Red Wings vs Coyotes: GDU, Lineups, Keys to the Game

Game Day Updates

Red Wings with a couple of additional changes at practice this morning.

The confirmation everybody has been waiting for…

Lineups

Detroit

Forwards
Robby Fabbri – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond
Tyler Bertuzzi – Pius Suter – Jakub Vrana
Vladislav Namestnikov – Michael Rasmussen – Adam Erne
Sam Gagner – Joe Veleno – Filip Zadina

Defense
Nick Leddy – Moritz Seider
Jordan Oesterle – Filip Hronek
Marc Staal – Gustav Lindstrom

Assumed scratches: Olli Juolevi – Troy Stecher

Goalies
Alex Nedeljkovic
Thomas Greiss

Arizona

Forwards
Clayton Keller – Travis Boyd – Nick Schmaltz
Matias Maccelli – Alex Galchenyuk – Phil Kessel
Nick Ritchie – Barrett Hayton – Loui Eriksson
Hudson Fasching – Christian Fischer – Lawson Crouse
Defense
Shayne Gostisbehere – Dysin Mayo
Janis Moser – Anton Stralman
Vladislav Kolyachonok – Jakob Chychrun
Goalies
Karel Vejmelka
Scott Wedgewood

1. Ease Vrana Into Game Action

It is very exciting to have Jakub Vrana back in the lineup after being out all season. He has the potential to not only boost the output of the line he plays on but by causation, allows there to be better depth further down the lineup. That being said, everybody else has played over 50 games this season while Vrana has played 0. Expect him to take a few games to get up to speed, and be pleasantly surprised if he produces immediately. Blashill will likely find a way to keep Vrana on limited minutes in this game, even with second line and powerplay duties.

2. Don’t Play Down to the Opponent

After playing some of the league’s best squads the past 5 games, and more if you include Minnesota and the Rangers prior to the one week break, the Wings are taking on a team at the opposite end of the spectrum in the Coyotes. But it will be critical for Detroit not to throttle the tempo down just because of who they’re up against. Plenty of teams better than Detroit fall into the trap of looking past cellar dwellers like Arizona and paying for it. Arizona has won 4 of their last 6 and will be ready to jump on the Wings if they don’t show up prepared.

3. Build Your Trade Value

The trade deadline is rapidly approaching and the Red Wings are set to once again be sellers. We are already well into the time of year where we get reports on which teams have scouts at given games. Detroit has several candidates that could be moved at the deadline between Leddy, Namestnikov, and others. Players don’t necessarily enjoy being traded but there is appeal, especially for veterans, in being dealt to a contender late in the season for a chance at a Cup that isn’t going to happen in Detroit this year. With more eyes on them, that should be an additional motivator for any of these players to step up to another level as the deadline nears.