As has been tradition for more than a quarter century, the Detroit Red Wings are headed to Traverse City for training camp.
It’ll be shorter this year: Just three days of on-ice activity, from Thursday, Sept. 18 through Saturday, Sept. 20. That’s because the annual Red-White game, which generally marks the end point of the scenic part of camp, will be held this year in Grand Rapids, on Sept. 21.
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After that, the Wings return to Detroit to prepare for an eight-game exhibition schedule.
Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan watches the play against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
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This year’s camp will be especially beneficial for Todd McLellan, who had one morning skate to prepare to take over the team when he was named coach on Dec. 26. Now he’ll have three weeks to prepare the Wings for their Oct. 9 season opener.
It was Scotty Bowman’s idea to bring the then-defending Stanley Cup champions to Traverse City in the fall of 1997. Spending a handful of days in such a beautiful place at an ideal time of the year was such a hit, it has continued yearly (except during labor disputes and the COVID-19 pandemic).
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A full camp roster and the complete training camp schedule will be announced at a later date. The Traverse City practices will take place at Centre Ice Arena. For ticket information, go to www.mynorthtickets.com/organizations/centre-ice starting on Wednesday, Aug. 13 at 10 a.m.
Ticket prices are as follows:
Training Camp Practice (Thursday, Sept. 18): $20 per day (general admission)
Training Camp Practice (Friday, Sept. 19): $20 per day (general admission)
Training Camp Practice (Saturday, Sept. 20): $30 per day (general admission)
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her books: “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings, A Curated History of Hockeytown,” and “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings in Traverse City: What to know about training camp