Author: George Malik

The Detroit Red Wings concluded the formal portion of their training camp activities on Saturday, emphasizing special teams work as the first and second days‘ worth of drills gave way to a day exclusively spent working upon odd-man situations, both under coach Jeff Blashill and under the tutelage of defensive coach Doug Houda and new offense/power play coach Alex Tanguay (who’s very vocal).

Today, Jakub Vrana also joined the fray for a shot period of time (and injured his shoulder; he’ll be reevaluated tomorrow), but most of the Red Wings’ activities involved changing up their PP and PK units significantly, though there were some consistencies in terms of Max Bultman’s lines from Day 1. It looks like we’ll see those lines tomorrow.

Heading into the Red vs. White game at 12 PM EDT on Sunday (most likely on DetroitRedWings.com and/or their YouTube channel), the pace of today’s activities was good, and the coaches were instructive in hammering home the basics of special teams play and competitiveness in said play…

But it’s very evident that the players want to move on to a real scrimmage and the practices which precede Detroit’s very heavy 8-games-in-12-nights exhibition schedule.

Red Wings rookie defenseman Moritz Seider had a little chat with Bally Sports Detroit’s John Keating:

In an article written regarding Jakub Vrana’s shoulder injury, the Free Press’s Helene St. James noted that the Red Wings’ players are rooting for a current and potentially former compatriot in try-out Bobby Ryan:

If the Wings have juggle lines without Vrana, it could present an opportunity for Bobby Ryan. He’s at camp on a tryout, and he showed at the start of last season how well he jelled with Fabbri and Filip Zadina. 

“He did a great job last year and he’s rehabbed from his injury and he looks great,” Fabbri said. “He’s a great guy to have around the room and be with the guys. Everyone is happy to have him back. If you look throughout his career, he’s been a very productive player, and a lot of that goes to his smarts and putting himself in the right spot. he’s got a quick releae and a great spot. He’s been looking good so far.” 

The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan has filed a notebook article about Filip Zadina, who is looking to establish himself as a scorer at the NHL at the ripe old age of 21:

Several Wings are looking to rebound from sub-par seasons. Zadina might top the list.

His defensive game, his play without the puck, were effective and positive. But offensively, the breakthrough many expected didn’t happen. Zadina only scored six goals, a far cry from his prolific junior hockey days. He knows what he has to do to improve.

“Hold on to the puck, play with the puck, and go to the net,” Zadina said. “Force myself to shoot the puck a little more and believe in myself and my teammates on the ice that we’ll do (our) best to score goals.”

The 6-foot, 197-pound winger didn’t make many offseason changes. He worked with the same trainer he always has, and concentrated on getting stronger.

“To get quicker on the ice and trust the process,” Zadina said. “Since last year I took a step forward. (I’m) trying to be the same player, just a better player.”

And coach Jeff Blashill explains what process Zadina needs to follow:

“We would love for him to take that step offensively,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “If he’s occupying a top-six role, he has to take that step offensively, otherwise somebody else will have an opportunity. That’s reality.”

Continued (paywall)

The Red Wings posted a quick but catchy highlight reel from Day 3 of training camp…

? Traverse City, MI.#DRWTC pic.twitter.com/Eipn3flVpJ— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 25, 2021

As well as a set of goalie masks, those of Alex Nedeljkovic and Victor Brattstrom:

Fresh paint. ?

Nedeljkovic ?: @BishopDesigns
Brattstrom ?: @daveartofficial pic.twitter.com/PN9W296gXu— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 25, 2021

Red Wings defenseman and Dearborn Heights, MI native Jordan Oesterle engaged in a face-to-face (albeit socially distanced) interview with Bally Sports Detroit’s John Keating today:

UPDATE: The #RedWings today assigned F Cross Hanas & Pasquale Zito, D Oscar Plandowski & G Jan Bednar & Sebastian Cossa to their respective major junior clubs & released F Cameron Butler, Luke Toporowski & Cooper Walker from their amateur tryouts. #DRWTC pic.twitter.com/b9RvQyyLkN— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 25, 2021

Bluntly:

1. Hanas needs to go back to the Portland Winterhawks and have a fine overage season;
2. Zito needs to play and instigate in Windsor, period;
3. Bednar needs a full North American season with Acadie-Bathurst;
4. Cossa is young and will benefit most from playing for the Edmonton Oil Kings right now;
5. And Butler, Toporowski and Walker weren’t going to be signed.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen noted that Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill seems to be leaning toward starting the exhibition season (at least) with prized rookie Moritz Seider skating on a defensive pair with 30-year-old defenseman Nick Leddy:

“It’s a pairing that we could potentially use going into the season,” Blashill said.  “We want to go through some exhibition games and see. It was a starting point for us. Part of it is how good does Moritz play in terms of what type of minutes they’re going to see.”

Leddy was acquired from the New York Islanders in the offseason. The hope is he could help the team’s power play. Leddy is an exceptional skater, known for his ability to move the puck through the neutral zone.  He has also played in 776 NHL regular-season games and has frequently been matched up against top offensive players. Leddy is known for his puck-moving, but he is an underrated one-on-one defender.

“I don’t think we necessarily need to have one pair that goes out every night against the other team’s best players every single shift,” Blashill said. “I think we can share those responsibilities. Moritz and Leds can do that. ”

The players’ strengths complement each other. Plus, Leddy is a left shot and Seider shoots right.

“You got a really good skater in Leddy,” Blashill said. “You got a real big guy in Moritz. Both have the opportunity to jump up into the play. I think having that veteran presence, we felt like it could be a real good match. They could see some significant minutes together. We’ll see how they continue to go.”

Continued

The Free Press’s Helene St. James caught Red Wings player development specialist Niklas Kronwall in the crowd today, speaking with Kronwall regarding Moritz Seider, who Kronwall both watched play with Rogle BK and helped mentor in Sweden last season:

Are clowns scary or funny? Why can’t they be both?

? – funny or scary?#DRWTC pic.twitter.com/bDcyYzzEBo— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 25, 2021