The Detroit Red Wings could see their star forward gain some much-needed rhythm for the squad this month, and that could kickstart the team into enjoying a better November. October didn’t go the way this team wanted, but they are off to a good start this month so that alone will point the arrow north.
But how could the Wings get even better as the playoff race hits its early stages during the back half of the month? There are three players, two of whom have underperformed so far, who need to bring a better game. The third player listed has made strides, but he’s got the opportunity to make leaps and bounds as we dive deeper into the first full month of the season.
1 - Vladimir Tarasenko
Vladimir Tarasenko may not be logging top-six minutes, but the Wings brought him in to be a sound depth scorer, and that’s something they haven’t gotten. So far, he’s found the net twice and has had one assist in 10 games, nowhere near what Steve Yzerman probably envisioned when he inked Tarasenko.
The upside, however, is that Tarasenko has a 15.4 shooting percentage and a plus-1 rating overall. It tells me that when he decides to shoot the puck, there’s a good chance it will find twine and that he’s more than doing his job defensively. If Tarasenko can find a rhythm offensively, he’ll be raring to go from now until hopefully past April.
2 - Jonatan Berggren
This one might be an unpopular opinion throughout Hockeytown, considering what others have said, but I’m still looking to see more productivity from Jonatan Berggren. Yes, I’ve accepted the fact he’ll never live up to his initial expectations, and that’s fine. But as of Monday, Berggren is tied for second with 22 shots on goal and has yet to find the net.
So far, he’s got just one assist in 11 games, and a minus-1 rating, neither of which are enticing. Yeah, say what you will about the plus-minus, and you’ll have a point, as Berggren’s on-ice save percentage is 93.5. This indicates that, like Tarasenko, he’s at least doing a decent job defensively, but considering he knows how to get shots to the net, you’d think he’d contribute more when he’s got the puck.
3 - Simon Edvinsson
This section isn’t to critique Simon Edvinsson, as he’s come along well so far with four points and a goal in 11 games, to go with top-four minutes, 27 blocks, and 14 hits. He’s developing into a decent defenseman who should, eventually, end up as one of the better blueliners in the game, and those are all positive signs for his growth.
But he’s listed because November 2024 could be an opportunity for Edvinsson to further advance his game a little more than we may have otherwise expected since it’s clear the Wings need another blueliner to step up. If Edvinsson doesn’t rise to the challenge, it’s not the end of the world. But doing so now could pay dividends for what has been a very average Red Wings team to date.