The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn discusses every NHL team’s offseason additions (or the lack thereof) this morning, wondering aloud how much teams have actually improved over the last two and-a-half weeks. Not shockingly, Luszczyzyn, a long-time critic of Detroit, doesn’t like what the Red Wings accomplished under Steve Yzerman:
16. Detroit Red Wings
Net Rating added: -2
In: Viktor Arvidsson, Keegan Kolesar, Daniil Tarasov
Out: Patrick Kane, David Perron, Cam TalbotSwapping out Patrick Kane for Viktor Arvidsson is a fairly neutral move, though Arvidsson’s potential lack of availability could put that in jeopardy. And while Daniil Tarasov could be a slight upgrade over Cam Talbot at this stage of their careers, adding a fourth liner such as Keegan Kolesar doesn’t do a whole lot to replace David Perron.
As it stands, it’s not enough to make the Red Wings anywhere close to a playoff team in the East — and that’s before a Dylan Larkin trade potentially guts the team’s chances completely.
Continued (paywall); I’m not going to deny that the Red Wings are in tough this upcoming season, and that the Larkin trade will be pivotal (if it’s still on?), but it’s the usual situation for Detroit–they’ll have to prove people wrong once again, one way or another.
That, and Perron didn’t exactly play inspiring hockey after being rushed back from abdominal surgery last season…
I’d certainly like to see the Wings add an Eeli Tolvanen or another semi-sniper from the pool of remaining free agents, but I like the signing of Arvidsson, Kolesar is more about a culture change than anything else, and Tarasov serves as a bridge to the Postava-Augustine regime.
Losing Kane hurts to be certain, but, ultimately, the Wings’ improvement or the lack thereof will be determined by the rectification of the Dylan Larkin situation, not whatever Luszczyszyn suggests is gospel on July 16th.
