I’m breaking this Detroit Red Wings season preview into two parts. This is my “bold” prediction of a big talking point random that has been circling the Red Wings like a vulture this offseason. Tomorrow you will see a more legitimate and fancy preview of the season.
When the Detroit Red Wings were eliminated from the playoffs last season by the Tampa Bay lightning, there was a hole left in fans worlds. Another season of one and done hockey for the Red Wings made some worry that the 24 year playoff streak that the Red Wings owned would soon come to an end in the following season.
Well it’s not and anyone who thinks it is, well boo on you.
Detroit Red Wings
Quick story time. Last baseball season I made a prediction to this day I regret. I predicted that the new wild card playoff game would hurt the two teams that played in it. Guess what? Both wild card winners ended up playing in the World Series. I always bring it up because it shows how much predictions can be totally wrong, yet we as fans make them every season no matter what. So with this new Red Wings season approaching, I’ll make this, I guess bold prediction; The Detroit Red Wings will make the playoffs for the 25th season.
Now as Red Wings fans we may not see this as bold, just more believing in the team and knowing what the team is capable of. Yet a lot of fans, writers, and experts around the league see this feat as something that may not happen for the Red Wings. In some ways it is understandable. This is a team that is going through a “Red Wings” type rebuild.
The team rebuilds in such an odd way since the early 90’s. They aren’t bad like the Edmonton Oilers who manage to win the first round draft pick almost every season and are still rebuilding. Or even the Toronto Maple Leafs who have an odd, maybe at times terrible and frustrating, way of rebuilding if you ask Sportsnet.ca’s Steve Dangle. They don’t really fall into those types of teams. They don’t even really fall in with the teams that are bad for a season then come back and make a cup run.
The Red Wings are in a class of their own and that is a good thing. Look, I’m not going to tell you that this team will come out and win the Stanley Cup. Honestly, I don’t think they will, but then again, predictions and what I think will happen have shown to mean nothing. Let’s just be logical here, this team isn’t up there with the Montreal’s and Tampa Bay’s… Yet.
|The Red Wings, Franzen, The NHL, and Concussions|
This team isn’t young but they also aren’t old. Their average age is 27. They have a great mix of young and old players all who can help one another in one way or another. Head Coach Jeff Blashill has worked with all but two players on this team. Those two are guys the team signed in the offseason, Mike Green and Brad Richards. If I’m Blashill I’m living on cloud nine as a coach, “these guys are players that I’ve gotten to mold and shape into players I like.”
Honestly, I’d rather be Blashill this season than Mike Babcock. One; I have players who aren’t a complete mess, and two; I don’t have to deal with the media circus that is the Toronto press.
Things are good for the Detroit Red Wings and their fans. There will be times when this team stresses you out, frustrates you with the way they play, and make you question if they are going to make the streak last 25 season, but trust me, they will.
Do you have any bold predictions for the Detroit Red Wings this season? Do you want to be that fan that says they will win it all? Hey, sometimes you just have to be, you get burned, oh well, it is just a prediction after all. Let us know your predictions down in the comments.
Next: Dylan Larkin is a symbol of change for the Red Wings
More from Octopus Thrower
- Detroit Red Wings forward Carter Mazur injured in Prospect Tournament
- Detroit Red Wings: What does Klim Kostin’s role look like in 2023-24?
- Detroit Red Wings: 3 players who will make biggest impact in first year
- The Detroit Red Wings need Andrew Copp to start fast in 2023-24
- Detroit Red Wings had a busy off-season; but was it enough?