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With six games remaining on the schedule, the Detroit Red Wings continue to control their own destiny as they look to secure a playoff spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the 22nd consecutive season.
Sunday night's solid 3-0 victory in Nashville propelled the Wings into a playoff position, which they have been able to maintain during two days of rest and recovery. After garnering four points out of possible six in the first three game "segment" of their season's conclusion, Detroit begins Segment #2 in Calgary to face the Flames, who have officially begun their "rebuild" following the trade of their long-time captain and star,
Jarome Iginla.
The Red Wings were aided on Monday night by the Chicago Blackhawks, who defeated the Dallas Stars 4-2 to help keep the Stars two points back of the Red Wings in the race for the 8th and final playoff spot. The Columbus Blue Jackets sit tied with the Red Wings with 47 points, but Detroit has an extra game in hand. Phoenix is 4 points off the pace. I won't even begin to get into the regulation/overtime wins tiebreaker, only to say Dallas currently is the only team with more ROW than Detroit out of these four teams in this playoff chase.
This trio of games provides great opportunity for the Red Wings to not only solidify a playoff position but to perhaps move out of the #8 slot in the Western Conference. However, it does provide a great test for the Red Wings, as they face a short turnaround following their return flight from Vancouver on Saturday night/Sunday morning, to face a team chasing them in the standings in the Phoenix Coyotes Monday night at the Joe. Nevertheless, tonight's contest provides the Red Wings with a golden opportunity to grab two critical points. However, it likely won't be as easy as it perhaps should be, given the Flames having played better the past week following two embarrasing losses to the Edmonton Oilers two weeks ago.
As for the lineup, it would be surprising to see any changes to the forward unit that played on Sunday in Nashville. Both
Todd Bertuzzi and
Darren Helm skated with the club yesterday and the team has mentioned the possibility of Bertuzzi returning to the lineup on Monday night vs. the Coyotes.
Mikael Samuelsson continues to not skate with the club and his return date remains unknown. At this point of the season, I think Mike Babcock has decided to move on and look elsewhere for production on the wing.
On the blueline,
Brian Lashoff returned to Detroit and all nine defensemen skated at yesterday's practice. Coach Babcock has yet to mention what his defensive pairings will be in Calgary as his continued rotation resulted in
Kyle Quincey taking a seat on Sunday night vs. the Predators.
Game time tonight is 9:30pm ET (NBC Sports Network, Fox Sports Detroit, TSN)
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Yesterday's announcement confirming
Jimmy Howard's multi-year contract extension should be a welcome relief for Red Wings fans. I believe this is a much needed signing for the Red Wings and illustrates the new motto the Red Wings and many teams now feel is a must in the salary cap world NHL teams now live in. Draft, develop and maintain.
Although I would agree with those that suggest a six-year deal for a goaltender is a substantial risk, the 29-year old Howard appears to have enough staying power to at least make the first four years of this deal appear to be sound and reasonable. You don't have to look any further than the
Roberto Luongo fiasco in Vancouver to realize that things can change quickly in a team's crease and perhaps anything greater than a four year term is a risky proposition when dealing with goaltenders in a salary cap era.
Nevertheless, the Red Wings believe Howard provides them with solid goaltending at what should be a reasonable cap hit ($5.3 annually) if he maintains his current level of play for the majority of the contract term. He has arguably been one of their most valuable players ever since his arrival in Detroit during the 2009-10 regular season when he unexpectedly took over for
Chris Osgood and single-handedly kept the Red Wings in the playoff race before the club woke up in the final quarter of the regular season.
The major question about Howard remains whether he can steal playoff games and perhaps a series for the Red Wings. His play in the playoffs hasn't been spectacular, but in my opinion, he hasn't been the reason why the Red Wings have been limited to one playoff series victory over the past three seasons. With his long-term future now more secure than ever, perhaps this is the postseason where Howard elevates his game to a new level and leads the Red Wings to a surprise playoff series victory when most pundits least expect it.
Gotta make the playoffs first.
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In addition to the Howard contract extension news yesterday, more potential good news was received courtesy of Hockey Night in Canada's Elliotte Friedman and his weekly "30 Thoughts"
column:
23. Pavel Datsyuk's agent, Gary Greenstin, was in Toronto visiting client Mikhail Grabovski. We talked about rumours Datsyuk will play the last year of his contract next season, then go back to Russia. Greenstin said he'd just been in Detroit and talked with Ken Holland. He wouldn't go too deeply into those conservations, but it did sound like they discussed the possibility of an extension. (Datsyuk cannot sign anything until July 5.) He added that if Datsyuk stays, it will be with the Red Wings. "Playing with one team is very important to him."
Interesting information provided by Friedman. Have to believe Holland and Datsyuk's agent shared preliminary thoughts on term. Given Datsyuk's desire to eventually return to Russia, I would imagine the term would be no greater than a two-year extension. In addition, it's interesting to note Greenstein mention Datsyuk's desire to remain with one team for the duration of his NHL career.
That should help quell any future trade rumors regarding #13 next season if he should decide not to sign an extension in the summer or next season. You can bet your bottom dollar that the Red Wings would respect Datsyuk's wishes and not move him next year at the trade deadline, unless Datsyuk has a complete change of heart
Nevertheless, my initial inkling that Datsyuk might call it a career in the NHL following next season still remains. However, the news provided above by Friedman should boost the opinion of Red Wing fans hoping for the Russian magician to remain in Detroit beyond 2013-14.
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