After a four-day mini training camp to ramp back up to speed, the Detroit Red Wings will play their first game since Feb. 8 Saturday afternoon, hosting the Minnesota Wild at Little Caesars Arena.
The Red Wings won seven straight heading into their last game before the break, before falling flat in a 6–3 home defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning. To coach Todd McLellan, that game represents a rare lapse in focus from a team that enjoyed a generally dominant start to 2025
"I know that this group has been really good with challenges, whether it comes from the head coach or the assistant coach or the leadership group," McLellan said on Tuesday, following Detroit's first practice since returning from the break. "I thought the one challenge we did fail was that Tampa Bay game [before the break]. Last game, we didn't take a penalty, we gave up [18] shots...got scored on [six] times...I was disappointed because I didn't think we accepted that challenge, and I think we gave ourselves permission to get to the break four hours early, and we can't afford that, and it's unacceptable, so we did take them back to that today. Not with video, but just with conversation, and they will see some of it."
McLellan added that he'd hope that the Red Wings will embrace each game with intensity, regardless of their place in the playoff chase, saying, "I'd like to think that we're a group that regardless of where we are in the standings, that's important to them. We'll have a better long-term look to our team if we value that at any point in the year. And we have to instill that in them, not just because hey, we're close. It's because we're Detroit Red Wings, and we're trying to get better every day."
Detroit jumps right out of the break with a back-to-back, first hosting the Wild Saturday, then the Anaheim Ducks Sunday. Per defenseman Ben Chiarot, diving right in is the best way to come out of a long layoff. Thursday, he told The Hockey News, "I think it's honestly the best case, because you get six periods of hockey in 48 hours—get right back into it, get your feet under you, get into the flow of the game. So, personally, I like it a lot. Maybe some guys like having a game and then a little break and then a game, but for me, that's the best case scenario."
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The Red Wings aren't the only team whose stars enjoyed some added national exposure via the 4 Nations Face-Off. Minnesota's two American representatives—22-year-old defenseman Brock Faber and 23-year-old winger Matt Boldy—played their way into similar bumps in reputation.
Faber, despite being the youngest player at the tournament, led all skaters with 28:50 of ice time in Thursday night's championship game. On a pair with Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jacob Slavin, he was instrumental to the Americans' defensive success against the high-flying Canadians.
Boldy was not quite such a standout, but he nonetheless impressed with a hard, responsible game (including some not significant minutes beside Dylan Larkin in that championship game).
Both players certainly raised their national profiles with strong performances for Team USA and like Larkin and Lucas Raymond, will be looking to leverage that experience into strong form coming out of the break as they return to regular season action.
The Hockey News - "Obviously a Lot of Fun and Makes You Want More": Lucas Raymond Reflects on the 4 Nations
On Friday morning, Lucas Raymond returned to <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings/">Detroit Red Wings</a> practice for the first time since participating in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Representing Sweden, Raymond was arguably the most consistent player for his team at the event and recorded three assists in his three games of action.
Where to Watch
Today's game (a 12:30 scheduled puck drop) is a national broadcast on ABC. For cord-cutters, the game will also be streamable on ESPN+.
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