Preview: Red Wings look to get back on track against Minnesota

The Detroit Red Wings look to get back in the win column after a humiliating loss against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday.  With Jakub Vrana and Olli Juolevi in the lineup tonight, the Red Wings will likely come out flying on all cylinders in an attempt to salvage a season that is quickly slipping away.

Game time tonight is 7:00 PM ET at LCA in Detroit, MI

Player Focus: Jakub Vrana

In his much anticipated return from shoulder surgery, Jakub Vrana scored one goal on the power play on Tuesday night.  Unfortunately, the goal didn’t help Detroit in the win column, but it did fortify the mindset that the Detroit Red Wings need their valuable sniper.

The Red Wings PP must improve a great deal if the Red Wings are going to end up over .500 on the season.  Currently 27th in the NHL, the Detroit special teams require skilled players like Vrana on the ice at all times.

After being acquired from Washington last year, Vrana scored eight goals and 11 points in 11 games.  The Red Wings have missed Vrana and only time will tell how he will impact Detroit moving forward.

Vrana is currently in the first year of a three-year-deal that pays him an average salary of $5.25M.  Vrana can become an UFA at the end of his 2023-2024 season.

Red Wings Notes

• Detroit are currently 5th in the Atlantic Division with a 24-27-6 record
• The Red Wings are currently 27th in PP (17.3%) and 29th in PK (74.0%)
• Dylan Larkin leads Detroit with 27 goals and 57 points in 52 games
• Moritz Seider leads the Red Wings with 36 assists in 57 games
• Seider leads all Detroit defensemen in scoring with 41 points
• Lucas Raymond has now slipped to tied for 2nd in NHL rookie scoring with 43 points in 57 games
• Defenseman Marc Staal leads the Red Wings with a +9 rating
• Goaltender Thomas Greiss is expected to start and has an 8-9-1 record, a 3.65 GAA, and an .888 SV%, in 22 games

Detroit Projected Lineup

Forwards

Valdislav Namestnikov – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond

Tyler Bertuzzi – Pius Suter – Robby Fabbri

Filip Zadina – Joe Veleno – Jakub Vrana

Adam Erne – Michael Rasmussen – Sam Gagner

Defensemen   

Nick Leddy – Moritz Seider

Marc Staal – Filip Hronek

Olli Juolevi – Troy Stecher

Goaltenders

Alex Nedeljkovic (starter)

Thomas Greiss

Scratched: Givani Smith, Gustav Lindstrom, Jordan Oesterle

Injured: Mitchell Stephens (lower body), Carter Rowney (foot), Danny DeKeyser (undisclosed)

Wild Notes

• Minnesota are currently 3rd in the Central Division with a 33-19-3 record
• The Wild special teams are currently 18th in PP (19.8%) and 23rd in PK (76.2%)
• Kirill Kaprizov leads Minnesota with 28 goals, 43 assists,  and 71 points in 54 games
• Alex Goligoski leads all Wild defensemen in scoring with 26 points
• Ryan Hartman leads all Minnesota players with a +26 rating
• Cam Talbot is expected to start in goal and has a 21-12-1 record, 2.95 GAA, a .908 SV%, and one SO, in 35 games

Minnesota Projected Lineup

Forwards

Kirill Kaprizov – Ryan Hartman – Mats Zuccarello

Kevin Fiala – Frederick Gaudreau – Matthew Boldy

Jordan Greenway – Joel Eriksson Ek – Marcus Foligno

Brandon Duhaime – Nico Sturm – Nick Bjugstad

Defensemen

Jon Merrill – Jared Spurgeon

Jonas Brodin – Mathew Dumba

Alex Goligoski – Dmitry Kulikov

Goaltenders

Cam Talbot (starting)

Kaapo Kahkonen

Scratched: Jordie Benn, Connor Dewar, Calen Addison

Injured: None

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