Detroit Red Wings’ first scrimmage ‘as real as it gets’ as season rapidly approaches

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After four days of high-tempo practices, the Detroit Red Wings will attempt to simulate more of a competition by holding a scrimmage.

That’s normally not a big deal, but when a team hasn’t played in 10 months and opening night is less than 10 days away, it’s a source of excitement.

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“It’s a great time for us,” Robby Fabbri said after Monday’s practices. “Everyone is anxious to get things going. You can feel a sense of urgency on the ice, and the work ethic that everyone has. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Day 4 was the first time the Wings were able to skate on the main ice sheet at Little Caesars Arena, as the Detroit Pistons had been occupying the arena for NBA games. using the area for their games.

There is another scrimmage scheduled for Friday, and a third for Sunday.

“These scrimmages will be nothing like normal scrimmages in training camp,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “This is going to be as real as it gets without playing against another team.”

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There won’t be any exhibition games before the Wings open a 56-game slate on Jan. 14, so these three scrimmages will serve as the best chance to impress the coaching staff.

“We’ll use it as a good evaluation,” Blashill said. “Guys understand that — whether you’re trying out for penalty killing spots, for power play spots, for spots on the team. They understand what’s at stake.”

Camp started with 40 players split into two groups, of which the Red team was made up of the front runners to be in the lineup on opening night. Darren Helm has been unfit to practice — with either an injury or illness — the past two days, so his spot on the fourth line will go to someone else.

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Fabbri has been centering the second line, between Filip Zadina and Bobby Ryan.

“Those are two great players and we’re gelling well together,” Fabbri said. “We just have to turn it over to the games now.”

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Dylan Larkin’s line with Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi has been gelling for several seasons. While Vladislav Namestnikov is new to the Wings, he’s familiar with his center, Valtteri Filppula, from their days together with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Sam Gagner plays right wing on that line. Tuesday is an opportunity for them to show they should stay together.

“It’s definitely going to be good to get in that type of game situation,” Namestnikov said. “We’ve been off for so long, and finally to get something close to a game is going to be good for us. Everyone is excited.”

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Defenseman Troy Stecher, like Namestnikov a free-agent acquisition by general manager Steve Yzerman, has spent the past four days getting a feel for his new teammates.

“I never wanted to dip my toe in the water,” he said. “At the same time, I didn’t want to come off too strong. I’m trying to lead by example with my work ethic. That’s something I’ve prided myself on throughout my career. But I am excited to have a scrimmage and get into game form and try to find chemistry with different guys.”

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her book, The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.