PREVIEW: Red Wings ‘extra excited’ for Opening Night against Penguins on Thursday

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings will kick off their 2024-25 season on Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Little Caesars Arena.

Puck drop for the Red Wings’ season opener (broadcast coverage on Bally Sports Detroit and WWJ Newsradio 950 in Detroit), originally set for 7 p.m., is now 8 p.m. due to Game 4 of the American League Division Series being held at Comerica Park also on Thursday night. For more information, click here.

Nothing creates anticipation and excitement like the beginning of a new NHL campaign, and Lucas Raymond said the Red Wings are eager to get going.

“You’ve been waiting all summer, especially how last year ended,” said Raymond, who re-signed an eight-year contract extension with Detroit last month. “I think everyone is a little extra excited to get out there Thursday.”

Detroit finished last season fifth in the Atlantic Division with a 41-32-9 (91 points) record, an 11-point improvement from its 2022-23 campaign. The Red Wings battled for a Stanley Cup Playoffs spot late last season but fell just short, as the Washington Capitals earned the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot because of the regulation wins tiebreaker (32-27).

Michael Rasmussen said he learned a lot from that playoff push.

“I haven’t really experienced that kind of hockey,” Rasmussen said. “For me, and other guys feel this way too, that’s something you’re yearning for and wanting. There’s nothing worse than playing meaningless hockey. We’ve been in those spots in years past, and last year was the most fun hockey I’d probably say a lot of us have played.”

Several players from last season are back and aiming to contribute even more this season, but there are some new faces in the fold. This summer, the Red Wings added defenseman Erik Gustafsson, forwards Tyler Motte and Vladimir Tarasenko, and goalie Cam Talbot.

“I like our team a lot,” Raymond said. “We are a better team coming into this year compared to last year. Obviously with some additions, but the internal growth has been big for us. Guys are taking steps. I want to take a step. A lot of other guys in this room want to do so as well.”

The Red Wings will be put to the test right away against an Eastern Conference foe in the Penguins, who were blanked in their season opener against the New York Rangers, 6-0, on Wednesday. Pittsburgh went 38-32-12 (88 points) last season, good for fifth in the Metropolitan Division but short of the postseason.

For head coach Derek Lalonde, who is entering his third season behind Detroit’s bench, his message to his players ahead of Opening Night is straightforward.

“We’ve done a really good job of staying in the moment,” Lalonde said. “If you start talking outcome, to be where we were at the end of last year, it never works that way. You get lost in what you’re doing daily. Our only focus, since our last exhibition game, was our Opening Night. We want to concentrate on that. We want to perform the right way and try to build. This is our first opportunity.”