Roster is set, Detroit Red Wings power play units still in flux

With their season opener imminent, the Detroit Red Wings are still trying to set up their power play units to maximum effect.

The NHL opened in North America on Tuesday, but the Wings don't host the Pittsburgh Penguins until Thursday (in a game delayed an hour to make way for the Tigers' playoff game), allowing another day to experiment. The exhibition season was useful in that regard, too — but in the three games in which the Wings fielded most of their veterans, none of the units looked particularly effective.

"We talked about not being sharp and I'd definitely say some of that was our power play, too, not being sharp," coach Derek Lalonde said Tuesday. "We're going to need. So, still working through the power play."

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It was a source of success last season, when the Wings had a power play that finished in the top 10. But that was with Shayne Gostisbehere quarterbacking the top unit, and he took himself and his team-leading 29 power play points to the Carolina Hurricanes in the offseason. Instead, the Wings brought in defenseman Erik Gustafsson; he and Moritz Seider are expected to be the point men on their respective units.

"I think it's a luxury that we feel we have two guys that can run a power play and one's a leftie and one's a righty," Lalonde said. "There's something to the hands and one-timers, so we're still working through that."

The latest iterations feature Gustafsson on the point with J.T. Compher in the net-front role, Dylan Larkin in the bumper role, and Lucas Raymond and Patrick Kane on the flanks. The other unit had Seider on the point, Michael Rasmussen net-front, Alex DeBrincat as bumper, and Vladimir Tarasenko and Jonatan Berggren on the flanks.

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Roster is set

The 22-man group that practiced Tuesday is the one that will open the season, Lalonde said. Forward Austin Watson cleared waivers Tuesday and was sent to Grand Rapids, a day after defenseman Justin Holl was assigned to the Griffins. That leaves the Wings with three goaltenders, seven defensemen and 12 forwards.

"Obviously there were a couple of players that maybe looked like they should have been on the roster from Day 1, but, it's just the reality of maximizing your roster," Lalonde said. "Not only for Day 1, but for the season."

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com . Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames .

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Roster is set, Detroit Red Wings power play units still in flux