Using four clips from the Red Wings' Wednesday night win over the Penguins, I explore how Detroit's top line of DeBrincat, Larkin, and Raymond has begun to develop a formidable identity
Using four clips from the Red Wings' Wednesday night win over the Penguins, I explore how Detroit's top line of DeBrincat, Larkin, and Raymond has begun to develop a formidable identity
Through four games, it would be hard for the Detroit Red Wings off-season acquisition of Alex DeBrincat to look much better. DeBrincat leads the NHL in scoring, he has goals in three of four, and he has points in all four.
After a preseason of experimentation and growing pains, the Red Wings seem to have solidified the ideal role for the diminutive winger: on the first line, beside Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond.
Today, I'd like to zoom in on what's going right for that trio amidst their hot start, using four clips from the second period of Wednesday night's win over the Penguins as evidence (three at five-on-five and a bonus power play goal).
Their best performance came against the Lightning last Saturday night, but I'd like to focus on the Penguins game to add a bit more nuance. Larkin feeding DeBrincat for a one-timer in transition was a Red Wings fan's fever dream, but the Pittsburgh game can offer a bit more nuance as to how the trio has begun to develop its identity, while also showing its "B" game (i.e. how it can still find success without scoring). They've already proven they can score, but what can they contribute beyond just goals?
As we progress through the clips, I'd like to focus on three big ideas: (1) the ability to pose a horizontal and vertical threat off the rush (2) being hard on pucks (3) staying on top and not cheating for offense.
Without further ado, let's get to the tape.
Clip #1: Vertical and Horizontal Threats
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPyVR0l8Jio[/embed]
This first sequence is the one that eventually produced Ben Chiarot's goal to give Detroit a 2-1 lead early in the second.
For DeBrincat, Larkin, and Raymond, the play begins with DeBrincat recovering a loose puck in the defensive zone and setting the rush into motion. It's not a spectacular play by any means, but it's a nice display of anticipation and hustle that can help dispel the notion that all DeBrincat provides is his scoring touch.
Immediately, Detroit's speed in exiting the defensive zone creates a vertical threat for the Penguins to contend with, and DeBrincat further stretches the rink (this time horizontally) by wasting no time in switching sides for Larkin.
Larkin's initial bid at creating some offense off the rush is rebuffed, but the process here is sound. The Penguins never have any meaningful measure of control on their counter-punch, and Jeff Petry sends a quick vertical pass from his own zone back up for Larkin.
As Larkin receives this pass (0:16 of the clip), all three Red Wing forwards are in close proximity along the right wing. Raymond and DeBrincat are providing immediate puck support, and, at least temporarily, the rink is horizontally compressed.
However, the moment Larkin gains the zone, this dynamic changes. Raymond works low and wide, providing a shooting option for Larkin, while DeBrincat offers himself as a shooting option in high ice, also pushing wide.
On his entry, Larkin pushes vertically and lures Pittsburgh defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph out wide, before the Detroit captain pulls up and begins to seek a passing option. By the time Larkin cuts back, DeBrincat and Raymond have begun the process of stretching the zone horizontally.
Larkin picks out Ben Chiarot, who has activated along the weak side, for his pass. Chiarot is open in no small part because DeBrincat and Raymond have captured the attention of the Penguins' defenders on the scene.
Chiarot works in, shoots, and scores. It's not a great goal for Tristan Jarry to concede, but the Red Wings put Pittsburgh in trouble with their movement, then got bodies to the net for Jarry to contend with. It's not the prettiest shift Detroit's top line has ever had, but it's great process.
Clip #2: Rush Play
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3S4vZQQlJQ[/embed]
Once again, we begin with a defensive zone puck recovery, this time from Larkin. As Larkin comes up with the puck and begins to navigate up ice, all three Red Wing forwards are on the same half of the ice. Because of their speed, they are posing a vertical threat, but, to begin, there is no horizontal element to the rush.
This changes when Larkin gets the puck off the wall, sending it ahead for Raymond, who immediately slashes across the ice, pushing toward the opposite (right) flank. DeBrincat has continued to push vertically along the left wing, and Raymond snaps a pass to him upon gaining the zone for an excellent transition chance.
The shot doesn't find its mark, but the sequence still reveals the speed and skill necessary to take advantage of their full width of the rink. If all three constituent parts of the line didn't possess excellent speed and skill in sending and receiving passes, the horizontal space wouldn't matter, as the line couldn't actually connect with one another. Instead, Raymond shows the speed to push vertically and horizontally simultaneously and then the skill to thread back in a pass for DeBrincat.
Shayne Gostisbehere pinches to keep the play alive and finds Raymond in prime scoring territory in the inner slot (0:21 of the clip). Detroit's horizontal threat is almost too good in this moment, and Raymond succumbs to the temptation of the extra past, trying to set up DeBrincat for a one-timer instead of taking advantage of his own shooting opportunity.
The Penguins push on the counter-attack, but Raymond (despite his missed opportunity moments prior) gets back to ensure that Drew O'Connor's follow-up chance is none too threatening.
Detroit follows up with another rush of its own, and the same combination of simultaneous vertical and horizontal stretching produces an excellent Raymond back-door chance from Larkin, broken up by Jeff Carter.
As the shift ends, Raymond gets the puck deep into the Penguin end to allow the forecheck to get back to work as the top trio goes off for a change.
Clip #3: Staying on Top
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWF2xnjq-pA[/embed]
Our third shift is heavy on verticality and forechecking. It exemplifies the notion of "being hard on pucks" and it helps show the Red Wings' top line making an impact, even without generating much by way of premium scoring chances.
Four times during this clip, you'll see Alex DeBrincat win a 50/50 puck back for the Red Wings. It's often said in baseball, that hitting is contagious. In hockey, I would argue that being hard on pucks and forcing turnovers works much the same way. When a player on your line is relentless in hounding the opposition, it's hard not to follow their lead.
This shift, it's DeBrincat who is doing the pilfering to keep plays alive and create opportunities, but, on other occasions, we've seen Larkin and Raymond playing that same role.
Throughout this sequence, the trio can't quite connect on any serious in-zone offense, but when the Penguins eventually exit with control, there are three Red Wings back defensively—the two defensemen and DeBrincat. That DeBrincat is back defensively is a testament to the top line playing responsibly (as opposed to cheating up to create easy offense) and also a reminder of the positional fluidity of the modern NHL, where a winger is about as likely as a center to wind up F3, remaining above the play.
If you pause the clip at 0:32, you get a perfect illustration of what the Red Wings mean when they talk about "staying above the puck" defensively. As Pittsburgh transition toward offense, there is a red jersey between each of the three white jerseys attempting to get to work on the rush.
Gostisbehere stymies the rush, DeBrincat eventually wins back the puck, and Detroit's top line is once again able to change with the puck entrenched in the Penguin end of the rink.
Even when the offense and creativity aren't quite clicking, DeBrincat, Larkin, and Raymond are playing winning hockey together.
Clip #4: Same Principles on the PP
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-mhm6AEqo0[/embed]
Our final clip is fundamentally different from our first three in that it comes from the power play, and Raymond is not even on the ice. However, it's worth reviewing because it offers a different version of Detroit taking advantage of stretching the rink vertically and horizontally at the same time.
From the face-off to David Perron depositing a rebound home, just 16 seconds elapse, yet the Red Wings explore nearly the entire offensive zone with their possession play.
In Detroit's 1-3-1 formation, Perron and Moritz Seider represent the top and bottom of the Red Wing attack, while DeBrincat, Larkin, and Gostisbehere are the three in between. All three do great work here to vary their depth in the offensive zone to open up space. This is a fundamental tenet of Derek Lalonde's on the power play—creating layers by having shooting options at different depths across the offensive zone.
The speed of Detroit's puck movement throughout the sequence, combined with those layers, serves to create that simultaneous vertical and horizontal pressure on the penalty kill.
In the build-up to the goal, you can see Seider and Gostisbehere exchange passes high in the offensive zone. This might seem trivial, but it works to lure the Penguin PK out of its structure, opening up space Detroit will eventually return to.
This puck movement (both East-West and North-South) opens up a pocket of space for Larkin to eventually get a shot off from his bumper spot, and it leaves Perron one-on-one with Chad Ruhwedel at the net. Larkin's initial chance is a quality opportunity in its own right, and, one defender isn't enough to contain Perron on the rebound.
The end result is an easy goal for Detroit.
Takeaways
Of course, it's still early in the season, and we haven't seen a meaningful sample size of any aspect of the 2023-24 Detroit Red Wings just yet. Still, the chemistry and identity that seems to be coming together for the DeBrincat-Larkin-Raymond trio is more than promising.
At least for the time being, the three are drawing the best out of one another offensively (as evidenced by their high-scoring start). Their speed and skill enables them to bring a unique vertical and horizontal threat. Meanwhile, they are doing that work inside of an identity that will feed team success, even for players lower down the line-up who might not be able to replicate their high-end ability: hard on pucks and staying above the play with numbers.
When you pit it all together, DeBrincat-Larkin-Raymond has shown more than a little potential in the season's early going.
