Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman challenges players amid stoppage in play

Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman has challenged his players to keep motivated as the club continues to embark on their rebuild.

The Red Wings are one of the few teams who won’t be returning to play this season, whenever that may be, given the league’s choice to conduct a 24-team play-in format.

With nobody sure of when they’ll hit the ice again for training camps and games, Yzerman issued the challenge to his young guys.

“We’ll learn who really wants to be a hockey player,” Yzerman told NHL.com. “Guys that want to train are going to figure it out, guys that want to get better and improve are going to figure it out, and we’re going to provide the resources to do that.

“The ones who truly don’t are going to find way [not to], and they’ve got as good a reason as they’re ever going to have of not being able to train right now.

“So a lot of the onus is on the kids’ motivation.”

Coach Jeff Blashill, who will be returning next season, said it’s a situation the club and its players need to take advantage of.

“I think it also gives us a great opportunity to have more time than ever to maximize our bodies and to maximize our games,” Blashill said. “That’s what we’re going to have to look at, and that’s what’s going to be really important for our young players.”

According to NHL.com, the team hopes to open their training facilities for the players in the Detroit area when the league allows small voluntary group workouts.