The Detroit Red Wings have a win, a loss and a postponement to start 2022. Let’s take a look at how the roster is looking in the new year and head to the first “stock exchange” of 2022.
For those who haven’t read it before, the stock exchange series is a way to assess player performances by “trading” their stock – who’s trending up, down or holding steady?
Trending Up
Pius Suter
Suter was excellent against the San Jose Sharks. He netted two goals, one of which was shorthanded, and was excellent defensively. He was at his best against the Sharks. Suter is not a forward that has the raw skills to dazzle his way into the offensive zone or find the back of the net. When he’s at his best, he’s staying responsible defensively, looking for any sort of mistake to capitalize on, and putting himself in a position to just knock one in at the front of the net. Suter did all of the above against the Sharks, scoring once on a breakaway and once at the front of the net. After a slow start to the season, Suter has really been picking up the pace of late.
Tyler Bertuzzi
Bertuzzi was red hot to start the year, cooled off a bit in the following month, and now seems back on track offensively. Bertuzzi has three goals to kick off the new year, netting one against Boston and two against San Jose. He has six points in his last five and he’s right behind Larkin in team goals scored (15). The 26 year old winger is an essential piece of the top line, and it looked like he’s scoring at an impressive clip yet again.
Trending Down
The power play
At the start of the season, it seemed as though the power play had finally turned a corner. With Moritz Seider and Nick Leddy quarterbacking the unit and the introduction of Lucas Raymond to the lineup, it seemed as though Alex Tanguay had righted the ship. But since then, the man advantage has been on a downward spiral. The unit has yet to score in 2022 and hasn’t looked great along the way. Puck movement doesn’t seem to be the problem, they just can’t find the right time to pull the trigger. At 14 percent, Detroit now has the second worst power play in the league.
Filip Zadina
Zadina was a healthy scratch on Tuesday. Need I say more?
Holding Stead
Moritz Seider
The rookie defenseman hasn’t really done anything to drastically increase his stock in 2022, but he’s still performing like the best defenseman on the team. Whether it be laying out massive hits (or absorbing them), cycling the puck efficiently or maintaining possession in the offensive zone, Seider has consistently been the best blue liner on the entire roster.
Dylan Larkin
Like Seider, Larkin’s stock is already so high that even a quality performance against through two games to start the new year didn’t really have much of an effect (he collected a goal and two assists through the first two games of the new year). At this point, fans know just how important the number one center is to the team. As the captain, he’s essential to the chemistry and attitude of the team. However, Larkin is also a key part of the offense – his 32 points (16 goals and 16 assists) lead the team and he’s centering one of the better offensive lines in the league. Larkin has looked impressive in 2022, but that’s not a surprise to anyone.