TORONTO - You never know quite what Mother Nature is going to give you when it comes to outdoor games.
On Friday, the Red Wings practiced outdoors at Toronto's BMO Field, two days ahead of their Centennial Classic game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Notes: Wings enjoy skating outside with team, family
Athanasiou still learning; Sheahan skates but status for Sunday unknown
© Dave Reginek/Detroit Red Wings
By
Dana Wakiji @Dwakiji / DetroitRedWings.com
The weather was cold, around 33 degrees, and a bit windy but the sun was out.
"Last year was 70 and sunny in Colorado, maybe 75, so it was beautiful but not great for ice conditions," Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "I think our practice lasted three minutes max. We were able to get a picture, I think skate up the rink and had to get off. Today, for us, it was really just a chance to get out there and get acclimated to the rink. I thought the ice conditions were excellent."
Dylan Larkin, one of the fastest skaters, said the ice was perfect for him.
© Dave Reginek/Detroit Red Wings
"Conditions were great," Larkin said. "I think as far as an outdoor game goes, it's ideal. The ice was great, it's hard, it's fast, the sun wasn't too bad. It's going to be a lot of fun if the conditions are just like that."
Niklas Kronwall agreed that the short outdoor practice went well.
"It was really just awesome, the conditions, the temperature, it was sunny, the ice was great," Kronwall said. "It was a lot of fun."
FAMILY TIME: In addition to skating outdoors with their teammates, the Wings also were able to bring their family out to skate after practice.
"I got my dad's side of the family is from Toronto so I get to spend some time with them these few days before the game and then my little cousin's going to come out and skate today so he's pretty pumped about that," Larkin said.
Andreas Athanasiou grew up near Toronto so he's expecting a nice group for the game Sunday.
"I think it's probably around 20, maybe a little more," Athanasiou said. "It'll be exciting to have them all there."
Athanasiou, whose first outdoor game was last year's Stadium Series game in Denver, said these games remind him of learning to play growing up.
"It's just such a cool experience," Athanasiou said. "You grow up playing pond hockey and shinny with your buddies outdoors. Just getting a chance to come up to Toronto and have some fans, some friends and family come out and watch it'll be a great experience."
It's the same feeling for the veteran players like Kronwall.
"It kind of brings you back to growing up a little bit," Kronwall said. "I don't know if the younger guys know this, but I grew up playing outdoors a few times a week. It brings you back to that same feeling. Even more excitement, I don't know what it is, but there is something about playing outdoors."
LEARNING PROCESS: No 22-year-old in the NHL is a finished product.
That is certainly true of Athanasiou, who played just seven shifts for 5:13 in the Wings' 3-2 overtime victory in Ottawa Thursday night.
Athanasiou was on the ice for both Senators goals and did not play at all in the third period.
"Obviously, no one likes to sit on the bench," Athanasiou said. "We got the two points last night and that's the most important thing."
Blashill said he would keep the details of what he told Athanasiou between them but talked about the growth process for a young player.
"I don't think it's necessarily one area of the game," Blashill said. "I think there's nights where he's real engaged and I think he's an outstanding player, nights where that engagement isn't the same, whether it's the competitive level or the engagement or the attention to detail. It's just hopefully a maturation process for him that he can continue to make sure that every night that competitive level is at the level it needs to be to be successful in this league."
Athanasiou said he's just working to put the Ottawa game behind him and get ready for Sunday's game.
"I think every part of the game you can always get better at," Athanasiou said. "I don't specifically look at one part and say, 'Hey I need to work on this or get better at this.' You always try to get better every day. It's not that one thing. I don't want to say I'm bad defensively, I don't think I am. I think I can take care of my own end."
Blashill stressed that the competitive level needs to be high for every player, not just Athanasiou.
"It's a league where everybody's so close in talent, and I'm just speaking in general, if you don't compete like crazy, then it's hard to be successful," Blashill said. "Compete means win puck battles, compete means make sure that you don't get beat defensively. I talked to Ted Lindsay before the season, we were getting ready for our preparation, Ted said, 'just make sure and tell those players if they go into the corner with another player and they don't come out with the puck, they're a horse-blank hockey player.' That's what it comes down to. Competitiveness, desire to win matters the most. It trumps talent, trumps everything else. So not just him, all our players, we got to make sure that our competitive level is at an extraordinary, high level Sunday."
INJURY UPDATES: Justin Abdelkader (knee), Alexey Marchenko (shoulder) and Mike Green (upper body) all skated with the team Friday.
Riley Sheahan, who missed his first game of the season Thursday in Ottawa with an upper-body injury, also participated.
Darren Helm (shoulder) had been skating with the team until the last few days.
"I know Helmer will not be available, I know Abdelkader will not be available," Blashill said. "I guess I'd wait on the other guys. I can't speak for sure on Marchenko yet. I think Marchy's getting close. I don't think he'll be available for (Sunday), hasn't really practiced enough so I don't think he'll be available. Sheahan, I don't have an answer on yet today."
Tomas Jurco played Thursday with Sheahan out.