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as Jan Levine and Henry Hockey eloquently stated earlier, prayers (and privacy) for the Red Wings captain and his wife. You can read more about their personal pain at the link provided. Just be aware and sensitive that this is something many people face but feel they face it in isolation.
Moving on to Detroit’s situation as the newest acquisition prepares for the ice, the Wings are currently in the first wild card spot for the Eastern Conference with 27 points. Tied with Toronto points wise, and just a couple points ahead of Tampa Bay. Boston has now faced 4 regulation losses after an insane start to the season. In perspective, Detroit is tied with Carolina for points which is good enough for 2nd in the metropolitan division. Also just 1 point ahead of WPG for the Central Division 3rd place spot. The Pacific has 29points occupying 3rd place. Things are tight, but we’re heading for the rough patch.
Part of what makes Hockey incredibly special is the grind of the season combined with the grind of the playoff schedule. Though players want to be engaged for 82 games, it’s just not always possible. Scorers hit dry patches, goalies get hot, and the middle 40 sees a bit of “zombie mode… as team equipment staff give up on sleep and players shuffle from building to building. By this point, some of the on ice talent are just a walking bruise but push through. It is in this stretch where Detroit will show how much they’ve progressed.
Compher, in particular, brings stability to the middle position. He and Copp are killing penalties together, while Compher also works well on the power play. Fabbri has been a good addition in his return, and Perron can still make plays in the O zone (and had a nice bit of back checking last night). Someone rightly pointed out that Seider looked a little slow. Normally, the big defenseman is a very smooth skater, and I wonder if a couple blocks have him just a little banged up.
We all look forward to seeing Kane’s return to the ice to see how the surgery went. If you haven’t taken a look at “The Last Ride… that I’d mentioned, just look up hip resurfacing (not within an hour of eating). Fairly serious stuff. However, the advancements in procedures have been impressive. Even Eichel’s disc replacement therapy (frowned on by the Sabres) looks to have been successful and he got to lift a cup. My friend Rodney had Vertebrae from,er, someone who no longer needed them inserted into his neck. Saved him from spinal collapse.
Detroit is adding speed up front, the Blue line needs a bit more jump and once Edvinsson is ready I think we’ll see some of that. His skating is very good, puck decisions still need help at time.
As for the next 20, Detroit needs to average 12-13 points each ten game segment. 6-3-1 is ideal and could keep them from scrambling for points in March. Consistency, as we seem to have found some more in net, is key. Detroit needs to be closer in the SOG department and give up fewer opportunities on the rush and at the net. A lot to like and a lot to work with.
Tomorrow’s tilt vs. Montreal is another important game that the team needs to go out and start with a strong forecheck. It’s going to be a long season but one that could show that Yzerman has set into motion the outline of what the team needs to become. Let me know your thoughts, and if the addition of Kane changes your expectations for what would be considered a successful season.