The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted an utter lament this morning, suggesting that the Red Wings are a thin, talent-deficient team that cannot and will not make the NHL’s playoff cut as it falters down the stretch drive. Here’s the pertinent part of her column:
“We’re prepared to use or picks and prospects, but it’s got to be for players that we really like, that we believe in, and then that they’re going to be a part of this thing next year and for future years and beyond,” [GM Steve] Yzerman said. “Otherwise this whole thing has been a waste and a waste of time. It would just set us back and delay us even further and no one wants that.
“For where we’re at, and we’d love to make the playoffs, but to get into that rental thing, we’re giving up our first-round picks and all of what we consider our top prospects and I think we would all agree that whether we like it or not, being in this situation, that’s not the thing to do.”
So, here the Wings are again, faltering in the stretch run. During this skid they’ve played flat, they’ve played with energy, they’ve outshot one opponent by a two-to-one margin, and most recently, Friday at Washington, they started really well only to give up two short-handed goals en route to a 5-2 loss to the Capitals.
It was only a few days ago that [coach Todd] McLellan described what sets March apart on the NHL schedule: Separation. The Wings went through it last season, when they went 3-9-2, and in March 2023, when they 5-9-1.
“As teams fall out of it, their stress level and everything disappears and they’re playing with house money and they play loose,” McLellan said. “It’s not the best way to evaluate. Right now, we’re in that true evaluation stage because we are in that stage. We should welcome it.”
Continued; I don’t know what’s going to happen for the Red Wings going forward. I would be stupid to suggest that possess some inherent predictive knowledge that others don’t.
What I do know is that I believe that this team does need to add another goal-scoring forward or two, to deepen its defense, and to sort out its goaltending situation…
But, at the same time, I’m unwilling to suggest that the Wings won’t be able to defy expectations. Pleasant surprises are abundant in sports, and while there’s no reason to suggest that the Wings are anything less than a long shot to make the playoffs right now, that shot is the Wings’ to call over the final 19 games of this year’s regular season.
