Detroit Red Wings Clips October 21, 2015

Transcription

1 Detroit Red Wings Clips October 21, 2015 Detroit Red Wings PAGE 2 Red Wings at Oilers game day: Time, TV, radio info PAGE 3 Wings slow down, work on special teams before trip west PAGE 5 Teen Dylan Larkin energizes Red Wings PAGE 9 Tuesday's roundup: Keith out for Chicago after knee surgery PAGE 10 Red Wings slow down drills for more teaching time PAGE 12 Wings eager to head west for hockey, bonding PAGE 13 Red Wings' power play struggling since scoring during season's first manpower advantage PAGE 15 Daniel Cleary joins Griffins, sets target date for debut PAGE 17 Red Wings' Dylan Larkin ready for first meeting with fellow rookie sensation Connor McDavid PAGE 20 Red Wings looking for more puck possession as way to improve significant shots disparity PAGE 22 Wings ready to get first look at Oilers' McDavid PAGE 24 Red Wings need more out of more lines, says Blashill

2 Red Wings at Oilers game day: Time, TV, radio info Brian Manzullo, Detroit Free Press 12:10 a.m. EDT October 21, 2015 Tonight's game information Detroit Red Wings (3-2-0) at Edmonton Oilers (2-4-0) When: 9:30 p.m. Where: Rexall Place, Edmonton. TV: Fox Sports Detroit. Radio: 97.1 FM in Detroit. (List of Red Wings' radio affiliates) Game notes: This is the beginning of a 3-game West Canada road trip that will continue with the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks.... The Oilers are 2-4, but have won their past two games against Calgary and Vancouver year-old Connor McDavid, the Oilers' No. 1 overall pick in 2015, has three goals and two assists in the young season.... the Red Wings used the early-week break to slow down and work on special teams.... Detroit started the season with three consecutive wins, but has since lost two straight. Detroit Free Press LOADED:

3 Wings slow down, work on special teams before trip west George Sipple, Detroit Free Press 3:03 p.m. EDT October 20, 2015 The Detroit Red Wings worked on the power play and penalty kill during practice at the Taylor Sportsplex today, before heading to the airport for their trip to western Canada. The Wings start off with Edmonton on Wednesday, then face Calgary on Friday and Vancouver on Saturday. The Wings have converted 15.4% on the power play and 80% on the penalty kill in the young NHL season. I think we need to be a little more dangerous, forward Justin Abdelkader said of the power play. Need better zone time, execution off face-offs, trying to keep the puck in their zone as much as possible. Can t be just one-and-done. We got the talent to get it done. Just gotta go out and execute, and we ll be fine. It s still early. Coach Jeff Blashill said he wanted the team to slow things down in practice. We took a little bit more time on it, Blashill said. Sometimes I think we want practice to go at such a high pace that you rush through and maybe don t get as much teaching time. So we slowed it down. We ll see if it helps. Again, it s a small sample size. We ll be fine. We just gotta keep getting better. Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg is looking forward to the road trip, which includes three games in four days. It s a weekend, so we ve got a back-to-back again, Zetterberg said with a smile. It s nice early in the season to go out on a road trip like this. It s good for the team, good to spend some time on the road and play some games and go for dinners and just bond as a team. Getting a long road trip out of the way early is a bonus. It s nicer when it s mid-40s than mid-20s, Zetterberg said of the temperature in Alberta and British Columbia. We don t play there that often anymore, either, so it s fun to go out there and play those games. Go blue? Abdelkader was still trying to get some blue paint off of his body after going to the team s Halloween party as a character from the Avatar movie. Zetterberg said Abdelkader had the best costume. Abdelkader said he put the most effort into it. Just tossing around ideas around with my girlfriend, Abdelkader said of his costume choice. I saw people with the facepaint and the body paint and said, This will be something else if we get this done. Found someone online to come over and do it, and it turned out really good. So Abdelkader, a former Michigan State standout, decided to go blue, the color of rival Michigan? 3

4 I could after the win, Abdelkader said, referring to MSU s football victory over Michigan on Saturday. Didn t matter after we beat them. Goaltender rotation: Blashill said Petr Mrazek will start against the Oilers. Jimmy Howard will get the start against the Flames, and Mrazek will play the next day against the Canucks. Note: Blashill said he s not sure whether the team will practice Thursday. Detroit Free Press LOADED:

5 Teen Dylan Larkin energizes Red Wings Dylan Larkin s path to the NHL was direct and short, and coaches and programs in Michigan provided a way. Among the Red Wings scoring leaders with six points, five games into his first season, Larkin, 19, is also helping defy a general policy of the franchise, one that has served it well: Patient, sustained development of young talent in Grand Rapids and Toledo. Larkin is the first teenager in the Wings lineup since Jiri Hudler in the season. Playing mostly on the top line with Henrik Zetterberg and Justin Abdelkader, his speed and skill are apparent. Larkin has been among the Wings better players in each game during their 3-2 start. He is likely to have few, if any, bus trips with the Griffins to American Hockey League games. Asked which of his previous coaches helped accomplish such a quick ascent to the NHL, he was quick and direct, as he stood in front of his dressing stall at Joe Louis Arena. There was quite a few, said Larkin, who grew up in Waterford and whose father, Kevin, is a Toronto native who played collegiate soccer at Southern Indiana. I played with my uncle Paul growing up, with the Lakeland Hawks, and it kind of grew my passion for the game. And I went over to Belle Tire, and played for Joe Smaza. He just kept telling me where I thought I could be. And I d say another one was Doug Brown, Larkin said, of the former Wings player. I played with his son Christopher, and he was like a parent coach, and he taught me a lot about hockey. And he was a great guy. Add to that, Coach Danton Cole and Darryl Nelson, the strength and conditioning coach at National Training and Development Program, where Larkin turned a corner toward collegiate play as part of the USA Hockey program. Then, at the University of Michigan, it was a season with Red Berenson. The level of hockey here in Michigan is probably at its best, right now, with all of the Triple-A teams and all the players who are not in college and in pros, Larkin said. When I think of all the different options you can take, there s so many options. But it all comes back to coaching. Impressed at young age In the manner of all college coaches, before Larkin skated in maize and blue, Berenson watched Larkin for some years, beginning in mites. 5

6 When I first saw him, I liked the way he skated and I liked the way he competed, Berenson said. He worked really hard on the ice, for a skilled player. And then, after that, we just saw bits and pieces of him, because he had a number of injuries that kept him from having a complete year. So, it really wasn t until he got here that we fully appreciated the kind of player he could be. By then, he d been drafted by Detroit (15th overall in 2014) a lot of people were surprised that he was drafted that high, Berenson said. So, when he came here, he came in with the added expectation that he d been a first-round pick. And he lived up to it, right from day one. He brought it every day. He had a good work ethic in practice. The desire to be good was obvious, Berenson said. And so was another key ingredient. The good thing is, he s coachable as well. He s not just a good player who s not going to get any better. I mean, he s just going to get better, as he gets older and more experienced. Much of what Berenson saw, Larkin s previous coaches experienced. They all talk about fine talent, married to hard work born of intense desire. From mini-mites, through mites and up through pee wee travel, Larkin s uncle said his nephew sometimes played a year ahead of his age, with the bigger kids. He was always that type of player: He was dominant, said Paul Larkin of Clarkston. He was a very smooth and powerful skater as a kid, and obviously that holds true today. Dylan s commitment was key. I think it s just his inner drive to be the best he can be, Paul Larkin said. Dylan would go home and spend hours upon hours shooting the ball on the street, shooting pucks into the net on the driveway. It wasn t anything that he had to work on or that he had to do, he just wanted to do that all the time. I remember one story in particular, when one of the parents said, What is it that Dylan does to make him as good as he is? And I said, when you get home and take your bag and put it in your garage and you come out here for the next practice, Dylan has spent about 15 to 20 hours in between those practices, working on his skills and development. Level of play kept rising Larkin continued to hone his talent in youth travel programs. After a quick stop at Honeybaked, Larkin joined Smaza s talented roster at Belle Tire. Every single year we had him on our team, he did not start as the top guy but he finished as the top guy, Smaza said. That s how I knew he was going to be one of those special hockey players. 6

7 The biggest thing that Dylan had was he was just so fast. You watch him skate, and he drops his butt lower, and he s got a real wide base. His feet are always moving. And that s what helps him create separation from other guys, and it just adds to his speed. Former Red Wing Doug Brown s son Christopher, a sixth-round draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2014, was on the team, when Brown helped with skills development. Dylan was a sponge, trying to absorb as much as he could, Doug Brown said. He has a terrific sense of the game, obviously time and space. And any of the conversations I ever had with Dylan, it was very much about being a quarterback and moving the ball early, not hold on to it so that the defense can set up around you or be able to get a free shot at you. But it was self-motivated, self-determination. You just can t say enough about much he wanted to be a great hockey player, Brown said. You can see it every day that he pushes himself. Then, Larkin was off to the training and development program of USA Hockey. His ability and skill were obvious, Cole said. But well-skilled players often arrive at the program, because it recruits the best. What distinguishes players is who listens and works hard. He got everything out of our program that we had to offer, Cole said. He talked a lot with us about being a 200-foot player, meaning a complete player from end to end on the rink. Dylan had to work on playing without the puck, offensively and defensively. I think sometimes you can get a young kid to do stick handling and shooting and all that. But, to get a guy to work on his angles or his recoveries, defensively, or his stick, defensively, that s a little bit harder. But it s just as important. He kept at that all really well, and he just kept getting better and better. Given adolescence, conditioning is critical. You never really had to tell him anything twice, said Nelson, the strength and conditioning coach. He always worked hard in everything that he did. He did everything the right way. He needed to gain some size and strength, and he did a great job there. Candidate for top rookie Larkin describes his work with Nelson as essential. You know, I think I put on 25 pounds in my two years there, and kind of took a step forward, Larkin said. And then, Larkin committed to Michigan. We saw him play minor midget hockey, and then we followed his progress when he got to the USA program, Berenson said. 7

8 During his one year at Michigan, Larkin participated in the world junior tournament, and returned to Ann Arbor playing at higher level. He really took off in the last half of the season, Berenson said. Continued attention to improvement is an aspect of Larkin s development that Smaza has witnessed, and that he expects to continue through his NHL career. The season is young, but Larkin could emerge as a candidate for the Calder Trophy as the NHL s top rookie. He would be the first Detroit winner since goalie Roger Crozier in When people approached him this summer, asserting Larkin would not make the team, Smaza said he replied, Just give the kid a chance. If he gets a chance, given the opportunity to play with veterans like that, he s just going to spread his wings and make the Red Wings a better team, he said. And the Red Wings are just going to make him a better player, given the opportunity. Detroit News LOADED:

9 Tuesday's roundup: Keith out for Chicago after knee surgery News wire services 11:45 p.m. EDT October 20, 2015 Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith will be out 4-6 weeks after he had right knee surgery Tuesday. Keith, a two-time Norris Trophy winner who played at Michigan State, has two assists in six games this season. Team officials said he had a meniscal tear repaired. The loss of Keith, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy last season as playoff MVP, is a huge blow to the Stanley Cup champions. They play in one of the NHL s toughest divisions, and every point could make a difference at the end of the season. Keith is likely headed for long-term injured reserve, giving the Blackhawks some cap relief. Lubomir Visnovsky, a veteran defenseman who was with the team during training camp, could be brought back, or they could promote someone from the minors. Ice chips The Penguins were without talented rookie Daniel Sprong on Tuesday night against the Panthers because of a work visa issue. Sprong, 18, is of Dutch descent, and moved to Canada with his family to pursue his hockey career in Daniel is in Canada getting an extension on his visa, coach Mike Johnston said. He had an appointment (Monday) morning, the appointment got delayed. So once the process is completed, he s going to be back here right away. That s the status. Johnston said after morning skate there is no chance Sprong would be back in time for the team s game against the Panthers. He has been skating on the team s third line with center Nick Bonino. Sprong s absence is notable because he has made a very compelling case to stick with the team beyond a nine-game tryout. He scored his first goal against Ottawa last week. Sprong has nine NHL games in which to play before being sent back to his junior team, or his entry level contact will kick in.... The Coyotes recalled forward Matthias Plachta from Springfield of the AHL and placed center JoeVitale(upper body) on injured reserve. Detroit News LOADED:

10 Red Wings slow down drills for more teaching time Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 4:18 a.m. EDT October 21, 2015 Taylor Stopping at the Taylor Sportsplex before heading to Metro Airport for their plane to Alberta, the Red Wings worked on the penalty kill and special teams. They are units essential to making the playoffs and playing deep six months from now, the goal for the long season. And after three big wins to start the season, the consecutive losses to the Hurricanes and Canadiens were partially due to a lack of offensive punch. A perkier power play would help. What we did, a little bit, was just kind of give them a chance to slow it down, a little bit, coach Jeff Blashill said, alluding to portions of the drills done at about half to threequarters pace. We took a little more time on it. Sometimes, I think we want practice to go at such a high pace that you rush through and maybe don t get so much teaching time. We ll see if it helps. Five games is not a lot to consider, let alone the downward trends in the two losses. And Blashill expressed confidence, starting with a game tonight against the Oilers before back-to-backs Friday and Saturday against the Flames and Canucks. This is a small sample size, Blashill said. I think we ll be fine. We ve just got to keep getting better at it. Attacking the schedule A lot goes into a long trip for a sports team. Scheduling of practices and meals, sleep and conditioning and when to arrive where, and how, is important. And it all requires some consideration, especially by a coach, working with the captain and the players and his assistants, and folks in the front office. Will Blashill do anything differently from Mike Babcock, coach for the extended excursions of the previous decade? It s hard for me to say, exactly, said Blashill, who traveled with Babcock and the Wings for only a season before heading to journeys on buses in the American Hockey League as coach in Grand Rapids. I think those are decisions you continue to make, he said, of becoming accustomed to his players, and vice versa. And you hope you make more right ones than wrong ones. 10

11 For us, we ll attack it. We ll skate tomorrow, as a pregame, he said, of scheduling a morning skate before the night game. Thursday, we ll make a decision, he said, of the possibility of scheduling a practice on the day off before the back-to-back. But those are the decisions you make as you move forward. Perks of winning Justin Abdlekader, who is scoring big, won the award for the best costume at the team Halloween party. He credited the brainstorm of dressing as an avatar, in part, to his girlfriend. Some of the blue paint required for the regalia remained on his side, said the former Spartans star. When a scribe suggested it might be evidence he had decided to go blue after all, Abdelkader smiled and did not miss a beat. Yeah, well, after we won, he said, I figured I could. The Spartans beat the Wolverines, 27-23, last weekend. Red Wings at Oilers Faceoff: 9:30 Wednesday, Rexall Place, Edmonton, Alberta TV/radio: FSD/97.1 Outlook: After consecutive losses, the Red Wings are confronting some bugaboos from last season difficulty getting out of the zone, turnovers, faceoffs lost and too much time in the penalty box.... The Oilers are coached by former Red Wings assistant Todd McLellan and feature Connor McDavid, 18, who had two goals and two assists in two games last weekend. Detroit News LOADED:

12 Wings eager to head west for hockey, bonding Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 1:15 p.m. EDT October 20, 2015 Taylor Consecutive losses that dropped the Red Wings' record to 3-2, after a big start, power play sputtering, defensive zone exits glacial at times, and with turnovers up and faceoff percentage down, the Wings are not playing enough with the puck. Not quite their style of play, at the moment. And hitting the road, for a stretch? To western Canada, no less? Well, that is just fine with them. Long is the tradition in the NHL that a team looking to improve welcomes a road trip, especially early in the year, when a squad with some new members has not yet quite spent a lot of time together. Plus, the somewhat more cloistered life of the road can increase concentration on the hockey, and what ails their play. At the Taylor Sportsplex, where the Wings worked at length on the power play and penalty kill Tuesday morning, Coach Jeff Blashill and some players talked about their eagerness to hit the road and play better, just before they packed their duffle bags and had them tossed on the truck for the short drive to Detroit Metropolitan Airport. "I think it's a no-brainer; it's a positive anytime you get a chance to spend time as a team," said Blashill, who is launching his first trip to western Canada as coach of the Red Wings. "We haven't had tons of that, obviously. It's been play, go overnight, and play." A veteran of long flights and long trips as part of team that played for most of his career in the Western Conference, Henrik Zetterberg is now exposed to what is, this season, the least travel of any NHL franchise. But the odd schedule also calls for back-to-back games on the first six of seven weekends of the season seven of eight, counting the last weekend of the preseason. Regardless, Zetterberg said, some time on the road right now is likely to benefit this team. "It's a weekend, so we've got to go back-to-back, again," he said, with some sarcasm, and pausing for effect. "Early in the season, it's nice to go on the road like this. It's good for the team.... Play some games and go for dinners and just kind of bond as a team. "We don't play out there that often anymore, so it's fun to go out and play those games." The Red Wings, having earned six out of a possible 10 points so far, play at 9:30 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday against the Oilers; 9 p.m. Friday against the Flames; and 10 p.m. Saturday versus the Canucks. 12

13 Red Wings' power play struggling since scoring during season's first manpower advantage Print Brendan Savage By Brendan Savage on October 20, 2015 at 4:44 PM TAYLOR Detroit Red +Wings coach Jeff Blashill likes to measure his teams in fivegame increments. "It's just the way for me to divide the season up," Blashill said Tuesday before the Red Wings flew to Edmonton for Wednesday's game against the Oilers. "Every five games we look at, first were we a playoff team playoff team that segment and then are we for the year? That's just a cumulative effect. "As you're doing that you're evaluating the process as well. Within the process are there areas you can improve on. We told the team yesterday if we have the exact same process this five-game segment, we're probably not a playoff team. "So our process has to get better and that's we we've tried to work on these last two days." One thing Blashill wasn't pleased with during the first five games was the power play. So with that in mind, he devoted a good chunk of Tuesday's short practice at Taylor SportsPlex to special teams with an extra emphasis on the power play. During a 3-2 start, the Red Wings have scored twice during 13 power-play opportunities for a 15.4-percent success rate. They're 1-for-12 since Justin Abdelkader scored on their first power play of the season in a 4-0 victory over Toronto. "I think we need to be a little more dangerous," said Abdelakder, who leads the Red Wings with four goals. "Better zone time, execution off faceoffs, winning faceoffs, trying to keep the puck in their zone as much as possible. It can't be just one and done. "We got the talent here to get it done. We just gotta go out and execute. I think we'll be fine. It's still early. It's one of those things where specialty teams are so important that your power play and penalty kill you see in these last games are going to be crucial." Captain Henrik Zetterberg thinks the power play is a reason the Red Wings have dropped two straight games. They were 0-for-5 on the power play in losses to Carolina and Montreal and haven't scored in their last six power plays. "That can be better," Zetterberg said. "We've had our chances to either get back in games or go ahead in games with our power play but we didn't create enough chances. (The penalty kill), I think, has been good. "They've been keeping us in games but the power play has to be better, especially on this trip." 13

14 The Red Wings' penalty killers rank 22nd after allowing four power-play goals in 20 opportunities, an 80-percent success rate. Two of the power-play goals they allowed came during Saturday's 4-1 loss to the Canadiens. Michigan Live LOADED:

15 Daniel Cleary joins Griffins, sets target date for debut Print Peter J. Wallner By Peter J. Wallner on October 20, 2015 at 2:05 PM, updated October 20, 2015 at 9:18 PM Daniel Cleary practiced for the first time with the Grand Rapids Griffins on Tuesday and said his goals are focused on the team and not to get back to the Detroit Red Wings or the NHL. "My goal is to be a good teammate, a good leader and play well and help this team win," he said. "I'm not worried about anything else getting called up or going back to Detroit. That doesn't even cross my mind." Following the Griffins' 90 minute practice, the 36-year-old Cleary said he hopes to make his debut with the team Oct. 30 in Toronto. He hasn't played since the Red Wings' preseason game Oct. 3 against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Cleary, a 17-year veteran, was waived by the Red Wings on Oct. 7 after an injury-filled season limited to just 17 games. He did not immediately to report to Grand Rapids but rather said he wanted to take time and discuss his next step with family and friends. He said Chris Chelios spoke highly of Grand Rapids, which played into his decision. Daniel Cleary goes through his first practice with the Griffins on Tuesday. "I'm excited to be here, actually. I can't wait," Cleary said. "I want to play, like anyone. I didn't want to stop playing. That was the big thing. I love playing." Cleary has 165 goals in an NHL career that spans 938 career games beginning in with Chicago. His most productive season came in when he 26 goals and 46 points. The Griffins could use some scoring. They are off to a 0-4 start with back-to-back home games against Charlotte on Wednesday and Friday. Coach Todd Nelson, who had Cleary - wearing No skate with Zach Nastasiuk and Joel Rechlicz in practice, expects the right winger to be a mentor and also contribute as a scorer. "He's been through a lot and anytime you can add a guy to your roster with that much experience, someone who's been through the ups and downs, can only help the younger players adapt to be a pro hockey player." Nelson said. The first-year coach also noted, "He's a guy even the coaching staff can pick his brain about certain things and what he's seen in the past. I think it's a two-way street." Cleary is familiar with most of the Griffins from camp, but hasn't played in the AHL since the season with the Hamilton Bulldogs as part of the Edmonton Oilers organization. His arrival gives the Griffins the two oldest players in the league. Captain Jeff Hoggan is

16 "To get a veteran guy like that who comes down with a positive attitude is huge," Hoggan said. "I can relate to his sentiment about love of the game and his passion. This league will definitely test anybody. It's not the first-class seats. It's the business class now." Anthony Mantha said he can also help the younger players. "It's going to help us, for sure," Mantha said. "He has a lot of experience and can help us out in tough moments like right now and also when things are going our way. So, for him to be here is a good opportunity for us and I'm looking forward to it." Cleary has played once before in Grand Rapids, during a Red and White game at Van Andel Arena in Pete Wallner covers sports for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. him at pwallner@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+. Michigan Live LOADED:

17 Red Wings' Dylan Larkin ready for first meeting with fellow rookie sensation Connor McDavid Print Brendan Savage By Brendan Savage on October 20, 2015 at 1:24 PM, updated October 20, 2015 at 1:25 PM TAYLOR No NHL rookie spent more time under the microscope during the summer and preseason than Connor McDavid. No surprise there. McDavid was not only the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, he's in a city that's starving for success. The Edmonton Oilers haven't made the playoffs in nine seasons and that's not easy for a fan base that watched a guy named Gretzky lead their team to four Stanley Cups during the 1980s. But with the regular season in full swing, McDavid isn't the only rookie making headlines. In fact, many would argue he hasn't even been the best first-year player in the NHL this season. Chicago's Artemi Panarin tops all rookies with seven points, Arizona's Anthony Duclair has a rookie-best four goals to go with a plus-6 rating, and Montreal goaltender Mike Condon pitched a shutout in his first NHL game. A case could also be made for Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin. Larkin, the 15th overall pick in the 2014 draft, is tied for second among rookies in points (6), ranks first in plus-minus (7) and is fifth in shots (14) while playing a vital role on Detroit's top forward line. McDavid, meanwhile, has three goals and two assists in six games to lead the Oilers in scoring. Now, the two much-heralded rookies are preparing to meet for the first time on an NHL rink when the Red Wings visit Edmonton Wednesday to start a three-game Western Canada road trip. While this will mark the first time they've met as pros, they're not strangers on the ice by any means. "Yeah, I know him, played against him since I was probably 12, 13," Larkin said. "He's always been a special player. Obviously, last game three points. He's going to be someone we have to watch. I'm excited to see him. "He's got good speed and good hands. He's pretty much the complete player. He knows how to find guys and you never know what he's going to do so he's a pretty shifty player." 17

18 Given that both are still teenagers Larkin turned 19 at the end of July and McDavid is 18 Wednesday's game will likely mark the beginning of many head-to-head matchups between the two. But if Larkin is correct, it won't become a personal rivalry. "No, I think he's such a nice guy," Larkin said. "I got to meet him this summer, hang out with him a little bit at the Rookie Showcase. He's a good guy. It's good to see a nice, humble guy like that. "I think his whole life he's had a lot of attention. He handles it well and he's always produced. I think as he keeps producing he's going to get more attention." Seeing Larkin not only make the Red Wings roster out of training camp but earn a spot on the top line was a bit of a surprise to some people given Detroit's tendency to bring prospects along slowly. The Red Wings normally preferring to season their youngsters in Grand Rapids of the AHL rather than rush them to the NHL. That's what happens when a team has made the playoffs for 24 straight seasons. But McDavid was destined to wear an Oilers uniform from the minute he was named the No. 1 pick in this year's draft. Not only are the Oilers desperate to make the playoffs, McDavid put up phenomenal numbers for the OHL's Erie Otters. Over the last three seasons, he racked up 97 goals and 188 assists for an average of 95 points. Last season, he had 44 goals, 120 points and a plus-60 rating in 44 regularseason games before bagging 21 goals and 28 assists in 20 playoff games. Larkin didn't feature those types of numbers he had 15 goals and 32 assists in 35 games for the University of Michigan but he did show enough all-around skill to play for the United States in the World Championship last spring. Wednesday's game will mark the first time Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill has seen McDavid up close. "I hope he doesn't get much done," Blashill said. "He's a really good player. I watched him (Sunday) night. I saw him play a little bit in junior on TV. He's a great, great hockey player but I'm just focused on our team." Seeing players as young as McDavid and Larkin in the NHL doesn't surprise Blashill since plenty of players go straight to the NHL after being drafted. But contributing and playing a major role is what separates McDavid and Larkin from many of their peers. "I think there's been 18-year-olds and 19-year-olds that have played in the league and they've done all right but they haven't done it on winning teams," Blashill said. "Anybody can give you an opportunity to play. It's one thing to be impactful and help your team win. I think that's the difference sometimes. 18

19 "I think both of them are probably elite, elite talents and I think you have to be an elite talent to do that at that level. You probably have to have a fairly complete game, you have to be well-rounded in those areas. "I just can speak of Larkin and so far what's given him the chance at success is he's got a two-way, 200-foot game that allows him to be up to have offensive success." After facing Edmonton, the Red Wings will visit Calgary Friday and Vancouver Saturday. Blashill said Petr Mrazek will start in goal against the Oilers and Canucks with Jimmy Howard getting the nod against the Flames. Michigan Live LOADED:

20 Red Wings looking for more puck possession as way to improve significant shots disparity Print Ansar Khan By Ansar Khan on October 20, 2015 at 6:04 AM, updated October 20, 2015 at 6:09 AM DETROIT The Detroit Red Wings have spent too much time in the defensive zone and have lost more faceoffs than they've won. They're chasing the puck too much, and that's why they have the worst shot differential in the NHL they've averaged a league-low 21 shots per game and are allowing 33 shots against. They've managed a 3-2 record despite the disparity, but coach Jeff Blashill knows this can't continue as the team prepares for a trip to Western Canada that starts Wednesday in Edmonton. "We won't have long-term success if those stats stay the same," Blashill said. "Our job as a coaching staff is to figure out what we can work on to make sure that doesn't happen, and certainly I think we got to get the puck out of our end better." Even while going in the preseason Blashill expressed concern about the team's difficulty with breakouts. That's been a major contributor to the high shot totals against. "Way too many turnovers, not just in our own zone, but all over the ice, which leads to spending too much time in our own zone," Niklas Kronwall said. "Everything starts with getting back to the puck quicker and winning puck battles. Getting body position, making sure we have guys in front of us instead of behind us, preventing them from taking that first shot. If we can stop them right away by making that first contact early then everything else kind of sorts itself out." Blashill said they're spending 45 seconds more in the defensive zone than the offensive zone at even strength. It's not an excessive disparity, he said, but it's too high. "In three of the five games, it's been in the three-minute and four-minute range, where we've spent more time in our D-zone than in our O-zone," Blashill said. He added: "There are multiple facets to that. One, we can't turn pucks over. Two, we need to have better support, that helps eliminate turnovers. Three, we got to win some wall battles. And in the other areas, we got to have the puck more in the offensive zone. For me, that's more pressure on the forecheck and being heavier and stronger on the puck and rolling it around a little bit and creating more O-zone time." And when they're in the offensive zone, they're not getting enough sustained pressure. "A lot of it has been because we're not being quick enough on defense," Kronwall said. "We have to win the puck a little bit quicker in our own zone. Everybody's got to go. We can't just let forwards go, us D-men too, the first good pass and then we join, too, to create more offense." 20

21 The Red Wings have taken pride in their puck-possession game for many years. "It's just getting pucks back and holding onto them," Brad Richards said. "If we get that sharper that'll give us a better chance at retrieving pucks, create more turnovers, create more zone time and then you make sure you have the mentality of shooting more and we'll get more shots. "It's a puck-possession league now. It's tough to get it back in good areas. Sometimes winning the faceoffs you can start the shift on your toes rather than on your heels and that helps a lot. Those battles, we have to get them more on our side." The Red Wings typically are among the league leaders in faceoff percentage. Right now they are tied for 26th at 46.5 percent. "I don't think that always falls on the centers; I think that's a team stat," Blashill said. "We want to have a line of scrimmage mentality." Michigan Live LOADED:

22 Wings ready to get first look at Oilers' McDavid By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily POSTED: 10/20/15, 5:25 PM EDT UPDATED: 34 SECS AGO # COMMENTS TAYLOR >> The Detroit Red Wings will get their first look at the 18-year-old rookie Conner McDavid when they play at Edmonton, Wednesday. The top-overall pick from this past draft, who turns 19 in January, has three goals and two assists in six games with the Oilers. I think there s been 18-year-olds and 19-year-olds that have played in the league and they ve done alright but they haven t done it on winning teams, Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. Anybody can give you an opportunity to play. It s one thing to be impactful and help your team win. I think that s the difference sometimes. McDavid has two goals and two assists over his last two games. I think you have to be an elite talent to do that at that level, Blashill said. You probably have to have a fairly complete game. You have to be well-rounded in those areas. I just can speak of (Dylan) Larkin and so far what s given him the chance at success is he s got a two-way, 200-foot game that allows him to be up to have offensive success, Blashill added. Larkin, who s in his first full season in Detroit, was taken 15th overall in 2014 by the Wings and is tied for second among rookies in points (six). He s always been a special player, Larkin said of McDavid. I m excited to see him. Larkin also ranks first in plus-minus (seven) and is fifth in shots (14) while playing a vital role on Detroit s top forward line. I haven t seen him at all, Justin Abdelkader said of McDavid. I know he scored his first goal, I know he made a few good plays. He s going to be a good player with high-end skill, something that Edmonton has had a lot of with all their top picks. Not only are the Oilers desperate to make the playoffs, McDavid put up phenomenal numbers for the OHL s Erie Otters. In the last three seasons with the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League, McDavid racked totaled 97 goals and 188 assists. Last season, he had 44 goals, 76 assists and had a plus-60 rating in 44 regular season games. He also had 21 goals and 28 assists in 20 playoff games. He ll definitely be someone to be aware of out there but they ve got a lot of talented players, Larkin said. POWER PLAY WOES The Wings have just scored twice in 13 man-advantage situations this season. 22

23 That can be better, Henrik Zetterberg said. We ve had our chances to either get back in games or go ahead in games with our power play but we didn t create enough chances. PK I think has been good. They ve been keeping us in games but the power play has to be better, especially on this trip. The power play is just 1-for-12 since Abdelkader scored on the Wings first power play of the season on opening night. I think we need to be a little more dangerous, Abdelkader said. Better zone time, execution off face-offs, winning face-offs, trying to keep the puck in their zone as much as possible. It can t be just one-and-done. We ve got the talent here to get it done, we ve just got to go out and execute, Abdelkader added. I think we ll be fine. It s still early. It s one of those things where specialty teams are so important that your power play and penalty kill you see in these last games are going to be crucial. THIS AND THAT Blashill said that Petr Mrazek will start Wednesday and Saturday, while Jimmy Howard will start Friday on this three-game road trip. The Wings penalty-kill ranks 22nd after allowing four power-play goals in 20 opportunities. Macomb Daily LOADED:

24 Red Wings need more out of more lines, says Blashill Mike Halford Oct 20, 2015, 10:58 AM Detroit has to be happy about the production from its new top line of Henrik Zetterberg, Justin Abdelkader and Dylan Larkin the trio has combined for 20 points in the first five games. But lines two, three and four? Those are a problem. We need more out of more lines, head coach Jeff Blashill said, per the Free Press. The chemistry that Zetterberg, Abdelkader and Larkin found almost immediately has eluded other forward groups. Brad Richards, one of the club s big free agent acquisitions this summer, had been skating with Tomas Tatar, with middling results no goals and just four combined assists so, ahead of Wednesday s game against Edmonton, Blashill shuffled things up. Tatar moved to a line with Riley Sheahan and Gustav Nyquist, while Richards skated between Darren Helm and Teemu Pulkkinen. Statistically speaking, it s easy to see what areas of the game Detroit s secondary (and tertiary) lines need to improve. The Red Wings possession metrics are down (second-worse Corsi, per war-onice.com) and the club sits last in the NHL in shots per game (21.4). Blashill also stressed the need for his team to avoid getting pinned into its own defensive zone for such long stretches. In three of the five games, it s been the three-minute and four-minute range where we spend more in our D-zone than our O-zone, he said. That to me is the concern. NBCSports.com / LOADED: