Hockey is back! Previewing the home opener against the Montreal Canadiens

Hockey is back! Previewing the home opener against the Montreal Canadiens

Today in lockdown, Red Wings hockey is back as Detroit kicks off their regular season against the Montreal Canadians. You’re Locked On Red Wings, your daily podcast on the Detroit Red Wings, part of the Locked On Network, your team every day. Welcome back to the Locked On Red Wings podcast. We are your hosts, Brian Fischer and Scotty Bentley, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day and available wherever you get your podcasts. Scotty, well, I already said it. Hockeyy’s back. Today is the official start of the Detroit Red Wings regular season as they take on the Montreal Canadians at home Little Caesars Arena to kick off their centennial season. That’ll be at 7:00 on FanDuel Sports Network. And we we do this every year. The first day is always exciting. Uh where we are 24 hours from now when we recap the game a little bit different. Last year they got out on a sour note, got pumped by Pittsburgh. Uh but hoping to start off on the right foot against the Montreal Canadians. We will preview that game for the first half of this episode before finishing out the episode. Scotty talking about how the Red Wings are going to honor Alex Delveio throughout the remainder of this the remainder of the season, the entirety of this season. But before I get to that, got to let you guys know that today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting FanDuel.com and win $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. Scotty, it’s kind of weird um starting an episode doing it. We haven’t done a game preview besides we didn’t really even preview any preseason game. We kind of just are like, “Yeah, this game’s happening and we have no idea what we’re going to see tomorrow when these ro when these games start because the roster was wild.” But the roster now is set and we do know for a fact that John Gibson is your opening night ro or opening night goalender. That I don’t think is a surprise to either of us, right? Absolutely not. Yeah. No, John Gibson albeit he had a little bit of a a rough finish to the preseason in that final game that the Red Wings did win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. This is a guy that the Red Wings brought in to be the at least 1A goalender. They’re going to want to see him put up like 45 to 50 games, I would imagine, with Cam Talbot backing up for the other ones. He’s a guy who we’ve talked about at length when he’s healthy. Is a very very good goal goalender. He only played I think was what is it 27 29 games last year. Put up very impressive numbers. He was out for a lot of that season last year. not through anything that he can control with an emergency appendecttomy, but he’s got several VZNA caliber seasons under his belt. You know, what are you hoping to see from Gibson in that? Just a steady goalie. Yes. Like I I mean, we’ve talked about it all summer. The bar is so low. Like we’re No one is asking for the world here, man. the the bar is just so unbelievably low for what would be acceptable or passable over the course of 82 and it’s you know it’s not something that they are going to that you are going to realize or that you are going to uh I don’t know what the word I’m like thinking of is but it’s not something where okay even if he has a great first game that everyone’s just going to be like oh well you know we’re totally fine now like we’re goalie’s fixed. It it it’s going to take the season maybe before people are are fully confident. But yes, he he’s obviously the best goalie in the organization. Uh he is I mean I I think very obviously should be the opening night starter and I I mean you’re just hoping for the start of what can be a 45 to 55 game season of of good goalending which the Wings have not received in quite some time. Well and so my follow-up question then too as we’re talking about starting goalender let’s talk about projected lines. Right. We’ve seen in practice a lot this week pretty much the same lines every single time. Uh it was Larkin, EMTT, Finny, and Raymond. Casper, Cat, and Casper. We saw cop, confer, and MBN. Did I say something funny? Say the second line again. Cat, Casper, and Kane. What did I say? There you go. Did I get Did I get You didn’t say Kane. You said you you said uh you said one of their names twice instead of saying Kane, but we’re we’re good. I I we’re chill. It’s cuz I’m trying to multitask and I’m very bad at that. Uh or I just heard you wrong and I look really stupid right now. Either way, we’re okay. Either way, one of us looks stupid, but it’s fine. Uh C, Casper and Kain, NBN, Comfort and Cop, Rasmusen, Soderblum, and um Appleton on the fourth line. I I really mean that the main conversation here is those first two lines. Let’s start at the pop the top then. I mean, Larkin line where we’re all eyes are on EMTT Finny. What can he provide as a seventh rounder that made the leap to the NHL after just I think a cumulative 16 AHL games, something in that vicinity. Yeah. What should we realistically be looking for in his first NHL game? Man, I I I don’t want to be too like vague. Um cuz I I would love to be, you know, hot take guy and be like I I need exactly this like point total or or this to look in a box score, but like genuinely just to look like you belong on the NHL ice in a regular season NHL hockey game against a good Habs team. Mind you, this is not like you’re getting some cupcake to start off the year, okay? This is this is not Big 10 football scheduling, right? like you’re you’re getting a uh like serious like you’re getting a a Habs team that was in the playoff mix that is has a really talented young core that you and I have been talking about on this show for years now and and they’re finally here and ready to roll. Like this is I mean obviously original six opening night you’re wearing the Centennial jerseys there is going to be a lot of stuff going on and there there’s going to be a packed house at LCA. It’s going to be an awesome thing. Um, but I I think that that is really and and again it sounds so simple and it sounds kind of like a copout, but that’s really all I’m looking for. I I don’t need, you know, that he needs to score a goal or he needs, you know, exactly a point or he needs to do this, like, excuse me, just go through the game and and just at all times look like you belong. And I guess you can kind of just copy and paste that across all three rookies in this game. Yeah, I mean for EMTT Finny I I fully what I want is to see him be able to keep up, you know, keep up and help drive play. Uh look, like you said, look like you belong. He and he did that all throughout the preseason. I don’t think that that’s out of the realm of the pot, but I I agree with you. It’d be insane to be like he needs to score a goal. I think if anyone’s saying that, like you got to what are we doing here? Uh second line, I mean, it’s Casper and Kane. What is there to be said? They’re one of the most consistent offensively producing offensive producing lines on the Red Wings. So, is there really much more to break down there? I’m not really sure. And because we’re already at 7:30, let’s go ahead and just skip past that. Move on to the cop. And like that’s not me trying to be dismissive. We just know what they are. They’re a really good line. Um the third line is interesting. Cop comfort and again assuming these are the lines. It could be different, but they’ve been practicing this for over a week now. Cop comfort and MBN. I the more I sit on this line, the more I think I like it because you have three very very good two-way forwards, two of which can play center, so you can go on or off left uh right shot, left shot depending on where the faceoff is. Um, you know, Cop and Confer aren’t the fastest. They aren’t the fleet of football, but they play a heavy style of game. All three of them aren’t afraid to get into the corner. Both Cop, Comfort, and MBN aren’t afraid to go to the net. So, I really think this is a line that you talk about matchup lines, like this is a line that can grind down opponents in the offensive zone, just wear them down and wear them out. I think I really like this third line in theory. Obviously, you got to see how it turns out, but I like it in theory. Yeah, I I so I agree with you. I think the interesting conversation as the season goes along and we well obviously we’re going to focus just really on on this game but I the the big question longterm with that line I don’t think is going to be a question of whether it works because I expect it to and I think that that’s a a like you said a really solid third line and I hope that they showcase that on opening night here. The question I have long term is over 82 games, is it more beneficial for either COP or Confer to play 4C or is it more beneficial for both of them to be on the third line? I I think in a perfect world, it is more beneficial for both them to be on the third line because of the depth that you now have on the NHL roster, which you’ve really I mean, you haven’t had this deep of an NHL roster with the rookies on it in in a very long time in my opinion. So, I think that that’ll be the question at some point this year. And I’m sure we’ll see, you know, uh, line blender and whatnot as the season goes along and and such. But, um, yeah, to start off the season, I I agree with you. I think that it has the potential at least to be kind of a a a sneaky solid third line that can maybe produce and and score a little bit. You’re muted. Good job. You’re muted. Uh, real quickly, uh, let’s go to the fourth line here, Scotty. The Rasmus, Appleton, Soderblum line is projected to be the line. Obviously, JVR still non- roster. Bear will be the healthy scratcher. Little bit of an odd mix of player types and profile. Sodlam being the 6’8 skill unicorn that he is, provides some skill. Rasmusen, another two-way center who’s not afraid to get to the front net front and deflect shots. Appleton a more defensive minded forward. So, I’m not really sure how they’ll gel, but in for in terms of like fourth line talent, it’s a pretty talented fourth line compared to what we’ve had in years past. So, I mean, like last year, we’ve replaced Joe Valeno and Craig Smith with Appleton and Sodblum on the fourth line. So, that’s an upgrade in my eyes. So, and they and they’ll get super limited minutes. So, I think they’ll go out there, they might get a not necessarily in this first game, but across the season, get a couple of goals here and there and just not look like a complete train wreck, assuming again this all stays together because game lines in game one are not necessarily g lines in game two or game three or game 82. So, there’s a I I I’m not so worried about the fourth line. It’s a little bit of a mishmash, but the ceiling for those players is higher than the fourth we’ve had. Yeah, absolutely. And I think again that goes to the point I just had about depth. I I mean if this group can stay by, you know, healthy for the most part, I I really do think you’re talking about one of the deeper Red Wings teams we have seen in the last like legit decade of hockey here in Detroit. Yes. Uh Scotty, let’s head to a quick break. When we return, we’ll talk about the defensive pairs really quick. Uh because there is still a little bit of there’s a little bit of a question mark there. So stay tuned to segment two of Lockdown Red Wings. The NFL season is here and FanDuel has an offer you don’t want to miss. Right now, new customers can bet just $5 and get 300 in bonus bets. If you win, that’s right, pick a bet, put down five bucks, and if it hits, you’ll unlock $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. You’re going to love using FanDuel because it’s going to give you so many ways to play. Build parlays, try player props, or even follow the live lines during the game. It makes watching football even more exciting when you’ve got a little something riding on the action. Whether you’re a casual fan or love diving into the stats, FanDuel makes the game day experience so much better. So, what are you waiting for? Visit fanuel.com to download the FanDuel app today and get started. Scotty, on Tuesday, Tuesday, man, what is going on? On Thursday, uh, the Red Wings take on the Montreal Canadians and the projected defensive pairs going top to bottom, of course, are Cider and Terat. In terms of expectation, I mean, I expect them probably to get the hardest minutes and mostly defensive zone deployments, especially with a rookie like Exxel, Sandine, and Pelica making the roster. Uh, I do think that Cider and Sherat will just continue to get difficult minutes. I expect Cider in particular to continue to play very well in that time and I think that Sherat will he’ll be serviceable. He’ll play the minutes. Uh he’ll have his shot giveth and taketh away moments. But Sherrot is still at this moment a top four defenseman on this team. I wouldn’t I would say he’s probably not your best option at on the top pair, but it’s probably the option that makes the most sense given the depth. Yeah, you have to do it. Yeah, it’s really as simple as that. you you are really handcuffed at the present moment for top pair because it’s just not a deep enough blue line to justify Edmonson and Mo on the top pair. You you’d have a a super pair and then you would just have uh kind of a mess down whenever anybody else is on the ice. So, we’ve talked about that all summer. I don’t need to rehash that and have that conversation for the 50th time. But yeah, Sherro will be top pair because he has to be. Yep. And I expect them to perform as a pair. Are you okay to perform as a pair? Yeah, dude. It’s just Allergy’s been kicking my butt the last few days. I’ve been clearing my throat like crazy. Um there’s also a lot of sawdust right now in the basement. So, uh that’s not helping either. But I I expect them to be a very good pair overall, mostly because of Morris Cider, but I expect them to do their work. Uh, second pair is looking like it’s going to be Edson and Axel Sandine Pelica, which I think ASP playing on that second pair has more to do with pairing him with Edmonson than it does with Axel Sandine Pelica being ready for second pair minutes. Putting him with Edmonson is just like putting him with a the best defenseman that you have on your roster not more Cider. So Edmonson will provide with him for a little bit of insulation, but also, you know, they’ll probably get more shelter deployments, giving ASP more looks in the offensive zone, giving Edmonson also more looks to show off his offense. Again, Edmonson led your defense in five on five points last season. So, he is not without offense himself. So, I I’m really looking forward to seeing how this pair works, even in a little bit more of a sheltered what I what I assume would be a sheltered role with ASP out there, uh, and getting big minutes doing so. So, I’m pumped up for that pair, man. Me too. And and that’s one where if that pair can prove itself then you start talking about the dynamic of the bottom four, right? And then you can start talking about is it worth, you know, mixing and matching with other players. Um and part of that is obviously a large part of that is going to be Aljo as well presumably down in the third pair. Um, you know, if he can be really solid and be kind of a a guy that you can lean on with without Edmonson still, then that again whole depth conversation around the blue line changes for sure. So then that brings us to the third pair, Scotty. And this is the one that has the most conversation because you have four options for the third pair right now. One of them is of course going to be Albert Johansson. He is a lock to play in the third pair. And honestly, Albert Johansson on the third pair raises the floor of that third pair so much. So, while your second pair is going to be a little bit more sheltered, uh, your second pair rather is going to be a little bit more sheltered because ASP’s on it, your third pair should be able to take on a little bit heavier of a workload because Albert Johansson’s going to be on that pair. The question is is who’s going to be paired with him? All week at practice, it has seemed like Travis Hamick is the most likely person to play with as Albert Johansson just because Hamik again historically in his career has been a pretty solid stay-at-home defenseman. Not so much these last few years, but in a third pair role, I would expect him to still be pretty reliable in that situation. And I would hope he can be pretty reliable in that situation, which is good for Albert Johansson, too, who’s, you know, got a little bit of an offensive upside as well. All three of these pairs has like one kind of lock down player on it. Uh, Morett Cider, of course, Simon Edson, and then Albert Johansson, we think, is going to really raise the floor. The question just becomes is what makes the third pair better? Because obviously we as Red Wings fans, we’ve kind of fallen in love with Jacob Bernard Docker in the preseason. He’s shown us a lot of offensive flashes. There’s also Eric Gustiffson. I think the the thing here to me, Scotty, and you can tell me if you think differently, is it’s just style. I think they don’t want to pair Albert Johansson with JBD or Eric Gustoson simply because stylistically Gustiffson and JBD are also offensive demon. Yeah, 100%. And and I again like that that’ll be kind of part of the mixing and matching as the season goes along. It’ll be interesting to see who settles into where. I’m not ASP is obviously a part of that as well, I guess, is my point. Like that, you know what I mean? I mean, just because we’re talking about the guys that are remaining for opening night, you know, over the course of 82, there’s obviously always a chance that, you know, ASP is going to get time down there on top of that and etc. So, I’m the bottom four really. I mean, it’s going to be uh an interesting game one will be an interesting lness test for that bline depth that we have so graciously talked about for the last, you know, five months. A blueline depth that with ASP on the roster very suddenly looks a little bit better here putting Johansson third. So, it’s still I said I said a little bit better. I said a little bit better. group is legitimately the best we’ve seen in in a decade in terms of depth. The blue line is is I I would still avoid saying that about the the defense, but I’m just happy that the third pair has a Johansson on it, so it’s not just a turn style every single day. I really want That’s my favorite part of Blue Line, honestly, is the fact that you may have a legit dude down there like that. That’s again, that’s depth. So, I hope that Jacob Bernard Docker can at some point kind of prove himself and stick on the roster in an everyday role. I know Sens fans really liked him. I know Buffalo fans really liked him. We’ve liked him so far, but he just can’t seem to stick into an everyday role. But yeah, we’ll have to see how that pans out. Scotty, when we hit when we come back, we will, you know, talk a little bit about what we expect from the game as a whole after having talked about all the lines. Stay tuned to segment three of Lockdown Red Wings. All right, Scotty. So, the Montreal Canadians are coming into town on the second half of a back-to-back. They’re playing in Toronto on Wednesday night. So, they’ll be over by the time people are listening to this. And the Red Wings are coming into this game as home favorites minus 130, which I’m not surprised they’re home favorites. Um because of course they’re at home and it’s their home opener. Montreal’s in the second half of a backtoback. But it feels nice to be a favorite because many times over the last few seasons as the rebuild’s gone on, they were underdogs in like every single game. But Montreal is no slouch. Uh they bolstered their lineup, Scotty, this last off seasonason, trading for Noah Dobson, being bold in doing so. Two first round picks in the same draft to acquire him and then extend him. Uh they then also acquired Zachary Buluk from the Montreal, I’m sorry, from the St. Louis Blues and then also got Joe Valeno. Uh, so a lot of Jeff Merrick tweeted out last week, I don’t know if you saw this, but it’s like if Montreal Canadians can unlock Joe Valeno, then they he they could have a serious threat on their hands. I’m like, oh my god, this is such bad like Canadians propaganda because like he’s been on three or four different and I I love Joe Valeno and I root for him to succeed. Well, you’re also just you’re setting him you’re setting him up for failure by saying stuff like that, man. like when he’s inevitably a fourth liner there there, you know, fans are going to be disappointed. It’s like that’s what he is and he can be good doing that. Like nothing wrong with that. He is he was a okay fourthline player. He was drafted in 2018, so he’s not some young kid anymore. He played with Chicago and then I think was claimed off waiverss and by Seattle before signing with Montreal. So I but anyways, I digress. I’m sorry. This has turned into Joe Valeno slander and I apologize to Joe Valeno. Um, regardless, this is this is a team that we thought maybe would regret regress, right, Scotty? But then they bolstered their roster, you know. What are you expecting from this game? What are you hoping to see from the Red Wings in this hockey game besides a W, of course. Dude, more than anything, I am am so hyperfixated on the style of play from the preeason and if it translates to the regular season. Oh, yeah. I I want to more than anything else, more than any individual, you know, production, more than any line or or pair production, more than, you know, anything we see out of Gibson, I want to see if that style that they played in the preseason, the aggressive, you know, attack the the puck handler, obviously the forche we talked about a ton. If that translates to the regular season, I will be thrilled. win, lose or draw. If that translates and they keep it, you know, a close competitive game, if they if they do that and they look terrible, then like obviously then that’s that’s a different conversation. But I seriously that above everything else, I just want to see that same offensive and defensive mindset from the preeason translate over into regular season hockey. And uh yeah, if that happens, then I’m on on the moon. Especially with Montreal playing that second half of a back to back, they should have tired legs. You can capitalize and jump on all over them if you play that style and play it correctly to what Tom McClen says. Got to come out with energy. But I think they will with the home opener for the Centennial season. Uh with of course three rookies on the team. There’s a lot of good vibes behind the Red Wings right now. A lot more good vibes behind the Red Wings than honestly we thought there would be going into this season. the three rookies the centennial season better off retirement like all of a sudden Red Wings fans are back behind this team. So capitalize on that. Um the other thing I’m looking forward to Scotty this going to be such an obvious one penalty kill like right like give me give me three for three or like three for four on the night if you can. Just not don’t be egregious. Don’t be god aful. Kill penalties, assuming you take any, but I highly doubt they’ll get away from this game without taking a single penalty. So, those are the two real big things, right? Like, obviously, we’re going to be watching all the rookies, MBN, EMTT, Finny, Sonny Pelico. We’ll be looking for steps forward from Casper and Edison, but we’re going to be watching that stuff all season long. Um, money line for this game, like I said, from FanDuel. Red Wings have the are the favorites at minus 130. Uh the minus one and a half for the Red Wings is at plus 186 and then the overunder is set to 6 and a half with the minus 138. The favorite is under six and a half goals in this hockey game. Scotty, do you have any final thoughts on the Red Wings game that they’re going to be playing tonight? I don’t think so, man. I’m just pumped. I I’m just I’m so excited. We We got game five for the Tigers on Friday. We got the Wings season starting up again on Thursday. We got the the Pistons just started preseason games. We have the Lions playing. Like th this is this is peak Detroit ball right here, man. Like we’re we’re just ready to roll. And uh I am again I just said it just there. I did not expect to be this optimistic about this season given how disappointing and underwhelming the off season was. I mean really and I don’t want to put the weight of the world on three rookies shoulders and say that they’re the entire reason why. I think based on that and the different stylistic approach that the team clearly had in the preseason, I I think that there is a lot more to be optimistic than maybe we thought in, you know, July and August. And and that is really, you know, leading into opening night, that’s really all you can ask for. Now, once the puck drops, then, you know, real analysis starts and it’s just whatever happens happens, obviously. But, um, you know, going into game one, all you can really hope for is is, uh, is to be optimistic about how good the team’s going to be this year. And I I think I’m surprisingly there like I I’m very very and, you know, maybe that’s a pie in the face comment, you know, three months from now, but um, I’m I’m pretty excited to to just have hockey back. How come there’s an April in the Dong, but there’s not an October in the Dong? It’s a great question, man. All four teams play in October. I mean, assuming the Tigers make the playoffs, but they did this year, right? Yeah, that one’s a little But April and D kind of assumes other teams make the playoffs. Well, yes, but I I think it’s because April song was from Fox Sports Detroit and they don’t do Lions stuff. So, like they don’t care that the Lions play. It’s three teams. It’s three teams. You’re so smart. No, I’m so happy to have you as my co-host. You bring your brains. Yes, I am. Don’t self-deprecate. I love you, dude. You literally on an Indeed ad the other day. Literally said, “Can I use Indeed to hire a new co-host?” That was like 72 hours ago. I didn’t cut that out, did I? Or did I keep that? I don’t even remember. I don’t know. It did happen. The last thing on this docket that we got today, Scotty, uh, is that the Red Wings announced today that they would be honoring Alex Delvakio all throughout the season with a jersey patch uh, on the shoulder of their traditional jerseys, the regular winged wheel, and a helmet sticker on the Centennial. Alex Delvio, of course, one of the most one of the most famous Red Wings in Red Wings history. One of the best players to have ever played the game and NHL top 100 player back when they did that in 2018. He won three Stanley Cups, two Allstars, three Lady Bings, who passed away on July 1st earlier this summer. So, it it’s just the I feel like it’s just the right thing to do, right? Like for a guy of his caliber, you just do that for him. We did it for Gordy How, we did it for Mr. I. We did it for uh Red Kelly. Uh we did it for Ted Lindsay. So, it’s just it makes sense and it’s the right way to pay homage to literally one of the Redwing greats. 100%. And I I I can’t imagine anyone is anti that. And I think honestly the fact that you get to throw that on the centennial is such an awesome, you know, tip of the cap and and and way to honor him. I think that that’s beyond cool. So yeah, I I completely agree. He’s celebrating the life of one of your best players to have ever played the in this in this city and in the league the same year. You’re celebrating the entire history, right, of the league. of the team. So, yeah, it’s it just is appropriate. Scotty, any final thoughts? We ball, baby. We do ball. We’ll be back with a game one recap right after the game ends tomorrow or tonight. Stay tuned for that. Same time, same place. It’s your team every day.

HOCKEY IS BACK. The Detroit Red Wings season is officially back as they look to kick off their centennial season at home against the Montreal Canadiens. The Red Wings will honor Alex Delvecchio all season long. #LGRW

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