Detroit — At this point, coach Todd McLellan has a pretty good idea of what the Red Wings have in their three rookies.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Emmitt Finnie and Axel Sandin-Pellikka have played seven or eight exhibition games, and Friday’s game against Tampa was their fifth regular-season contest. That’s a lot of games in a short period of time. The familiarity of the coaching staff to the players has increased substantially in a short period of time.
The coaches are also beginning to understand how to deal with each personality on an individual basis.
Take defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka, for instance.
Sandin-Pellikka committed a turnover in the third period of Monday’s victory in Toronto, but the coaching staff let him keep playing; there was no loss of a shift or two. There was no loss of confidence, by either player or coach.
Sandin-Pellikka, who is averaging over 20 minutes of ice time (20:44) per game, has already earned McLellan’s confidence.
“We knew of Axe, of course, but we didn’t really know Axe as a player,” McLellan said. “But during those seven (exhibition) games, he just elevated his play to the point where we trust him here, trust him there. He’s now 11 games into his season (and) that’s a pretty good load for him already in a month. The appreciation factor for him has gone up night after night after night, so we feel comfortable.”
How McLellan handles a player like Sandin-Pellikka, or for that matter Finnie or Brandsegg-Nygard, is different than a future Hall of Famer like Patrick Kane, or veterans such as Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat or Ben Chiarot.
McLellan knows each player is different and used a family analogy to prove his point.
“You have to know your audience,” McLellan said. “I’ve used this example, with my two boys, my older one and the younger one are just treated differently. The exact same accomplishment, failure or whatever it might be, they just handle it differently.
“We have to get to know our roster quick so that we can address the good and the bad but still try and help the player be effective while they’re doing it.”
Back in net
Goaltender John Gibson was to start his first game Friday since being pulled in the opening-night loss to Montreal.
It wasn’t the start, obviously, that Gibson or the Wings wanted. While Gibson wasn’t at his best, his teammates in front of him hardly helped. The Wings allowed numerous odd-man rushes and left Gibson to fend for himself all night.
Gibson wasn’t fazed by being pulled.
“It’s not the first time it’s happened, it’s not the last time it’s going to happen,” Gibson said. “Happens to everybody.”
McLellan reiterated several times in the last week that Gibson’s opening-night loss was a team-wide, 20-man lineup issue, with everyone contributing to the defeat.
“He didn’t have a bad outing; we had a bad outing,” McLellan said. “He just happens to wear different equipment than everybody else. We were all part of it. The coaching staff was part of it. He has a really good track record and we’re confident in him.
“Gibby hasn’t given the net up. He hasn’t relinquished anything. He has earned and deserves the opportunity to play.”
Forming an identity
The opening several weeks of the Wings’ regular season schedule is filled with playoff-contending teams.
Winning three of their first four games is great, and McLellan enjoys that, but he’s also pleased the Wings are forming an identity of being a difficult team to play against, one that is relentless and doesn’t beat itself.
“Six points is six points; it really doesn’t matter where it comes from,” McLellan said. “But when we looked at what was in front of us, when we were starting, we knew we’d have our work cut out for us. Tampa (Friday) is a very good hockey club and then Edmonton (Sunday) — you can just keep on going.
“Wins aside, how we’ve been able to play a certain type of game is satisfying. You can see when we don’t play that game what the results are, so we’re able to sell to the players a little bit more of an identity, and they’re able to buy into it because when they’re not doing it, it’s a little ragged and we don’t quite look how we want to look.”
Raymond update
Lucas Raymond (upper body) skated and participated in some parts of Friday’s morning skate, but missed his second consecutive game.
Raymond is considered day to day and could be available Sunday against Edmonton.
Raymond was injured when the right side of his body was slammed into the boards during a play Monday in Toronto. He left early in the second period and did not return.
tkulfan@detroitnews.com
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