Jeff Blashill and select members of his staff have returned to Little Caesars Arena to prepare the Detroit Red Wings for the coming season.
They can’t officially have anything to do with the players, many of whom are skating at the practice facility inside LCA, until training camp opens, but the December activity is a nice change after months of working from home. COVID-19 has pushed the 2020-21 season to 2021 alone, with the NHL and NHL Players Association agreeing to parameters of a deal expected to start the season in mid-January.
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I spoke with Jeff Blashill at length about the coming season, including lineups, the captaincy, and testing protocols.