Since the coaching change on December 26th, the Detroit Red Wings have found themselves right back in the playoff hunt. Detroit has vastly improved, albeit a small sample size under newly appointed head coach Todd McLellan.
The Wings have significantly improved in several key areas; most importantly, their penalty kill has improved to 76.9%, compared to 68.8%. They are now averaging 3.80 goals per game, up from 2.56. Additionally, they have lowered their goals-against average to 3.00, down from 3.26. Their power play has increased to an impressive 26.32% since the change, up from a dependable 22.5% season average maintained under Derek Lalonde, which ranked them in the league's top ten.
Heading into Tuesday's contest with the Ottawa Senators, the Red Wings sit a mere three points out of the final wild-card position in the Eastern Conference, but there are five teams between them and that spot. Now that the Red Wings have entered the chat, they need to make sure they continue to keep pace to ensure they remain in striking distance when we get to March and April.
"If you told us a month ago we’d be [three] points out right now, any one of us would have taken it," Kane said. "We’re not even halfway through the year and we’re in the playoff picture and it’s on us now to keep it going. It feels good to kind of be back in the picture a little bit. The changes we’ve made give us a lot of confidence. You can say what you want about it being a honeymoon period, but I think we’ve made some changes to our game that will help us no matter what time frame we’re in with the coach. And I think you have to take advantage of it. These are exciting times, exciting changes to our game to help us play a little more aggressive and be on our toes and everyone wants to play like that. I think we’re all getting more confident by the day."
Despite the Red Wings being back in the playoff conversation, it doesn't mean Detroit shouldn't still become a seller ahead of the trade deadline.
Steve Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings should still look to trim some fat on their roster and salary cap ahead of the trade deadline to create some additional financial flexibility this upcoming summer. Here are two players that should be traded and one that should be added before the regular season concludes.
Vladimir Tarasenko
Vladimir Tarasenko, what have you done for me lately? At this point, the return would be pennies on the dollar, plus some salary will likely need to be retained, but the Red Wings need to move off of the veteran winger just a few months into his tenure with the organization. Tarasenko signed a two-year deal this past summer, which averages $4.75 million annually. He's rewarded Yzerman with four goals and 14 points over 39 games this season.
Tarasenko virtually replaces David Perron in Detroit's lineup, but he's failed to have a positive impact to date. He has played up and down the lineup but mainly as a third-line forward with limited upside. It would be challenging to convince someone, but Detroit should consider retaining 25% or even the maximum allowable percentage of 50% of his contract. This would increase his chances of joining a top playoff team and garnering a mid-round draft choice. Let's face it: Tarasenko was brought to Detroit as a veteran leader with a championship pedigree to help bridge the gap until a few of Detroit's top prospects worked their way through the system, eventually arriving in Detroit. It's just not working.
J.T. Compher
A few of these veteran players haven't lived up to their billing at the time of their signing. Last season, this would have been Andrew Copp, but the two veteran former Wolverines have seemingly flip-flopped when it comes to effectiveness and overall production this season. Copp has performed quite well skating between Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane since McLellan took over behind the bench. Compher, however, graded out as Detroit's worst forward analytically under Lalonde this season and remains there today.
Compher owns a team-worst Corsi For a Percentage of 40.2 and a team-worst Relative Corsi For a Percentage of -8.4. In comparison, Dylan Larkin leads the Red Wings in both categories at 52.6% and 9.5%, respectively. He's contributed five goals and 19 points over 39 games this season and earns $5.1 million annually this season and three more. Like Tarasenko, some salary would need to be retained.
Axel Sandin Pellikka
Now, the positive spin. The Detroit Red Wings should consider adding top prospect Axel Sandin Pellikka. Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now recently suggested that the Swedish star could possibly join the Red Wings by March. If all things go as planned, right in time for the final playoff push.
Sandin Pellikka is fresh off a stellar World Junior performance, which earned him back-to-back top defenseman of the Tournament award. The Swedish captain finished second in the tournament, scoring four goals and 10 points over seven games. The kid looks like the real deal, and I understand Yzerman and the Red Wings like to marinate their prospects and, at times, overcook them before allowing them to make an impact at the NHL level; there are always exceptions. Sandin Pellikka might just be that, and this would be something to consider. He will eventually slot in nicely behind Moritz Seider in Detroit's lineup. Still, he could play behind Jeff Petry at even strength, be eased in on the third pairing, and see power play time where he'd be able to showcase his offensive skills.
Here's what Red Wings legend Nicklas Lidstrom had to say about Sandin Pellikka. “We see his skill with the puck in the power play,” Lidstrom said. “It’s the kind of role we’d see him in Detroit as well. The shot is something you notice,” Lidstrom said. “It’s incredibly good. But precisely his understanding of the game and reading situations. He is very quick-thinking and sees solutions all the time. He has good self-confidence,” Lidstrom said. “Not in a headstrong or cocky way, but he exudes maturity. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that he has been around for a while at senior level. I think he is mature in his way of being, not only on the ice but also off it.”