McLellan Unhappy as Wings Head Into Preseason

The Detroit Red Wings wrapped their four-day training camp on September 20 and are now shifting focus to the preseason, with back-to-back exhibition games looming against Columbus tomorrow and Pittsburgh on Tuesday The Malik Report. Coach Todd McLellan made clear he is "not happy" with the team's performance during camp, particularly after the Griffins schooled the veterans in an intra-squad scrimmage Detroit Free Press — Red Wings (via Google News), a result that left the coaching staff frustrated with execution and defensive mechanics The Malik Report. Despite the rough camp, forward Andrew Copp remains bullish on the team's prospects, insisting the Wings cannot accept anything less than a playoff spot this season. Copp himself has emerged as the interim top-line center alongside Alex DeBrincat during camp, though his long-term role may shift once the roster is fully healthy. New acquisition Viktor Arvidsson is being positioned to lead the second line, while the coaching staff continues to shuffle defensive pairings and evaluate prospects like Axel Sandin Pellikka, who faces an uphill battle to crack the full-time roster given the depth ahead of him. With only four preseason games to prepare before the regular season, the team faces a tight timeline to get key players like Dylan Larkin and Simon Edvinsson ready for opening night.