5 on 5: Five Detroit Red Wings Questions After Five Games

This is a weekly piece where five questions are asked about five different Detroit Red Wings topics, players, or trends. Following yesterday’s disappointing 4-1 loss to Chicago, there seems to be a lot more questions. 

So let’s start at the top: How bad is it that the Wings looked awful against Chicago? 

Meh. Here’s the thing: When Steve Yzerman started his journey as the Red Wings general manager, he begged for patience then and again at last year’s trade deadline. Red Wings fans are not angry with Yzerman. I know this. But they’re frustrated with seeing bad hockey for what has been going on five seasons now. These games are going to happen. This roster is still a massive work in progress. I’m not trying to besmirch the names of Frans Nielsen, Darren Helm, Valtteri Filppula, or Luke Glendening, but they’re not goal scorers. They don’t generate offense like they once did. Heck, Nielsen had a point blank shot—a sure goal– and it was smothered without even breaking a sweat. I was frustrated watching only in that I felt if you’re going to improve, let the kids have a chance.

Which is question two: Why not play Givani Smith? 

Absolutely no idea. More perplexing was that immediately following the game, he was sent back to the taxi squad. Smith needs to log minutes to get better and at this point, he’s an upgrade over Nielsen in a heartbeat. I certainly agree with having character guys and needed veteran leadership

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but you have plenty of that even if they sit Nielsen. This felt like a vintage Holland tie-goes-to-the-veteran move.

What’s wrong with the power play? 

The top unit has been discombobulated from the start of the season which can be attributed to rust for only so long. I also think this season–for a team that’s teetering on the edge of confidence and “here we go again” is tough because at any time, a guy is shelved in Covid Protocol. Sports are about routine and if your units are being disrupted by the loss of a player, it throws things off. Now, with that said, at some point, you have to be able to find rhythm regardless. One winner in the shuffle has been Mathias Brome, who continues to show how important he can be. On the second unit last night, it felt like he always found a way to have the puck. He should be a permanent fixture right now.

Should we expect the same outcome Sunday now?

So the pattern has been loss-win-loss-win-loss—-so I guess I’m optimistic? Filip Zadina and Robby Fabbri are needed in this lineup. Period. From there, you can sit Nielsen and rotate Filppula, Helm, and Glendening. Everything will depend on who’s available and even then, if the lineup is unchanged from Friday than I think that pattern above is broken.

Thoughts on the Laine-PLD trade? 

Good luck Patrik. Just make sure you “know what you did.” I did have hope until the end that Yzerman would pull a rabbit out of his hat, but Columbus got an absolute steal. No one could come up with something better than that without sacrificing more assets.