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Training camp weekend fundraising

Okay, training camp is underway, and I’m putting in 12-to-14-hour days as a result. If you’re willing to lend a financial hand to defray the expenses of the website and support the time I’m putting in, that would be wonderful.

Aunt Annie and I are obviously trying to pay the bills, too, so there’s that…But these four days of training camp are a tremendous grind, and I’m hoping that you’re receiving content that’s worth your support.

And I know that this isn’t your favorite thing, but it’s simpler, more direct and often more lucrative to fundraise than it is to have commercials on the blog, so continue to enjoy your commercial-free browsing experience.

As always, I thank you for your time and your readership.

Continue reading Training camp weekend fundraising

Kane, DeBrincat praise coach McLellan’s coaching style

The Hockey News’s Ryan Kennedy spoke with Red Wings forwards Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat during the NHL/NHLPA Player Media Tour in Las Vegas, and they discussed the players’ trust in Red Wings coach Todd McLellan:

With NHL training camps open, hope springs eternal, and the Motor City is not immune. Last year, GM Steve Yzerman dismissed coach Derek Lalonde after a 13-17-4 start, replacing him with veteran bench boss Todd McLellan. Detroit went 26-18-4 the rest of the way, which, hypothetically, means they could have been a playoff team had they played at that pace all year. Coming into this season, Detroit’s stars are excited about what a full year of McLellan could mean for their fortunes.

“I played a lot better under him when we made the switch,” said future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane. “The team started playing more aggressive and playing better. As you get older you want to win, and I think we can do that there. That’s the goal, to get into the playoffs. We really feel we’re on the verge, and we should do it this year.”

The Detroit job brings McLellan‘s NHL journey full circle. His first gig in the league was as an assistant coach with the Red Wings, where he won a Stanley Cup under Mike Babcock. After that, he got the head coaching job in San Jose, where he guided the Sharks to back-to-back conference finals. Most recently, he was in Los Angeles, where his Kings ran into Connor McDavid and the Oilers twice in a row (before that, he coached McDavid himself in Edmonton).

And while he hasn’t even been in Detroit for a whole season yet, the Red Wings have faith in McLellan.

“Todd really preaches details a lot,” said right winger Alex DeBrincat. “You can make mistakes, but if you work hard, you’re gonna be on his good side. He wants 100 percent out of everyone at all times. He’ll hold you accountable for mistakes, so don’t do it again.”

Explaining the methods behind certain strategies is also a strength, DeBrincat noted.

“Some guys don’t like dumping the puck in, but if a certain play calls for it, he’s going to tell you what happens next that can really improve the team game,” he said. “He thinks the game really well, which is fun to be a part of. You’re not just skating around and getting nothing accomplished. He’s got a plan for you.”

Continued

It comes down to defense

Bleacher Report’s Sara Civian offers a single prediction for each and every NHL team for the 2025-2026 season this morning:

Detroit Red Wings

Prediction: The situation on defense makes or breaks Detroit’s playoff hopes.

The Reason Why: The Red Wings desperately need an upgraded defense, and they didn’t do much to drastically improve the situation in the offseason (which was fair because the market was so weak). Will the young players who stepped it up in the second half last season fully break out and solve this problem? Will Steve Yzerman outsource with a trade? One of these scenarios has to happen.

Continued; it’s going to take a combination of young players stepping up and an import or two to truly address the Wings defense’s shortcomings.

Thread post: Tweets from the 2nd day of Red Wings training camp

Updated at 2:16 PM: The Detroit Red Wings will hit the ice at Centre ICE Arena in Traverse City for their second day of training camp this Friday morning. Here are various Tweets from today’s practices and scrimmages, as well as the usual social media “stuff.”

This post will be updated throughout the day.

10:07 AM: First, the Red Wings’ social media team asked several players about their summers…

Continue reading Thread post: Tweets from the 2nd day of Red Wings training camp

Disappointment is a waste of time

Bleacher Report’s Lyle Richardson discusses “6 NHL Teams That Will Likely Disappoint During [the] 2025-2026 Season,” and the Red Wings are on his list.

Detroit Red Wings

Over the past two seasons, the Detroit Red Wings were expected to emerge from years of rebuilding into a playoff team. Young players like Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond blossomed into stars, and they added veteran talent like Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat.

During those seasons, the Wings would enter March holding a playoff berth, only to stumble and fall out of contention down the stretch. Looking at their current roster entering this season, it could be another disappointing campaign in Motown.

The Red Wings added veteran goaltender John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks, but his injury history is a cause for concern. Other offseason additions (James van Riemsdyk, Mason Appleton, Ian Mitchell, and Jacob Bernard-Docker) provide depth, but not the kind that suggests this club is a contender.

Assuming Gibson and aging netminder Cam Talbot remain healthy, their blue-line depth beyond Seider and the promising Simon Edvinsson is questionable. It could prove to be their Achilles heel as they try to end nine years of postseason futility.

Continued; the Wings are going to have to prove their critics wrong with on-ice performance, plain and simple.