took in an hour’s worth of practice at training camp, and the Wings archived the broadcast on YouTube:

Several members of the Detroit Red Wings’ roster spoke with the media today at Centre ICE Arena after the first day of training camp:

Tyler Bertuzzi gave a short interview, but made it very clear that the Red Wings feel that they have a chip on their shoulder and something to prove in terms of the people who believe that Detroit will end up as a bottom-five NHL team again:

Dylan Larkin spoke to the media for 8 minutes, discussing everything from his status as an alternate captain to the team’s belief that it can finish much higher in the standings than the experts have predicted due to a combination of youth movement and veteran presence–as well as his own need to help propel the team forward as an established star player:

Oliwer Kaski introduced himself and discussed his hopes of making the team out of training camp. Kaski understands that he has an uphill climb, but he believes he’s ready for the NHL:

Coach Jeff Blashill spoke to the media for 10 minutes, addressing the Steve Yzerman regime change, the team’s decision to go with four alternate captains, his impressions of players like Moritz Seider and Joe Veleno, his take on the team’s potential to “not beat itself” this year and more:

Finally, Valtteri Filppula spoke with the media, discussing his familiarity with Steve Yzerman, what he brings to the table as a “veteran player” and what he knows about Adam Erne:

The internet is not great where I am presently, but from Centre ICE Arena, here is Steve Yzerman’s nearly 18-minute-long press conference with the assembled media. Yzerman discussed a host of topics, from not naming a captain to what he’s looking for from his team this season:

Update: The Detroit News’s Tom Gromak posted a solid portion of the presser:

Update #2: Also, from WXYZ’s Brad Galli:

“When we eventually do name a captain, we intend that person to be the captain for a long time.”

Steve Yzerman explained why he’s waiting to name a Red Wings captain. pic.twitter.com/DMbvVOFlIc— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) September 13, 2019

Via Abel to Yzerman: The Athletic’s Corey Pronman posted a list of the top goaltending prospects in the NHL for the 2019-2020 season, and Filip Larsson made his list (in the latter stages thereof):

25. Filip Larsson, Detroit

Aug. 17, 1998 | 6-foot-2 | 181 pounds

Drafted: 167th-overall (2016)
Previous ranking: HM

Athleticism: 50
Hockey Sense: 65

Larsson was a top goalie in the NCHC last season, posting a .932 save percentage for Denver and signing with Detroit after the season. His size is average at 6-foot-2, and while he moves fine, his lateral quickness isn’t anything special. What makes Larsson an NHL prospect is his hockey sense. He tracks pucks very well and I’m a big fan of his positional play in net. He always seems to be moving with the puck without extra effort, and even when he loses it he finds it very quickly. He’s not a huge goalie, but he’s aggressive with his challenges. Sometimes he’s a little over aggressive, but he doesn’t usually get burned by it.

Continued (paywall)

The Traverse City prospect tournament and main Red Wings training camp at Centre ICE Arena are staffed entirely by volunteers, and those volunteers give up their vacation time for two weeks’ worth of working for free every year at this time. The Traverse City Record-Eagle’s James Cook spoke with several members of the security team regarding their working vacations:

[Aaron] Case and five of his fellow Kent County officers are on duty — while off duty — enforcing policies of the Red Wings, NHL and Centre Ice to maintain a safe and efficient environment inside and outside the rink. And they do it all for free, each using two weeks of accrued vacation to make a two-hour trip north to Traverse City and camp out while guarding camp.

“Safety and security for everyone is first and foremost,” said Case, who stays in an RV at nearby Timber Ridge Resort, making for a short three-minute commute.

The security detail of 20-25 — part of around 200 Prospect Tournament and training camp volunteers total, Centre Ice rink manager Todd Spaulding said — often works from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. during the Prospect Tournament, with shorter days for training camp.

Security arrives an hour before an events begin, with Case commonly already in the building a half hour before that.

“I don’t hunt, so it’s kind of like deer camp for me,” said Patrick Stewart, a 39-year-old Kent County Sheriff’s Deputy in his 21st year on the force, while manning the front entrance to Center Ice Arena.

Continued