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Detroit Red Wings young players are progressing while the team is losing

By Brian Wallace

DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 26: Dennis Cholowski #21 of the Detroit Red Wings pounds gloves with teammates on the bench following his second period goal during an NHL game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Little Caesars Arena on November 26, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 26: Dennis Cholowski #21 of the Detroit Red Wings pounds gloves with teammates on the bench following his second period goal during an NHL game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Little Caesars Arena on November 26, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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It is a win-win for the Detroit Red Wings; the next core Red Wings are getting better while the team is losing. It is allowing the Wings to groom players while having a shot of a top-five draft pick. Red Wings fans should be happy.

Understanding the team has won both of their last two games, but on the season they are losing much more than they are winning.  That being said, Dylan Larkin has taken huge steps forward this season. Other young Detroit Red Wings players from Tyler Bertuzzi to Dennis Cholowski and Andreas Athanasiou have all shown improvement as the season has gone along.

All this while Detroit has sunk to the bottom of the standings. This, in turn, is helping the Detroit Red Wings speed up a rebuild that has offered little to cheer about in recent years.

At the All-Star break, the Wings were just two points out of dead last place. An excellent place to be if you are committed to the rebuild. No really, for a rebuilding team amassing draft picks and young talent is of the utmost importance.

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The Red Wings fit that bill, while top pick Filip Zadina has had time in Grand Rapids to work on his game. With no real reason to call him up, it will help the 2018 top Detroit draft pick develop into a much more complete player.

Every team wants to win, society, in general, lacks patience and it’s no different now with our sports teams, we understand that.  However, rebuilding teams want to win for a prolonged period, not just taking the “one and done” route.

The fact that Andreas Athanasiou has found consistency is excellent. He’s coming off one of the better games of his career last night assisting on all three Wings goals in a 3-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Whether the Wings keep him or trade him for a draft pick or prospects, adding value is always a good thing for teams in the Red Wings position.

Imagine, the Red Wings being able to add a player like Jack Hughes or Vasili Podkolzin, These are impact players who can jump right in and help out right away. That is what Detroit needs most of all. They are in a good spot to make that happen. They have done a good job at getting offensive talent.

Detroit must address their defense and goaltending depth. Those are glaring areas of weakness in the organization. Perhaps in the draft, they will continue to stockpile these positions hoping to strike gold. Maybe at the trade deadline or this summer during free agency, they will focus on signing a player or two who is NHL ready. There needs to be a big influx out talent, or the Detroit rebuild will sputter for longer.

Next. Exploring the Detroit Red Wings future Goaltending Options. dark

All signs point to next season for the young Detroit hockey team to make a playoff push as young players will be ready to take their game to the next level. Hold on Red Wings nation, it is about to be fun again in Hockeytown.  Brighter days are just around the corner.

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