Red Wings striving for more consistency, energy to help power play improve

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings haven’t gotten the results they’ve wanted on the power play to begin the 2024-25 season, going 1-for-11 with the extra man through their first three games.

But head coach Derek Lalonde preached patience after Wednesday’s practice at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center, highlighting how the Red Wings have been generating a decent number of looks but just aren’t cashing in enough.

“Still working on the power play,” Lalonde said. “It’s frustrating when we have the one goal, and we’ve needed it. I think a couple of those games could’ve looked a little different with finishing on the power play. Our expected goals on the power play each game has been one, one and a half. We’ve averaged almost five and a half chances a game on the power play, so at least we’re getting those looks. But we got to start putting those in the back of the net.”

Lalonde said he believes it takes time to sort through man-advantage combinations, especially since new and returning players are still finding their way together.

“It might be fluid all year in the fact that it’s a positive in that we have a lot of good options,” Lalonde said. “It could be one or two units, mixing and matching. We don’t have perfect personnel as far as net-front hands, all those, but we have a lot of good options. We got to keep working at it and find some chemistry.”

Lalonde pointed out because hockey is such a game of momentum, from a process standpoint, low-energy power plays can be deflating. That’s what makes consistency in those opportune scoring situations so key.

“There’s frustration that we haven’t scored with looks,” Lalonde said. “We’re averaging five and a half chances a game on the power play. We’ll take that all year. That means the puck will go in if we continue doing the right things. We’ve had a couple early power plays where we didn’t score but it was sharp. It gives you momentum.”

Jonatan Berggren agreed, saying how speed and tempo are important factors that will help Detroit's power play find more success.

“When the pass is sharp, it goes fast and we shoot a lot,” Berggren said. “We take the second puck, then just create off that. I think we’ve had our chances in these games, but hopefully we score next game.”

Lalonde tinkered with the Red Wings’ two power-play units during Wednesday’s practice. The first unit consisted of Erik Gustafsson, Alex DeBrincat, captain Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Patrick Kane. The second unit featured Moritz Seider, Michael Rasmussen, J.T. Compher, Joe Veleno and Berggren.

Vladimir Tarasenko (illness) took a maintenance day and did not practice on Wednesday, but Lalonde said he expects the 32-year-old forward to be available for Thursday’s game against the New York Rangers at Little Caesars Arena.

“I like the fact that we’re playing the same opponent again and the challenge of a little bit more on Thursday,” Lalonde said.