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Detroit Red Wings head west with belief after woes on last road trip
Detroit — After a trio of home wins, the Detroit Red Wings will get back on the road as January ends, hoping for better results than the last road trip.
Detroit (24-21-5) last hit the road from Jan. 16-21 and went 1-2-1 in that span, playing four games in six days and cooling the hot streak the Red Wings had been on since Todd McLellan was installed as head coach just over a month ago. Following three straight wins at home, Detroit gears up for a trip out west that again will see the Red Wings play four games in six days, the group is hungry to prove the turnaround isn’t fool’s gold.
Detroit opens the road trip on Thursday at Edmonton (32-15-3), where McLellan previously coached. And while he wants to see a successful road trip on the whole, his focus is zeroed in on starting the trip victorious.
“There isn’t an easy road trip,” McLellan said recently. “Everybody made a lot of the last one and the gauntlet we went through, and we’re doing it again. I don’t like to think about the whole, I just want to look forward to practice and let’s get to Edmonton.”
Specifically, Detroit will need to contend with one of the best offensive duos in the league: Edmonton forwards Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Entering Wednesday’s games, Draisaitl was second in the league in points with 75 and McDavid was fifth with 66. Draisaitl also has a league-leading 35 goals, six more than the next closest.
To stymie that duo and Edmonton, McLellan knows it will require a stout defensive performance but also help from the rest of the lineup. Goaltending needs to play well, the Red Wings need to avoid giving up power plays, and holding the puck on offense for long stretches can all play a role in diminishing the impact McDavid or Draisaitl can have.
“The two of them are elite separately and they’re super elite together,” McLellan said. “They play a completely different game. One fast, one slows it down with passing and vision. They remind me of the Sedins (former Henrik and Daniel, former Vancouver Canucks greats), but they’re not twins. They kind of share a same thought process.”
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Belief grows in Wings’ dressing room
After starting the year 13-17-4 under Derek LaLonde, the Wings have reeled off an 11-4-1 mark under McLellan. And behind the surge in the standings for Detroit has been a rising tide of belief in the Wings locker room, even after the recent road skid.
Center Andrew Copp said some of the belief started to manifest in practice, cues the team took from their intensity and pace. But all that would’ve likely amounted to little if the wins didn’t start to flow.
“We had a couple bad games; it’s going to happen,” Copp said. “We’ve been playing really good since Christmas, and I think it’s a really important trip to gain a little bit more momentum going into the break feeling good about ourselves and get ready for the sprint at the end of the season.”
And while Detroit is still on the fringe of the playoff picture in the standings, the vibe among the team has shifted with the season around halfway done and the midseason break for the 4 Nations Faceoff set for early February.
“I don’t think we’ll sneak up on teams,” McLellan said. “I think we’ll get their attention. And the players have earned that respect. But with that respect comes a lot of responsibility to play properly.”
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Kane to make trip, but won’t play Thursday
After recently placing winger Patrick Kane on injured reserve, the Red Wings had a shimmer of good news Wednesday, as Kane skated with the team. He did not participate fully in practice, though.
After the morning skate, McLellan said Kane will make the trip out west with the team but won’t be available on Thursday against the Oilers. Kane is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury, despite his IR designation.
“He skated with us, which is a good sign, but likely not ready,” McLellan said.
Forward J.T. Compher is in a similar boat to Kane, McLellan said, as he’ll make the trip. His status for Thursday against Edmonton isn’t clear. And defender Jeff Petry won’t be making the trip, McLellan said, as the veteran deals with an injury,
There is good health news for Detroit, though, as forward Vladimir Tarasenko is expected to return to the lineup on Thursday after dealing with an illness, McLellan said.
Red Wings at Oilers
Faceoff: 9 p.m. Thursday, Rogers Place, Edmonton
TV/radio: FSN/97.1 FM
Outlook: The Wings (24-21-5) go back on the road after winning three straight at home, this time heading west to start a four-game stretch against Pacific Division leaders Edmonton (32-15-3). Detroit struggled on its last road trip and will face down the challenge of playing two of the top points-getters in the NHL in Oilers forwards Connor McDavid (21 goals, 45 assists) and Leon Draisaitl (35 goals, 40 assists).
Andrew Graham is a freelance writer.
The Detroit Red Wings are gearing up to head west after a tough road trip that left fans feeling disappointed. Despite the struggles, the team is heading into their next stretch of games with renewed belief and determination.
The Red Wings have had their fair share of challenges this season, but they are not letting that deter them from pushing forward. With a mix of veteran leadership and young talent, the team is looking to turn things around and make a statement on their upcoming road trip.
Fans can expect to see a focused and resilient Red Wings team as they hit the road and take on some tough opponents. The players are determined to show that they are capable of competing with the best in the league and are ready to put their skills to the test.
So, as the Red Wings head west, fans can rest assured that the team is ready to put their woes behind them and come out stronger on the other side. Let’s rally behind our team and show them our support as they look to turn their season around. #GoRedWings
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