When the Red Wings open the season Friday night at Little Caesars Arena, former sixth overall pick Filip Zadina will be in the press box.
Head coach Derek Lalonde confirmed the Opening Night lineup during Thursday's meeting with the media. Both Zadina and Pius Suter, staples in last year's lineup, are on the outside looking in.
That's the effect of four newcomers up front: free agents Andrew Copp, David Perron and Dominik Kubalik and rookie Elmer Soderblom.
Copp will center the second line with Perron and Jakub Vrana, Soderblom will be across Oskar Sundqvist on the third line centered by Michael Rasmussen, and Kubalik will be across Adam Erne on the fourth line centered by Joe Veleno.
Lalonde said Wednesday that the focus for Zadina, a 22-year-old who's yet to live up to his billing as a goalscorer in the NHL, is to improve his "play away from the puck."
"I think his offense, his finishing ability and his scoring will come if he just does more away from the puck," Lalonde told 97.1 The Ticket. "It’s been asked of the entire team. Defending is hard. Last year, we were (No.) 30, 31 or 32 in the league in every defensive category. And with Fil and everyone else, we’re going to ask them to improve in that area."
There are no surprises on Detroit's first line: Dylan Larkin centering Tyler Bertuzzi and Lucas Raymond.
On the blueline, Rookie of the Year Moritz Seider and Ben Chiarot comprise the first pair, Filip Hronek and Olli Maatta comprise the second and Robert Hagg and Gustav Lindstrom the third.
It remains to be seen whether Alex Nedeljkovic or Ville Husso starts in net.
Related
Listen live to 97.1 The Ticket via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Smart Speaker