Red Wings get on the bus for training camp
Red Wings get on the bus for training camp -- 'It’s good to get going again'
September 13, 2007
By GEORGE SIPPLE
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
The Red Wings threw their luggage and golf clubs on a pair of buses Wednesday morning and set off for training camp in Traverse City.
Chris Chelios brought along his Cannondale bike. Dominik Hasek chatted with Joe Louis Arena building operations manager Al Sobotka before boarding the bus.
“It’s good to get going again,” said forward Kris Draper. “You miss it; doesn’t matter how long you play. When you’ve gone through as many camps as myself and certainly a guy like Chris Chelios and Dom, you’ve excited about getting back and playing the game you love so much. "Even though we played right up until the end of May, you take the summer in and you’re training and you're doing everything you can to get back."
The Wings finished 50-19-13 and lost in the Western Conference finals to the Anaheim Ducks, the eventual Stanley Cup champions.
“With us, the exciting thing is everyone going up here really likes our team and feels, same as last year, we can compete and be right there,” Draper said. “We were obviously very close last year. We want to try to get over that last hurdle and get back to the Stanley Cup Finals and we feel that we have an opportunity to do that.”
Hartigan trying to make team
Five-year veteran forward Mark Hartigan heads to Traverse City with no guarantees of winding up again in the NHL.
Hartigan, who turns 30 in October, played in a half dozen regular season games each with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Anaheim Ducks. He appeared in one playoff game for the Ducks, who went on to eliminate the Red Wings in the conference finals and win the Stanley Cup.
The Wings don’t appear to have any forward spots available - unless Igor Grigorenko falls flat on his face in camp. Hartigan said he didn’t try to analyze the forward depth when he made his decision to come to camp with the Wings.
“I’m not even looking at that,” Hartigan said. “I’m just looking to come in, play hockey, let things fall as they may. Something works out and I fall into one of those spots, great. If not, I’m still going to play as hard as I can and make things happen.”
Hartigan has scored 16 goals and 10 assists in 79 career NHL games with the Thrashers, Blue Jackets and Ducks.
Hartigan isn't the only NHL veteran hoping to find a role with the Wings. Others include defensemen Brent Sopel, Brad Ference and Jassen Cullimore
Hartigan seems destined to play for the Grand Rapids Griffins. He said he’s prepared for the possibility of going back to the AHL, where he played most of last season between the Syracuse Crunch and Portland Pirates.
“If I have to come up and be an up-and-down kind of guy,” Hartigan said. “I’ll do that for this team, absolutely.”
