One of the major criticisms of the Detroit Red Wings this offseason was rendered moot on Saturday, as they silenced skeptics by scoring six unanswered goals to erase a 4–0 deficit and defeat the St. Louis Blues.
Some insiders insisted the Red Wings lacked the depth to contend — that their youth would inevitably cost them a playoff spot. But while it’s still early in the season, a team without genuine depth doesn’t erase a 4–0 deficit or rattle off six unanswered goals the way Detroit just did.
Bad Start, Amazing Comeback
The Blues took command early, striking twice in the opening period and padding their lead to four midway through the second. They dictated the pace through relentless offensive pressure, firing pucks from every angle and outshooting Detroit by a wide margin.
For a while, it looked as though the Red Wings were on the verge of being buried under an unrelenting St. Louis onslaught. But this isn’t the same Detroit team that would have folded in years past. What followed was a poised, determined response — a demonstration of resilience and smart, disciplined hockey.
The momentum shifted when Jonatan Berggren buried a power-play goal at 7:52 of the second period, opening the door for rookie Emmitt Finnie and veteran J.T. Compher to strike just 27 seconds apart and completely change the game’s tone.
In the third, defenseman Simon Edvinsson finished the story — first putting Detroit ahead with a perfectly timed shot at 9:12, then sealing the win with an empty-net goal to complete one of the most spirited and improbable comebacks of the season.
What many insiders once dismissed as an imbalanced blend of youth and experience has instead revealed itself to be a perfectly calibrated roster. Finnie, in particular, has emerged as a rookie whose poise, instincts, and scoring touch suggest the early makings of a future superstar in this league.
This Detroit Red Wings team is growing
The capacity to engineer a comeback of this magnitude — particularly against a seasoned playoff-caliber opponent like the Blues — underscores the maturation of Detroit’s roster. The scoring distribution told the story: emerging talents such as Edvinsson and Finnie combined with established contributors like Compher.
Alex DeBrincat, whose goal tied the game at 4–4. It was a performance that affirmed Detroit’s evolution into a lineup no longer reliant on a single line, but defined instead by balance, depth, and collective resolve.
We can’t overstate the influence of Steve Yzerman’s leadership on this team’s evolution. Whatever conversation took place behind closed doors between him and Dylan Larkin clearly struck the right chord. It was likely uncomfortable — as all honest leadership moments are — but it seems to have ignited something in Dylan Larkin.
He’s leading with conviction and producing at a rate we haven’t seen from him in years. In a decade-long career, Larkin has reached the point-per-game mark only once, though he’s flirted with it several times.
Now, through nine games, he’s already tallied six goals and seven assists for 13 points. It’s still early, but Larkin’s happiness and renewed confidence are essential to Detroit’s identity. When the captain is fully engaged, it radiates through the first line — and that unit has been nothing short of electric so far.
DeBrincat’s equalizer marked his first goal of the season, but what stands out is the transformation in his game. The 27-year-old has posted eight points through nine games and appears more focused on team play and two-way consistency. That’s hardly a negative — in fact, it reflects maturity. But if he can blend this selfless approach with his natural scoring touch, Detroit’s offense will become even more dynamic.
Goaltending
If there’s one area demanding attention, it’s goaltending. The tandem of John Gibson and Cam Talbot has been inconsistent — alternating between brilliance and instability. Both are capable veterans, and on paper, this should be among the league’s more underrated duos. For now, patience and repetition are the best remedies. With continued work and defensive support, the results should stabilize.
And how about that penalty kill? From one of the worst units in modern NHL history to now ranking 11th in the league — that’s a staggering turnaround. It’s a testament to Yzerman’s offseason decisions, which many critics prematurely dismissed.
The season opener may have been a rocky introduction, but this Detroit team is proving itself to be far deeper, more disciplined, and more resilient than most anticipated — even while battling early injuries.