30 in 30: Detroit Redwings
My first team preview does the semi-honourable* thing of getting jingoism out of the way early and focussing on the team that I have a twinkle in my eye(s) for, Detroit Red Wings.
Last season saw Mike Babcock’s charges coming off their worst for many years. It was the first time the Red Wings had failed to place in the top two of their division since 1991 and their five game elimination to Nashville was also the earliest they had departed the post-season since 2006.
With that in mind many Red Wings fans thought the only way was up whereas the pundits seemed to contradict their optimism. Many thought that it was the start of a decline that may, unthinkably, see the Ilitch funded dynasty bow out of the after-season party for the first time in twenty years. That was not the case.
Players In: Daniel Alfredsson (Ottawa) & Stephen Weiss (Florida)
Players Out: Damien Brunner, Daniel Cleary, Valtteri Filppula, Ian White, Carlo Colaiacovo
Fast forward twelve months and after last year’s post-season run there is a new sense of optimism both from fans and pundits and that is largely to do with the fact that they may, and this is yet to be tested over the course of a full season, may have found some form of replacement for Nicklas Lidstrom.
That claim must be taken with a pinch of salt large enough to render Hockeytown’s rink unplayable as there isn’t really any way of replacing the so-called ‘Perfect Human’ but the rookie Danny Dekeyser whom they successfully pursued just before the season end does look a real stud of a player.
The two players that will adorn the Winged Wheel for the first time may take some time to bed in; This is not because they lack quality, they clearly do not, it is due to the fact that between them Daniel Alfredsson and Stephen Weiss represented the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers for a combined twenty eight years before leaving their respective teams. That is a phenomenal change for any player to have to make and whether they benefit from the break or rather they may have been better to jump straight in as Jarome Iginla did when he absconded from Calgary will be seen in October.
One thing is for sure though and that is when they eventually do, and they will as they are too good not to, they will only make the team stronger. Compare with the fact that the players that have left the franchise will arguably not be missed too much and things are looking up this year too. Ask any Red Wings fan about White, Colaiacovo and, in particular, Filppula and you’ll either get a howl of derision or a pale, motionless face staring back at you.
Daniel Cleary has also left in what some may say is a rather uncharacteristic move by the organisation as they do sometimes hold onto players for a little too long but there are others on the roster – Senor Bertuzzi I’m making eyes at you – that could also have been chopped. That would have made room for Damien Brunner in some fans eyes but the cold, hard, facts are that he wanted to test the market. Over two months on that thorough test is still taking place, Brunner is clearly a man that likes to do his homework.
There are others who either need to prove themselves this year (Ian White) or are still to really cement a place in the starting lines when Mike Babcock names his lineup on game night who may also strengthen the roster particularly towards the end of the season when they have a decent number of minutes under their belt. Tomas Tatar has shown glimpses of what fans one day hope will be a finished product and even Gustav Nyquist could be asked to prove himself. ‘Goose’ featured heavily in the postseason campaign of the Red Wings mainly at the cost of Jordin Tootoo but it seems he is still to fully earn the trust of the management.
Change in Surroundings
As well as Alfie and Weiss getting used to their new habitats the entire franchise will have to as they have been moved to the newly formatted Atlantic Division with the others being the Central, Pacific and the ridiculous sounding Metropolitan Divisions.
This Atlantic is made up of fellow Original Six bedmates Boston, Montreal and Toronto as well as Buffalo, Florida and Tampa Bay to provide some more sedate evenings. The Conference is a commercial managers dream with more Original Six fixtures than they can shake their money making sticks at (just dont shake that stick in a Metropolitan City, Commercial Managers, those places are busy).
The East is often mooted as more physically demanding that the West and, although that may be a slight generalisation the aforementioned Tootoo may have to earn the amount some fans deride a little more this year than he did the last. He will be asked to draw penalties in the more niggly games against old rivals such as the Leafs and Bruins without being sent to the box too often himself. It will be the latter part of that equation that he will have to solve.
With the addition of Daniel Alfredsson in particular along with the shoring up of their D-lines (which looked particularly shakey at the start of last year) with the signing of Dekeyser and Ian Brendan Smith’s improved composure I’d expect Detroit to comfortably qualify for the post season by finishing second in their Division behind the team I will preview next.
Verdict: Second in Atlantic Division
*Semi-honourable as I wouldn’t allow anybody else to talk about my boys