Detroit City Wire

The Detroit Red Wings are set to begin their 2025-26 NHL season with a home game against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday at Little Caesars Arena. The season opener, which marks the start of the Red Wings’ centennial campaign, will feature several new faces and high expectations from both players and coaching staff.

Lucas Raymond expressed anticipation for the new season, stating, “We’ve been waiting for it all summer, even when we’ve been working hard as individuals and during Training Camp as a team. Just excited to get out there and get going again.” Fans attending the opener will receive a Centennial Rally Towel, courtesy of Coca-Cola and Meijer.

Before the game, fans are invited to join the annual Hockeytown Red Carpet Walk outside Little Caesars Arena. The event is open to all ages and does not require a game ticket.

Raymond also highlighted his appreciation for local support: “Ever since my first year here, it’s been unbelievable playing in front of [Red Wings fans] every night. They are unreal night in and night out, and that gives us that extra energy and boost. Excited to get out there, feel the atmosphere. It’s going to be a fun night.”

Three Red Wings prospects—Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Emmitt Finnie, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka—are expected to make their NHL debuts during this opening match.

Head coach Todd McLellan outlined his approach for managing rookie nerves: “Just play,” McLellan said. “We’re not going to overburden them. There are enough nerves and anxious around. Their families are in, Game No. 1, home opener, 100-year celebration…like, there’s a lot going on that they can get caught up in. The last thing they need is us in their ears. They’ve been around us now for almost a month. They know what they have to do and they know how to do it, or they wouldn’t be in the lineup. So, we’re just going to get out of the way and hopefully they play a fearless-type game.”

McLellan also acknowledged some nervousness ahead of his first full season leading Detroit: “You plan all summer, go through Training Camp and try to get your team together and organized,” he said. “You really have nothing to base your judgements on. I call it evidence. That’s why you play the games now, and the players give you evidence and a guideline as to where you take the group. Do we have to keep pounding some basics into them or can we grow the team? The first [regular-season game] is always a little unpredictable. Those nerves can get to you. You can overplay or underplay, but counting on the group to show up and put a good effort in.”

Last season saw Detroit finish sixth in its division with 86 points—five behind Montreal for an Eastern Conference Wild Card spot—and McLellan took over coaching duties midway through that campaign.

Reflecting on preparations this year after his first training camp with Detroit since joining last December 26th, McLellan noted: “This is the first Training Camp that I had with this group, and I think their attention and work that they’ve put in throughout allows them to have a bit of a foundation heading into the season... The simple fact that we’ve done that gives us a chance.”

Raymond emphasized taking things one step at a time given this year’s tight schedule: “We want to get off to a good start, but it’s a long season,” he said. “There are a lot of games and it’s going to be a tight schedule this year, so for us it’s just going day-by-day and game-by-game... We’re looking to take steps during the season and put ourselves in a good spot down the stretch.”

Montreal comes into Thursday's contest following an opening loss against Toronto on Wednesday.

Regarding preparation for facing Montreal under head coach Martin St. Louis’ leadership—a relatively stable roster—McLellan remarked: “[Head coach Martin St. Louis] has been there a number of years now and has done a tremendous job... Every coach makes adjustments... But really, we can overcook that a little bit too. It’s a lot more about us and what we want to do...”