Browsing: Finnie

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One of the major storylines for the Detroit Red Wings as they began their centennial campaign in the NHL was the emergence of a trio of rookies who made the final roster thanks to their strong showings in both Training Camp and the pre-season.

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Michael Brandsegg-NygÃ¥rd, Emmitt Finnie, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka all began the season with the Red Wings for their rookie campaigns in the NHL. While Brandsegg-NygÃ¥rd has since been returned to the American Hockey League, both Finnie and Sandin-Pellikka continue their tenures in Detroit.

After a blazing hot start to his career with four goals and four assists, Finnie has hit the wall in terms of offense.

He hasn’t registered a point since scoring as part of Detroit’s historical 6-4 comeback victory over the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 25, and he’s been since been moved down further in Detroit’s lineup after having initially spent a few weeks playing on the club’s top line.

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That’s not to say that Finnie is concerned about his first career NHL scoring drought, however.

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“This is the best League in the world, and points aren’t going to happen every night,” Finnie explained. “Droughts are going to happen, and I’m just trying to stay positive and confident and just contribute in other ways.”

“I’m just going to keep playing my game, trying to get to the net and the points will come.”

Finnie is known for playing with an edge to his game, which he plans on continuing to utilize while being a nuisance to opposition goaltenders and defensemen in close proximity to the net, the area of the ice he feels he’s most effective.

I like to play hard and get to the net, I feel like that’s where I generate most of my chances,” Finnie said. “Playing physical and around the net, that’s when I feel like I’m at my best.”

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Despite his scoring drought, the confidence that head coach Todd McLellan had and continues to have in Finnie has not wavered.

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“If we said that weâ€d have a seventh-round draft pick that hadnâ€t really played any pro hockey playing for us 19 games in and playing a prominent role, we would all be happy,” McLellan said.

McLellan continued his praise of Finnie by noting the other things that he does that don’t show up on the scoresheet.

“He does so much extra work for a lot of guys,†he said. “He cleans up messes on the way back because he skates so well. He loosens up pucks on the forecheck, heâ€ll go to the net, he stirs things up a little bit, draws some penalties. Thereâ€s a lot of assets there.”

“The confidence in him hasnâ€t gone or diminished at all.”

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The Detroit Red Wings are set to begin their centennial campaign with a matchup on Thursday evening against the historic Original Six rival Montreal Canadiens, and while this campaign will be all about the franchise celebrating a full century in Motor City, there are several youngsters being introduced into the institution that is Red Wings hockey.

Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (15th overall, 2024), Axel Sandin-Pellikka (17th overall, 2023), and Emmitt Finnie (201st overall, 2023) have all made sufficient enough an impression on Red Wings coaching and management during Training Camp and the pre-season that they saw fit to reward them with roster spots for Opening Night.

Finnie will be getting a true baptism by fire into the NHL, beginning his young career playing on Detroit’s first line with team captain Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond.

Naturally, when he found out the news that he’d made the cut, it was an exciting feeling.

“I just came to the rink and found out I was going to be in the lineup, there was lots of excitement and nerves for tonight, but just you know, happy it all worked out,” Finnie explained Thursday morning ahead of his NHL debut.

It doesn’t seem like long ago that established Red WIngs players like Larkin, Raymond, and Moritz Seider were once rookies themselves, and Finnie has leaned on their support and picked their brains on what he himself can expect as he hits the ice for the first time in regular season play.

“I’ve talked to a couple of guys about their first games and how to kind of get into it and relax then nerves, and they tell just keep telling me to play my game and the nerves will settle in off the start,” Finnie said. “Just be super confident out there and play my game.”

Just like his rookie teammates Brandsegg-Nygård and Sandin-Pellikka, Finnie is going to have a large presence of relatives in the stands to watch his inaugural game.

“I’ve got my mom and dad, brother, sister, my girlfriend, aunt, uncle, and his wife,” he said of who will be coming to support him. “Lots of family and friends.”

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Finnie especially impressed with his play in Training Camp and the pre-season, during which he skated in seven of eight games and was used in all situations by head coach Todd McLellan. Not only does he possess tremendous speed, he’s also shown that he’s unafraid to go into the tough areas of the ice – not something that your average 20-year-old does with such enthusiasm.

“I think I bring a high motor, I feel like a 200 foot player, and I have lots of speed so I can be all over the ice and impact the game in lots of ways,” Finnie said of his playing style.

During McLellan’s press conference following Wednesday’s practice, he said he’d love to have some of the younger Red Wings players take a crash course in Red Wings history so that they could better appreciate that their vocation has brought them to such a historic team.

While Finnie was only weeks away from turning three years of age when the Red Wings last won the Stanley Cup in 2008, he’s already familiarized himself with some of the dominant teams of years past who wore the logo he now sports himself.

“I’m pretty familiar with it, just obviously watching highlights and stuff like it,” Finnie said of understanding the history of the team he now plays for during their most recent period of NHL supremacy. “They were a dominant team and had dominant players. It’s definitely the expectation for this team, and they’ve built a legacy around it. We just want to get back to that point.”

Meet The New Guys: Detroit’s Trio Of Rookies
The Detroit Red Wings will open their 100th season on Thursday by ushering in a new era, as top prospects Emmitt Finnie, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka make their NHL debuts in key lineup roles.

Starting his own career in the 100th year of the winningest franchise in the history of any United States-based NHL team isn’t something that Finnie is taking for granted.

“It’s very special, obviously the Winged Wheel is a historic logo and any time you get to wear it, it’s very special,” he said. “I’m super honored to be in this position.”

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Detroit prospects Emmitt Finnie and Nate Danielson delivered impressive performances in the Red Wings†3-2 preseason-opening win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.

The Red Wings’ top prospects were on display Tuesday during Detroit’s 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in their preseason opener. The win extended the Red Wings winning streak in preseason openers to seven, and improved their record to 9-4 against the Blackhawks in their last 13 exhibition matchups. Stealing the show was 20-year-old Emmitt Finnie, who netted a goal and dished a highlight reel assist for the first star of the game.

It was an exciting sight for fans in attendance as the future of the franchise was in full display as Finnie, a seventh round pick by the Red Wings in 2023, skated alongside top prospects Nate Danielson (9th overall in 2023) and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (15th overall in 2024). The trio made an impact in their second-line roles, logging around 15 minutes each, with Brandsegg-Nygard seeing closer to 17 minutes with additional time on the power play.

Finnie proved to be a ‘tenacious’ player according to Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan and it showed when he forced a turnover in the Blackhawks end. He kept the offensive zone possession alive and worked the puck back to the point before a shot from the point by Ian Mitchell and a rebound off a shot from Brandsegg-Nygard, gave Finnie an open net for the go-ahead goal.

Danielson made his presence felt at both ends of the ice, connecting well with Finnie on several offensive sequences. One standout moment came when Finnie created space with a slick series of dekes and set up Danielson for a quick one-timer, but the shot hit the outside of the net. Danielson would eventually find the scoresheet, crashing the net as the puck worked its way back to Wallinder at the point. Wallinderâ€s shot was perfectly redirected by Danielson, beating the Blackhawks goaltender for his first goal of the preseason.

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Brandsegg-Nygard was all over the ice, contributing a pair of assists, three shots on net, four hits as well as a tripping penalty that led to a Connor Bedard goal. His play earned himself the second star of the game as he made some influential plays throughout that led to scoring chances like early in the first period on a two-on-one fast break or when setting up a handful of opportunities on the power play.

Another standout came from Carter Mazur, the Red Wings†2021 third-round pick, who delivered a stellar performance. The 23-year-old Michigan native made headlines in the hockey world last season when being injured early into his NHL debut and suffering a season-ending injury. Mazur returned from an off-season of rehab and played well in his first action with a goal off a through-the-legs pass from Finnie for an easy goal on a one-timer.

Mazur could’ve scored more than once as his physical, gritty style of play earned him several scoring chances including a breakaway in the second period that was turned away. His physicality at one point drew a cross-checking penalty from Chicago’s Ethan Del Mastro.

Building on that momentum, the Red Wings’ newest first-round pick, Carter Bear, made an impressive debut. Thrust into a significant role right away, he logged nearly 21 minutes of ice time and registered three shots on goal, showcasing poise and confidence beyond his years. The 18-year-old winger was the last player off the ice in warmups and showed offensive talents that garnered his first round selection. McLellan admired Bear’s first game with the Red Wings but did note that his young frame was noticeable and that he will need to age a bit more before getting regular NHL minutes.

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Bear’s offensive skillset is evident but adding weight is something he likely needs to work on. His most notable plays of the game were his scoring chances while playing on a line with NHLers in J.T. Compher and Jonatan Berggren on the first line.

The Red Wings will resume their preseason on Thursday when they host the Buffalo Sabres, before hitting the road for matchups against the Penguins in Pittsburgh and the Sabres again but in Buffalo.

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