Training Camp has officially commenced for the Detroit Red Wings, who are once again calling Center I.C.E. Arena in Traverse City, Mich. their home away from home in a tradition that was founded by former head coach Scotty Bowman in 1997.
A mixture of familiar and new faces hit both ice surfaces at the venue for various drills as well as a scrimmage as hundreds of excited fans of all generations gathered to watch their hockey heroes.
One of the familiar faces was head coach Todd McLellan, who made his return to the organization last December after he was hired to replaced the terminated Derek Lalonde.
McLellan had served as an assistant coach with the Red Wings from 2005 through their 2008 Stanley Cup before departing to accept the head coaching position with the San Jose Sharks.
Based on the line combinations that the Red Wings skated with during their split-squad rosters, the line combination of Marco Kasper, Patrick Kane, and Alex DeBrincat remained intact.
Tic-tac-GOAL!
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 16, 2025
Marco Kasper's 13th of the season. #LGRWpic.twitter.com/RdEpZw4sJa
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It helps that DeBrincat already had developed a playing chemistry with Kane from their years together earlier in their careers with the Chicago Blackhawks, which was a natural draw for Kane to choose the Red Wings as an unrestricted free agent in December 2023.
"I think Cat and Kaner have that instinctive, 'I know where you are, I know where you're going to release the puck' relationship," McLellan said. "They've played together long enough and they think the same way. Shoot, pass, or playmaker, whatever you want to call each of them."
Kasper, who remained with the Red Wings for good after being summoned from the Grand Rapids Griffins in late October of last season, seemed to find a groove while centering Kane and DeBrincat, especially during the second half of the campaign.
"Kasp complimented both of them, they needed somebody to do work in some certain areas, to defend down low," McLellan said of Kasper. "And he didn't succumb to the pressure of playing with potentially two Hall of Famers when it's all said and done, but he played his own game and that was impressive."
As far as whether or not fans can expect to see the line at Little Caesars Arena on Oct. 9 against the Montreal Canadiens for the regular season opener, that remains up in the air.
"Are we going to start with them Opening Night? I can't tell you that, we have three and a half weeks to go, and we'll figure all of that out when Opening Night rolls around," McLellan said.
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