Dani England ’19 Circulation Manager
Detroit, Michigan is considered Hockeytown, USA. It is the start of the hockey season, and the Red Wings are not looking too hot so far. The team is full of rookies,and most people could probably not even recognize a full lineup of names anymore, but, for the fans of the team, that a good thing or a bad thing? Obviously, no one knows what their style of play is yet in the league, but are they up to the challenge? Are they ready to play up to the level of the veterans? Their numbers do not show that.
In the preseason games, the Wings went 7-1-0, a very impressive record to have, and ultimately, it was sort of surprising considering their past season and the expectations for this upcoming season. But since the regular season has begun, the team has gone downhill, with their record being the exact opposite of the preseason.
This year, a 16-year long player for the Red Wings, a hard worker, a leader, and an ice time eater, forward Henrik Zetterberg, has now retired from the NHL, and that has really shown on the outcome of these regular season games for Detroit. The first game of the season was an overtime loss against the Columbus Blue Jackets, 3-2. Their second game was a regulation loss, falling 4-2 to the Los Angeles Kings, and as of Oct. 23, the Red Wings record is 1-6-2. They are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, which is really not the place you want to start at the beginning of the season.
So is this drop in play because of the rookies who are new to the league? Or is it because of Coach Blashill? Many people argue that since Mike Babcock has left the Wings to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Red Wings program has struggled, and the stats definitely seem to indicate as such when looking at the last three seasons. Detroit had made a consecutive 25 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but in 2017, the beginning of Blashill’s Red Wings coaching career, that playoff streak had ended, and Detroit, Hockeytown, was devastated. Do not expect a playoff appearance from the Wings this year either, and if they keep on this path, they will not even have a slight chance for the wild card at the end of the season. It all comes down to who wants it more, and who is willing to sacrifice more than the other team. Are the Wings up to the challenge? Only time will tell.
Photo courtesy of Mlive.com
Lyon Life 