Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman discussed his team in a speech made to the West Michigan Sports Commission on Wednesday, and he’s gotten a bit of flak for suggesting that making the playoffs this season is not his first priority for the Red Wings. 97.1 the Ticket’s Will Burchfield isn’t among that field, suggesting that Yzerman’s remarks were in fact pretty darn measured and wise:
Indeed, it’s been four years since the Red Wings, Tigers, Pistons or Lions made the playoffs, the longest drought among U.S. cities represented in each of the big four North American sports. It’s been seven years since Detroit won a playoff game — the Red Wings, in 2016 — and 10 years since it won a playoff series — the Tigers, in 2013. Yzerman is well aware. But no, he doesn’t feel “any extra pressure” to end this drought, because merely making the playoffs isn’t his goal. That would be selling this town — Hockeytown, anyway — short.
“We would love to make the playoffs (this season),” Yzerman said. “But is it playoffs-or-bust? Internally, no.”
The Lions may well take care of the playoff drought themselves. Favorites in the NFC North, they’re poised to break through this year under Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes. Yzerman says the optimism around them is “well-deserved.” But if the Lions live down to their own standard, the Red Wings are Detroit’s next best shot at a playoff team. After another active offseason, headlined by the acquisition of Alex DeBrincat, this is by far the deepest and most talented roster of Yzerman’s five-year tenure as GM.
If that leads the Wings back to the playoffs, great. Their seven-year drought is the second-longest in the NHL and tied for the longest in franchise history. If it doesn’t, well, fine. Asked if making the playoffs is something that “has to happen” this season, Yzerman said, “I wouldn’t put it in those terms.”
“Our goal isn’t just to make the playoffs. Our goal is to build a championship team, a team that can compete for a championship,” he said. “So the moves we’re making along the way aren’t necessarily designed toward, ‘Oh my god, we gotta make the playoffs this year, or playoffs-or-bust.’
“No, again, we’re trying to build a nucleus of a young team that’s going to be together for a long time that can compete in the playoffs for the Stanley Cup, and we’re sticking with that path.”
Continued; I’m not going to lie as a Red Wings partisan; I want the team to make the playoffs as soon as possible.
That being said, I understand that Yzerman’s long-term approach is likely to pay off in the long run. I just don’t like to admit the fact that the Red Wings are still in the middle of their real Yzerman rebuild, not trending toward a completed end thereof.
