Follow me on Twitter Follow @TheJeremyLaura

Credit where it’s due, Veleno’s composure in post practice scrums the past couple of days has been impressive. He understands the opportunity that’s been given to him and wants to make the most of it. Veleno was tasked with getting faster (dropped about 15 lbs over the summer) and being more defensively aware. He’s also able to muck it up a little. That being said, the in game IQ of Kane is hard for a lot of players to keep up with. Watch for those stops before the O zone entry to avoid going offside. Kane has a bag of tricks and you have to follow the lead.

61 games in, a plus 21 differential. This year has had a lot more scoring after another major roster realignment. Now, on the heels of a coaching switch, the Islanders are within 4 points of Tampa and Detroit in their wild card hunt. The final quarter pays for all. Either you get your ticket or miss. The games are picking up steam and physicality. For the regular season, the first 20 and the last 20 are the exciting watches. This year for Detroit, the last year is a chance to shake an 8 year absence from the post season.

Trades are picking up, the waiver wire has more than a few names, and teams are negotiating prices. There’s a rumored asking price of a 1st round pick for Tarasenko out of Ottawa, but it sounds like Florida may get a deal done. Other names (Hanifin) are looking at working out the framework of an extension. The same party, the same dance.

All of the “noise” of the deadline has to be pushed out of the room and it’s on the leadership amongst the players to play one game at a time. This group has taken Detroit to their position and (even though Larkin is shelved for 2 weeks) this group may well be the players to try and finish the job.

Colorado is always interesting to me. First, athletically, it’s a state with a built in cardio advantage for players who train and perform there. The elevation plays a very real factor in the contest, add to that a team who has recently hoisted a cup and are gearing up for another run and you have something very special. It’s not the 90s or early 2000s. This isn’t a game with high double digit (nearing triple digit) minutes of penalties. This is the new game where the clutching, grabbing, and dangerous physicality has been addressed very differently. To quote Andre Rusimov (Andre the Giant) in “The Princess Bride”, skill against skill alone.

It may be a game where Detroit would love to have a 7 foot 4 inch giant, but that’s not the case. It’s the simplified road game. Defense first, exits and entries with controlled passing or handling, keep track of your shift minutes. It feels like a big game just because of the trade deadline. There are scouts all over the place right now.

Let me know your thoughts on this one. Call your shot. Can Detroit shake off a 2 game skid or is this number 3 with the team looking to reverse its fortunes in Arizona? If there are big moves for Detroit, I’ll update the post. If not, comments section. Former Wings, interesting deals etc. thank you for stopping by, all of you who read and comment make the machine go and I’m incredibly grateful for the time you spend here.

Join the Discussion: » 59 Comments » Post New Comment

» Free Agency boomerang theory and signing bonuses take a hit

» Detroit’s need at center and league cap crunch coinciding

» Larkin and Lyon on preliminary USA 2024 championship roster

» The “other” broadcast partner, ESPN, now facing outside bids

» Will Amazon be a major partner as “restructure” begins? Paperwork signed