Red Wings take positives away from annual Red & White scrimmage at 2024 Training Camp

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. -- The Detroit Red Wings held their annual Red & White Scrimmage in front of a sold-out Centre ICE Arena on Sunday afternoon, treating fans to a spirited intrasquad affair and concluding four days of productive on-ice practices in Northern Michigan.

The three-period scrimmage saw Detroit’s expanded Training Camp roster split into two different squads, with Team Red and Team White playing 5-on-5, 4-on-4, 3-on-3 and a simulated shootout over the course of the afternoon.

Having this type of scrimmage structure was advantageous for both the players and coaching staff, according to Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde.

“Obviously we have a feel of some lines together, but I wasn’t really overly concerned with some line combinations or D pairings,” Lalonde said. “It was more about getting some 5-on-5 structure, something to teach off now, some video to work off. Same thing with our special teams, very valuable reps, and 4-on-4 and 3-on-3 is valuable. We’re always trying to get that introduced in our camp. Last year, we came up with this three-period structure and it was extremely valuable for us. We foresee it being the same this year.”

Lalonde feels the Red Wings are in a good place coming out of Training Camp.

“Probably more a credit of a lot of returners,” Lalonde said. “Our entire staff coming back, I was actually very happy with where we were introducing some of our structure. We’ll get a chance, a full practice on Tuesday, before getting into our exhibition [schedule] to touch on some of that structure and process again.”

Training Camp is an opportune time for returning players to strengthen their relationships and chemistry. It’s also a chance for offseason additions like Vladimir Tarasenko, who signed a two-year free-agent deal with Detroit in July, to mesh with the group.

“It was nice for me to spend a lot of time with the guys and get to know the guys better,” Tarasenko said. “Obviously we had a few pretty hard days, but it’s nice to get back to work again. Most importantly for me, get to know my teammates more. I feel way more comfortable now around them.”

Tarasenko feels he also has a good understanding of Lalonde’s system.

“The coaches and guys helped me a lot,” Tarasenko said. “It’s very similar to the way we played in St. Louis on the forecheck and in the neutral zone.”

Tarasenko split last season between the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers, recording 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists) in 57 regular-season games with the Senators before tallying 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 19 regular-season games with the Panthers. The 32-year-old forward also helped Florida win its first Stanley Cup championship, finishing with nine points (five goals, four assists) in 24 postseason contests.

With the Red Wings, Tarasenko aims to lean on his experience to get the best out of his new teammates.

“Everybody has to have a mindset that you are the leader and to lead by example,” Tarasenko said. “In my opinion, I have a lot of experience that I can share with the guys. For me, leadership is not only talking. It’s showing the right way not only on the ice, but off the ice as well.”