Guess who’s back? The Detroit Red Wings, tell a friend. Part 1

The NHL’s most hated team, the Detroit Red Wings, are rising from the ashes of the fallen dynasty. As they say what goes up must come down, but this is the story of being reborn from a few surprising characters. Here’s who and why.

Since the Detroit Red Wings fell from grace, the NHL has felt so empty, but the emptiness is soon to be filled with the gear changes for the Detroit Red Wings.

One of my favorite shows is Psych. The comedy/mystery series consists of a duo who have a private detective agency. In the show, one of the duo is Burton Guster (Gus). He’s a straight edge, disciplined, and mature pharmaceutical salesman. 

At one point, Gus meets a man who informed viewers (and Gus) that he was just released from prison. As a response, Gus told us that he’s been to jail. Only once. In monopoly. He said it was awful.

It’s kind of how I feel as a Detroit Red Wings fan, sitting in monopoly’s jail. Waiting for the perfect roll of the dice or number of turns to pass, as other teams get to celebrate. Whether it’s victories on or off of the ice, I kind of feel left out.

Our highest pick in the draft was fourth overall. Although I wouldn’t trade Lucas Raymond for anything or anyone, I’m annoyed that a team who has struggled for so long and so much hasn’t received any help from the National Hockey League (NHL). Meanwhile other teams are handed multiple top-three picks in the draft. Yes, I understand it’s a lottery, but it doesn’t make it less frustrating to experience.

Then, we get to see teams watch either their star players rocking it out on the ice every night or hoisting Lord Stanley. Try with all his might, Dylan Larkin is an incredible player who gets fans out of their seats and leads the team on and off the ice, but it’s not the same.

As we approach a new generation of ice hockey stars, fewer people (both players and fans alike) know or remember the Detroit Red Wings dynasty of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In the past few seasons, the Detroit Red Wings have been in a renaissance–a movement starting with Olli Määttä, Alex DeBrincat, and Patrick Kane.

The Detroit Red Wings are preparing to take flight with a healthy mix of winning veterans and budding youth, but is the NHL ready for it?

This feeling of hope is a bit new in this rendition of the Detroit Red Wings.

The long, winding road, thus far, has been a tiring teardown and rebuild. It left broken hearts, anger, and despair in its wake. But, there was a flash of light in the seemingly endless tunnel. 

The turning point & the fresh to death Finn: Olli Määttä

Of all the possible names and turning points, the first that comes to my mind is Olli Määttä.

A stoic Finn with an unexpected sense of humor and warm persona chose the Detroit Red Wings twice. Some people might say the Detroit Red Wings were a last resort but I know general managers love safe, reliable defensemen with a pedigree of winning the Stanley Cup. With this thinking in mind, I find it hard to believe that the Detroit Red Wings were the only interested team in Määttä.

Regardless of the opportunities Määttä did or didn’t have, he brought with him a bit of a new look to the Detroit Red Wings blueline. 

The perfect compliment to a young, wild Filip Hronek, Määttä provided the stability needed for Hronek to spread his wings without crippling his team in their own zone. Hronek has since moved on to the Vancouver Canucks, earning a healthy contract (in both dollar and term), I have to wonder where Hronek might be without the help of Määttä. I guess we’ll never know, but Hronek seemed like a different player after he spent time with Määttä.

Whenever a defenseman needed a reset or was coming back from an injury, Määttä seemed to be the prime candidate to pair him with as the coach and teammates trusted him in any situation with any teammate.

Määttä was a breath of fresh air from the veterans of old. Previously, veterans arrived only to get a steady paycheck and a reliable place to live for 2-5 years. 

I see Määttä’s continued hunger for another Stanley Cup, dedication to the young defensemen coming up, and his reliability that the Detroit Red Wings desperately need.

It’s been a privilege watching Määttä play no matter the outcome of this season and beyond.

Upward & onward: bad guys becoming good guys? Patrick Kane

Good and bad are matters of perspective. 

As a Detroit Red Wings fan spending part of my life in Western New York, I was aware of one Patrick Kane. 

It hadn’t occurred to me that he would ever wear the Winged Wheel. I saw reports that the Detroit Red Wings and Kane had mutual interest, but come on. It’s Patrick Kane, he could sign anywhere, right? Right?

The closer it became to being a reality, the more confused I became (nothing new in my world).

I just didn’t understand why he would choose the Detroit Red Wings. If I’m being honest, I’m still not sure why. With the kind of contract he could get on the open market (longer term, more years), closer to family, or a chance to chase after Lord Stanley, I just find it…interesting.

Maybe outsiders will claim Kane’s washed up, old, and far removed from the superstar the NHL once knew–before the injuries and surgery.

However, Kane stepped in and immediately played like an above-average player. The notorious career-ending surgery wasn’t much of a concern after the first handful of games.

It seemed like us fans were being treated to a live-action movie rather than real life.

For a team starved of goosebump moments, I lost count of the number of times I had them throughout last season. I’ll admit many of those moments were at least in part from Kane. The other moments likely involved some combination of Raymond, DeBrincat, 

To know those calls had a similar impact on Kane, who has played in every situation and high-stakes game imaginable is something:

Would Kane have signed with the Detroit Red Wings if DeBrincat wasn’t with the organization? 

Thankfully, we won’t ever know, but I’m always curious about the “what if” scenarios.

Although Kane seemed to apply an indirect pressure to DeBrincat, which may have played a part in his lack of counting stats, I think in the long run that Kane signing an extension will be beneficial for the Detroit Red Wings and DeBrincat.

To me, it’s mind-blowing that Kane was so adamant to sign with the Detroit Red Wings in the first place. 

I didn’t peg him as a closeted Detroit Red Wings fan, but listening to him in his initial media availability, it sure sounded like he was one. Funny enough, he’s said things I wished most players joining the Detroit Red Wings would say. 

Compared to other players, especially young ones, Kane wasn’t restricted to YouTube highlights of former Detroit Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg and alternate captain Pavel Datsyuk, he watched it live. I can’t imagine the impression they must have left.

Then, when I heard both Kane’s media availability, he seemed to play things off like both parties were interested in signing him. Meanwhile, the Steve Yzerman media availability at the time made it seem like his party was a bit more interested than they let on, almost as if Yzerman thought it would be a good idea but didn’t think he’d have a chance in heck at Kane.

I mean, who thought the Detroit Red Wings would have a chance at Kane? I sure didn’t.

The most interesting aspect to me from this Kane saga has to be his contracts in terms of dollar figures and terms. They have to be some of the most relatively team-friendly contracts in the NHL.

It’s unconscionable that the Detroit Red Wings offered Kane the highest dollar amount or term, especially after the 2023-24 season came to a close. 

Even with a questionable reputation off of the ice, the matter of his health, and his age, there must have been a handful of teams rolling out the red carpet for him.

For whatever reasons, he’s investing in the Detroit Red Wings as much as anyone. I can’t wait to see who or what Kane brings to the ice next season, including the next player in this list.

**Vladimir Tarasenko enters the chat**

Who would have thought that not only would Kane join the Detroit Red Wings (willingly), he would advocate for the team, city, and suburbs to other players.

Vladimir Tarasenko talked to players about the Detroit Red Wings and mentioned Kane was one of them in his media availability after signing with the team:

Then, in Kane’s media availability, after re-signing with the Detroit Red Wings, he informed us that he relayed that the area is great for his family. From the school system to hockey, he likes it.

A two-time, goal-scoring Stanley Cup winning player sees something in this group of players speaks volumes. Loudly singing the dawn of new wings rising, whether it’s based on the veterans Yzerman brought in, the young players who are developing into real good NHL players, or the lifestyle metro Detroit brings, the Detroit Red Wings are looking forward instead of back.

Similar to Kane, it’s realistic that Tarasenko could have find a more lucrative deal or team elsewhere, but the draw of finding a nice place for his family overall seemed to the most important. The opportunity to play on the same team as Kane didn’t hurt the cause either.

In his media availability, Tarasenko mentioned he did not play on a line with Kane when they played on the New York Rangers. Kane is an enticing player, as is DeBrincat and Raymond. Larkin should center the top line for most of the season, while the second line center position isn’t set in stone. J.T. Compher is the most likely option, however, I wouldn't put it past a couple of prospects to give Compher a run for his money. I’ll talk about these prospects in part two, but neither is a defensive liability like a lot of young center prospects.

Healthy competition at the center position is a welcome sight and should bode well for Tarasenko’s next two years of hockey. 

It was music to my ears hearing Tarasenko say that the Detroit Red Wings are one of the most famous NHL teams in the world, especially in Russia when he was growing up. To go from playing as the Detroit Red Wings on his first PlayStation to wearing the Winged Wheel this season is something special and it shows in Tarasenko’s eyes when he talks about it.

The same energy can be felt throughout all four of these players when they talk about their Detroit Red Wings team.

Tarasenko, DeBrincat, Kane, and Määttä bring different elements to the Detroit Red Wings that we haven’t seen regularly for a long time. Even if they’re not in the prime of their careers, they bring wisdom, drive, and understanding to a team who can get lost at times.

Once nemeses, players who remember watching (or living through), at least part, of a golden era of Detroit Red Wings hockey are leading the way for the team. They get to write their own story. 

Although it started long ago, those tears and broken roads forged some of the toughest hearts. Larkin (and Brian Lashoff, but his story is for another day) has gone through the lowest of lows on the team. 

It reminds me of Captain America in the Avengers: Endgame. Captain America tightens his broken shield to face off against Thanos and his army. Barely hanging on, not able to properly walk let alone fight, but he finds his inner strength to move forward. Before his fate is sealed, Captain America is told to look to his left, where he sees his Avengers assemble at the last moment.

Giving me goosebumps remembering this scene, I also get them thinking about the road Larkin and his Detroit Red Wings are setting out on this season. No green screen or special effects necessary.

Regardless of the projections or recent history, the Detroit Red Wings are back. It seems like neither the NHL nor people outside of the Detroit Red Wings fandom are ready for it.

Are you ready for it?