Notes: Mantha enjoys playing with Larkin, Bertuzzi

TRAVERSE CITY -- Anthony Mantha didn't let a little setback ruin his summer.
While training, Mantha tweaked his knee. He had an MRI, which revealed no structural damage.

The only thing it really affected were Mantha's plans to incorporate boxing into his workout routine.
"It kind of ruined a little bit the set-up I had planned," Mantha said. "After I came back from that I had probably five weeks to go and I decided to put more skating in, power skating, stick-handling drills, instead of doing some boxing."
Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill has Mantha on a line with Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi in the early going in camp.
"I actually hope we do play together," Mantha said. "Last year was going pretty good at the end there, him and I. Bertuzzi is just a great player also right now. He showed it (Saturday) in the scrimmage. He brings it to the dirty areas. If we can be a line, it would be great for the team and hopefully for ourselves."
Blashill will likely use that line in a preseason game or two.
"You have three real good players, you have good pieces in the sense that Bert is an F-1 on the forecheck, he's a net-front guy," Blashill said. "That allows the other two - not that they're not hard on the forecheck - but it allows them to use their skill. Bert is a special player. He thinks the game at a high, high level. He's got real good talent. I think Bert's got a chance to be a real good player and I think putting them together can make a real good line."
Bertuzzi's willingness to go to the net can create opportunities for Mantha elsewhere in the offensive zone.
"Mantha has learned that the net is a spot where if you get to lots you're going to score some easy goals," Blashill said. "Having Bert there allows some flexibility for (Mantha) to use part of his skill set, which is a real good shot, too."
Although Mantha is no longer in position where he has to battle for a roster spot, he appreciates how high the competitive level is in camp since there are jobs available.
"I think every year it's a big competition," Mantha said. "I watched half the scrimmage (Friday). Tempo was high, tempo was high in practices. Everyone is just going all out, even in the workouts outside, we're going on the field and everyone is just pushing each other. Everyone is trying to win a couple more points and that's how it should be."
One thing that is available is more ice time for forwards this season now that captain Henrik Zetterberg is not available anymore.

Mantha, who turned 24 Sunday, has factored that into his goals for the season.
"I had a goal last year to score 30, obviously I didn't reach it, so I think it's the same goal this year," Mantha said. "I want to be a big body in front of that net and get those extra goals that last year didn't come. I want to take a bigger role this year. With Zetterberg leaving, he was playing 16 to 20 minutes a game, so that's ice time for guys to take. We're going to have to battle to get an extra four or five minutes."
While it is an opportunity for some players, Zetterberg's absence is also a big loss.
"There's a lot you can take away from a guy like him," Mantha said. "He was playing as hard as he could every night. We know he had back issues and he was battling through. That's just character there that you can learn.
"Obviously, he was one of the greatest players to play in Detroit. If we could bring our game to where he was at the end there it's just going to help everyone on this team."
VELENO PLAYS: After leaving the first day of camp early and missing the second day of practice, there was some concern that center Joe Veleno would not play in Sunday's Red & White Game.
But Veleno, who had a hip flexor issue, played for Team Red and centered a line with Michael Rasmussen and Evgeny Svechnikov. V
eleno was tied for second in points during the prospect tournament with seven and picked up right where he left off, assisting on Svechnikov's goal at 12:08 of the first period.
"Today was his best day for me," Blashill said. "I would say a lot of other people were higher on him even earlier and maybe I was missing some of it. I did not see the third prospects game, I heard he had an excellent game. My question is, what is going to be the elite skill that will be transferable and for me watching him on his edges, he has elite edges. He knows how to control the puck because he controls space with his edges and he can make a lot plays in tight. I think Veleno has showed very well and I'm hoping to give him a couple of exhibition games."
CONGRATULATIONS TO ABDELKADER: No one wants to miss training camp and get behind but forward Justin Abdelkader had an excellent excuse.

On Friday night, Abdelkader and his wife, Julie, welcomed their first child, a son named Jaxon Joseph.
SOME CUTS MADE: It's a necessary but not particularly pleasant part of training camp, making cuts to the team.
On Sunday the Wings assigned forwards Zach Gallant and Brady Gilmour, along with defensemen Cole Fraser, Jared McIsaac, Alec Regula and Reilly Webb to their respective major junior hockey teams.
They also released forwards Pavel Gogolev, Maxim Golod and Nicolas Guay and goaltender Justin Fazio from their amateur tryouts.
That leaves 61 players in camp, which includes 36 forwards, 19 defensemen and six goaltenders.
After two more days of practice in Traverse City, the Wings will return to Detroit to host preseason games against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.