Dylan Larkin, John Leonard, Todd McLellan Practice Media | Dec. 15, 2025

Dylan Larkin, John Leonard, Todd McLellan Practice Media | Dec. 15, 2025

How are you guys to maintain the momentum now coming home after such a successful trip? Um yeah, I just put on the gas and and um you know it uh was a good trip and with a trip like that you can build confidence and you know anytime you come home from the West uh it’s it’s a challenging first game and and uh for whatever reason but every every time I’ve done it in my career it’s it’s been it’s been difficult and um you’re gone for a long time. home with a million things to do and and uh to feel like you’re at home and and then uh you still got to focus on playing a game, but um you know, the way we’ve been playing, the way we’ve been winning in different ways, I think there’s there’s something to build off that and um you know, I’d say it starts with goalending and Gibby was great on the trip and so was Palps. And is it just a matter of maybe having break somebody new Kane not not out there and John L? Yeah, I mean we were able to do it when when Kainer was was out earlier in the year and uh Ray was out a little bit. So, um we’ve done it and and uh Kar’s been playing really well with Cat and and Copper and that line’s been going for us. So, it’s a it’s going to be a a loss, but um we’re going to be able to manage without him. I feel it’s two lengthy successful road swings now for your team and coach Mlullen has talked so much about mental fortitude. Do you feel that you were really that he was the team as a whole was showing mental fortitude on this trip as well as the earlier one this season? Yeah, I do. I do. I think the Calgary game um started I mean uh you know this is going back days now. Um, but I thought uh we were able to to hold down the forward and and um you know they had momentum and they they pushed but we were able to win that hockey game in in the past and know feel like it would have really gotten away from us and um and then who knows how the rest of the trip would have went. Edmonton, you know, tough back to back going in there. Um but we responded against Chicago. So, we’ve seemed to be able to do it all year and and um you know, I think that uh um speaks to um you know, the guys in the room and and being through it and and adding veterans that that help us through that. So, uh and then goalending being able to solve a lot of problems. You guys, you said you won a bunch of different ways. How much is that a mark of a good team that can win in different ways? Yeah, it is. It it really is. And and the key word there is winning. You could play good and and not win, but you have to win and you have to accumulate points in this league. And um on that road trip, we did that. And and uh you know, it uh it it’s good for for the team confidence and the team morale and and uh you know, now it’s about looking forward and and and continuing to try to win. Two back to bats, but a little unusual court this week with both at home. Is that maybe going to make it a little bit easier the second night or? Yeah, I don’t know. You never know. Um, back to backs are hard in this league and and uh uh you got to be ready. You got to be able to uh uh you can’t save anything the first night, but you got to be able to recover and and get ready to play again. So, um it’ll be interesting that it’s they’re both at home, but it’ll it’ll be uh it’ll be nice. What are you seeing right now? I I think um you know he’s just keeping everything in front of him and and he’s always been calm. Um I think even through the the tough tough nights where it seems like whatever he did and and whatever we did, we couldn’t get a win for him. And and you know, I talked to him, he felt like it was going to turn for him. And and he stayed patient and and I think he’s just uh you know, he’s playing well. He’s he seems uh very locked in mentally and keeping everything in front of him. Next puck, next play, just going going out there and and uh seems to be battling for us. I know you’re not Billy Garingo. Just the way that Alex is playing, I mean, he’s really doing everything he can to earn a stat roster, US roster this season. Yeah. Yeah, he is. been uh he’s been really good for us and and uh you know I think um playing with Kainir those guys have been really going and and uh you know he blocks shots he plays physical he he he’s really good defensively so um you know I’m a huge Alex the Brinka fan and uh you know I think uh he wants it really bad and I we all want it for him really bad as well. Dylan, when you prepare to see the Islanders spread for the third time tomorrow in the first two meetings, they won in pretty dominant fashion. How much do you look back at those or how much do you guys focus on exactly what’s going on with this team right now? I mean, yeah, it’s it’s uh it’s something that we’re we’re aware of. Um, you know, Todd last time they came in here, he made a point of when we were on the island, it it uh it was one of those nights where we’d want to forget about it and we wanted to to have a a night like that here against them and and it didn’t go that way either. So, um they’re a really good hockey team and and they’re dangerous and um you know, they don’t give up much. They play the right way. So, I think it’s going to be it’s got to be to beat them. I think it’s got to be a lowscoring game and and uh you know, two teams that that have to play tight defense. How excited are you for this opportunity? Yeah, I’m I’m extremely excited. Um obviously very grateful for it. Um yeah, I’m super excited. It’s uh it’s been a full year since I played a game in the NHL, so I’m pretty excited for What have they told you? Uh just I got uh call last night that I was coming up. So, um obviously we’ll we’ll see what happens and um can play tomorrow and go from there. With all the excitement, what do you expect some of the challenges to be being the fact that it’s been a full year since you put in NHL game? Yeah. Uh obviously, I’ll be uh excited, nervous, all the all the good nerves and stuff like that. But, um like I said, extremely grateful just to be here um and super excited for the opportunity. You had a very productive season last year. Uh and then now this year, I think 19 goals in 20 games. So, what’s been clicking for you and the team down there? Yeah, obviously in uh in Grand Rapids, everyone’s been off to a really good start and it’s been a lot of fun to be a part of and um it’s a really tight-knit group down there and um start to the coaching staff and management and um we got really close right away and I think that translated really well on the ice and uh it’s been a good start obviously the first uh 2025 down there. Joe, how do you explain that? How do you guys I mean 21 and one, how do you explain that? I mean, how do what have you guys been doing? Yeah, I think it’s uh we found different ways to win each night, whether it’s special teams, five on five game, goalending. Uh you know, last night we were shut out the whole game and then score with a minute left and then uh we were able to uh win in the shootout. Just different things like that, different guys stepping up like I said, whether it’s goalending or um you know, certain line or something like that. We’ve had a lot of uh good things click so far and it was a lot of fun. If the practice lines hold up and you do play with Andrew and Alex and also on the power play, what kind of opportunity is that? Yeah, it’s obviously extremely good one. Um it’s it’s pretty cool to be on the ice with those guys today and uh obviously get to chat with them a little bit before practice and uh they were, you know, super helpful for me with me. Uh whether it was me asking what the drill was or what was going on. So they were great. Doing seven gamewinning goals. Sometimes those can be random, but when you’ve got seven, there’s something to it as well. What kind of positions are you putting yourself in to have that kind of success to help the team? Yeah, I think it just starts with u you know the line mates and the people you’re on the ice with. Um obviously it’s uh we got a really good group down there and play a lot with uh Shine and D and uh leave some some good chemistry and a lot of things were clicking. So um those guys those two are really great players and a lot of fun to play with. Also notice your shooting percentage is off the charts as well. Where are you getting your goals and where’s it coming from? Uh, I think I just try to put myself in good spots. Um, you know, like I said, was playing with those two guys. Uh, they’re both really good down low and really good at finding, um, you know, whoever’s in the F3 spot. And, um, yeah, those, uh, those two guys are a lot of been a lot of help. Uh, for sure. Hi, Todd. Obviously, the move to bring Leonard here and Kane not out there today. Just what’s his status? Yeah, Kainer, he won’t play well, he won’t play the next two. um day-to-day upper body tweak something in Chicago um obviously was good enough to finish the game, but um we’ll keep them out for these next two and we’ll see where it pardon me where it goes from there. And I’m just wondering as you prep to see the Islanders for the third time, obviously the first two games are pretty dominant wins for them. Um how much do you look back at that and use that as preparation or focus on where your team is? Um we look back a lot. Um the the Islanders are, in my opinion, a a a definite playoff team. The way they’ve been playing, they’re well organized. They’re confident. Um been getting good goalending, and they’ve made us pay for a lot of mistakes. And um you know, the the the way the Islander games have rolled out, they’ve been almost exactly a month apart. So, we took it on the chin in in New York, didn’t play well. Uh came back here, took it on the chin, didn’t play well. Now we get our last chance against them and we’ve all talked about the importance of season series and uh and trying to win those especially in the east. U we obviously can’t do that but we’d like to at least take some points if we could. Todd, you had Leonard out there in Kane’s spot. Uh if that holds up for games and you had him on the power play as well. What do you like about John’s game that you see him being successful? Well, he’s certainly confident um at the American League level. Um you know, what he’s done there and what that team has done is remarkable, but he’s been a real real big part of it. He has NHL experience. I know he’s got some speed. Uh we played against him um when he was with the Sharks in San Jose, so he he has can make an impact on the game with his speed, but now his shot and his creativity offensively are um are um you know, they’re coming to the forefront as well. and um you know he’ll have to be trustworthy defensively, but that’s we ask that from all our players. Todd, I I know obviously Gibson’s goalending was huge on the trip, but what are some of the other things that you liked about the way the team played that you want to see carry over uh moving forward? Yeah, like the the the trip is is over. I know, you know, that was a that was like a segment for us that long trip and and we we played well. We did a lot of good things. It’s over though. Um, and it’s time to move on and start here at home. And that is not always an easy thing to do, but we’re going to we’re going to attack it. Um, what did we do? Well, we won a lot of different ways. Uh, we were able to win with our B game. Um, you know, I’m not sure that in Vancouver we were the best team. Um, we were able to win uh scoring a lot. We were able to win defensively. Um we didn’t solely rely on our power play. Our penalty kill allowed us to stay in games. Um you know early when we needed some some kills and um I liked our goalending and when you get goending like that it just exudes confidence uh in the rest of the lineup and um you know Gibby over the last little bit’s obviously given us that. Todd, why do you think that first game back and it happens to most every team it seems like in the league. That first game back after a trip, I don’t know. What’s your theory on that? Why is it so difficult sometimes? Um sometimes I think it’s because we do exactly what we’re doing right now. We talk about it and we plant it in between our ears and we begin to believe it. Um, all my years there’s been a lot of times we’ve come back from trips and had tremendous games, excellent games. So, you kind of set yourself up if if you begin to talk about it and address it. Um, you know, this could be game seven of a road trip. We just happen to be playing it in our own building. Maybe we could look at it that way. But, I don’t completely buy into that theory. Um, especially having a practice day like we had. It’s not like we came from the the West Coast. We gained time zones coming back. We had a day off yesterday. I thought we had um a good practice today. The guys were they brought it. Their spirits were up. They had energy. So, there’s no reason for us to fall into that, hey, you’re just getting home from a long road trip. You’re not supposed to play well trap. You talked about the goalending. What what are you seeing from John that has allowed him to do what he’s done over the last two weeks? Um, he he looks way more assure of himself. Is that proper English? I don’t know. You guys fix that if if you have to. Um, sure of himself. Not Ashure. Right, Alan? Sure. Sure. Sure. Sure. Saskatchewan. Um, but he just he looks way more confident, more sure of himself. um less rebounds laying around. Um he’s made a big save early in in a lot of these games and just felt better as the night’s gone on and the group feels good around him. Like it’s just it’s he’s settling in right now. And then it looked like at least from afar a pretty strong trip for Axel. Was there anything you noticed in his game? Um, I thought Axe played better defensively on this trip than he has and lo and behold, his offense opened up. Um, you know, we we sometimes forget that this guy’s only 20 years old. Like we would, even with some of our other players, we want them to be 28 already. Um, so Axe is is um, you know, that was a big trip for him, six and in 10 nights. I’m not sure that they’ve played that over in in Sweden and he’s reaching his his games played max quite quickly. I think about two weeks ago we talked about it. You throw in two rookie games, you throw in seven exhibition games and we’re at 33 now. I don’t even know what that is, but that’s a lot of games already. And normally for him, that’s spread out over the season. So, he’s he’s learning on the fly. And he had a he had a real good road trip. expect that to uh him and Benny to continue their play here. Todd, we’re a couple weeks shy of the the one-year anniversary of you being hired and and standing here and telling us that, you know, your suits weren’t even here. You were trying to get everything under your belt. How much of a grasp do you have now? I mean, it seems like so much has happened, but how much how long did it take to feel like you were again the head coach of the Red Wings here and this was home for you? Um, well, it’s been a it’s been a fast year. I can tell you that. Like, it things have happened quick. Um, and I think that when when you’re new and you’re thrown right into the fire, it happens that way for you. But way better understanding of uh the players individually. Uh, their, you know, their their body language, what they’re sending off, their how to talk to the to each of the individuals. um who responds differently to, you know, being a little more aggressive with them or do you have to back off and put your arms around them? Um, every individual is different and that’s probably the biggest um discovery for us over the year is to figure that part out. Did the suits all get here ultimately? There’s some that should have stayed behind, I think, too. So, but they’re here. Todd, when it comes to a player like like Leonard, he’s a guy who’s point per game guy in the AHL had 60s something points last year. A lot of those times those guys come up and they sometimes play they adjust their game to not do what they did to have success down there. Like when you talk to a guy like is it something you have a conversation with a guy like that about hey we’re putting you in a spot to try to not do the exact same thing but play with offense. You’re not just because that’s looks like where he was in practice. So like how what kind of conversations do you have with him to help him have the most success? A lot of times we create the problem. you know, we we call up an individual and we pop him on the fourth line and it’s probably not the right spot for him and maybe we should have called up somebody else, but you need a look. You need to figure a player out. In John’s case, we’re going to start him u in in Patty’s spot and um that should suit his game. That alone should give him a signal that we’re confident enough to put him there. Um, and that line, while they are, while they have to be responsible defensively and play hard and do all the other things, they’re counted on to produce offense. Um, so that should also be a signal to them. Um, what I don’t want to do is go and sit with them and say, “Hey, you’re you’re getting Patrick Kane’s spot.” Okay, well, I’m going to, you know, okay, I can do that. Well, that’s that’s not the case. He just needs to be John and play like John does down there up here. Um, he’s been in the league before. say I don’t have to talk to him a lot. Um there’s review after but let’s give him a chance first. Is is it evolved to a little bit with the league where the depth in the lineup can be a little bit more off is you say like we kind of create those problems in the past and it’s something where it probably still is there but is there more now in the league where third fourth line whatever term we want to use can get in offensively be a little bit more creative where we can start getting away from that problem a little bit more where you can Yeah. um in in comparison to the past years certainly um if you go back a decade often um you know your fourth line was getting some guys were getting five minutes seven minutes a night playing certain roles. Those roles are still really important. They just don’t they’re not quite as prominent. Um and schedulebased you need to to run your third or fourth lines, whatever you want to call them. um you know, they got to be pushing 10 minutes a night at least or you’re Dylan Larkin’s not going to have anything left when it when it really matters. So, um plus we think we think our players are good enough in those situations. That kid line, if you want to call it that again, is has given us some real good games lately. Um another reason why we just didn’t put John Leonard in that spot is we like the way that Danny and Casp and Elmer have been playing. Todd had a chance to talk with Nate about the biggest differences he’s experienced from uh Grand Rapids to here. And I’m just wondering the sample size you’ve got now, where you’ve seen the growth in his game and what you you’re thinking about him at this point. Um so Nate has come in and um I think he’s gone from being nervous to comfortable, which he should be or should have happened. Um I think his confidence level has gone up. Um, I’m not sure what answers he gave you, but from from my perspective, I think he’s learning that every moment, every situation is really competitive here. There’s no time to to take your foot off the gas. Things are happening a little faster. But he also may tell you that it’s a little more organized. Um, so it’s sometimes easier to play. Um, but the goalender should be better, the D should be better. Uh, everything should happen a little faster. Um, and he’s adjusting to that. He’s doing a good job. It sounded like during one of those power play, drills, that you made a reference about the Sadine Twins. Was that uh obviously you coached against them so many times with San Jose and two of the most gifted playmakers maybe ever? Um what what did you like about their game during your time against them and were you trying to maybe incorporate some of that into the players that you’re coaching? I didn’t like anything about their game when we were playing against them. like but you know when you look back now and and you you think about how they worked together and and how they played the game and uh passer shooter you know but both could score and and and they did certain things we we I think the league uses uh we call it the sadine tip um on the power play like they they were so good at that high tip into the middle brother to brother and and deflected And I think we scored one the other night. Dylan Larkin got a sadine tip goal. Um they were so good that something around the league’s actually been named after them in my opinion anyhow. And that’s probably what you heard in practice. Um we were also doing some stuff around the net where um they were very good in tight. They would set picks for each other and create open ice and and maybe that’s where you heard the Sadines um comment in practice. That’s I’m trying to think back to practice, but that’s probably where it came from. And then that was the second lengthy road trip where you emerged with a a positive number of points. You had spoken for so long about the need for mental fortitude. Do you feel that the team really showed mental fortitude by a season long road trip, four wins in six games? At training camp, we asked our group to get harder physically, mentally, and game management. Those were the three things that we thought we needed to improve on. Uh I would say on this road trip, all three of those came into play. Um we weren’t consistently good with all of them, but when it was all said and done, we did tap those areas. We got better in those areas. Now trip’s over. It starts all over again. And and you know, to to your point, we can’t fall into that trap.

Dylan Larkin, John Leonard, and Todd McLellan speak with the media following Detroit’s practice on Monday December 15, 2025 at the BELFOR Training Center.