As much as he was a happy coach, Todd McLellan was also sounding like a proud papa while discussing the work of the rookies on the Detroit Red Wings’ roster.

“We’re constantly encouraging them to expand their game a little bit, but we’re also pushing them,” McLellan said of the team’s three first-year players.

Tuesday, as the Red Wings downed the Seattle Kraken 4-2, each of the kids made contributions on the scoresheet.

Nate Danielson netted his first NHL goal. Axel Sandin Pellikka drew an assist on the milestone tally. Later, Danielson was garnering a helper on Emmitt Finnie’s game-winner.

The Red Wings are willing to count on their kids in all situations on the ice. Finnie’s goal was a power-play tally. He’s also seen duty on the penalty kill this season.

Danielson, whose arrival in Detroit stressed that he’s a 200-foot player, has also been relied upon all over the ice since being called up five games ago.

Red Wings Coach Trusts His Rookies

“He’s a trusting player,” McLellan said. “He wants to score like everybody else, but he’s approaching it methodically and the right way.

“I don’t hesitate to put him on the ice at all. I believe he can take care of himself and his teammates.”

Danielson’s goal certainly wasn’t a highlight-reel tally. It did, however, highlight the benefits of going to the net. Stationed at the net front, a point shot by Sandin Pellikka would bounce off Danielson’s leg and into the net.

“I think it’s a good story with how it worked out,” Danielson said. “I mean, it was not the prettiest one, but they all count.”

Actually, they all don’t count. Danielson would tally a second goal, and it was a dandy. He pushed the puck through the defenseman’s legs before beating Kraken goalie Joey Daccord with a sweet deke.

However, following a video review, the play was overturned. Finnie was barely offside entering the zone.

“You score two and one’s a beauty,” McLellan said. “And the ugly one counts.”

Living With Rookie Foibles

Finnie later made up for his misstep by tallying the winning goal. That brought to an end his 10-game pointless drought.

“I would have been a little mad at him if he didn’t score that one,” Danielson said. “So he made up for it.”

Putting an abundance of rookies in the lineup means that you also must be willing to live with their miscues.

For example, Sandin Pellikka and Red Wings goalie Cam Talbot had a miscommunication behind the net on who was going to handle the puck. It resulted in a turnover and a sprawling glove save from Talbot to preserve the victory.

“There was just miscommunication,” McLellan said. “Somebody needs to take charge and belt out some direction.”

Ultimately, it’s not about the mistakes as much as it is about the lesson each stumble teaches them. The Red Wings are willing to live with the miscues, because they know they will need to rookies to keep learning and stepping up to do big-time things.

“In the second (period) those kids took over and they started to push it,” Detroit captain Dylan Larkin said. “They were rolling and skating and using their legs.”