The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan asked Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill about the tricky business that is scouting opponents that your team hasn’t played in almost two years given last year’s emphasis on divisional play:
“Generally you try to go back to games against them a year ago, but we don’t have those,” coach Jeff Blashill said after Saturday’s morning skate. “So now it’s two years ago, and they don’t become nearly as relevant for a couple of reasons. One, the way they forecheck now is different from two years ago.
“The players are so different, too. It’s a different animal, and one we understand. It’s been a full season since we played any of these teams, and we’re facing a little bit different preparation, one that’s not harder or easier, just different.”
One positive is, both teams are, obviously, on equal footing.
“We’re both in the same boat,” Blashill said. “Certainly we have a lot of new faces since when they faced us. We’ve changed some things, and they changed some things.”