Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Not an ideal time for a changing of the guard

January 11, 2013, 4:05 PM ET [69 Comments]
Mark Spizzirri
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
A letter from Red Wing ownership to the citizens of Hockeytown:

Dear Red Wings Fans,

In our now 30 years of owning the Red Wings franchise, we have experienced many ups and downs. No situation is more frustrating, though, than working through the process of establishing a new collective bargaining agreement. We join the rest of our organization today in thanking fans of Hockeytown for your patience over the last few months.

We are sorry for the delay in starting the season and the unfortunate public nature of the negotiations. Thankfully, with this new deal, we will be assured of a settled labor environment for many years to come.

We recognize that no team excels like this one has without incredible fan support. And we understand the special bond that has been formed over the years: we do not take lightly our responsibility as owners.

Thank you for being a part of our team. We look forward to delivering another memorable season of Red Wings hockey.

Sincerely,

Marian & Mike Ilitch



Now that NHL hockey is slated to return following 113 days of sheer lunacy on the part of the NHL & NHLPA, the focus rightly returns to the trials and tribulations of the thirty NHL clubs on the ice.

For the Detroit Red Wings this upcoming season poses many significant challenges. Most evident is the task of replacing two of their top four defensemen from a year ago, including a certain someone by the name of Lidstrom, who will one day have his number 5 hanging from the rafters at the Joe (and eventually Detroit’s new arena/entertainment complex), along with his proper spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

With the club entering an abbreviated training camp prior to the league's 48-game “running of the bulls” from mid-January to late April, the timing would have to be considered less than ideal for such a major change.

After a one-year aberration in 2010-11 when the Red Wings sat 23rd in goals against, Detroit returned to the top 10 in defensive play last season giving up an average of 2.44 goals against per game, good for 7th overall in the National Hockey League.

Detroit’s propensity to play an offense-first, puck-possession style of play not only caters to the team’s strengths up front, but also aids in lessening the workload for the team defensively. The Red Wings once again were one of the top teams in the league limiting the number of shots on goal allowed last season, finished 3rd with an average of 27 shots/game allowed.

Nevertheless, despite the strong defensive play during the regular season, Detroit’s quick first-round exit at the hands of the Nashville Predators last spring and the loss of two veteran leaders on the blueline has some fans worried this could commence a decline in performance for the franchise in general.

With respect to the defense, the retirement of Lidstrom finally removes the safety net from underneath the club’s new general on the back-end, Niklas Kronwall. The soon to be (tomorrow) 32-year-old Swede is entering his 9th NHL season, all with Detroit, and as the only rearguard over the age of 30 amongst Detroit’s contingent of blueliners, will fully be expected to lead this unit and continue to carry the load at both ends of the ice for the Red Wings. Well-known for his explosive open-ice hits, Kronwall last season illustrated he can contribute at both ends of the ice. He finished 4th amongst NHL defenseman with 15 goals scored and also finished 10th amongst NHL rearguards in blocked shots with 177 total for the season.

With Lidstrom enjoying life with his family back in Sweden, the Red Wings will be heavily reliant on Kronwall to likely log even more minutes than the 22:51/game he averaged last season.

Likely starting alongside Kronwall will be his countryman, Jonathan Ericsson. Despite being a lightning rod for criticism at times from Red Wing fans over recent seasons, Ericsson’s improved play last season, in particular on the penalty kill, has many people feeling slightly better about the three year deal he signed with Detroit 18 months ago.

Ian White is entering his second season with the Red Wings and did an adequate job replacing Brian Rafalski from the Red Wings blueline. White, who becomes an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, was tied for a team-high +23 last season while averaging nearly 23 minutes of ice time per game, second only to Lidstrom. The team went out and acquired oft-injured unrestricted free agent Carlo Colaiacovo during the summer to help alleviate the blueline for Detroit. Colaiacovo should be a decent addition if he is able to stay out of the trainer’s room, as he and White figure to make-up the club’s middle pairing given their experience and capabilities at both ends of the ice.

Notwithstanding an uncharacteristic move by Ken Holland over the course of the next week, Detroit appears likely to finally rely on some of their younger rearguards to make a consistent contribution at the National Hockey League level.

Kyle Quincey, originally drafted by the Red Wings in 2003, was recquired by the Red Wings at last year’s trade deadline in exchange for a 1st round draft pick. Despite a mixed bag of performances after returning to the Winged Wheel, the Red Wings re-signed Quincey to a 2 year, $7.55 million contract prior to the lockout. As a result, Quincey is eager to return to action and hopes the fresh start will help allow him to properly show Red Wing fans he can contribute to the club and not be the liability he appeared to be at times last season in Detroit.

Quincey’s likely partner to begin the season will be Brendan Smith. The lockout may serve Smith well as he will have the advantage of having played 32 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL. Smith might be afforded the opportunity to run the point on one of the power-play units this season with the departure of Lidstrom. He and Jakub Kindl were drafted in the 1st round of the NHL Entry Draft for a reason.....to one day aid in the transition following the retirement of Nicklas Lidstrom.

That time has now arrived and here’s hoping the coaching staff provides the likes of Ericsson, Quincey, Smith and Kindl the opportunity to play roles in assisting with that transition. In the end, a collective team effort of 7 men will be needed to help cover the gaping holes left by 1 solid rearguard and a future Hall of Famer.

************************************************************************

With word trickling out of tentative dates for games on Detroit’s schedule (opening night at St. Louis on January 19th, home opener Tuesday, January 22nd vs. Dallas and the season concluding for Detroit in Dallas on April 27th), the anticipation continues to mount for the upcoming season.

Given the union ratification vote is a certainty, players are expected to report on Saturday for their physicals with two practice sessions following on Sunday. The Red Wings are slated to hold the first four days of their camp at the Compuware Sports Arena in Plymouth. Practices will be open to the public. Detroit will return to the Joe Louis Arena on Thursday and Friday of next week before departing for St. Louis on Friday night.

************************************************************************

With the likely certainty of official announcements upcoming this weekend or early next week about the retirement of Tomas Holmstrom and the captaincy being handed to Henrik Zetterberg, stay tuned for further updates regularly this week leading up to the season opener in St. Louis.

It's great to be back! Thanks for reading!

[email protected]
Make sure to follow Mark on Twitter!
Join the Discussion: » 69 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Mark Spizzirri
» Red Wings welcome four-day break
» GAMEDAY: Lightning vs. Red Wings; Datsyuk remains out
» GAMEDAY: Devils vs. Red Wings
» Mistakes come back to haunt the Red Wings on Broadway
» GAMEDAY: Red Wings vs. Senators