We're now three games into the truncated preseason and the Detroit Red Wings have no shortage of work on their plates. Simon Edvinsson, bafflingly, still doesn't have a contract. There have been no reports on the general manager search. Apart from his introductory press conference, interim GM Shawn Horcoff has yet to offer any clarity on the roster or the search.
Despite this, I keep coming back to a quote Horcoff shared.
“I think that’s something that in today’s game,” Horcoff said in his introductory press conference. “You’re starting to see more younger players make an impact, right? Whereas in the past, maybe it took those guys a little bit longer, and I don’t know why. Maybe the game was a little bit different, or a philosophy change around the league happened, but it is something that we have to look at.”
If Horcoff truly does want to separate himself from the Steve Yzerman regime - and if he's serious about letting young players make an impact - he has to put his money where his mouth is. This can't be another season of lip service, a season of "over-ripening" prospects. This has to be a season where underperforming veterans are shipped off (or out) in favor of players willing to make an impact.
If the Red Wings fail to do that, they're only going to repeat the same mistakes of the past.
Red Wings have taken steps in right direction
To be fair, the Red Wings did debut three rookies last season -- Emmitt Finnie, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Finnie was the only one of the three to play out the whole season, with both Brandsegg-Nygard and Sandin-Pellikka spending time with the Grand Rapids Griffins. In order to show that they're committed to this philosophy, however, they need to show consistency this season. It can't be another year where a young player only gets 11 minutes a night.
This can't be another season where veterans like Mason Appleton or Michael Rasmussen underperform and still earn priority over a young up-and-comer like, say, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard. It can't be a repeat performance from the same perfectly alright defensive corps. There's a reason there's such a stiff competition to earn that last defensive roster spot.
If you're serious about change, then doesn't it make more sense for players to make mistakes at the NHL level than waste away in the AHL?
Red Wings need to let the youth movement flourish
While Horcoff has said the NHL isn't a "development league", it's still a league in which players learn and adapt as the season goes on. Look at how Calder Trophy winners like Matthew Schaefer and Lane Hutson continued to improve as the season went on. Sure, they made some mistakes early on, but it's clear that they learned from them and improved.
While it's unfair to assume that young players will immediately make an impact, it's also unfair to not give them an honest chance. It's hard to imagine that Jacob Bernard-Docker will make a bigger impact on this roster than 22-year-old Anton Johansson, who continues to impress with each passing day.
The Red Wings have nothing to lose this season. Why not give the kids some time to shine?
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