The Detroit Red Wings will start the preseason Sept. 29 against the Blackhawks in Chicago.
The first preseason game at Little Caesars Arena is Sept. 30 against the Buffalo Sabres. I have posted the full preseason schedule below the poll.
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Detroit is scheduled to open the 2021-22 regular season Oct. 14 at home against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions Tampa Bay Lightning. You can view the entire schedule here.
As the team works through a rebuild with GM Steve Yzerman, expectations remain relatively low. I don’t think anyone actually believes the Red Wings are a playoff team at this stage, but we know teams can turn things around quite quickly in the NHL. I believe expectations for Yzerman’s squad will start to increase by the end of this season.
Detroit made several additions (and additions by subtraction) during the offseason, most notably the acquisitions of goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, forward Pius Suter and defenseman Nick Leddy.
- Read back for context: Dear Red Wings end-of-season notes: 2020-21 vs. 2019-20, looking ahead
We’ll have a better look at the rest of the lineup after training camp and the preseason, but right now I want to get a general sense of what fans are expecting from the team this season. I have a very simple 10-question poll here focused on expectations:
Here is the 2021-22 preseason schedule:
- 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 29 vs. Chicago Blackhawks @ United Center
- 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30 vs. Buffalo Sabres @ Little Caesars Arena
- 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets @ Little Caesars Arena
- 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 3 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins @ PPG Paints Arena
- 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 4 vs. Chicago Blackhawks @ Little Caesars Arena
- 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets @ Nationwide Arena
- 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins @ Little Caesars Arena
- 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9 vs. Buffalo Sabres @ KeyBank Center