In Red Wings Land

Red Wings’ Filip Zadina ‘ready to go’ after stint in Czech Republic - The Detroit News

“It’s nice to play center again,” Rasmussen said. “I played mostly at center in junior and growing up. It’s different than wing, but I enjoy playing center and I played overseas at center, and it was nice to get some games and reps in.”

Kulfan tends to write tidbit roundups and whoever is titling his pieces are going for SEO over clarity.  The piece discusses Zadina and it’s interesting, but the confirmation on the team moving Rasmussen to center full-time, the news that Helm didn’t practice for being “unfit to play” and the pairing plan of Staal-Nemeth are all more interesting pieces of info than the fact that Zadina is saying all the things he should be saying about getting ready for this season.

Marc Staal inspiring a new, and maybe improved, Detroit Red Wings defense - Freep

“It’s been a good couple weeks,” Staal said Sunday. “I came down with my family around the 15th and had Christmas here. They’re back home in Connecticut right now. It’s been a lot of fun coming to the rink. The last few days have been tough practices; guys work hard, some good energy around the rink. I’ve really enjoyed it. I’m excited to be here and be a part of this thing.

“I’m looking forward to getting through camp and getting the season off on the right foot.”

Ah, a maybe improved defense. Yay!

Around the NHL

Barzal unsigned, misses start of Islanders training camp - NHL

General manager Lou Lamoriello did not have an update on contract negotiations with Barzal when asked Thursday.

“No, I have nothing new to say,” Lamoriello said. “Mathew is in town, quarantining and we will certainly work at this, with the hope to have him on the first day of training camp.

“We still have a few days to training camp, so I don’t want to get into any hypotheticals. It is our intention and his intention to be there and hopefully that will happen.”

Between this and Ho-Sang not being invited, the Isles continue to act like Mr. Burns in that Simpsons episode where he’s yelling at an increasingly confused Don Mattingly about trimming his sideburns.

Getting to Know the New Central

Getting to Know the New Central: Detroit Red Wings

As a group, we’re running these each day and we got to go first yesterday. I’m not going to quote my own piece on this very site, but I want to put this in here as a placeholder to be on the lookout for a bit from yesterday’s newest piece going forward. Nashville’s will go up on On the Forecheck today and I’ll share the link to it tomorrow.