Yeah, preseason is a great time to make mistakes. Some are cringe-worthy, and others are outright hilarious. While you can redeem some mistakes, there are others, such as the case with the Detroit Red Wings coaching staff in Tuesday night's win over the Chicago Blackhawks, you just can't forget.
So, what happeened? The Wings and Hawks were supposed to gear up for a shootout, something you often see to end preseason games. Only problem was, the Red Wings started skating off the ice following that narrow win.
And head coach Todd McLellan chalked it up to a coaching error in a lighthearted way. When asked following the game, McLellan said, "That’s error No. 1 for the coaching staff. Probably No. 3 or No. 4 because we probably made a bunch of mistakes in the game, but we did agree to do a shootout. I think they announced it. We won, walked off and didn’t even think anything about it. Guys gave the sticks up. They were walking back when we were walking out, so I apologize to the fans for that.”
Hey, if that's what coaching staff errors are gonna look like all season, every Red Wings fan will be just okay with that. But the harsh truth is, it'll probably be the most laid back error you'll cross this year, and McLellan's sure to find a few more when he and the staff dissect this game and gear up for the next one.
Detroit Red Wings fans are more willing to forgive the staff for the lack of a shootout
Put it this way: The Wings coaching staff can make as many laughable gaffes this season, as long as it doesn't dampen their quest to break the nine-year playoff drought. Nobody's gonna remember a shootout that means absolutely nothing and I'll go out on a limb and say fans drove home happy after the saw the Wings upend their Original Six nemesis while a contingent of prospects looked good.
They're more concerned about Carter Mazur looking healthy and back on form, Emmitt Finnie picking up where he left off at the Rookie Showcase, and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard putting up playmaking numbers while laying the smackdown on any opponent who dared to skate near him.
So, yes, Mr. McLellan, you and your staff are forgiven, even if the fans didn't get the post-game shootout that could've landed the exclamation point on an exhibition game. Hey, it's whatever.
Meanwhile, the real test is coming up: Can the Red Wings sustain momentum gained from this win, especially if we see a few players dress for the following contest? If yes, then fans will be that much more optimistic for October, especially if the game comes against stiffer competition.