Simon Edvinsson, Todd McLellan Practice Media | Nov. 14, 2025

Simon Edvinsson, Todd McLellan Practice Media | Nov. 14, 2025

I think so too. Um just your thoughts on the win last night and kind of the confidence boost that gave to the group. Uh great win. Uh we did what we talked about. So uh there was a great team effort and I think the feeling in the group now is is uh yeah good going into the tomorrow’s game. In terms of mentality, those two practice days, it’s been talked about a lot how beneficial that was for the group. How do you take advantage of those mini breaks in the schedule when it’s a lot going on at once? Uh, you know, you have to like I don’t think we have any other practices like that until the break. So, I I I think to take care of those practices are huge and uh we did it and we we got results from it. When you’re playing a fast team like the Ducks defensively, how do you slow down quick teams? Is it neutral zone play? Is it keeping them to the outside? What’s kind of the approach when you’re playing fast teams? Oh, you need to be on the right side and you need to Yeah. Give the puck to the forwards and create oddman rushes. I feel like that’s the that’s the thing that we did last night. Then looking to finish the home stand on a high note. How important is it to keep getting these home points as you guys start to head out on the road in December? Uh huge. Uh we have a lot of home games now and we need to take care of those. Uh I know after Christmas we don’t have that many home games left and Okay. So you’re not before we have to really take care of all the home games we have. And then last one, you and Side are gaining some chemistry. You guys have played together before, but just the relationship that you guys have on in the offense, how much does that help your play? Uh, a lot. Uh, I feel like we’ve been playing. We played last year, we started to play this year now. And, you know, you, uh, you get into the chemistry and I feel like we found that very quick. Same thing last year. So, we just go out there and play and we find each other. So, that’s a that’s a good thing. Yeah. Uh John Gibson out there today. Pretty good sign that he’ll Yep. Real good sign. Um we anticipate him being okay. And we talked a little bit about Marco the other day. Um Patrick Kane was saying, you know, it’s important for young players not to lose confidence and such. I mean, talk to him about that or uh we do. Um I actually met with him on the ice today and I thought he’s uh you know, since the move to the wing, um his game has got better, a little more aggressive, assertive. Um he’s hit crossarss, he’s been around the net as far as offense goes, but his complete game has has been better. And um as I said before, if we’re if we’re going to hold him accountable, we better pay attention when they they respond and reward them with some type of acknowledgement. And I think Marco has done that. Um his game’s getting better. Todd, with the X and the fact that he didn’t play much at the end of the game yesterday, just how much do you communicate with him about what that the reasoning was and what needs to be better? Um, again, that’s essential. Um the the player can’t be confused wondering, you know, why why didn’t I um so first thing we did today, we watched some video and and discussed things and then brought him in, talked to him about his game and his approach to the game and uh told him how the NHL kind of works. Um the first 10 games everybody’s finding their way. The next 10 the the superstars really get playing well. it gets heavier, it gets harder, and then it just gets tougher as the season goes on. And if you’re lucky enough to get to the playoffs, that’s a whole different animal. So, he has to be able to adjust with that as as the year goes on. And uh so, we had that discussion and then Jan’s followed it up and made sure that uh that he his confidence was where it should be because he’s done some really good things. Um, so that’s that’s how a day would go for not just Axe, but for many players. What did you think of Bernard Docker getting back in last night? I’m sorry. Uh, Jacob Bernard Docker getting back in. What were your impressions of him? I thought he did a real good job of staying ready to play. It went a little while um between his last game and this one. And often if a player loses his his edge, uh, he doesn’t have the type of performance that Doc had last night. So, I thought he did a real good job of staying ready. And then I’m sure some degree of it like Patrick Kane’s always Patrick Kane, but how do you see his game change when he’s away from De Brink at a guy who he has so much familiarity with? Well, we haven’t played him away from De Brink at that much. Um, so that that’s a hard question for me to answer. We, you know, we’ve seen it for four periods now. Um, he still gets out there on the power play with them and in fact there, the way we rolled the lines out, he gets on the ice with them. So, it’s not like they’re separated the whole time, but um the ability to play together and apart is Patty’s he’s gone through that his whole career. Um you know, he’s gone through uh the Marian Hosa type players, the Panerans, Cats, all those types of players that he’s played with. But, um when you’re a world class Hall of Famer, you adjust. Um would you like to keep playing with him? I’m sure he does. But uh I’m not worried about Patrick um not being able to adjust or and in that for that matter uh de Brinkat as well. You spoke a second ago about confidence with younger players. Do you get the feeling that EMTT Finn’s confidence is remaining where it should be even though he’s in the midst of a a a pointless drought right now? Yeah. um just erase everything we know and if we said that we’d have a seventh round draft pick that hadn’t really played any pro hockey playing for us 19 games in and playing a prominent role. Um we would all be happy. Now he went on a scoring spree. Uh we never expected him to stay at a point a game pace he was almost at at one time. Um, you know, there’s very few rookies that do that and we don’t evaluate his game purely on offense. Um, he does so much extra work for a lot of guys. He he cleans up messes on the way back cuz he skates so well. He loosens up pucks on the forch check. He’ll go to the net. Um, he stirs things up a little bit, draws some penalties. So, there’s there’s a lot of assets there. So, um, the confidence in him hasn’t gone or diminished at all. I’m sure scoring last night had to be good for Rasmusen’s confidence. What were some of the things you saw from him last night that that were missing uh earlier this season? Well, he he put the complete game together. Um you know the besides the goal, which was a obviously a beautiful goal, you know, he loaded the puck, he opened up a lane, used a defenseman as a screen, that’s that’s a pretty skilled, talented goal. um you know and he had to do it almost while he was stopping. We put a lot of skills together to score um a big goal as well, but I thought on penalty kill I thought along the boards he was stronger. I thought there was a little more physicality in his game. Um he just looked uh more confident on the ice and we’re happy for him. Like that’s that’s what we need from Ras. Hey Todd, where do you think JVR’s game is at right now? is the not playing not having training camp is that having some sort of an effect do you think? Um it it could be but we’re you know he’s been around us now for 16 17 games. We didn’t play him right away but he uh he’s been around us for a while and um you know he has assets that that he can use um in in tight areas. uh we just have to keep some plays alive with his participation so that he can take advantage of it, but uh he’s he’s hungry. He he wants to to improve. We’ve met and he’s um he feels like he has more to give and um we’re excited about that. Looking at the younger players as a whole, you and Dan Watson have talked about keeping that same organizational language, themes, structure, stuff like that. Do you think that has played a significant role in their ability to adjust to this level? right now. I think it helps um you know, there’s nothing worse than coming up and and um hearing first of all attempting to play something that’s completely different and then hearing words that you’re hearing for the first time and a staff or a teammate a staff member or a teammate expects you to understand it. Um you can only play the game so many ways and sometimes we as coaches convolute it with some of the words we choose to use. It’s the language isn’t always universal. Um, but as much as we can within an organization, if we can keep everything similar, um, it it it helps. And then just looking at the Sabres for tomorrow’s game, what kind of stands out when you watch them on film? Well, they, you know, they we’ve played them once already. Um, they gave us a tough night in in Buffalo. Uh, right now they’re fighting some injuries. They’re missing some key people that um are key performers. Um yet I watched some of the highlights. Haven’t watched all the game yet from uh from Colorado last night. Um you know, they still have Thompson picked up a goal and assist. They they have some effective players there that can can certainly make you pay offensively. Um so we always have our hands full with them. They they’re a good hockey club and and we better be ready to play. Talic tomorrow. Um, we haven’t made that decision yet.

Simon Edvinsson and Todd McLellan speak with the media following Detroit’s practice at the BELFOR Training Center on Friday November 14, 2025