The Detroit Red Wings are in the midst of training camp, and coach Todd McLellan wants to see more from some players.
As training camp continues, McLellan called out veteran center J.T. Compher, as he wants to see more from him. The coach felt like Compher needs to be more aggressive and assertive to have success this season.
“J.T. is leading on the ice, leading the charges rather than blending into them, or coming from behind,” McLellan said. “He’ll know exactly what that means. If he’s sometimes first on the forecheck or he’s aggressive and leading the zone and joining the rush, he can’t let everything go by him and then join. I call that just playing in the middle of the rink all the time, and you’re generally safe there, but we need him to be assertive.”
McLellan knows Compher has all the tools to be an impact player for the Red Wings. But, the coach thinks that at times last season, Compher took his foot off the gas, which is something he can’t do.
“I thought later in the year, he started to do those things,” McLellan said. “Can’t ride the brake all the time, and J.T., when he got on the gas, he was a pretty good player.”
Compher is entering the third year of his five-year, $25.5 million deal.
McLellan Wants to See More From Compher
Not only does McLellan want Compher to be more aggressive, but he also believes he needs to be better all-around.
McLellan knows Compher can be a shutdown center and be a good 200-foot player. So, the Red Wings coach hopes he takes a step forward this season.
“We’ve kind of beat this drum an awful lot where he’s a complete player, 200-foot,” McLellan added. “We can recognize his offense because it’s recorded every day. You pull out the sheet and you see 15 goals or whatever for assists.”
“But there isn’t any type of stat pack that comes out for defensive kills or plays around the net that he just happens to break up,” McLellan added. “And he’s very good at that as well. So we recognize it all the time.”
Compher recorded 11 goals and 21 assists for 32 points in 76 games.
Red Wings GM Preaching Patience
Detroit has missed the playoffs in nine straight years, and the hope is that the drought ends this season.
However, ahead of training camp, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is asking for more patience as he knows it takes time to build a Cup Contender.
“Where you finish, what happens in the lottery, who’s available in the draft in a particular year, those things are somewhat out of our control,” Yzerman said. “We’ll try to run and we’re going to continue to try and run a good program. We’re going to continue to try and improve each season, with the goal of becoming a playoff team and a team that eventually competes for a Stanley Cup
“So I understand the frustration, or maybe the lack of or I don’t want to say patience, because I think everybody’s been pretty patient,” Yzerman added. “But the sense of urgency within the fan base and in our local media, I understand it, but ultimately, you know, you guys heard it when Kenny Holland was here. Like you want to go into a rebuild. It takes time.”
Detroit opens its season on Oct. 9 against the Montreal Canadiens.
Red Wings Coach Calls Out Veteran Forward Ahead of Season