Opening Night in HOCKEYTOWN is here. The long summer, without the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, is now behind us. Game one of an 82-game season starts Friday at home against the Montreal Canadiens. The Red Wings added several more prospects through the NHL Entry Draft, and several more players were added through free agency. The Red Wings 23-man roster will feature as many as eight new players. The team improved slightly last year but had some embarrassing games. Enter an almost entirely new coaching staff with a new philosophy. Everything is now behind us, and the team looks to not only improve but challenge for a playoff spot in the difficult Eastern Conference.
General Manager Steve Yzerman’s former team played in its third consecutive Stanley Cup Final. Yzerman went out and hired Derek Lalonde, an assistant coach from that same team, a team built to win and compete every year.
No matter what we witness, the past is the past. With youngsters Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond one year older and top prospect Elmer Soderblom ready to emerge as the Red Wings next great prospect, the future looks bright for this once-powerful Detroit franchise.
Five Things to Watch for This Season
The Eastern Conference is as competitive as it gets. To make it into the playoffs from the East last year, a team required a minimum of 100 points. Last year, the Red Wings missed the playoffs by 26 points. In other words, the Red Wings will likely need to win 13 more games than last year to challenge for a playoff spot. Did Detroit make enough changes to close this gap?
The top two lines appear solid as long as they remain healthy. The bottom two lines are deeper than one year ago, and there are reinforcements in Grand Rapids (AHL).
Derek Lalonde was brought in to be the head coach after a successful run as an assistant in Tampa Bay. He has a top-four on defense that is stronger than one year ago. The bottom pairing is where Detroit’s depth on defense will be challenged. Top defense prospects are waiting in Grand Rapids for their chance if the defense is incapable or if an injury occurs. The goaltending duo will be challenged on a nightly basis. Top goaltending prospect Sebastian Cossa will be gaining valuable experience in the AHL.
But here are five things to watch for as the season begins:
1: Elmer Soderblom making the final roster has Red Wings fans excited about adding another young prospect to the roster. Last year, the Red Wings added Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond, and the results were terrific. The Big E had excelled in the Prospects Tournaments and carried that over to the preseason. After scoring 21 goals in 52 games in the SHL last season, Soderblom will be looking to bring his enormous size (6’8″), scoring ability, and smooth skating to the NHL.
2: Moritz Seider’s Calder Memorial Trophy season is in the past. How he emerges during his sophomore season in the NHL will help dictate the flow of the Red Wings season. Can Seider play increased minutes and still be dominant? Will he continue to improve without the puck? Can Seider emerge as a top defenseman on a playoff-bound team? These are all questions that need to be answered throughout the next campaign.
3: Dylan Larkin had an excellent season one year ago. It finished once again with a season-ending injury. Can Larkin play a full season and lead the Red Wings into the playoffs? Will he sign an extension and play the remainder of his career in Detroit? Will Larkin ask to be traded at the deadline or become a UFA next summer? Are the Red Wings willing to match Larkin’s asking price so he can remain the Red Wings leader? There is cautious optimism about all of these questions. Let’s hope that Steve Yzerman and Larkin’s representatives get things done so that Larkin can take care of business on the ice.
4: All eyes are will be on the goaltending duo of Ville Husso and Alex Nedeljkovic. Husso will be playing in his second full season in the NHL. He was excellent during the regular season for St. Louis last year. Can he play the same way for his new team? Will fewer games mean a more rested Nedeljkovic will be more consistent during the second half of this season for the Red Wings? Will Nedeljkovic sign an extension and remain with Detroit after this season? Nedeljkovic can become a UFA next summer, and how he plays will likely determine his fate with the Red Wings.
5: New head coach Derek Lalonde will likely face the most scrutiny. The Red Wings have missed the playoffs for six consecutive seasons. The defensive game was horrible one season ago. Will a new philosophy change what was so bad last season? Can Lalonde help lead the franchise back to competing for the Stanley Cup? Will the players buy into this philosophy and challenge for a playoff spot in his first year? Detroit fans have been patient with the YzerPlan. How long fans wait for a respectable team will dictate the level of patience this year.
The Red Wings will improve but will likely miss the playoffs again
Improving by 13 wins will be difficult for this team. The Atlantic is a difficult division and one where all the lower teams have improved. There are no easy games in today’s NHL. The Cap Era has assured fans that it is difficult to build a dynasty. The Red Wings have missed the playoffs for six consecutive seasons after having a 25-year run.
The YzerPlan is in full mode. Only Dylan Larkin remains from the opening night roster from five years ago. This is a new team with new coaching. It will take time for everything to blend together. Top prospects are gaining valuable experience in Grand Rapids (AHL).
This team is likely one or two years away from making the playoffs. This year’s version of the Red Wings will be improved, but not yet ready for a serious challenge.
Yzerman is a master at building a winner. He has set no timeline, but the team is inching closer to what is expected in the Motor City.
