Game Day Updates

Green confirms Motte is in and Gaudette will sit tonight. Says there is a move coming but the effected player hasn’t been informed yet. Wouldn’t confirm that a player would be sent down. #Canucks @TSN1040 @TSNHockey

— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) October 15, 2019

The move coming is that somebody has to be sent down to make space for Motte to return. I don’t think they’re trading a guy, but who knows?

#RedWings DeKeyser left the morning skate a little early.

— Dana Wakiji (@Dwakiji) October 15, 2019

Uh oh.

#RedWings Bernier first goalie off the ice.

— Dana Wakiji (@Dwakiji) October 15, 2019

10/15/09: Nicklas Lidstrom picks up career point number 1,000. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/EaPSlxZppJ

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 15, 2019

Hey, it’s a gameday update to me.

Projected Lines

Red Wings

Bertuzzi-Larkin-Mantha
Hirose-AA-LGD
Ehn-Filppula-Erne
Helm-DLR-Abdelkader

Dekeyser-Hronek
Nemeth-Green
Cholowski-Biega

Jonathan Bernier
Jimmy Howard

Canucks

Miller-Petersson-Boeser
Ferland-Horvat-Pearson
Leivo-Sutter-Virtanen
Schaller-Beagle-Motte

Edler-Meyers
Hughes-Tanev
Benn-Stecher

Thatcher Demko
Zane McIntyre

Key Matchups

1. The Top Lines

Miller-Pettersson-Boeser and Mantha-Larkin-Bertuzzi are two of the brightest top lines in hockey. They most likely will be matched up together all night long, and I can’t wait for it. It should make for some fast and pretty hockey that should result in each line, preferably more for the Red Wings, tallying a goal or two. We saw what happened vs. Toronto when the top line went up against other elite talent and it wasn’t a good sign for the Wings. Vancouver’s top line obviously isn’t Toronto’s, but they are very good in their own right and if the Red Wings want to win tonight, they need their top line to break out once again.

2. Red Wings offense vs. Thatcher Demko

After announcing Jacob Markstrom is out for the week to due a personal matter, all eyes are on the Canucks future goalie Thatcher Demko as he will most likely make his season debut tonight vs. Detroit. The Canucks, as a whole, have allowed just 10 goals in four games on the year, but with Demko in net, the Red Wings have to capitalize offensively, especially with lines 2 and 3. As it stands right now, only Luke Glendening has a goal (2) for anyone on lines 2 and 3 and that simply can’t continue for the Red Wings to have success this year. Tonight will be there best opportunity to finally break through (looking at you, Athanasiou).

3. Top 4 vs. Top 4

I know all three of these matchups are kind of bland, but with it being just the fifth game of the year it’s tough to narrow down on key players. However, I may find this matchup to be the biggest one tonight, specifically on the offensive side of things. The Canucks Top 4 D (Tanev, Hughes, Myers and Edler) have combined for 4 G and 9 P total in the Canucks four games this year. They are as aggressive as can be, and have the offensive talent to really do some damage. As for the Red Wings, DDK and Hronek have combined for 7/10 points from Red Wings defenseman this year. It will be interesting to see if Vancouver’s attack is more tamed with Demko making his debut, but if the Red Wings defense can’t keep an eye on the Top 4 D of Vancouver, it could be a tough start to the West Coast trip for the Red Wings.