Every year, the Detroit Red Wings conclude training camp with a scrimmage between Team Red and Team White, with both teams featuring a mixture of established NHL talent and players that will likely spend this season in the American Hockey League (AHL).
For years, this scrimmage took place in Traverse City, Michigan – the same place the Red Wings hold their training camp. This year, for the first time in almost 15 years, the scrimmage took place in Grand Rapids, the city that plays host to the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate, the Griffins.
The sold out crowd at Van Andel Arena made their presence and appreciation known from the moment warmups began until the final player left the ice after the scrimmage’s conclusion. To their credit, the Red Wings gave the attendees plenty to be excited about.
Seider Sets a Physical Tone
If this scrimmage was any indication, Moritz Seider is going to be a force to be reckoned with this season.
On the cusp of his fifth NHL season, the 24-year-old defenseman was noticeably physical throughout the contest. He battled for pucks along the boards as if it were the dying seconds of a playoff game. He had a big hit on Michael Brandsegg-Nygård – the Red Wings’ top pick in the 2024 NHL Draft – which felt like a veteran teaching an important lesson to a rookie. There was even a moment where it looked like Seider and forward J.T. Compher were going to drop their gloves and go at it.
Related: The Future of the Red Wings’ Defense Is Wide Open
Seider also wore an ‘A’ on his sweater as an alternate captain. He wore the first letter of the alphabet on his sweater last season too, but as part of a rotation of several players. Given the fact he was a tone-setter throughout training camp and during the Red and White game, he may be looking at wearing that letter on a permanent basis.
Regardless, it’s clear that Seider is on a mission this year.
Eyes on Finnie
From the Red Wings’ top defenseman to their top offensive line, Dylan Larkin was once again flanked by Lucas Raymond on the top line for Team Red. Surprisingly though, they were joined by Emmitt Finnie, a seventh-round selection in the 2023 draft that hit 20 years of age back in June.
Finnie is coming off of an impressive season where he captained the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League and then made his pro debut with the Griffins. He recorded 37 goals and 84 points in 55 games with the Blazers, and then followed that up with a goal and five points in 10 regular season games in Grand Rapids.
Finnie plays with a lot of energy, and that was evident throughout training camp and during the scrimmage. His efforts during training camp caught the attention of head coach Todd McLellan, as he had this to say about the young forward:
I had heard about Emmitt and his game, but he’s really grown on me. The pace of play, the detail that he has, the courage that he has to take pucks to the net, the tenacity that he plays with…. If your biggest mistake is you’re playing with your foot on the brake all the time, we can’t help you with that. I don’t think [Finnie]’s been one that’s been riding the brake, he’s been full on gas.
Finnie lived up to McLellan’s assessment and played with pace and looked the part of the high-energy, scrappy forwards that Larkin and Raymond have skated alongside in the past. Finnie was even able to bury a goal off of a 2-on-1 feed from Raymond. While that goal didn’t help secure a victory for Team Red, it put everyone in the building on notice that the name Emmitt Finnie is one you should get familiar with sooner rather than later.
Gibson Makes an Impression
The most significant addition the Red Wings made this offseason was in goal in the form of 32-year-old veteran John Gibson. The longtime Anaheim Ducks starter is still getting acclimated to his new teammates and surroundings, but he still stood out as a bright spot for Team White during the scrimmage.
Gibson drew applause from the crowd at Van Andel Arena when he made an acrobatic save on a 2-on-1 opportunity that came off of Carter Mazur’s stick. While all four goalies that played were solid, Gibson stood out the most – a welcome sign considering the organization acquired him with hopes that he can stabilize the goaltending position moving forward.
While a scrimmage among teammates is hardly the best environment to draw meaningful conclusions, Gibson did look as advertized in his single period of work during the Red and White game. Now the question is about how he’ll look behind the Red Wings’ defensive structure against other teams.
A Good Crowd in Grand Rapids
You may not have known how long it’s been since the Red and White game was held in Grand Rapids, but you could feel it in the air. The sidewalks were filled with people wearing jerseys, sweatshirts, hats, and almost anything else you can throw the winged wheel on. Fans were lined up outside the arena well before the doors opened at 2 PM, and you could feel the excitement as soon as you walked inside.
One moment that was particularly cool was the player introductions. Several players received loud ovations including current Griffins like Dominik Shine, Griffins alumni like Seider, and players Grand Rapids fans never thought they would see at Van Andel Arena like Patrick Kane. The Griffins play their home opener in a little under three weeks, and it will be hard to match the energy the crowd gave the Red Wings.
Quick Hits
- Winger Elmer Söderblom had two goals for Team White and looked as menacing as ever while playing on a line with Mazur and Amadeus Lombardi. The 6-foot-9 Swedish winger looks to be picking up where he left off last season, but it will be interesting to see where the coaching staff puts him over the course of the season – especially if a guy like Finnie secures a roster spot.
- The line of Kane, Alex DeBrincat and Marco Kasper seem to be picking up where they left off. They showed good process on most of their shifts, and Kasper specifically looks like he could be ready to take a big step forward this season. DeBrincat scored the first goal of the game, and Kane matched his teammates’ intensity despite being the most established talent on the team.
- Top prospect Axel Sandin Pellikka was smooth with the puck when he had it, and you can tell that there is an underlying confidence in how he plays. However, he didn’t stand out on the back end enough to give any indication that he’ll jump directly to the NHL after a brief appearance with the Griffins late last season. It’s still early though, and this environment isn’t conducive to drawing meaningful conclusions.
- Should Andrew Copp receive more shootout opportunities? People are talking….
The Red Wings kick off their preseason schedule on Tuesday September 23 against the Chicago Blackhawks. They’ll play eight games from then until October 4, and then their regular season begins on October 9 at home against the Montreal Canadiens. There is a lot to figure out between now and then, shaping this up to be one of the more intriguing Red Wings preseasons in recent memory.
What better way to kick off a centennial celebration?
