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Wings star Henrik Zetterberg dangles at practice today in Kelowna. (Photo Joe Fries)
Update: 10/03/17/ 1:07 p.m.
It looked to be a capacity crowd on hand to watch the Detroit Red Wings practice at Prospera Place.
The team was on the ice well before there scheduled time at 11 a.m., and players began filing off around 11:30.
While the on-ice session was conducted a full speed, the players looked to be enjoying themselves and acknowledged the crowd on several occasions.
Check back with Kelowna.com for a full story, photos and video from the event, and interviews with the players.
Posted: 10/03/17/ 11:07 a.m.
By Joe Fries
Perched precariously on the playoff bubble, the Detroit Red Wings have popped into the Okanagan for a couple days of practice and downtime.
The NHL club, which currently holds the last and final playoff spot in the Western Conference, arrived in Kelowna after a 2-1 win in Calgary on Monday. The team practises for an hour both today and Thursday, before heading to Edmonton for a clash with the Oilers on Friday.
Kelowna Rockets owner Bruce Hamilton helped arrange the three-day retreat at the request of Wings GM Ken Holland, who reportedly owns property here.
“They were looking for a diversion,” Hamilton said of the trip in a press release posted on the Red Wings’ website. “I think the one thing that Ken wanted was to get a bit of a zip in their practices before they continued their trip.”
He noted, too, that the Rockets’ coaching staff has been invited to sit in on meetings with the big club’s coaching crew, headed by Mike Babcock, the man who plotted Canada’s route to men’s hockey gold at the Olympics.
Of course, Hamilton also goes on to talk about the region’s other attractions: golf, weather and wine.
Practices begin at 11 a.m. each day at Prospera Place and are open to the public, provided fans bring a donation for the Kelowna Community Food Bank. In the press release, Hamilton said he expects a good turnout.
“We’re sold out for every night that we play…. From our standpoint, we’re probably into the 220 straight games sold out range. So we’re (expecting) full capacity for the Wings.”
The practice will be probably be of great interest to Rockets forward Mitchell Callahan, the Wings’ sixth-round pick in the 2009 entry draft.
An 18-year-old native of California, he has 20 goals and 47 points in 72 games this season.
Check back with Kelowna.com for coverage of the Red Wings’ visit.
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Wings star Henrik Zetterberg dangles at practice today in Kelowna. (Photo Joe Fries)
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Todd Bertuzzi and the Detroit Red Wings take part in some opening drills before a busy Prospera Place. (Photo Joe Fries)
Tags: Detroit Red Wings, ken holland, mike babcock, mitchell callahan, red wings
