Detroit Red Wings: Tanguay, Healing Wings, & so Long Keith Petruzzelli?

The hiring of Alex Tanguay gave Detroit Red Wings fans some unexpected team news this week, and it also showed that the Red Wings were addressing one of their most glaring needs: the power play and the offense that has been an issue for two seasons now.

The post signing press conference with Tanguay and head coach Jeff Blashill lent some insights into the hire and a heckuva lot more.

Red Wings believe Tanguay will Help

Blashill was explicit in this, saying that Tanguay’s career as a player but also now with some seasoning as a coach will help develop the Red Wings anemic power play under Dan Bylsma into a force. From Blash:

"“I think one of his greatest strengths will be helping our individual players get better within our structure to help them to find ways to ultimately be more offensive.”"

Fair enough. If you go back to when the Red Wings hired Dan Bylsma, Blashill said this about what Bylsma brought to the table:

"“He’s got a very organized plan how he believes the power play should execute, how he believes the power play should be run,” Blashill said. “He’s always been real good on the faceoffs, and having a good plan on the faceoffs, and specifically on the power play."

We all know how it ended. Some of this of course could do with the Red Wings bottoming out roster wise in 2019-20, and then not exactly having a top notch personnel in 2021. Or is it something schematic–which ultimately–comes from the head coach. Blashill answered this, too:

"Hockey isn’t as much about schematics as it is about the details in the system. It’s a very fluid game so thinking you’re going to out-schematic another team another team is a false narrative.”"

Blashill indicated that he and Tanguay spoke about specific players as well. It sounds that with Tanguay, Detroit is looking for a coach who can help players work within individual details to increase that scoring that has been lacking.

Here’s hoping the approach works.

Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi are on the Mend

Blashill also updated reporters about the status of Larkin and Bertuzzi. Larkin, Blashill indicated, is “along the timeline” the team and medical staff expected in terms of recovery.  Bertuzzi is moving forward as well, but Blashill was careful to not get too far ahead of things with his comments. From MLive’s Ansar Khan:

"“In this business you never know anything for sure,” Blashill said. “We expect both of their recoveries to be along a timeline that they’re ready for camp. Whether that happens, you just never know.”"

The loss of Bertuzzi magnified the issues on the power play as well as the lack of offense. Larkin’s injury was more troublesome after it was revealed he spent time in the hospital as a result. It stands to reason that Yzerman will build his roster in the coming weeks with this in mind as well. Though Blashill is seemingly playing Murphy’s Law here, it can’t be understated that injuries besieged the team during the 2021 season. Taking a careful approach is certainly understandable, but any setbacks would be a blow to forward momentum in ’21-22.

Keith Petruzzelli, we hardly knew ye

This also dropped yesterday:

So there’s that. Ryan Hana of the Winged Wheel Podcast responded added this:

The only remaining question, which I’m sure will be answered whether he signs with Detroit or another team (as it now looks), is whether this was just Petruzzelli’s decision or if maybe Yzerman had other plans. Or maybe a combination of both.

Regardless, it puts a hole in the goaltending pipeline which will only fire up the Jesper Wallstedt at #6 storylines, or possibly having Sebastian Cossa in their sights.

If indeed he goes elsewhere, happy trails Keith.