Patrick Kane, Lucas Raymond, Todd McLellan Post Game Comments vs TOR | Oct. 11, 2025

Patrick Kane, Lucas Raymond, Todd McLellan Post Game Comments vs TOR | Oct. 11, 2025

Yeah, I mean just uh you know I thought we had a decent start to be honest with you in the first and uh you know you find yourself down two nothing. It’s a little disappointing but um I think it speaks volumes of the group with uh kind of um just what we went through the past couple days um not being um at the top of our game and um not having a great start but uh to bounce bounce back you know being down two nothing and come out of the second being up 3-2 is obviously uh you know an ideal situation for us. So, um, you know, it’s I know it’s two games into the season, but, um, we prove we can, you know, turn the corner when we face the adversity. As you say, this is two games in, but didn’t feel like you guys needed this. Yeah. Yeah. I think, you know, even when you win the game or see that empty net go in by Simon, it’s um there’s definitely a feeling of relief, right? Um, and a big kill there at the end. Tabs had some great saves, some great block shots um to keep it at 4-3. So, um, definitely a big win for us. We heard about the after the first period where I was going. Go ahead. That’s where I was going. You’re good. I don’t I didn’t hear. What was said after the first period? Not much really. Just to kind of, you know, stick with it. It’s not like we came in and we had to change, you know, our whole game or anything like that, but um, you know, could see we started to turn the game there in the second. We had a lot of lot of shifts in their end, a lot of good changes. Um, getting fresh guys against some of their tired guys was a was a huge momentum swing. How important was just getting getting that Casper goal because if you go down three it could be a completely different story. I I mean you know that starts with uh you know JT Copper and um and Brans’s uh shift there. You know they have a great shift. They get off the ice. They put us in a good position to get get uh get out there fresh against some of their retired guys. We make a turnover and um that was a great um catch and release there by Cass Cass to uh you know um uh find us our first goal is a great shot. So um obviously a good feeling there when you make it 2-1. How much is goal number 500 on your mind as you start to get closer? Uh no I mean not really to be honest with you. Um you know I think more just getting off to a good start. Um trying to find my game early in the season is you know one thing I definitely um didn’t do last year. So, uh, I think, um, you know, getting off to a good start is is definitely important for me this year. Speaking of milestones, Lucas Raymond’s 100 for a goal. How have you felt about his performance since you’ve become his teammate? I mean, I think he’s just progressing every day, every game. Um, you know, obviously each year I’ve been here, he just gets better and better. And, um, you know, the thing you love about him is he wants to be the best. He puts the work in, whether it’s, you know, during practice or off the ice. um finding ways to u you know better himself. So he’s been really impressive since I got here. What were you most encouraged by that you saw tonight relative to Thursday? Just you know I mean sometimes I know it was it was one game but you get yourself into a hole uh and um you know the vibes weren’t great in here but um I think um just keeping it positive was huge and we knew you know we have we have a good group in here that can compete with anyone. So, um, and then being down two nothing, uh, um, you know, playing through that adversity, finding a way to get the first one and, uh, really turn the corner there in in the second period to come in 3-2, I think, uh, was a good feeling for everyone. Did you see the the rookies to play much more to the way they can tonight compared to the other night, too, was probably tough for them to stand out when things were going as badly as the for the whole team? No, I mean, there’s there’s a reason they’re on the team, right? um there’s a reason they made it out of camp and obviously uh when you’re a young player um there’s a lot of potential but I think more so um um what they can do during the game to kind of help us um you know you look at Finny great speed I mean Niggard has great shot physical strong on the puck axe can make um plays with the best of them back there so um the future’s bright with those three but um yeah give them confidence let them play their game and uh bring that bring what they can to the team signard seems to have act two to to find the seams in the offensive zone in position to get the shot away. Yeah, I mean he stays on the puck. Um he’s aggressive. He’s strong on it. Um I think he accepts contact really well and like you said um you play with two good playmakers like Copper and and JT. Um they get the puck, they’re looking to make a play to the slot and he’s he’s uh finding himself there. So those three have been really good through throughout the first two games. They were good in Montreal, too. What a pass to bring it to you for time there. Would you just chalk that up to your longtime chemistry? Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Um just um yeah, that’s just pure chemistry right there. Uh uh him turning the corner, try to lose yourself behind some of their D and um he made a great pass, but it raided my wheelhouse. I just had to kind of get good wood on it and put it on net. So um yeah, that was it was a great play by him. Thanks, you guys to play the way you did tonight after the opener. Um huge, right? like um did not come out the way we wanted to and um you know that’s far from from the way we want to play and um cleaned up a lot of stuff and I think the way we looked tonight even through three periods even being down two nothing it was uh it was a good 60 minutes of hockey 100 career goals. How does that feel for you? Yeah, it’s fun obviously um I didn’t know about it but um it’s cool you know you you don’t take that stuff for granted and um always fun fun to score so I look like to keep that going. How much did it resonate with you what Todd said the other night about kind of the time is now? There’s not there’s not time to kind of wait and fix some of these things from from game day one. Yeah, I mean we’ve been in situations a couple years in a row now where where it’s come down to the end where um you know the margins are are very thin and it’s about getting off to a good start, putting ourselves in a in a good position and uh getting good habits. We we got all the tools in this locker room and around us to to be a really good hockey team and um you know we have the confidence to to have it as well. So, um, yeah, I mean, it’s huge, right? Um, if we if we can replicate this game, I think we’ll be in a good spot. Not so long ago, you were EMTT Finny, trying to make a name for yourself in this league and sticking around after a good training camp. When you watch him, are you kind of does it bring back memories? And I guess, are you kind of impressed just the way he doesn’t seem to be phased by the moment? Yeah, for sure. Um, I mean, we were talking about it yesterday with opening night that it feels like it was not that long ago, but but times moved fast and uh, I think for EMTT, just the way he came in in training camp, rookie tournament, the way he played and, you know, made his mark, it was it was fun to watch. And, uh, like you said, he’s not faced one bit. He he plays this game with his speed and, uh, you know, obviously very exciting for him to get his first point today and hopefully a lot of first of a lot. Just a second ago, Patrick Kane saying that you want to be the best at everything and you’re always striving for improvement. What does that mean for you coming from a a bonafide hall of famer like Patrick Kane? Uh yeah, I mean always obviously fun. Um Kaner’s is huge for us and um not just the stuff everyone sees on the ice, but but off the ice as well with his leadership and um you know, it’s it’s fun to see the work he puts in every day. And um it’s great for for young guys to come in and just being able to watch a guy like that. I remember when he came in and that was the thing that that stood out for me right away. So um yeah, he’s uh he’s a big part for us. You five guys had great chemistry in a power play last year. Do you feel like he’s kind of picked up where he left off this year? Yeah, I mean um it’s a new year obviously, right? It’s it’s it’s different I think for us. We we had a good year last year on the power play but uh we want to take steps there as well and um when you played a full year together you learn each other you learn each other’s tendencies and uh at the same time other teams also do. So I think for us it’s about finding new ways to score being creative out there and um we’re not going to score every power play but as long as we we get momentum for the team and and put ourselves in a good spot I think it’s it’s successful out there. So, um, for sure. I mean, two games, two goals, so I would look like to keep that going as well. What does it do for the bench to see Simon step into a couple scrums there in the third period? Yeah. Uh, it’s fun. Simon plays with uh with a lot of emotion. He’s he’s a competitive guy and um you need that, right? It’s uh it’s about doing it on a on an every night basis and and the same way control it and uh you know, put put our team in good spots. So, um, he does it all out there and it’s it’s fun to watch. Thanks, Todd. What were some of the biggest differences you saw today in comparison to Thursday? Well, we didn’t give up uh, you know, the bushel full of outnumbered rushes. I think there was one real clear one. Um, we had a extended shift in their end. We shot the puck into somebody and all a sudden that twoon one, but the goalender made the save. So that was a real good sign. Um I thought we were a lot more resilient. Um obviously going down two nothing was, you know, and them scoring on the first shot on goal was not part of the plan. And at that point we had given up seven straight goals. So um you talk about being mentally tough. We didn’t roll over and and uh you know, woe is us type attitude. We dug in a little bit more. So that’s a real good sign for us. And I just thought we played with more pop and more uh more energy where we were connected. Um you know, and sometimes the first night does that to you, but we we settled in settled in. Pardon me. I know it’s only game two, but to come out and play like that. Did that team need to see that they can play that way? Um you know, quite honestly, I think that team knows it can play that way. Um, I believe they were all, you know, two men really disappointed in in what transpired the other night, but you know, now the they got rewarded for for fixing it and for doing the work and we’ve got to bottle that type of game up and and continue on with it. How key was Marco’s goal just to kind of Well, it was it was important. Um, you know, prior to that, they had a I think a deflection in our end that almost went in again. Both her goals were tips or deflections, feeder shots from the blue line. And prior to that, they almost scored again. And that that would have been certainly deflating. Could we overcome it? I’m not sure. Uh especially since we had our own I thought we had our own opportunities just, you know, their goalender made some saves. We deflected some pucks over the net. There were scrambles we couldn’t get to, but uh Marco’s goal turned the tide for us. And then just that late penalty tail. How key was that? Especially Well, real important. You don’t want to put that team on the power play. Um, you know, especially when you’re 200 feet away from your net, it just makes no sense. So, give the penalty killers and Talbs credit for for getting us through that. And the extension of the penalty kill was the 615. They they basically played the last four minutes, you know, four of the last five minutes on the power play. I thought we did a did a a real good job of holding our own there. big test for us. Yeah, Todd, speaking of the power play, just that that fiveman unit there. I mean, they they flourished last year and looks like they’ve just picked up where they left off. Just how important is it? I mean, they’ve got a goal in each of the first two games, but they all when they don’t score, they also seem to give you a spark. Yeah, it’s you know what the the power play has to at at very least provide some momentum and some energy and excitement for the team. and it’s impossible to score every time. Uh but those five players when they’re clicking um you know and they’re moving it quick, which they were tonight, uh they’re dangerous. If they score, great. If not, as we leave and and begin to play five on five again, we feel pretty good about ourselves. They they’ve swung the tide our way for a little bit. Um so momentum is huge and uh when it doesn’t go well, you give the momentum back, now you’re scrambling. So I thought they did a good job of that tonight. Hey T, those two Lucas Raymond goals gives him a hundred in his career. Since you’ve been here, what’s impressed you about him? Everything. Um, you know, the the competitiveness in him. Uh, he’s a fiery guy. Um, you know, I didn’t know he was as um evasive with the puck that you know, how he can pick his way through shots. Tremendous. He’s he’s learning how to be a a real good leader. and he commits to the the defensive side of the puck. And you know, I think if I remember last year, I used the comparison of of Hank when he was here, Zedterberg. And uh well, and I think I used that with Casper a little bit too, but those two players remind me of the way he played. Todd, the the rookies again tonight doesn’t look like they’re in awe of the moment at all. Especially Bran Signar, even though he hasn’t scored yet, you just watch him on the ice and he just seems to have that six sense for getting to the open seams where he can get that shot away. Yeah, he does that really well. I thought he was really heavy uh heavy body, but heavy on his stick tonight, too. He won a lot of stick battles to to keep plays alive. Um, you know, when I’m standing behind the bench and and Yans and Tangs are there, uh, we feel 100% comfortable playing those kids right now. Um, I hope that it continues that way, but they’ve earned our trust and we feel good about putting them out. You know, Finny went out six on five. Uh, there’s nothing wrong with playing them. They they’ve shown they’re capable of doing it. Um, you know, the test will be as the grind goes on. It’s not the same when you’re playing for the Cam Loops Blazers or you’re over in in the Swedish League playing only weekend hockey, but we’ll help them with that. Patrick Kane talked about how a change from that line, like kind of a timely change in the ozone, helped set up one of their goals tonight. I mean, how important are some of those little unseen things in in establishing the ozone presence? Game management, you know, you just you were some of you asked me what game management is getting ahead on a on a change. Uh we had them trapped a couple times where they were tired especially in the second period and uh we managed to hold on to the puck, get fresh players out while now you’re really rolling around and um you know Kanir’s I think it was Kaner’s goal actually that uh came off of that. So game management maybe we learned something. Would you say that the guys rose to the challenge, if you will, about everything that you had to say following the loss on Thursday, especially after falling down behind and then not allowing it to spiral out of control? I would say that 100% they did. Um, you know, since we’ve got here, I I find this team when they’ve been challenged, they do find ways. It’s just you can’t challenge them 82 times a year. It’s those other times where it’s just them coming to the rink and getting ready to play without us really poking them or proddding them. Um, you know, we got to get good in those areas. But I think back to last year, the days or the nights we challenged them, um, played four game road trip ended in Seattle if I remember correctly. Hey, we had won all three. A lot of times teams, you know what, it’s easy just to say, “Hey, a hell of a trip. Let’s get home.” Um, challenged them there. They responded to it. There was a lot of challenges that they they answered the bell. Tonight was another one of them. Um, but like I said, I you can’t you just can’t as a coach do that 82 times. So, we’ve got to learn to selfchallenge and and uh and they will. And back to the rookies, Axel Sanding, Pelica playing in all situations, power play, even strength, short-handed. How have you liked his poise so far, even though it’s only been two games of his career? Um, appreciate him more and more each night. like he’s he’s looking more and more comfortable. Um I think what all three of them have done is given themselves permission that that they actually do belong here. They’ve earned it. And sometimes that’s what young kids have to do is just give themselves permission. Don’t don’t play afraid. And I think Axe is really um he’s done that. He’s he’s a confident not an arrogant but a very confident young man and shows

Patrick Kane, Lucas Raymond, and Todd McLellan speak with the media following Detroit’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday October 11, 2025 at Little Caesars Arena.