The Swedes Elmer Söderblom, Simon Edvinsson make an impression for the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit — Dylan Larkin was asked a question about Elmer Söderblom and Simon Edvinsson and Larkin could not resist.
You have a feeling one way or another, further down the line there must be a nickname. Larkin was quick with his comeback.
“You mean the Swedish basketball team,” Larkin said of the 6-foot-8 Söderblom and 6-foot-6 Edvinsson.
The two big Swedes were much talked about on the way to training camp and have largely lived up to the hype so far.
Soderblom had a goal and four hits in Tuesday’s 6-2 exhibition win over Pittsburgh, while Edvinsson was scheduled to play his first game on Wednesday.
“They look good,” Larkin said. “They’ve played professional hockey (in Sweden). Attention to detail, they’re confident and calm with the puck. They have poise and know how to handle the physicality. I’m sure they got to know each other throughout the prospect tournament, get to know with less ice.
“You saw Elmer make a nice play to (Jonatan) Berggren and get it back (Tuesday) to score, they play really well with the puck and that’s something if you have to learn, it takes a while and slows down your development.”
Soderblom was not in the original lineup against Pittsburgh, but was pressed into action when Jakub Vrana was not feeling well.
“That’s a tough ask of him,” coach Derek Lalonde said of Soderblom. “Especially with the fact that he played three rookie games, it was a scheduled day off, moved back one day, and all of a sudden at 9:30 in the morning, he gets a call to say, ‘We need you tonight,'”
“He was excited about it. He was skating, competing and he mirrored most of our guys, with the high level of competition.”
Söderblom’s overwhelming size continues to be an interesting option for the Red Wings to have, especially as a net-front presence on the power play.
“My first look with Elmer was the first (prospects) game in Traverse City and his body and soft hands around the net (stood out),” Lalonde said. “Especially on the power play, he had his stick on a couple of pucks, pucks going through his legs, a deflection. Some high-level stuff, which is exciting from a big body.”
grain of salt
The Red Wings dominated a veteran, star-studded Pittsburgh lineup but Lalonde took the victory with a “pinch of salt.”
“We got what we deserved; our guys competed really hard,” Lalonde said. “It’s hard to look at it much. Pittsburgh had most of their starting lineup but it’s such a veteran-laden lineup. Those guys, they’re experienced enough and so skilled, they came out in those preseason games and got what they need. That is a process for them.
“Not looking at it too much, but it’s a positive for us and again, the guys got what they deserved. The work ethic, they went out there and earned it and got rewarded for it.”
Lalonde credited the goaltending of Victor Brattstrom and Sebastian Cossa, who both made big saves when needed, and complimented the penalty kill, which neutralized all nine Pittsburgh power plays in the game.
“We don’t want to get those penalties, and we deserved those penalties,” Lalonde said. “A lot of them were teaching, stuff your feet, stretch, one hand on your stick, but we got some really good reps on the penalty.”
Assistant coach Bob Boughner oversees the penalties, and it was Boughner that Lalonde copied extensively when Lalonde ran the PK in Tampa.
“So it was a natural fit,” Lalonde said. “You could see the aggressiveness in it and you could see it starting to come together, and getting a lot of reps really helped.”
Serves appearance
Defenseman Jeremie Biakabutuka was in Tuesday’s lineup as the free agent on probation continues to earn playing time during the exhibition season.
Biakabutuka was invited to the prospects tournament and played well, received an invite to training camp and now entered the lineup.
“He continues to earn looks,” Lalonde said. “Every time we have a practice, a game or a skate, we evaluate our roster for the next day. A lot of it comes from the staff. Some of it comes from Steve (Yzerman) and his management team. They constantly want to see him in situations .It’s an honor for him and something he’s earned throughout camp.
“He can skate. He’s a driven kid, wants to be coached and looks you in the eye. You appreciate small habits like that as a coach.”
Twitter: @tkulfan