Evening news: Red Wings’ ‘mini camp’ prepares them for a daunting stretch run schedule

The Red Wings are happy to have gotten back to work at Little Caesars Arena ahead of a daunting stretch run schedule, as Andrew Copp told DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills…

“Ten days is a long time to be away from the rink no matter if you’re skating, working out or doing nothing,” Andrew Copp said. “You need these four days. It’s been pretty upbeat and energetic so far. I think guys are excited to get back.”

Detroit went into the 4 Nations Face-Off break with plenty of momentum, going 15-4-1 from Dec. 29 – Feb. 8. Now, according to Copp, it’s about improving and carrying that momentum over into the club’s final 27 games of the regular season.

“[Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan] has been trying to make sure we’re paying attention to the details,” Copp said. “We’re staying in shifts kind of long to make sure that we’re not only physically ready, but our minds are ready to be at tip-top [shape] for games that last three hours. You can replicate as much as you want in practice, but we’re only out there for an hour. It’s hard to have that mental stamina to stay in a game for 2.5 – 3 hours after two weeks off.”

The players know mentality matters, especially as the team continues forming its identity under McLellan.

“We talked a little bit about identity again today and all the parts of the actual hockey game, but something that we talked about at the end was our togetherness, resiliency and the team that we have, in terms of handling adversity, but sticking together,” Copp said. “That has really improved since Christmas. Obviously, winning helps with that but I feel like we’re really gelling as a team.”

But the Red Wings have an incredibly difficult schedule between this weekend and the end of the regular season, as MLive’s Ansar Khan noted:

Continue reading Evening news: Red Wings’ ‘mini camp’ prepares them for a daunting stretch run schedule

Tweets of note: Dylan Larkin on SportsCenter ahead of the Four Nations Final

From the Detroit Red Wings on Twitter:

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Seider, Copp dig their Stadium Series gear

MLive’s Ansar Khan asked several Red Wings to weigh in on their unique winged helmets and Stadium Series jerseys:

“Pretty cool,” Moritz Seider said. “I was fortunate enough to see the whole look already and looks really sweet. Had a chance trying it on firsthand and it feels pretty good. I think the excitement is starting to grow here.”

Andrew Copp, who went to Michigan and was a prolific high school quarterback at Ann Arbor Skyline High School, noted the similarity in colors to U-M’s bitter rival.

“There’s a little tribute, colors are opposite though, so can’t get too close or else we’ll look like Ohio State,” Copp said. “It’s pretty good, I guess. Took a little to get used to it, seeing it on the ice. Definitely different than seeing it on a picture. But the jerseys should look good.”

It will be the Red Wings’ fifth outdoor game and first since Jan. 1, 2017, against Toronto at BMO Field.

Seider is among the players who haven’t played an outdoor NHL game but has at a lower level.

“In juniors back home (in Germany) we played before the men’s team played,” Seider said. “Probably like 35, 40 (thousand fans), and they sold-out I think with 55 (thousand) for the men’s game. Pretty cool atmosphere. It’s really special being on the ice and everything is so far away.”

Continued

Tweet of note: Talbot and Lyon’s Stadium Series masks

From CBS Detroit’s Rachel Hopmayer:

Video: Copp, coach McLellan speak with the media after Wednesday’s practice

The Red Wings continued their “mini-camp” at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center on Wednesday morning, with Lucas Raymond (who should return tomorrow) and Dylan Larkin (who won’t return until Saturday’s game vs. Minnesota) still absent.

With only a week-and-a-half before the Stadium Series game against Columbus, the Red Wings have been breaking in their gloves, pants and helmets for that game…

But Detroit will have four games to be played before their Saturday, March 1st outside game against Columbus–including the front half of a home-and-home series with the Blue Jackets–as well as a back-to-back set of games (vs. Minnesota and Anaheim) this weekend.

Ultimately, the Red Wings will play 8 times in the 15 calendar days before the March 7th trade deadline, and that’s a fair amount of games to undertake.

After the Red Wings’ practice today, Andrew Copp and coach Todd McLellan spoke with the media:

More on 11-year-old Scott Hart’s visit with Tyler Motte and the Red Wings

The Michigan Chronicle’s Amber Ogden reported that the Red Wings hosted a 10-year-old hockey whiz who happens to be from Detroit at Tuesday’s practice, and today, DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills has more about Scott Hart’s visit with Tyler Motte:

A native of Detroit’s westside, Hart started playing hockey roughly six years ago. Hart’s love for the game has only grown since then, prompting his parents to build him a backyard rink that the family has maintained for the past four winters.

For Motte, who was born in St. Clair, Mich., hockey also was a big part of his childhood.

“The few Red Wings games that we got down to in Detroit were always important and awesome,” Motte said. “Growing up, watching great teams but getting into other hockey like college hockey and the [Port Huron Prowlers]. Going to those games and getting signed sticks, pucks and all that goes a long way. I remember being [Hart’s] age and what it meant to me and is part of my hockey career.”

Before wrapping up their combined post-practice media session, Hart told Motte that he hopes “you guys can make it to the playoffs.”

The 29-year-old forward smiled.

“We’ll do our best for you, buddy,” Motte said. “We look forward to seeing you at the game.”

An accurate ‘Mount Rushmore of defensemen’ for the Red Wings from 1990-2025

Bleacher Report’s Lyle Richardson compiled a list of every team’s “Mount Rushmore of defensemen” over the last 35 years, and his picks for the Red Wings are no-brainers:

Nicklas Lidström spent his entire 20-year career with the Detroit Red Wings, winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy seven times, named to the First All-Star Team eight times, winning the Stanley Cup four times and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2002. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014.

Chris Chelios spent 10 of his 26-season NHL career with the Red Wings. He helped them win the Stanley Cup in 2002 and in 2008, and was a finalist for the Norris Trophy in 2002. Chelios is third all-time among Wings defensemen in plus/minus (plus-158) and eighth in games played with 578.

Niklas Kronwall spent his entire 15-season career with Detroit. A heavy-hitting defenseman, he’s tied with Pavel Datsyuk for ninth in games played with 953, sitting third among their blueliners in that category and in points with 432 points.

Vladimir Konstantinov spent only six seasons with the Wings before his playing career was tragically cut short following their 1997 Stanley Cup victory. He was named to the All-Rookie Team in 1991-92. Konstantinov is second among their defensemen in plus/minus (185) and 10th in points with 175.

Continued; easy picks, good summaries.