The Detroit Red Wings have fully embraced a youth movement this season. They carried three rookies on the NHL roster out of training camp. And they've all earned the trust of head coach Todd McLellan. On Friday, it was Axel Sandin-Pellikka who made an impact for the Winged Wheel. On Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers, it was Emmitt Finnie's turn to shine.

Finnie scored his first career goal against Edmonton on Sunday. He took advantage of a rebound off a shot from Jacob Bernard-Docker at the point. The Detroit rookie banged home the rebound for his first goal of the contest. This made it a 2-0 game at the time.

Finnie would score again in this game. This one was simple, as the rookie put the puck home into an empty net. His goal put the final touch on a 4-2 win over the Oilers on Saturday. This game marked Detroit's fifth straight win to cap off an impressive homestand.

After the game, Finnie spoke with the media and shared his immediate thoughts on his performance. “That was a great feeling… Edmonton's a good team. They got two top players who can make you pay every night. I thought we did a good job managing them,” the Red Wings rookie said in a clip shared on social media.

Red Wings' Emmitt Finnie responds to Dylan Larkin praise

Article Continues Below
Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) skates with the puck in the first period against the Montréal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena.
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin spoke after the game about the impact of not just Finnie, but all three rookies. He mentioned their fearlessness on the ice. Their ability to play without fear has led him to feel he can play a similar way, as well.

Finnie was asked about these comments after the game. The 20-year-old winger mentioned that the Detroit captain helps his game in a ton of ways, as well.

“Oh, he helps (my game) a lot,” Finnie said. “He's a great leader. He's helped me on and off the ice this whole year. I'm just trying to put myself in good spots for him.”

Finnie, a former seventh-round pick, is one of the best stories in the NHL so far this season. He finally has his first career goals, and Detroit believes he can do so much more. It will be intriguing to see how his game develops as his rookie campaign progresses.