Looking to end a three-game losing skid, the Detroit Red Wings are turning to the Beatles for inspiration.
They are going to shake it up, baby.
Detroit coach Jeff Blashill shuffled all three of his defense pairings for Friday’s game in Calgary against the Flames. Mike Green will open with Niklas Kronwall, Danny DeKeyser will team with Kyle Quincey and Brendan Smith draws back into action after a two-game sitdown alongside Jonathan Ericsson, with Jakub Kindl a healthy scratch.
“I think you’re looking for the best chemistry,… Blashill explained as to his juggling. “You’re looking for the best chemistry and the guys that work the best together. Sometimes until you try it you don’t know.…
Green, the club’s prize off-season free-agent addition, is excited to play alongside Kronwall in the club’s No. 1 duo, and has been instructed by Blashill to relax and play his own game.
“I think what I took from that was ‘don’t think too much,’… Green said. “Do what comes natural.
“I want to make sure I’m doing the right things and what’s asked of me, but the fine details of my game are to make sure I’m doing exactly what comes naturally to me on the ice.
“If you’re thinking too much, you’re not accomplishing what you want to accomplish on the ice.…
Blashill thinks they will be good for each other.
“They’re both extremely talented,… Blashill said. “Kronner’s, I think, an elite defenseman in the league. Green’s been an elite defenseman in the league so we hope that they can really play off each other and build off each other.
“They’re both offensive but that doesn’t concern me at all. I think they’re both smart enough to know when to jump and when not to.
“Hopefully they do a really good job breaking pucks out together.…
Quincey and DeKeyser was a solid, reliable second pairing last season under previous coach Mike Babcock.
“We sat as a coaching staff and said ‘they were really good together last season,’… Blashill said. “They ended up lots of times out there against the other team’s best players.
“We think they can continue to do that so we thought ‘let’s put them together.’ That’s a pair that we know does have chemistry so let’s start there.…
Blashill coached Smith with AHL Grand Rapids and sees limitless potential that’s yet to be tapped.
“Smitty can be a real effective player,… Blashill said. “I’ve seen him be a real effective player. He’s got to go out and execute tonight.…
It looks as if Smith will also get a chance to shine on the power play, something he rarely got under Babcock. Smith and DeKeyser was the back end of the second power-play unit during the morning skate.
“We had that look today,… Blashill said. “That’s what we’re thinking, him and DeKeyser, both guys that we think can be up on top of that.
“We had Green and Kronner together so that kind of took away the guy that was running the other unit.
“Smitty’s done it in the past. He’s done it for me in the past. DK’s done it in the past. We hope one of them can do a real good job.…
Richards Out The other reason there was an opening on the second power-play unit was because Brad Richards will miss Friday’s game due to a back issue.
“His back is acting up a little bit,… Blashill confirmed. “We were hoping it would be fine but it wasn’t to go today, so he’s not going to be in today.…
Minus Richards, Detroit’s forward lines will begin like this:
Justin Abdelkader-Henrik Zetterberg-Gustav Nyquist Teemu Pulkkinen-Dylan Larkin-Tomas Tatar Darren Helm-Riley Sheahan-Luke Glendening Drew Miller-Joakim Andersson-Landon Ferraro
Tomas Jurco is a healthy scratch. Jimmy Howard starts in goal.
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