The Free Press’s Helene St. James discusses the Red Wings’ desire to play better defensive hockey this season, starting from the opening of training camp tomorrow in Traverse City:
“We need to be a better defensive hockey club, top to bottom,” [Red Wings GM Steve] Yzerman said. “Our special teams have to be good. Our special teams both improved last season and we scored more goals. We gave up too many to make the playoffs. But you have to be solid in those areas. You can get by maybe not having the best power play, but you better be solid in all the other areas. You can get by not having the best penalty killing unit, but you better be solid in other areas.”
The Wings don’t project to be as big of a scoring threat, not with the off-season departures of David Perron (17 goals), Daniel Sprong and Robby Fabbri (18 goals each), and Shayne Gostisbehere (team-leading 29 power play points). But former 40-goal scorer Vladimir Tarasenko joins the lineup, and Patrick Kane will be in from the start, and Jonatan Berggren is the candidate most likely to audition for Sprong’s old role on the fourth line/power play.
But even if they can make up for the scoring lost, last season showed it’s not enough when the play lacks in their own end.
“The key is ultimately I think for long term success to be a good defensive hockey team,” Yzerman said. “We are going to need to score goals – we’ve lost David Perron, Daniel Sprong and Robby Fabbri, simply couldn’t afford to keep all three of them. We like to think Vlad Tarasenko offsets one of those losses. We think Jonatan Berggren can offset another of those losses. Are those goals made up by potentially one of our young players making the team, or Patrick Kane for an entire season? Improved play from Lucas [Raymond]? Dylan Larkin hopefully healthy for 82 games – what not. Collectively if the goals we lost, if we can make up for them as a group. But being solid in all areas, that makes you a pretty good team.”
Continued (paywall)
