The Detroit Red Wings conducted their annual Red & White Scrimmage at Centre ICE Arena in Traverse City, Michigan, on Sunday. The event concluded four days of intensive on-ice practices as part of the team's 2024 Training Camp.
During the scrimmage, the expanded roster was divided into Team Red and Team White. They competed in various formats, including 5-on-5, 4-on-4, 3-on-3, and a simulated shootout.
Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde emphasized the benefits of this structure for both players and coaches. “Obviously we have a feel of some lines together, but I wasn’t really overly concerned with some line combinations or D pairings,” Lalonde said. “It was more about getting some 5-on-5 structure, something to teach off now, some video to work off. Same thing with our special teams, very valuable reps, and 4-on-4 and 3-on-3 is valuable. We’re always trying to get that introduced in our camp. Last year, we came up with this three-period structure and it was extremely valuable for us. We foresee it being the same this year.”
Lalonde expressed satisfaction with the team's progress through Training Camp. “Probably more a credit of a lot of returners,” he noted. “Our entire staff coming back, I was actually very happy with where we were introducing some of our structure. We’ll get a chance, a full practice on Tuesday before getting into our exhibition [schedule] to touch on some of that structure and process again.”
The camp provided an opportunity for returning players to strengthen their chemistry while allowing new additions like Vladimir Tarasenko to integrate into the team dynamics.
“It was nice for me to spend a lot of time with the guys and get to know the guys better,” Tarasenko said. “Obviously we had a few pretty hard days, but it’s nice to get back to work again. Most importantly for me, get to know my teammates more. I feel way more comfortable now around them.”
Tarasenko also mentioned his familiarity with Lalonde’s system: “The coaches and guys helped me a lot,” he said. “It’s very similar to the way we played in St. Louis on the forecheck and in the neutral zone.”
Last season, Tarasenko played for both the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers before joining Detroit in July under a two-year free-agent deal.
With his new team, Tarasenko aims to leverage his experience: “Everybody has to have a mindset that you are the leader and lead by example,” he stated. “In my opinion, I have a lot of experience that I can share with the guys. For me leadership is not only talking; it’s showing the right way not only on the ice but off the ice as well.”
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