Red & White Game Notebook

The Detroit Red Wings wrapped up their annual pilgrimage to Traverse City this afternoon, with the traditional camp-conlcuding Red & White game, which Team White claimed by a 6-1 final score.

The game consisted of one traditional five-on-five period, one period of special teams with the two sides alternating power plays, and a final period split between four-on-four and three-on-three before a shootout.  It was largely a game played at a preseason pace with intensity befitting its intrasquad status.  In his post-game remarks, Detroit coach Derek Lalonde cautioned against reading too much into line combinations for the afternoon's affair.

"I wasn't really concerned about any line combinations or D pairings," the third-year head coach assessed at his post-game avaiability.  "It was more about getting some five-on-five structure, something to teach off now, some video to work off.  Same thing with our special teams, very valuable reps, and four-on-four and three-on-three is valuable.  We're always trying to get that introduced in our camp.  Last year, we kinda came up with this three period structure, and it was extremely valuable for us, and we foresee it being the same this year."

To unpack the day's action, here are a few observations:

Strong Start for DeBrincat in Bid for Increased Consistency

Alex DeBrincat wasted no time opening his (exhibition) goalscoring account for the 2024-25 season, scoring just 24 seconds into today's action when he slipped between Jeff Petry and Simon Edvinsson with some assertive stick-handling and a decisive shot.  DeBrincat then completed his scrimmage with a goal in the shootout.  Of course, it's a long way from the most important moment to find the back of the net, but it's nonetheless a positive data point as he looks to improve upon the 27 goals he notched in his first season back home in Detroit.

"I had a couple questions within the media last year when he would go through those slumps of not scoring, and, if you recall, it was never a matter of looks," said Derek Lalonde of the path to improving consistency for DeBrincat.  "He had a ton of looks.  As long as players like that continue to get their looks that cycle of puck luck or shooting percentage kind of comes around."  Questions about 82-game consistency can't possibly be answered in an intrasquad game, but for a sniper like DeBrincat, scoring surely beats the alternative.

Jonatan Berggren as "Work in Progress, but a Positive One"

As Jonatan Berggren looks to stick with the Red Wings, Lalonde has made no bones about the fact that doing so will require defensive improvement.  When asked about today's data set for Berggren's defense, the coach replied, "Still gonna be a work in progress.  Again, those guys that have offensive IQ, those guys that want to produce offensive and have produced offense their entire career, it's an evolution of understanding what's important, when to take chances in their game.  Gonna be a work in progress.  Couple chances against in his scrimmage early on came off some of his play, so it's gonna be a work in progress, but a positive one.  It's exciting.  He's had some success in this league with creating some offense, but just like everyone else, we're gonna ask a little more out of that team game."

Of course, there is a certain disappointment in Lalonde's assessment that defensive lapses found Berggren's game again, but the tone with which the coach described those errors strikes an optimistic chord.  Where Lalonde seemed (understandably) to have little patience for that side to Berggren's game during last year's playoff chase, this answer sounds like a coach who feels a sense of investment and belief that Berggren can be a valuable piece this season.  After last season, a split between Berggren and Detroit felt almost inevitable, but now, it seems much more plausible that it might prove the sort of adversity all young players must experience before finding their NHL niche.

Sheldon Dries Commands Attention

Sheldon Dries probably wasn't a signing Red Wings fans spent a lot of time contemplating this summer, but he forced his way into their attention on Sunday.  Dries was a force.  He showed nice poise in a tight spot to score a power play goal and helped Team White's penalty kill with constant haranguing of the Red power play.

For Lalonde, who has known Dries since coaching him in junior with the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers, Dries' impressive performance was no surprise.  "Sheldon was my captain in junior," Lalonde recounted.  "I've been chasing him down in pro hockey here for about eight years now.  Finally got a GM to bite on it, in a good way.  Really appreciate the player, appreciate the human being, and he adds that depth.  Obviously, I would be extremely comfortable in a call-up situation any time.  Can trust him at center, can trust him on the wing, you can trust him in every special teams situation, which you saw today.  Obviously produced extremely well on both the penalty kill and power play today.  Just a really valuable person for our organization."

Barring some significant injuries, the path to Dries cracking the opening roster is all but impossible.  However, Lalonde couldn't have been clearer in spelling out his trust and affinity for the 30-year-old journeyman, so it's quite easy to see him playing the role Austin Czarnik did a year ago for the organization: serving a more offensive role in Grand Rapids, while available for injury-necessitated NHL cameos in a simple, defense-first capacity.

Slow and Steady Progress for Michael Brandsegg-Nygard

Finally, Lalonde's assessment of 2024 first rounder Michael Brandsegg-Nygard's camp was an insightful one.  "I mentioned this the other day," Lalonde said.  "He still battles with the language barrier, which is real.  And I think North American hockey is a little bit of an adjustment, a little [less] time and space probably than he's used to, but I thought he did very well and improved as the camp went on.  Obviously, you'll get some preseason games here.  It'll be important."

After the surprising revelation that Brandsegg-Nygard would attend Red Wings camp despite ostensibly planning to play the season in Sweden, it was easy to get carried away with fantasies of him proving the darling of camp and winding up with a surprising roster spot.  Perhaps that could still happen, but Lalonde's answer is a pretty good indicator the AHL or returning to Sweden are a lot more likely.  And, to be absolutely clear, that is by no means cause for concern about his progress, as it was the stated plan all along.  Lalonde's candor should temper expectations around MBN playing NHL games this season, but it certainly isn't an indictment of his long-term potential.