The Detroit Red Wings got through their eighth and last preseason game with a mostly minor-league lineup.
It was the opposite for the home team, as the Toronto Maple Leafs fielded many of their stars Saturday at Scotiabank Arena — and those stars provided the offense that left the Wings with a 5-1 loss.
The Wings’ lineup was light on regulars — as the Leafs’ was Friday in Detroit — but NHLers who made the trip included Jakub Vrana, Filip Zadina and Pius Suter. Suter provided a 1-0 lead midway through the first period, finishing a play that began with Gustav Lindstrom forwarding the puck from the neutral zone. Lindstrom and Jordan Oesterle were the only defensemen with NHL experience in the Wings’ lineup.
More:How Gustav Lindstrom & Simon Edvinsson fit into Detroit Red Wings’ plans
William Nylander and Denis Malgin made it 2-1 for the Leafs after two periods. Auston Matthews scored twice on power plays in the third period and Nylander also converted on a power play in the third period.
Jussi Olkinuora and Victor Brattstrom, neither of who has played in the NHL, were Detroit’s goaltenders. Sebastian Cossa, the No. 15 pick in the 2021 draft, was assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins earlier Saturday, signaling the Wings want to see him starting his pro career competing for a job in the AHL.
The Wings have to submit a 23-man roster by 5 p.m. Monday. They open the season Oct. 14.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her latest book, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.