Kulfan, St. James offer ‘questions’ and ‘storylines’ for training camp

Both the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan and the Free Press’s Helene St. James offer training camp questions and/or storylines this morning, so we’re going to combine their articles into one entry.

Among Kulfan’s questions:

▶ 3. Will all the new faces mesh with the remaining players? That’s always a question as training camp arrives. But rarely has there been as dramatic of a roster shakeup as this one with the Wings, with so many new faces.

Given the experience level of most of the new players, there’s a good chance the jelling and getting comfortable with each other shouldn’t take that long.

But it’ll be a work in progress, for sure.

▶ 4. How does Alex DeBrincat fit in? The Wings finally have an elite, proven goal-scorer who returns home (DeBrincat is from Farmington Hills) who is expected to boost an offense that needs a spark.

DeBrincat has scored 41 goals twice in a season while in Chicago, and that type of production would go a long way toward the Wings inching closer to a playoff berth.

It’s exciting to think what DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin can be capable of if the two, as expected, play on the same line.

Kulfan continues (paywall)…I am curious to see how long it takes for the roster to “gel” given that 40% of it changed over the course of the summer…

And the Free Press’s Helene St. James offers five “storylines” to watch for as training camp begins:

Power play units: Expect there to be an emphasis on special teams during camp, so that the coaching staff can get a feel for which units should get the most looks during exhibition season. Alex DeBrincat, Jeff Petry and Shayne Gostisbehere headline the newcomer cast that should give the Wings an actual advantage when they have an extra skater, something that has been missing the last several years. The coaching staff will have choice selections in putting together the two units, with solid options for players to play in front of the net, along the wall, and on the point. A functional power play would go a long way towards making the playoffs.

Line combinations: With DeBrincat on the top line next to Dylan Larkin, the Wings suddenly look like they can field two real scoring lines, with either newcomer J.T. Compher or Andrew Copp centering the second line and David Perron and Lucas Raymond on the wings. With Copp and Michael Rasmussen showing chemistry before a February injury ended Rasmussen’s season, those two could end up on the third line, with Robby Fabbri. That’s a group with scoring potential, too, in addition to sound defense.

Continued; I’m very curious to see which prospects respond to the increased competition well, and which prospects and/or try-outs’ play falls off now that the NHL’ers are in town.

Duff: Theodor Niederbach’s ice time dinged by Modo’s signing of former Griffin Danny O’Regan

I had a bit of a laugh when I read that Modo Ornskoldsvik of the SHL signed former Grand Rapids Griffins forward Danny O’Regan. Between O’Regan signing with Modo and Luke Witkowski signing with Tappara of the Finnish Liiga, it’s been a busy 24 hours for former marquee names on the Griffins’ roster.

All is not well, though, according to Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff, who reports that the signing of O’Regan hurts the cause of Wings prospect Theodor Niederbach:

Modo’s plan is to insert O’Regan, a right-shot center who’s also played on the wing, on the right side of their top line. That’s where Niederbach was performing in MoDo’s season opener.

In that game, a 2-1 overtime loss to fellow Red Wings draftee Axel Sandin Pellikka and Skelleftea, Niederbach was skating 18:49 of ice time, finishing even with one hit. It’s Niederbach’s third season in the SHL. He spent all of the 2021-22 campaign with Frolunda. Starting out last season with Rogle, Niederbach was dropping down to MoDo in the Allsvenskan (Swedish second division), helping the club regain promotion to the SHL.

Continued; as Duff notes, Niederbach’s rights expire on June 1st of 2024, so the Red Wings will have to make a decision as to whether to sign him before that date. At this point, I’d say that it’s 50/50 that the 5’11,” 172-pound 21-year-old Niederbach actually signs with Detroit. He’s got real playmaking skills, but he’s very inconsistent.

Tweet of note: a peek at the Red Wings’ giveaways from Bally Sports Detroit

Red Wings Vice-President of Marketing Ben Broder appeared on tonight’s Tigers Live broadcast on Bally Sports Detroit to discuss some of the giveaways that the Red Wings will have this upcoming season. And he talks about how you can buy ticket plans.

I figured that you’d want to see the “goodies,” so it offsets the free advertising:

Tweet of note: The best caddy?

The Red Wings’ players and coaching staff took part in their charity golf tournament in Traverse City today, and they were asked which player on the team would be the best golf caddy:

A bit more from Steve Yzerman’s presser, per Mills, regarding Joe Veleno and younger players in general

DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills offers a few more quotes from Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman’s press conference held with the media on Tuesday, and Mills closes with an interesting set of comments made about the potential performance of one Joe Veleno, and young players in general:

Forward Joe Veleno is another player who Yzerman is counting on to contribute this season. Veleno is coming off his first full campaign in Detroit in 2022-23, and the 23-year-old forward re-signed a one-year contract with the club on Aug. 22.

“He had 20 points last year,” Yzerman said about Veleno. “I’d like him to improve upon that total. But saying that, I don’t want him focused on going out and scoring. He’s predominately a centerman but can play the wing.

“I’d like to see him potentially take on a bigger role on the penalty kill. He’ll have to earn that. Maybe find a spot on the power play somewhere, just play more minutes and a bigger role for us. Joe is a young guy. He works really hard, is very quiet and a respectful young man. I’m counting on him to take another step this year and just be a more impactful player.”

Player development is critical to future success for the Red Wings and their American Hockey League-affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins, according to Yzerman.

“We want our young players to play, even at the American-League level,” Yzerman said. “If they can’t keep up or help you win, they’re probably not ready to play at that level so you got to find somewhere else for them to play. As much as we can say, ‘Hey, just play the young guys,’ they got to be able to contribute a little bit. That’s why it’s important to have an affiliate in the East Coast League, or you send them back to juniors or Europe. But ideally, you have your young players play a significant role in the minors and improving as players.”

Continued

Jakub Kindl talks about Mike Babcock

Yahoo sports’ Jacob Stoller reports that yet another former Red Wings player is speaking out about his experiences under former Wings coach Mike Babcock:

Three days after Mike Babcock stepped down as the head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, former Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jakub Kindl detailed how difficult Babcock made life for him in an article titled “Seventh Defensemen,” which he published on a Czechia news site titled Bez Frazi.

While Kindl, who spent parts of nine seasons in the Detroit Red Wings organization, lauded some of Babcock’s coaching abilities — such as his game-day preparation — he didn’t shy away from explaining just how miserable Babcock made life for him.

“I wasn’t his favorite player from the beginning, and even though (Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland) liked me, Babcock seemed to constantly test what I could handle and he let me know that he didn’t like me as a player,” Kindl wrote. “I couldn’t stand him as a person.”

The 36-year-old retired defenseman recounted sequences where Babcock ostracized him.

“I saw him making jokes with the others, but with me, he barely exchanged a few words,” Kindl said. “If he did, it was to humiliate me. For example, he once put me on the right side of the defense, and I was looking at the lineup in disbelief. He was just passing by and heard me, so he looked at the lineup and said, ‘Yeah, you’re on the right side. You have trouble playing on the left, and I’m making it harder for you, right?'”

Continued; Kindl’s story in Bez Frazi is available in English.

Khan’s training camp storylines of note

MLive’s Ansar Khan discusses pertinent training camp storylines this evening, including the following:

2. Which players are battling for spots in the lineup? The most interesting battle will be on defense, where the late-offseason trade for Petry gives the team seven experienced defensemen. When everyone is healthy – always a big if – Moritz Seider, Jake Walman, Olli Maatta, Gostisbehere and Petry can be penciled into the everyday lineup. That would leave Ben Chiarot and Justin Holl battling for the sixth spot.

They also have 13 NHL forwards, so someone who’s expecting to play regularly will be watching. The top eight could consist of Larkin, DeBrincat, Perron, Raymond, Andrew Copp, Compher, Michael Rasmussen and Robby Fabbri. That would leave four spots for five players – Kostin, Daniel Sprong, Joe Veleno, Jonatan Berggren and Christian Fischer.

3. Do any prospects have a legitimate chance of making the roster? Not likely unless there is an injury or two to a veteran. Simon Edvinsson made a favorable impression during a nine-game late-season stint, but the Red Wings, with their additions on defense, clearly feel he needs more time in Grand Rapids. The same for 2022 eighth overall pick Marco Kasper, who’s only 19 and could use some seasoning in the AHL. Elmer Soderblom, who played 21 games with the Red Wings as a rookie, probably has the best chance of cracking the roster among prospects. But with any of these young players, including the waiver-exempt Berggren, they’ll only be in Detroit if they’re playing regularly, not as reserves.

Continued; injuries are the great leveler, and they always happen over the course of training camp and the baffling 8-games-in-12-nights exhibition season. Injuries will help tell the tale.

New Red Wings forward J.T. Compher attended a different kind of draft recently

According to NHLPA.com’s Chris Lomon, new Red Wings forward J.T. Compher went to Toronto recently to support his sister, Jesse, as she was drafted by the PHWL:

It has been just over 10 years since J.T. Compher was selected 35th overall at the 2013 NHL Draft in New Jersey.

Compher once again found himself sitting in the stands at another draft on Monday this time in Toronto. The Detroit Red Wings forward was eagerly anticipating hearing the name of his sister, fellow forward Jesse Compher, being called at the inaugural Professional Women’s Hockey League Draft.

It was an experience the Compher family, parents Bob and Valerie, their children, Jesse, J.T. and Morgan, will always remember. It was also a monumental day for women’s hockey that had been years in the making.

Played out in front of a packed house at CBC headquarters, 90 of the top players from across the world in the women’s game were drafted into the PWHL the newly formed six-team league, which will see its first on-ice action in January. Luminaries included board member and tennis legend, Billie Jean King, along with other high-profile sports figures.

It was Minnesota native Taylor Heise who was the first player off the board, the U.S. Women’s National Team member selected by her home state squad. Twenty-five picks later, former Boston University and University of Wisconsin standout, Jesse Compher, was selected 26th overall by Toronto.

“That day will be one for the history books, which was incredible to be part of,” said Jesse, who captained BU in her senior year. “I was lucky to be able to be there and it was awesome to have my family with me. They have supported me throughout my career, and it was amazing to have them there with me. I couldn’t ask for a better support system.”

Continued