Detroit City Wire

The Detroit Red Wings are set to wrap up their preseason schedule against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night at Scotiabank Arena. The game, starting at 7 p.m., will be available for streaming on DetroitRedWings.com and the Red Wings Mobile App.

Head coach Derek Lalonde has expressed satisfaction with the team's progress during Training Camp, emphasizing the need for a strong finish. "I really thought our four days in Traverse City were excellent," Lalonde stated. He highlighted the team's work ethic and leadership from core players, noting contributions from younger team members that have enhanced the camp experience.

The Red Wings aim to end their eight-game exhibition series positively after a narrow 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on Friday. Marco Kasper and Olli Maatta made notable contributions, each earning two points in the game.

Christian Fischer reflected on the rivalry with Ottawa and its impact during preseason games. "For whatever reason, Ottawa is a big rivalry," he said. Fischer noted that preseason games are crucial for players to adapt to game-like situations before the regular season begins.

"The main thing is just getting going and getting up to speed," Fischer commented, stressing the importance of emotion, competitiveness, and energy as players prepare for Game 1 of the season.

Training Camp has also served as an opportunity for players to establish their competitive level for the upcoming season. Fischer spoke about team identity, saying, "We have very different types of players from every which way... When we’re all nonstop... we’re a really good team."

As Training Camp concludes, Coach Lalonde is faced with decisions regarding roster spots ahead of Monday's NHL submission deadline for Opening Night rosters. "We’ve been very open-minded throughout camp with a lot of moving parts," he remarked about evaluating young talent and competition within the team.