Red Wings tap Sheldon Dries for secondary scoring assistance

The Detroit Red Wings, who are now skating without their top three centers, need a boost. Sheldon Dries wants to help. 

Dries arrived last Wednesday from the AHL-leading Grand Rapids Griffins for his first NHL outing since April 13, 2024. In two appearances, he supplied little assistance in helping the Red Wings escape their post-Olympic break skid. 

Dries posted two shots on goal in 10:16 of ice time during the 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning last Thursday. He followed his season debut by recording just one shot in 7:54 during last Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars.

Today, the Red Wings return to Little Caesar's Arena for the first time since March 6. Coming home after recording just one win during a four-game road trip, they hope to unpack consistent scoring chances. The skidding club amassed just 13 goals in its past six games, resulting in five losses in that stretch.

Red Wings seek scoring depth

A veteran of 123 games, Dries centered the fourth line during his two outings. The Macomb, Michigan native collected 20 goals among 37 points in 48 games with the Griffins. While he has not scored an NHL goal since March 23, 2023, Dries recorded 11 with the Vancouver Canucks just three seasons ago.

““I thought Sheldon did a real good job,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said during the team's post-game press conference. "He’s quick. You can see he’s a darter on the ice, responsible defensively, created some turnovers. We’re lucky to have him with the situation we’re in right now, the depth in our organization, not only with the injuries here in Detroit, but also the injuries in Grand Rapids down the middle. It’s getting tested. Thought he gave us a good game."

With injured Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp sidelined, centers J.T. Compher and Marco Kasper moved into top-six roles, . Michael Rasmussen also is out for about a week and depth forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygård remains day-to-day.

"We continue to take it on the chin a little bit upfront," McLellan said. "The recalls, the guys that have come in, have actually provided us with some energy."

Detroit's depth treading water

Compher scored to pull the Red Wings to within 2-1 at 7:15 of the third period, but Cage Concalves and Jake Guentzel (empty net) scored their second goals 33 seconds apart to seal the slumping Lightning’s second win in eight outings. Kasper posted one shot and a minus-1 rating.

Against the Stars, rookie Emmitt Finnie played center for the first time at the NHL level and drew an assist on Lucas Raymond's game-tying marker, which sent the game into the extra stanza. It was Finnie's second assist in three games after failing to post a helper during an 11-game stretch (Jan. 27-March 10).

The Red Wings (36-23-8) entered Monday with 80 points, tied with the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference's wild-card race, pacing the Columbus Blue Jackets by one point. Both the Bruins and Blue Jackets have one game in hand.

Out of the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2016, the Red Wings’ offense needs a hero to help break the prolonged postseason slump.  

Dries might just be the spark that starts the flame.