‘It’s time to go to work’: Red Wings embrace intense, productive Day 1 of 2025 Training Camp 

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- With several key players returning and a handful of talented offseason additions now part of the mix, the Detroit Red Wings reported to Centre ICE Arena for Day 1 of their 2025 Training Camp on Thursday morning feeling motivated and optimistic for their first full season under head coach Todd McLellan.

“A new format for what I’ve been used to,” Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said. “I know Kaner [Patrick Kane], he had this in Chicago where they scrimmaged. I thought for a Day 1 scrimmage, it was very tight-checking and intense. I think Todd set the tone with that and his opening meeting. Some young players impressed, and I thought all the vets looked good. It’s a good environment to let us compete, let us learn on the fly, make mistakes and correct them, and get the game reps.”

Safe to say, the message delivered by McLellan to the group the day prior seemed to have its intended effect.

“We talked about camp, how important it was for our group,” McLellan said. “I talked to them about the excitement around the team. When I talk to players in the summer, and certainly here through [the media], everybody’s happy to have a camp with the new coaching staff and we’ll see where it goes. That’s all fine and dandy, but if we don’t take any advantage of it, then shame on us. There are some areas of the game we have to get better at, and we talked about that. Then there’s what’s between the ears sometimes. We have to get better in that area. Addressed it right away on Day 1, and we’re going to push them to improve.”

McLellan demonstrated his ability to get his message across quickly after being hired last December, which the Red Wings embraced on their way to winning seven of their first eight games and 15 of 21 contests ahead of the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off break. In total, Detroit went 26-18-4 (56 points) with McLellan behind the bench in the 2024-25 season, equivalent to a 96-point pace over a full 82-game campaign.

“I think anytime a new coach comes in, regardless of having the time with the group last year, I think you do have their attention right off the bat,” McLellan said. “The jury will be out Day 3, 4, 5, when it becomes work. Right now, they’re real excited and they should be. I thought the effort was really good. The attention to detail was there. Little ragged with passing, but it’s early in the season. And then the scrimmage was really competitive. I think we got a lot out of the day, at least what we targeted. We’re going to work every day and build our game.”

Lucas Raymond said he expects the time that the club's returning players had with McLellan last season to pay big dividends as Training Camp progresses.

“I can’t imagine it’s easy coming into a team midseason,” Raymond said. “We’ve been doing stuff a certain way for an entire season and changing that, so obviously having that from the start is big for us. I can imagine that it’s also a lot nicer for [the coaching staff] as well -- to set the things they want us to do and being able to work on it during Training Camp, where you really have the time to do it. The first day was good for us so far and we look to take steps from here.”

McLellan’s coaching staff includes two new faces hired in the offseason: goaltending coach Michael Leighton and assistant video coordinator Erich Junge. Leighton joins Detroit after spending parts of three seasons (2021-24) as goaltending coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires, while Junge previously served as the video coach of the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins for the past three campaigns (2022-25).

“The staff has worked hard throughout the summer,” McLellan said. “This isn’t the first time we’ve met and discussed hockey. We’re well prepared for camp…It’s nice to have that former goalie perspective on what it might feel like during Training Camp for us, and [Leighton] is working well with the staff. I know the goalies have appreciated him so far. Other than that, Trauby [Red Wings video coordinator Jeff Weintraub] moving up into a more elevated role, which we’re really happy to promote him. Erich was in Grand Rapids last year, and just like players, he got called up. He’s done a tremendous job of fitting in. They’ve really prepared the staff well for camp.”

Also providing a player update, McLellan said James van Riemsdyk was excused from practice for family reasons but clarified that the team is very “happy for him.”

“I can’t answer that question,” McLellan said when asked if van Riemsdyk will join the Red Wings in Traverse City. “I hope that he can be. But if he can’t, we’re going to give him a whole bunch of time with his wife and kids. If he can get here, if everything is all set…he’s anxious to get here, but he’s got more important things right now to take care of.”

Preseason action begins for the Red Wings next Tuesday (Sept. 23), when they host the Chicago Blackhawks at Little Caesars Arena. And with eight exhibition contests to be played, there’s going to be plenty of time for McLellan and his coaching staff to experiment with the lineup before Opening Night against the visiting Montreal Canadiens on Oct. 9.

“Everybody will get a chance,” McLellan said. “The first few games, it’s going to be a little bit chaos. It always is. You don’t have a lot of things in place -- power play, penalty kill, zero line matching at all. You just play guys. You give everybody an opportunity to get their feet wet. And if you’re putting the uniform on, you want to win. But it’s more important that we get guys playing and start to evaluate.”

Training Camp – and therefore Red Wings hockey – is officially back.

“It’s time to go to work,” Raymond said. “Everyone’s had the chance to work on their game. Now, it’s time to get together as a team and do what we’re supposed to do out there – getting better as a team and taking that next step.”