Why it helps young Red Wings to have veterans Niklas Kronwall, Thomas Vanek as role models. Filmed March 23, 2019 in Las Vegas. Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press
LAS VEGAS — As Dylan Larkin embraced wearing a letter on his sweater this season, two key role models have been Niklas Kronwall and Thomas Vanek.
The Detroit Red Wings are skewing younger, leaning on Larkin, Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha, among others, to lead the team back to the playoffs. But the Wings believe young players need veterans to show them how to be good pros, and Kronwall and Vanek each in his own way do that.