The Detroit Red Wings have looked free of distractions since Dylan Larkin took his ball and went home, and while it's never good to lose a player with his skill set, losing someone who didn't want to be there can galvanize a group. They looked galvanized in a 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers on Monday night, but took another step back on the second night of a back-to-back against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The issue for any playoff hopes for the Red Wings is that they are playing in the league's toughest division, as a 7-6-3 record has them in last place. The 17 points they've accrued would put them in fifth or better in every other division, and even in a playoff spot in the Pacific. If their playoff dreams are true, they'll need many more wins against their division foes.
To break through the Atlantic and steal a playoff spot, they'll need a couple of things to go right. Let's look at three of them.
Solid win-now return in Dylan Larkin; Simon Edvinsson returns
Without Larkin, the Red Wings don't have center depth to compete with the rest of the division over an 84-game season, so adding at minimum a middle-six center for Larkin would be a massive win. That's why names like Danila Yurov and Pavel Zacha are being kicked around, and would likely get a trade over the finish line if Larkin adds Boston to his trade list.
If they get a center in return for Larkin, they would also need defensive depth in a Simon Edvinsson deal. The defensive metrics are favorable for the Wings right now, but how long can rookies like William Wallinder and Anton Johansson go before hitting a wall? They could also, at minimum, use an upgrade over Andreas Englund, though the best case would be a reunion with Edvinsson.
Dependable and consistent goaltending
Daniil Tarasov has been a revelation for the Red Wings this season, and they may need him to play a bigger role than expected after the injury bug bit John Gibson again on Tuesday night. The problem is that Tarasov's numbers are great, but what do they look like when he has to be the No. 1 starter? In that case, they might need even more out of Michal Postava, who burst onto the scene with a win over the Edmonton Oilers in his first start and is on a historic pace in the AHL.
Even if Gibson's injury isn't serious, the veteran goaltender has a 3.46 goals-against average and an .860 save percentage over 11 appearances. That's nowhere near what a team needs from its starter to claim a postseason spot, and he'll have to figure it out if the Wings are going anywhere.
Continued success from young forwards
Emmitt Finnie and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard have claimed important spots on the team this season, even as trade drama overshadows the fact that Detroit's future doesn't look that bleak. The issue is relying on these players to carry the team over a sustained period, which is why adding veteran depth is paramount.
Finnie and Brandsegg-Nygard have been great, but what happens if they go quiet for a couple of weeks and the team hits a losing skid? It's hard to bet against that, since young players typically go through those slumps.
Add us as a preferred source on Google