Red Wings Shift Training Camp Tradition to Detroit for 2023 Prospect Tournament

In a significant departure from a tradition that has spanned over two decades, the Detroit Red Wings announced on Tuesday that they will host a four-team Prospect Tournament and Training Camp at the BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena this September. This marks a shift from the team’s long-standing practice of holding Training Camp in Traverse City, Michigan, a tradition that began in 1997.

The upcoming tournament will feature not only the Red Wings but also players from the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Columbus Blue Jackets, with games commencing on September 12. The Training Camp itself is set to begin on September 17, followed by a series of four exhibition contests.

This decision marks only the third time since 1997 that the Red Wings will not conduct their Training Camp at the Center Ice Arena in Traverse City. The first instance occurred during the 2013 lockout-shortened season when Camp was relocated to Compuware Arena, now known as USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth. A similar shift happened before the 2020-21 NHL season when the camp was held at Little Caesars Arena due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the Red Wings’ decision has raised questions, it remains unclear whether this change will be permanent. Todd Spaulding, the executive director at Center Ice Arena, expressed uncertainty about the future of the camp’s location. “We’ve been wondering what’s been going on,” Spaulding said. “We didn’t hear anything official until the last couple days.” He added, “We’ve always known there was a chance they would do something different. I don’t know if this is a permanent deal.”

The tradition of hosting Training Camp in Traverse City was initiated by Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman, who believed in the benefits of the scenic northern Michigan location for team bonding and preparation.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.