The Detroit Red Wings preseason has begun. The young Wings looking to find their identity have turned to young, hungry players to bring some swagger. That may seem a bit of a stretch, but taking a closer look has proven to be a good move.
What the young Detroit Red Wings need is to find their teeth. A rough training camp is over. No jobs were won or lost during the training period. That comes now in preseason games played. Head coach Jeff Blashill said he wants players with swagger.
That is a fancy way to say he wants hungry players who are willing to run, crawl and fight for a roster spot. This is the first “may the best man win” preseason Detroit has seen in a very long time.
So far so good for Dennis Cholowski who was the best player on the ice for stretches of time vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins in the preseason opener. Michael Rasmussen scored the winning goal, but it was his work away from the puck fans should enjoy. Rasmussen used his big frame to shield defenders for his teammates to shoot the puck.
This is precisely what coach Blashill wants from his young team. “60 minutes of Hell.” Just go all out, because there were games last season where there was less than 110% effort given. What Blashill is doing is preparing young players to be battle ready. That includes players like Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi and Andreas Athanasiou.
The Red Wings have some talented prospects who can help the team, if not right out of the gate at some point during the season. The hope is that the young players have a big ego that is team driven.
The Wings want young players to keep pushing veterans for a spot. What would be the best for the Red Wings would be if the young players take a step forward and the team finishes with 72-77 points and still have a lottery pick.
Swagger, all championship teams have it. Young teams need it to form an identity they can grow together with. The Detroit Red Wings are not all that far from being a competitive hockey team again. Yes, there is still work to do. Ask any general manager they will tell you they are always building their team.
It all starts for the Wings in the preseason. These are not throw away games. These are a lifeline back to relativity. To see the kids grow up is a big part of the fun. This is where swagger is found.