Well-deserved break: Detroit Red Wings ready to rest their bodies and minds during the NHL All-Star break.
The Detroit Red Wings are set for a well-deserved period of rest after a remarkable turnaround from a challenging December. They achieved an impressive record of 9-2-2 in January, securing a solid position in the Eastern Conference Wild Card playoff race. The team is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to rejuvenate both their bodies and minds during this upcoming break.
The NHL All-Star break is coming an an opportune time
Head coach Derek Lalonde outlined his plans, which involve spending plenty of time with his family and watching his two boys play hockey.
“Chasing two boys around with minor hockey and my daughter with soccer,” Lalonde said. “I’ll do the true minor hockey dad — I’ll get on the ice a couple times, I’ll hang out at the hotel lobby, have beers, complain about the coach. That’s the way you do it in minor hockey. No, I’m actually looking forward to spending some time with the kids.”
According to Lalonde, his message for the team was to relax their bodies and minds, and to “Get away from it and enjoy.”
“It’s just a different athlete today,” Lalonde said. “They’ll go to decompress and hope they have some fun. I just think today’s athlete, they’re always on top of it. Back in the day, you needed training camp to get guys in shape. That’s not the case now. They’re tip-top athletes, they take very seriously.”
For goaltender Alex Lyon, who has proven to be one of Detroit’s most valuable players throughout January, the upcoming break offers a welcome opportunity for much-needed rest. The hope is to seamlessly resume their impressive performance when the games recommence later this month.
“Once you’re in that rhythm and flow, it’s nice. It’s easier to continually find it over and over again,” Lyon said. “At the same time, you just physically and mentally need it. When you’re going every other day for whatever it was there, 10-15 days, it wears on you. The stretch in December was tough, too. I think the best way to approach it is to enjoy it. Get your body feeling good, get your brain feeling good. If you just do the right things, you’ll get that feeling back.”
The only player who will not have extended time off for the NHL All-Star break is Alex DeBrincat, who is Detroit’s lone representative in Toronto.
TL;DR (too long didn’t read)
- The Detroit Red Wings achieved an impressive 9-2-2 record during the month of January to firmly plant themselves into a Wild Card playoff position
- The Red Wings will be using the NHL All-Star break to recuperate their bodies and minds
- Both Derek Lalonde and Alex Lyon are looking forward to the break and hope the Red Wings can pick up where they left off later this month.
Bottom Line: Detroit is off until February 10
Despite last night’s overtime loss, the Detroit Red Wings can find solace in the fact that they earned points in 11 of their 13 games throughout January, serving as a positive contrast to the challenges faced in December.
Their next game is scheduled for February 10, following the NHL All-Star break where they will host the Western Conference-leading Vancouver Canucks at Little Caesars Arena for a Saturday afternoon matchup.
