Are the Detroit Red Wings over-ripening prospects?
Tale as old as time, Detroit Red Wings and having prospects take the long route to the National Hockey League (NHL).
Some Detroit Red Wings fans might think all teams keep their prospects out of the NHL for a very long time, as well. However, it’s not the case with various teams throughout the league.
Whether prospects are high-end enough that teams think the player is ready, the team doesn’t have enough warm bodies, or there is a demand for as much cash flow as possible, which means selling jerseys with the new kid’s name on the back, teams have different values in prospect development.
A team like the Buffalo Sabres, for example, is just exciting. Things did not go according to anyone’s plan last season and they didn’t take the next step in the season until it was too late to make the playoffs. The young players gained invaluable experience, though.
I’ll be very interested to see how things play out for them next season.
On the other end of the spectrum, to some fans it seems like the Detroit Red Wings use every excuse in the book to stop a prospect from joining their lineup. Back in the day, it was appropriate. Some of the best players in history wore the Winged Wheel and they weren’t giving up their spot to any rookie.
The historic run is long gone, but…
Are the Detroit Red Wings still over-ripening players?
To find the answer, I suppose we must look at the definition of an over-ripened prospect. In terms of this exercise, I’m counting anyone who is kept out of the NHL to the point where spending any further time in another league would plateau or hurt a player’s development.
While, I think most would agree on the second part, a discussion might be had at a player plateauing being a part of the equation.
In my opinion, the NHL is getting exceedingly younger. This means, unfortunately for this group of prospects, that any stagnation in development is a missed opportunity. If they aren’t learning or growing as a prospect in the league in which they are playing, then they are taking steps back. There’s not a luxury of having an off year or playing solely to gain more experience anymore.
During the Steve Yzerman era as general manager, I would say prospects haven’t been damaged by his decisions to keep them out of the NHL.
We can talk all about context, team make up, playoff runs, etc., but for the context of this exercise, I’m focusing on the Detroit Red Wings most valuable assets.
Their prospects.
I’m not going to take a look at all prospects, it would be too much, but a few highlights and lowlights in terms of development under Yzerman and if they fit the mold of over-ripening.