2014-15 Detroit Red Wings Preview
The aging core of Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Niklas Kronwall and Johan Franzen will have to stay healthy if Detroit plans on making its 24th straight postseason appearance during 2014-15.
The Red Wings nabbed the final wild card spot in its first season in the Atlantic Division. The team ended up with 93 points, but was sent home by the top-seeded Boston Bruins in five games.
Detroit failed to reel in players during free agency over the summer. The team was reportedly interested in defensemen Dan Boyle, Christian Erhoff and Matt Niskanen, but was unable to pull the trigger on any of them.
FORWARDS – Detroit’s greatest strength is its plethora of capable forwards.
The talented duo of Datsyuk and Zetterberg, which combined for 85 points in 45 games apiece last season, leads the pack and must stay in the lineup in order for the Red Wings to compete.
Datsyuk, entering his 13th NHL campaign, is already sidelined for the start of the season. The 36-year-old suffered a separated shoulder during the team’s first preseason game and is expected to miss the first few weeks of the regular season.
Zetterberg injured his back while playing for his native Sweden during the 2014 Sochi Olympics and missed the remainder of the regular season. The captain returned for two playoff games, but was not 100 percent.
Slated to accompany Datsyuk on the top line are wingers Tatar and Darren Helm.
Tatar was solid over 73 games last season, recording 19 goals and 20 assists in his first full NHL campaign, while Helm, who notched 12 goals and 20 points, will use his speed to complement Datsyuk’s keen playmaking abilities.
Nyquist emerged as the team’s top scorer with 28 goals after a strong second half. The young Swede, who also notched a team-high six game-winning goals, will benefit from healthy veterans, who can feed him the puck.
Franzen, nicknamed “The Mule” for his willingness to grind and unrelenting drive to wear down his opponents, and Stephen Weiss were both out of commission for a better part of the season due to injury.
Weiss came over from Florida as a free-agent signing prior to last season and will look to put together a bounce-back season. He will need to show the team that he is the gritty, two-way forward that is in fact worth the $24.5 million he is being paid over his five-year contract.
Daniel Alfredsson, who led the team with 49 points last season, is still a question mark to make the roster. The 41-year-old is currently unsigned after missing training camp due to a lingering back injury.
Top prospect Anthony Mantha fractured his right tibia last month during the Traverse City Prospects Tournament. The 20-year-old forward was selected 20th overall in 2013 and had a spectacular season for Val-D’Or of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season, putting up 120 points over 57 games.
The Red Wings parted ways with agitator Jordin Tootoo via buyout, Todd Bertuzzi, Mikael Samuelsson and veteran David Legwand, who signed a two-year, $6 million contract with Ottawa.
DEFENSE – Detroit’s defense was towards the middle of the pack last season, giving up 221 goals during the regular season, which was ranked 16th-best in the league.
Kronwall is the unequivocal leader of the defense. His aggressive, hard- hitting style of play mixed with his puck-moving presence adds a veteran presence to a young group of defensemen.
Half of Detroit’s starters on defense — Danny DeKeyser, Brendan Smith and Brian Lashoff — have less than three years of NHL experience.
Inexperience at the blue line paired with No. 2 defenseman Jonathan Ericsson’s season-ending finger injury put the Red Wings in a tough position on the back end against Boston during the postseason.
DeKeyser, Smith and Lashoff will have the opportunity to play more minutes this season as the Red Wings were unable to sign an impact defenseman.
The team did, however, bring back Kyle Quincey on a two-year deal with a cap hit of $4.25 million per season.
GOALTENDING – Jimmy Howard will be backed up by Jonas Gustavsson as Detroit enters the season with a recurring goaltending tandem.
Howard is coming off a disappointing season. He finished 22nd in the league with 21 wins, 26th with a 2.66 goals-against average and 29th with a .910 save percentage.
The 30-year-old’s GAA was at its highest since his second full season in a Red Wings uniform, when he also finished with just two shutouts.
Gustavsson saw increased play due to Howard’s knee and hip injuries. The 6- foot-3 netminder was serviceable, racking up 16 wins and posting a 2.63 GAA and .907 save percentage over 27 appearances.
If either goaltender goes down, expect to see Petr Mrazek between the pipes. Mrazek compiled 22 wins in 32 appearances with a 2.10 GAA and .924 save percentage last season for Grand Rapids, Detroit’s AHL affiliate.
WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE – A healthy Red Wings team will be a difficult team to face. Detroit has depth down the middle and a number of young forwards that can put up points on a consistent basis. The lack of a solid veteran pairing outside of Kronwall and Ericsson is the team’s glaring weakness, but a bounce- back season from Howard would place Detroit in good position to make the playoffs yet again.
Categorized in: NHL