The Detroit Red Wings and Tanking
Red Wings fans, all things considered, have had things pretty good the past two and a half decades.
Ken Holland, GM and executive vice president of the Detroit Red Wings, has been the architect of three Stanley Cup Championship teams, but now he faces a different challenge: rebuilding the Red Wings to their former glory.
Heading into this season, with the retirement of former captain Henrik Zetterberg, many fans ear-marked the Red Wings as a shoe-in for the bottom of the league's standings.
Although that would require a lot of pain and losing in a single season, the silver lining would be a shot at winning the draft lottery and attaining the number one overall pick, and spending said-pick on superstar forward Jack Hughes, a skilled center skating for the US National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Michigan.
The problem is, this season has not gone as expected for most Red Wings fans. Through 31 games, the Detroit Red Wings sit just three points outside of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference
Although it may seem silly for fans to be frustrated about winning, many Wings fans feel this way, and their sentiment is logical, But there are certainly benefits to the run the Red Wings have gone on to start the season as well.
Chief among them, is the emergence of young center Dylan Larkin. Following a season where he put up 63 points as a 21 year old, Larkin appears to have taken another step, and could very well be the number one center the Wings will need if they want to contend for The Cup in the near future.
Larkin has not the only young piece that has effectively transitioned into a bigger role, players such as Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Dennis Cholowski have all impressed through 31 games as well.
With the Red Wings only three points out of a playoff spot, the question should be asked: is it in the best interest of the Red Wings to tank? Would the young core benefit from leading the team to the postseason for the first time since the 2015-2016 season?
I would argue right here, right now, that making the playoffs would not be in the best interest of the Red Wings this coming season. The way I see it, the most important task Holland has this season is orchestrating moves at the trade deadline that will enhance this team's chances of competing down the road. The second highest leading scorer on the team this season, Gustav Nyquist, is in the last year of his contract, and if he keeps up the scoring pace he is at, will fetch a hefty return at the deadline.
In addition, one cannot overstate the value of acquiring can't miss prospects via the NHL Draft, as the Red Wings' two first round selections in last season's draft, Filip Zadina and Joe Veleno, figure to be key parts of the Red Wings core for years to come.
All in all, Red Wings fans should take this season in stride. Although a higher draft pick could certainly help the team down the road, fans should also be cognizant of the very real benefits the Wings could enjoy through the young players taking greater control of the locker room.
Below is a preview for tonight's game between the Red Wings and the Washington Capitals.
Ken Holland, GM and executive vice president of the Detroit Red Wings, has been the architect of three Stanley Cup Championship teams, but now he faces a different challenge: rebuilding the Red Wings to their former glory.
Heading into this season, with the retirement of former captain Henrik Zetterberg, many fans ear-marked the Red Wings as a shoe-in for the bottom of the league's standings.
Although that would require a lot of pain and losing in a single season, the silver lining would be a shot at winning the draft lottery and attaining the number one overall pick, and spending said-pick on superstar forward Jack Hughes, a skilled center skating for the US National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Michigan.
The problem is, this season has not gone as expected for most Red Wings fans. Through 31 games, the Detroit Red Wings sit just three points outside of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference
Although it may seem silly for fans to be frustrated about winning, many Wings fans feel this way, and their sentiment is logical, But there are certainly benefits to the run the Red Wings have gone on to start the season as well.
Chief among them, is the emergence of young center Dylan Larkin. Following a season where he put up 63 points as a 21 year old, Larkin appears to have taken another step, and could very well be the number one center the Wings will need if they want to contend for The Cup in the near future.
Larkin has not the only young piece that has effectively transitioned into a bigger role, players such as Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Dennis Cholowski have all impressed through 31 games as well.
With the Red Wings only three points out of a playoff spot, the question should be asked: is it in the best interest of the Red Wings to tank? Would the young core benefit from leading the team to the postseason for the first time since the 2015-2016 season?
I would argue right here, right now, that making the playoffs would not be in the best interest of the Red Wings this coming season. The way I see it, the most important task Holland has this season is orchestrating moves at the trade deadline that will enhance this team's chances of competing down the road. The second highest leading scorer on the team this season, Gustav Nyquist, is in the last year of his contract, and if he keeps up the scoring pace he is at, will fetch a hefty return at the deadline.
In addition, one cannot overstate the value of acquiring can't miss prospects via the NHL Draft, as the Red Wings' two first round selections in last season's draft, Filip Zadina and Joe Veleno, figure to be key parts of the Red Wings core for years to come.
All in all, Red Wings fans should take this season in stride. Although a higher draft pick could certainly help the team down the road, fans should also be cognizant of the very real benefits the Wings could enjoy through the young players taking greater control of the locker room.
Below is a preview for tonight's game between the Red Wings and the Washington Capitals.
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