The National Post’s Michael Traikos is a Toronto-based columnist, so he has a good feel for the Maple Leafs’ Atlantic Division rivals. Traikos suggests that three up-and-coming teams–the Red Wings, Senators and Sabres–are probably going to be very aggressive in the free agency marketplace (starting on July 13th) in order to make up the ground on the Beasts of the Atlantic:

Forget about Toronto. Or Edmonton. Or any of the favourites to win the Stanley Cup.

After acquiring Alex DeBrincat from Chicago in a trade for Ottawa’s seventh-overall pick, the word coming out of the last week’s draft was that the Senators were also lining up to try to sign Claude Giroux to feed passes to the two-time 40-goal scorer. 

Detroit, which traded for St. Louis goalie Ville Husso, is now reportedly looking at Tampa Bay pending free agent winger Ondrej Palat, whom GM Steve Yzerman and new head coach Derek Lalonde both know well from their time with the Lightning.

New Jersey, which traded for Washington goalie Vitek Vanecek, and Philadelphia, which traded for Carolina defenceman Tony DeAngelo, are both reportedly trying to pry Johnny Gaudreau out of Calgary. If that doesn’t materialize, both will probably turn their attention to Nazem Kadri. Or Evander Kane.

And though they might not be considered the frontrunners, expect Buffalo, which had a trade in place for Ottawa’s Matt Murray, to join the bidding war for goaltenders Darcy Kuemper and Jack Campbell.

Between the Montreal Canadiens’ struggles and the fact that the Boston Bruins are in flux, Traikos believes that one of the Wings, Sabres or Senators could attempt to usurp a playoff spot as Toronto, Tampa Bay and Florida battle for Eastern Conference supremacy while facing salary cap issues. He says this about the Red Wings’ potential:

Red Wings assistant director of player development Dan Cleary spoke with the media regarding the purpose of the Wings’ first summer development camp in three years on Sunday.

While the Red Wings did test the players’ skating on Sunday, and they will work on educating players regarding on-ice skill development, working out properly, learning how to rest and recuperate, engaging in best nutritional practices and learning to deal with the media, both social and otherwise…

Cleary made sure to point out that the Red Wings’ brass is in attendance to help educate their prospects, and not overly focus on evaluating them–which is what the fall prospect tournament is for–as he told the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan:

“This is not an evaluation one bit,” Cleary said Sunday, after Day 1 of the camp. “This is an education and enjoy it, get to meet all these guys you haven’t seen. Take whatever information we’re giving you and ask questions. That’s strictly it.”

There was various on-ice testing done Sunday, but it was done mostly to have baseline numbers to compare with the past, and in the future. The testing isn’t done to compare against other players.

“We tested them today, but this is strictly testing to let them know ‘Hey, this is where the pro level is at and this is where you’re at’,” Cleary said. “You’re 18, 19 years old, but there’s not evaluation at all. We’re doing skills, skating, we have vision training, some fun things to do and then, on Thursday, we’ll do a small three-on-three tournament. That’s really it.”

Instilling what the culture of the Wings’ organization, said Cleary, along with the work ethic and character are also key aspects of the week. As in previous camps, and while working with young players in the Wings organization, Cleary has found today’s young athletes receptive to coaching.

“It’s a different athlete,” Cleary said. “Today’s young person, you really have to adapt to them, they have a different mindset, I feel, but a good mindset. We’ve had great kids to work with and some kids who are way more mature at 18 or 19 year old, and we’ve had some, maybe, who weren’t as mature as others. But I’ve never had a kid who has been hard to deal with. They’ve all been terrific.”

Kulfan continues, discussing several topics, and if you missed Cleary’s presser, here it is:

Updated at 6:54 PM: New Red Wings goaltender Ville Husso spoke with the media for the first time as a Red Wing on Sunday, and you can watch his press conference on YouTube.

MLive’s Ansar Khan took note of Husso’s comments regarding an inconsistent but promising 2021-2022 season played in St. Louis, as well as Husso’s remarks about coming to Detroit in a draft-day trade:

Husso had a strong second NHL season (25-7-6, 2.56 goals-against average, .919 save percentage), tying for seventh in Vezina Trophy voting as the league’s top goalie (one third-place vote)

The Red Wings hope Husso plays more like he did the first half of the season (2.03 GAA, .935 save percentage) than the second half and playoffs (3.23 GAA, .901 save percentage). After posting a shutout in his playoff debut against Minnesota, the remainder of the postseason was a struggle (1-5, 4.29 GAA, .869 save percentage).

“The last year was a really good start and unfortunately I got COVOD and was out for three weeks,” Husso said. “Next year I need to be on the level I played that long part of last season. My next goal is to be on that level every single night.”

Husso was going to test the unrestricted free agent marketplace before his trade to Detroit, but he chose to ink a 3-year contract with the Red Wings instead:

“I’m very happy to join the Detroit Red Wings, a historic team, 11 Stanley Cups,” Husso said.

He enters a room with some familiar faces. Yzerman since becoming Red Wings GM has made three trades with the Blues, acquiring Robby Fabbri in 2019 and, at this year’s deadline, sending Nick Leddy to St. Louis for Oskar Sundqvist and Jake Walman.

“They (three former teammates) said good things about Detroit and the fans and everything. I’m looking forward to that,” Husso said. “I’m a pretty easygoing guy, so hopefully all the guys like me, and I think it will be fine.”

Khan continues…

Update: The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan also took note of Husso’s remarks…

The Red Wings posted two videos while I was driving home.

First, here’s assistant director of player development Dan Cleary’s press conference regarding his expectations for development camp…

And Ville Husso spoke with the media for the first time as a Detroit Red Wing on Sunday, packing up his home in St. Louis to prepare for a summer spent in Finland:

Happy to have ya, Ville!

?️ » https://t.co/a1XzxHLnwC pic.twitter.com/m6ZN2dv8F0— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 10, 2022

This Tweet from the Red Wings is worth a post as one Dylan Larkin made sure to call Marco Kasper during the first day of the Red Wings’ summer development camp:

Not a bad way to start camp. ? pic.twitter.com/HcjAYRP0Q9— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 10, 2022

Red Wings director of player development Dan Cleary spoke with the media for about 15 minutes regarding the start of the Red Wings’ first summer development camp in three years. This will be uploaded by the Wings to video soon, but you can listen now:

The Detroit Red Wings’ prospects took part in skating tests over the course of the first day of development camp, and the Detroit News’s David Guralnick posted a 54-image gallery of the prospects and development coaches.

David’s one of the best in the business, so enjoy the pictures.

MLive’s Ansar Khan posted a brief article discussing the reasons why the Red Wings are holding a summer development camp this year, per quotes from GM Steve Yzerman and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper:

“More so for the younger kids that maybe haven’t been around a college program or a European pro program, they get a chance to come in, work with our skating people, our skills people, our fitness people to really make sure they’re on a good program, if they’re not already, for their offseason. We talk about strengths and weaknesses, things we really want them to focus on. And then kind of send them on their way for the rest of the summer. We may not see some of them in Detroit until the following development camp. Mostly it’s a great chance to spend 4-5 days with them, them get to know us and vice-versa.”

Yzerman knows the first-round picks well, having scouted them extensively. Development camp provides him an opportunity to meet many others for the first time, prospects that only the area scouts have seen and met.

“I’m excited about it,” Yzerman said. “I’ll get a chance to see some of these other kids and meet them in person and get to know them. It’s another step in the process.”

It’s important for players and staff to utilize this time.

“It’s been a different couple years for everybody, and obviously these young hockey players as well,” director of amateur scouting Kris Draper said. “We get to bring them into Detroit and have a team meal and bring all our prospects in and do it the right way, do it normal at development camp.”

Continued

The Red Wings’ prospects are hard at work doing skating tests today…

Everyone say hello to Marco Kasper! #LGRW x #DRWDC pic.twitter.com/FTPhlCnLP6— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 10, 2022

Free agent invitee Cedric Fiedler pic.twitter.com/Z0QlnzizR8— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) July 10, 2022

Drill run from 2021 second-round pick (and 2022 NCAA Champ) Shai Buium pic.twitter.com/qNThAGIfoX— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) July 10, 2022

The executives are all here. pic.twitter.com/uwfH4c5Sed— George Malik (@georgemalik) July 10, 2022

No Edvinsson with the Team Howe defenseman group. pic.twitter.com/75ZQUVZJmF— Ken Kal (@KenKalDRW) July 10, 2022

New Red Wings prospect and 2022 draft pick Anton Johansson spoke with HockeyNews.se’s Karl Trogens about being drafted by the Red Wings with the 105th pick in Friday’s draft. Here’s a rough translation of their conversation: