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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — With nothing left to lose but their 1% playoff chances, the Detroit Red Wings once again will look to Cam Talbot.
The 37-year-old netminder will be making his sixth straight start Thursday when the Wings take on the Florida Panthers. Anything less than a point means the Wings are officially eliminated from the race for an NHL playoff berth.
They held their morning skate at Baptist Health Iceplex, where Wings coach Todd McLellan kept an observant eye and an experienced outlook.
"I've learned over the years, don't look for anything in the morning skate," McLellan said. "When I first started, you want perfection, you want guys to show intensity. But morning skates are just for them to get themselves prepared, trigger a rhythm into the day."
MORE: Red Wings are one gust from petering out. It's clear even their best isn't enough
McLellan went on to note that the days "are disappearing quickly." The regular season finale is April 17, and the Wings have but a slight mathematical chance to advance; one that will be lost with their next regulation loss.
The Wings were off Wednesday, the day after a crushing 4-1 loss at the Montreal Canadiens left the Wings with little left for which to play. A morning skate was needed to get the legs going again.
"We use common, easy flow drills so that they have a chance at success, and they feel good about themselves," McLellan said. "The whistle goes, they get off, and they have to be ready to play."
Petr Mrazek will back up Talbot, indicating Mrazek will get the start Friday when the Wings play at the Tampa Bay Lightning. McLellan indicated there could be a lineup change against the Panthers, and with Elmer Söderblom not skating Thursday morning, that could mean Austin Watson will sub in on the fourth line.
McLellan described the mood "as upbeat. We didn't skate yesterday, we flew all day, and then they had a chance to walk around in the sun. That can be therapeutic."
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on X @helenestjames.
Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her latest book, “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings, A Curated History of the Red Wings,” was released October 2024. Her books, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings' Cam Talbot to start with season on the line
Continue reading...
The 37-year-old netminder will be making his sixth straight start Thursday when the Wings take on the Florida Panthers. Anything less than a point means the Wings are officially eliminated from the race for an NHL playoff berth.
They held their morning skate at Baptist Health Iceplex, where Wings coach Todd McLellan kept an observant eye and an experienced outlook.
"I've learned over the years, don't look for anything in the morning skate," McLellan said. "When I first started, you want perfection, you want guys to show intensity. But morning skates are just for them to get themselves prepared, trigger a rhythm into the day."
MORE: Red Wings are one gust from petering out. It's clear even their best isn't enough
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McLellan went on to note that the days "are disappearing quickly." The regular season finale is April 17, and the Wings have but a slight mathematical chance to advance; one that will be lost with their next regulation loss.
The Wings were off Wednesday, the day after a crushing 4-1 loss at the Montreal Canadiens left the Wings with little left for which to play. A morning skate was needed to get the legs going again.
"We use common, easy flow drills so that they have a chance at success, and they feel good about themselves," McLellan said. "The whistle goes, they get off, and they have to be ready to play."
Petr Mrazek will back up Talbot, indicating Mrazek will get the start Friday when the Wings play at the Tampa Bay Lightning. McLellan indicated there could be a lineup change against the Panthers, and with Elmer Söderblom not skating Thursday morning, that could mean Austin Watson will sub in on the fourth line.
McLellan described the mood "as upbeat. We didn't skate yesterday, we flew all day, and then they had a chance to walk around in the sun. That can be therapeutic."
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on X @helenestjames.
Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her latest book, “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings, A Curated History of the Red Wings,” was released October 2024. Her books, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings' Cam Talbot to start with season on the line
Continue reading...
