Training camp notebook: Bobby Ryan looking to capitalize on tryout deal

Bobby Ryan, after 14 years in the NHL, has the luxury of an honest demeanor.
He is here, at Detroit Red Wings training camp, on a professional tryout contract, but his years of experience yield real answers in a setting where it would only be natural to come off as tight.
Ryan doesn't know whether he'll make the Red Wings' Opening Night roster, but he knows what he can bring. His value to the organization will come just as much in the locker room, in leadership and teaching, as in any contribution he can make on the ice at age 34. He's willing to lean into that.

"I think my body of work, I guess, speaks for itself, however limited it might have been last year with 33 games and a couple injuries that kinda derailed the season," Ryan said. "But I like to think even though it was an injury that ended the year, we ended on a positive note with my conversations. I think that they looked at what I brought to the room and I think that there's an experience level that not a lot of guys in the room have right now. Myself, (Marc Staal) and (Sam Gagner are) maybe at the upper echelon of games played."

After scoring seven goals with seven assists for the Red Wings last season, Ryan spent the summer sitting by his phone. Some options arose. "Some things that were I guess intriguing," he said, "but nothing really worth looking into." Truthfully, there were a few places he had in mind. Detroit, at the top of the list, hadn't been calling.
"Obviously it was tough not hearing from them and not having a dialogue about it," Ryan said. "But I continued to make decisions based on the fact that this was a possibility."
The Red Wings, executive vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman said last week, enjoyed having Ryan around last season, but weren't in a position to offer him a deal. As training camp drew close, the pieces finally fell into place. Ryan's phone rang during a Monday Night Football game. He was on a flight Tuesday morning.
As with any PTO, there are no guarantees here. If everyone is healthy and a few prospects take steps forward, Ryan could be out of a roster spot. But on Monday, with Tyler Bertuzzi taking a rest day and Jakub Vrana out with a shoulder injury, Ryan skated on a line with Dylan Larkin and Filip Zadina.
"I thought he played pretty good hockey for us last year," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "I know him as a person. We have the potential of obviously starting the year without Vrana. If that is the case, we're gonna need guys with offensive talent. Let's make sure that we're giving Bobby a good look."
With a roster spot on the line, Ryan said he feels like he's on a shorter leash than he otherwise would be. But that doesn't make him play more cautiously.
"I would like to, if anything, to broaden my game," Ryan said. "Be a little more physical, to be a little more demanding of the puck below the circles and holding it and ragging it instead of taking opportunities to create. I think just be a little more patient in those areas for me. Because again, your leash isn't the same as a top-six player right now."

Kirill Tyutyayev impressing in camp

Kirill Tyutyayev got on everyone's radar with a strong NHL Prospect Tournament. With preseason on the horizon, he's still impressing.
"He's been good," Blashill said. "He's got a lot of good instincts. He doesn't totally look the part, he's a little undersized, he's not an elite skater. And those guys aren't flying around the NHL a whole bunch, but some guys do make it.
"He knows how to create space for himself. He's really slippery. He's smart. He's heavy on the puck for a smaller guy. He works his tail off."
A seventh-round pick in 2019, Tyutyayev is in his first year in North America after playing in Belarus last season. It's still unlikely he ends up playing for the Red Wings anytime soon, but he's given reason to start paying attention.
"No aversion to traffic," Blashill said. "No aversion to holding onto the puck. No aversion to playing extremely hard. … So we'll see how it goes in exhibition season if he can continue to impress the way he has so far. But he's done a good job so far."

World Championship gives Stecher confidence

The end of last season left a bad taste in Troy Stecher's mouth. After returning from injury, he felt he didn't play up to his level.
So when the opportunity came to go to the IIHF World Championship with Team Canada, he took it, hoping to play good minutes and erase any lingering doubt. And, after a gold medal run in which a highlight-reel assist from Stecher propelled the Canadians past Russia in the quarterfinals, he's back with the Red Wings feeling good about himself.
"I played a ton there in an important role for the team," Stecher said. "I think more than anything, it gave me a lot of confidence and reassurance in myself as a player that I can play at this level and I can be a factor."
Upon returning home to Vancouver from Latvia, Stecher achieved a new kind of celebrity status.
"I kind of went viral," he said. "So a lot of people knew who I was, they were saying congratulations, they were very impressed. So it was pretty cool. It got old pretty quick."