The latest episode of the Flying Octopus podcast is out this morning…
And the Hockey Writers’ Tony Wolak discusses the keys to the Red Wings’ playoff push this morning…
Red Wings’ Focus Areas
Part of a strong finish is addressing organizational weaknesses. And for the Red Wings, there are three that stand out:
- Five-on-five offense
- Penalty kill
- Defensive depth
You can make the case that others should be included here, but, in my opinion, these are the three main deficiencies at the moment.
Despite a general resurgence under McLellan, Detroit’s five-on-five offense is still a work in progress. At even-strength, their 2.14 goals-for per 60 (GF/60), 24.46 scoring chances-for per 60 (SCF/60), and 10.18 high-danger chances-for per 60 (HDCF/60) since the coaching change all sit in the bottom-half of the league.
Likewise, their penalty kill has been better, but not by much. Detroit’s 71.8 kill percentage under McLellan ranks 26th in the NHL. That said, if you only focus on the last 10 games, their 80 percent kill rate is respectable. Still, you can’t assume that the issue is resolved completely.
And finally, the Red Wings don’t have much depth beyond their top two defensive pairs. Erik Gustafsson and Justin Holl have been fine on the third pairing. But beyond them, there’s only William Lagesson, at least until Jeff Petry returns in April. An injury to the top four could be devastating.
It’s absolutely critical that the Red Wings address these three problem areas down the stretch. Doing so will make the race to 92 points that much easier.
And the Hockey Writers’ Devin Little shared his impressions of the Four Nations Face-Off:
I Thought the Red Wings Didn’t Have Any Stars
While it was a popular sentiment among many, including the Red Wings’ previous head coach, Larkin and Raymond have assured the hockey world that there is star power on the ice in Detroit.
Red Wings fans knew going into the 4 Nations Face-Off that Larkin is the heart and soul of their team. Now the whole world knows he’s an elite competitor that makes good things happen whenever he is on the ice.
Red Wings fans knew going into this tournament that Raymond is on the precipice of superstardom. Now the whole world knows he’s part of the next wave of elite talent coming out of Sweden.
All-Star weekend is meant to put a spotlight on the best talent from around the NHL. It has failed to do that in recent years, but that’s what made this 4 Nations tournament so special. Great hockey was played by all four participating nations, and now fans are more aware of the talent across the league – most notably in Detroit.
