If I may be blunt, “list articles” kind of bore me. It’s very easy to write a list and post it as “news,” and, oftentimes, the lists are kind of pedestrian.
Sports Illustrated is starting up a Red Wings blog, and they’re following the “list article” script to some extent, but SI’s Jayd Serdy is offering a creative take on the “list,” discussing one item that each and every one of the Red Wings’ forwards and defenseman should strive to achieve in the upcoming season:
Lucas Raymond — Shoot More Often
Raymond has become one of Detroit’s offensive leaders, but he’s also an excellent playmaker. Sometimes he looks for the extra pass instead of trusting his shot. Adopting even more of a shoot-first mentality could push him into the league’s elite goal-scoring tier.
Emmitt Finnie — Add NHL Strength
Finnie has the skill to make plays in tight spaces, but the jump from junior to the NHL is a different challenge physically. Adding strength will help him win more puck battles, protect possession, and make his offensive creativity translate against bigger, stronger defenders.
We all know that Raymond is a fantastic finisher, but his 51-assist season this past year was only bolstered by hitting the 25-goal mark, and he could easily hit 30-35 if he shoots the puck more regularly;
Finnie had a great rookie season as a tenacious forechecker, but he didn’t win as many puck battles as he could if he had more trunk strength.
Sayd continues, and here are some of his suggestions for Detroit’s defensemen:
Simon Edvinsson: Use His Size More Consistently
At 6-foot-6 with elite mobility, Edvinsson possesses all the physical tools to become one of the NHL’s premier shutdown defensemen. While he has shown flashes of dominating opponents with his reach and strength, consistency is the next step.
Using his frame more often to win net-front battles, separate opponents from the puck, and establish body position along the boards would make him even more difficult to play against. Edvinsson doesn’t need to become an overly physical defenseman, but making his size a nightly advantage could help him take another step toward becoming Detroit’s true No. 1 defenseman in the future.
Moritz Seider: Shoot More From the Blue Line
Seider already does just about everything the Red Wings ask of him. He logs heavy minutes, plays in every situation, and routinely draws the toughest defensive assignments. His next opportunity for growth comes offensively.
Rather than looking for the extra pass, Seider could benefit from putting more pucks toward the net. He owns a heavy shot, and increasing his shot volume would not only create more scoring chances for himself but also generate rebounds and deflections for Detroit’s forwards.
With his workload already among the league’s highest, even a small increase in offensive production could push Seider into the conversation with the NHL’s elite all-around defensemen.
Edvinsson isn’t going to be the next Vladimir Konstantinov, but his long, lanky frame* yields a huge wingspan and long strides make his mobility exceptional, and if you can skate well and like to hit people, you can develop into a tremendously effective defenseman;
As for Seider, he drives me nuts because he loves to defer to his defensive partner for shooting. He and Raymond need to try to get one or two more shot attempts per game on the net, and they could work from there.
