With only two games over the course of 12 days, the Detroit Red Wings face the unique prospect of an early season reprieve prior to Friday night's home contest against divisional foe, the Columbus Bluejackets.
While the Red Wings complete their 2nd day of community work throughout Metro Detroit before returning to the ice for practice on Wednesday morning, it's an opportune time to analyze what we have seen from this hockey team through their first four games (and victories) of the young season. Despite the small sample size, let's examine:
EIGHT THINGS I THINK I LIKE (thank you Peter King from SI):
1)
Jiri Hudler's production
If this is what the Red Wings get from Hudler this season, they will be ecstatic. After a rough transition back to North America following a one-year stint in the KHL, Hudler has had a 180 degree shift from his start last season. With four points in four games, he appears to be much more likely to hit his 57-point total from 2009-10 if he remains within the team's top six up front.
Hudler has no use (on any team), if he isn't playing on a team's top two scoring lines and getting some power-play time. His strength is his offensive abilities and it's great to see Babcock give him an opportunity to excel in that role alongside Detroit's best offensive players. Only four games, but definitely a step in the right direction when compared to his one goal in 30 games start last season.
2)
Strong goaltending
Two shutouts in four games, including an impressive return by
Ty Conklin shutting out the Avalanche in Denver.
Jimmy Howard is off to a nice start picking up a shut out against Vancouver and posting a 3-0 record, 1.63 GAA and .930 save percentage.
Of course, this likely has something to do with better defensive zone play from the team as a whole. The Wings are allowing 25 shots against per game thus far in comparison to almost 31 shots against per game last season. Nevertheless, Conklin was pivotal in keeping Detroit in the game early on against an energetic Avalanche group and Howard's play against the Canucks was paramount in the Wings garnering the victory. More strong play like this from Detroit's netminders and they will continue to widen the gap in the Central Division.
3)
The emergence of Jakub Kindl
He has not looked at all out of place early on and leads the team with a +6 through four games. He is already halfway to his point total of last season. I think people tend to forget that this guy was a first round pick back in 2005. He has good offensive skills, can skate and his play defensively continues to improve. This is no mirage. The kid is going to be a steady contributor who continues to improve.
4)
Tomas Holmstrom in the bottom six
This is not meant to be a mean-spirited jab at Holmstrom, who has been an absolute warrior for this hockey club for 14 seasons. He still can be a very useful piece to the Red Wings on the power-play in front of an opposing goaltender. He's still the very best in the league at making life a living hell for a goalie. Yet, I have been asking since last season for Holmstrom to be reduced to a 4th line role instead of occupying the coveted top line spot beside the Euro Twins or Datsyuk's line.
We began to start to see glimpses of Holmstrom's diminishing role last spring during the playoffs and this season we have seen more of the same. He has a team-low 6:33 per game of time-on-ice during even-strength situations thus far this season, compared to last year's 11:42. He will still get his fair share of opportunities on the power-play and is still useful in that role (as evidenced by his assist on Johan Franzen's winner in Minnesota). However, Babcock has finally allowed some of the younger talent to take their rightful spot in the Wings top six.
5)
Reduced number of giveaways
Although only over four games, the Wings are averaging five giveaways per game compared to last season where they averaged almost nine per contest. Doing so makes the defense look more stout and just makes life that much more difficult for the opposition.
No better proof of that is evident than watching Saturday's contest in Minnesota vs. the Wild. Despite Detroit outshooting the Wild 41-14, the contest had to be decided in overtime because of two egregious giveaways from
Pavel Datsyuk behind his own net, gift wrapping two scoring opportunites for Minnesota that the Wild converted.
If they continue to minimize the giveaways, the greater the likelihood of this team having enormous success, especially with their defensive statistics.
6)
The Abdelkader-Helm-Bertuzzi line
I've been a fan of this line ever since the day it was announced at training camp in Traverse City. They provide tons of pressure on the opponents defensemen via a strong forecheck, great speed (aside from Bertuzzi) and have the size and grit you love to see out of your "protypical" 3rd line. I know Babcock will tinker with his lineup over the course of an 82 game season, but come playoff time, I would be stunned to not see this line together if they continue to provide the energy they do when they step on the ice.
7)
Cory Emmerton as your 4th line centre
I realize it has only been four games, but Emmerton has gotten off to a good start as the Wings 4th line centre. Although he is still adjusting to taking face-offs at the NHL level, his continued improvement at this department in the AHL during his time there is evidence that with continued practice and reps, he should be able to improve in this facet of the game.
His work ethic is underrated and his hockey sense a great asset on a 4th line that appears to be a continuous rotation of wingers. The fact that Emmerton is the only true "middleman" amongst them gives him a definite advantage in the fight for ice time.
8)
Red Wings realignment speculation of a move to the Eastern Conference
More to come on this topic in Wednesday's blog.
On the flip side of the equation:
FOUR THINGS I DON'T THINK I LIKE: (not a surprise it is less than the things I like)
1) Power play struggles
One-for-19 in four games is very un-Red Wing like, including 0-for-12 at the Joe Louis Arena. Every team's power-play goes through hot streaks and droughts so perhaps this item needs more time to even out over a larger sample size.
More than anything, the Wings haven't been getting enough pucks on net during their power play time. It's one thing to not score because a goalie keeps the puck out of the net. But the Wings have only 30 power-play shots in 32:36 of PP time thus far.
Babcock seems intent on the Wings needing to do a better job of puck retrieval while on the power-play, forcing the opponent's penalty-killing unit to wear down in order to find greater success. Considering the Red Wings have had a power-play unit in the Top 11 of the league ever since the lockout in 2005, the likelihood the Wings will find their groove on the PP soon enough.
2)
The play of Brad Stuart
Maybe it's just me, but Brad Stuart hasn't gotten off to the greatest of starts this season. He is battling a nagging groin issue that
could be hampering his effectiveness. However, he hasn't looked very good early on and has been susceptible to getting beat by quick forwards to the outside. In Detroit's most recent contest, he was moved the 3rd pairing alongside
Jakub Kindl. He and Patrick Eaves are the only two Red Wings who aren't a plus thus far this season, which isn't a good sign considering the Red Wings are a +8 in goal differential.
He is in a contract year and with the expected retirement of Nicklas Lidstrom at season's end, the expectation was that both Stuart and
Niklas Kronwall would receive contract extensions prior to the post-season. If Stuart's play continues to disappoint, it may raise some red flags in the Red Wing front office before committing to a contract extension.
3)
Early season lengthy lay-offs
Seems odd that the Red Wings have only four games throughout the first 15 days of the NHL schedule. Perhaps for some teams, this would be a bonus as it would give them additional time to work on their systems or act like an extended training camp. However, for a seasoned group like the Red Wings who have gotten off to a fast start, it just seems to be impeding the momentum they have created for themselves early on in the campaign.
4)
Datsyuk and Zetterberg on the same line
I have been a proponent on having the "Euro Twins" playing on separate lines for the most part. I would think Babcock must love having that "ace" up his sleeve to dish out when his team is struggling and pairing Datsyuk with Zetterberg in the middle of a game as he did in Denver in Game #2 of the season. It seemed rather quick to resort to that combo, but then they quickly combined with Cleary to take over that contest and Zetterberg potted home a beautiful goal on a 3-on-2 rush.
We will likely see this line stay together for the time being thanks to the effectiveness and production the Wings have gotten from Hudler, Filppula and Franzen thus far as a unit.
However, I've got to believe that in the end, Babcock's preference will be to have #13 and #40 on their own lines on most nights.
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