Blashill wraps up #DRWTC. 👇 https://t.co/OyGpIj8pIw
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) September 18, 2018
Coming out of the annual Detroit Red Wings Training Camp in Traverse City, a number of players discussed how the approach to this year’s camp has changed in comparison to those in years past.
Second year forward Michael Rasmussen pointed out how this year’s camp has notable increases in intensity and competitiveness from his rookie camp in 2017. Givani Smith agreed that training camp this year brought about a noticeable shift in intensity. He said the Red Wings are happy with his marked improvement in training camp this year, but they intend on starting him out in Grand Rapids and bringing him up throughout the season.
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Coach Blashill discussed his approach with a Detroit Red Wings reporter who asked him about the youth on the team, saying, “If they’re great, they’re great and they’re bouncing somebody out of a spot. If they’re not, then they’re not and we’ll see.”
When asked if he went into this camp to send a message or set a tone over the past five days, Blashill responded, “I think we wanted to make sure it was ultra competitive,” before delving into a broad view of the issues the coaching staff felt an imperative need to work on, namely winning puck battles, being competitive and understanding that every player on the roster needs to earn and maintain their position.
At the Ted Lindsay Foundation’s annual golf outing last week, Coach Blashill briefly discussed how the 2018-2019 Red Wings were going to have a new look, even though the youth of their current roster is a sticking point of concern for many fans. With training camp concluding today, it sounds like the Red Wings coaches and players are beginning to embody that new attitude. Time will tell if those changes are able to take root within the organization.
