Red Wings’ first practice back from NHL’s Olympic break ‘a good starting day’ 

DETROIT -- While captain Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider continue representing their respective countries at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the rest of the Detroit Red Wings reconvened for practice at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center on Tuesday afternoon.

“While [the team has] been away, they just haven’t skated or handled pucks at that pace,” Detroit head coach Todd McLellan said. “So, a little bit ragged but as expected. I thought their commitment to practice was real good. They stuck with it, and when they weren’t feeling the best, they pushed their way through it. A good starting day.”

Tuesday’s on-ice session marked the start of what McLellan and his coaching staff have deemed a mini-Training Camp of sorts, as the Red Wings plan to use this next week-plus to prepare for the home stretch of their regular-season schedule -- 24 games in 48 days – that resumes next Thursday when they visit the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre for the opener of a three-game road trip.

“In some sense, maybe we’re one of the luckier teams because we only have three athletes there and the majority of our team is here so we can run practice with generally a full slate of lines and pairs,” McLellan said. “But if you compare this to Training Camp itself, we’re not running 55 guys through three different sessions and starting from scratch. We’re just trying to re-establish our game, both physically, mentally, timing, feel.”

There was a back-to-school energy inside Detroit’s dressing room following Tuesday’s practice, with many players returning from their warm-weather getaways. Having spent his Olympic break with his family in Florida, Ben Chiarot said the extended time away from the rink helped him recover from the wear and tear built up over the past five months of a compressed campaign.

“It’s great, but more so body-wise, getting your body back to a baseline and healing up injuries,” Chiarot said. “January and February are kind of the dog days of the season when your body is beat up and you haven’t seen the sun in a while. So, to get down, see some sun, be able to relax and heal up your body is welcomed, especially for an older player like myself.”

James van Riemsdyk said having time off was a welcome relief, adding he’s been keeping an eye on the Red Wings’ Olympians.

“I was able to watch some of the games,” van Riemsdyk said. “I had my hands full with my family and kids though, so a little bit hit and miss being able to check out all of it. This is obviously the time that’s the most exciting now.”

McLellan also shared how he’s really enjoyed watching the Olympics as a whole.

“It’s going to be an exciting week for everybody to watch [the men’s hockey tournament], but the other sports have been spectacular too,” McLellan said. “You don’t realize how skilled and talented these athletes are and what they do. They train for four years to go and skate for under a minute in a speed-skating race. That’s commitment. The things they can do on those skis and skates is remarkable.”

The timing of the Olympic break was also physically beneficial for Simon Edvinsson, who was back at practice on Tuesday. The 23-year-old defenseman last played on Jan. 21 because of a lower-body injury, but McLellan expects Edvinsson “to be ready” for game action.

“We missed him,” McLellan said of Edvinsson, who has recorded 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 48 games this season. “You could see our play wasn’t as strong, in my opinion, as when we had him in the lineup. Not just due to him being out, but other factors.”

Getting Edvinsson back in the lineup will be a boost to Detroit, especially as it continues battling amidst a crammed Atlantic Division -- in which every club is currently above .500 -- and as the push for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs intensifies.

“You’re getting closer to the finish line, but in a marathon, Mile 1 is the same as Mile 26,” McLellan said. “You value it a little bit different, and we tried to stress that in the first two-thirds of the season. These points are just as valuable as Game 82…It gets more intense. Everything gets tighter. You run out of days, points and games to get to where you want to go and eventually, for the teams that don’t make it, it just dries up. There’s no more time. You run out if it, so that creates a real sense of urgency not just for our team but for every team that’s battling.”