4 months ago
- Red Wings
- Published: Jan. 04, 2026, 2:23 p.m.
DETROIT – A small statement shuffling was expected following back-to-back losses, but 3 of nan Detroit Red Wings’ 4 lines looked radically different Sunday successful practice.
Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Emmitt Finnie, who’ve formed nan apical statement astir of nan season, skated connected abstracted units. Raymond, who leads nan squad pinch 44 points, joined J.T. Compher and James van Riemsdyk connected nan 3rd line.
Or did he?
“I don’t cognize who our 3rd statement is,” coach Todd McLellan said. “I person a beautiful bully idea. I deliberation Copper (Andrew Copp) is (centering) our first statement correct now, but I couldn’t show you who our second, 3rd and 4th lines are correct now.”
McLellan made it clear nan erstwhile apical statement needs to beryllium much productive.
“They’re nan 1 statement that hasn’t had a batch going for them moreover strength,” McLellan said. “They’re awesome players and we’re going to request them to win, but it conscionable hasn’t gone good lately. It’s been a while since they produced. I don’t deliberation Razor has an moreover spot extremity since November (Nov. 29), which is simply a agelong clip now. Just getting them distant from each other, it’s very easy for america to spell backmost to it. We consciousness bully astir that. But they’ve sewage to find their games and possibly separating for a small spot will thief them.”
Larkin centered Marco Kasper and Elmer Soderblom, who looks for illustration he’s backmost successful aft being scratched nan past 4 games. Michael Rasmussen centered Finnie and Mason Appleton, which intends rookie Nate Danielon, who’s gone 11 games without a point, could beryllium sitting retired Monday successful Ottawa (7:30, FanDuel Sports Network).
McLellan kept intact Copp’s line, pinch Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane, nan 1 portion that has been consistently effective of late.
“Sometimes things spell stale, and we haven’t had an overabundance of five-on-five scoring from definite groups,” McLellan said. “The Copp line’s done a existent bully job. They’ve been carrying america successful that department, and we request a small spot much from immoderate others. So, shuffle them up a small bit, spot what we get from nan groups.”
Raymond during astir of his profession has played alongside Larkin, but he doesn’t expect a difficult transition, if these changes moreover past for immoderate time.
“We play pinch each different successful different ways each nan time, been pinch each different for a agelong play of time, truthful usually it doesn’t return immoderate time,” Raymond said. “It’s conscionable to get correct backmost successful it. Everyone knows each different good and everyone’s game, truthful it’s benignant of easy to beryllium capable to jump correct successful it.”
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