The Score’s Jon Matisz posted a listing of the “Bottom 16” NHL teams, and he ranks the Red Wings as one of them, though he suggests that for the Red Wings, Senators, Jets, Islanders, Blue Jackets, Devils, Stars and Canucks, being in “Tier 5: Standings Purgatory” still means that the above-listed teams could make the playoffs “if the stars align”:
Detroit Red Wings: The Red Wings are the most interesting NHL team to monitor this year.
Detroit built up momentum last season with small gains in the win column and brilliant performances from young studs Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond. Then GM Steve Yzerman went wild, acquiring everyday NHLers Ville Husso, David Perron, Andrew Copp, Dominik Kubalik, Olli Maatta, and Ben Chiarot in one busy summer.
It’s impossible to not be bullish on this squad, both in the short and long terms. They’ve upgraded by leaps and bounds on paper, while holdovers like Jakub Vrana, who’s coming off a major injury, and Dylan Larkin, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Alex Nedeljkovic, all pending unrestricted free agents, aren’t short on motivation.
Along with Seider and Raymond’s continued growth, keep tabs on Swedish defenseman Simon Edvinsson and his transition to North America.
Last season, the Wings finished with 74 points, 26 short of the playoff cutline. This year, if the blue line holds up, they’re capable of 90-plus and should be playing meaningful games down the stretch under first-time head coach Derek Lalonde.
Continued; I’m starting to wonder whether the Red Wings would really fill out their roster by adding one more puck-moving defenseman, but that’s just me hazarding a guess there.
