The Detroit Red Wings are one of several teams that have undergone rebuilds in the last decade or so. Unfortunately for Detroit, the results haven’t been quite what everyone would have hoped for.
Another team that has gone through a recent rebuild is the Philadelphia Flyers. However, the gap between the Red Wings and Flyers has become too wide to ignore.
The Flyers are the first team to emerge from a true rebuild in the last five years or so. While the same could be said about the Anaheim Ducks, the Pacific Division is substantially easier to find success in than the Atlantic or Metropolitan. Had the Red Wings played in the Pacific, they would have made the playoffs with their record. The Flyers, on the other hand, have provided a path forward for other teams like the Red Wings to follow.
That’s a blueprint Detroit can keep in mind.
The Flyers have been a mix of young talent, solid veteran depth and fantastic goaltending. Perhaps the most noticeable difference has been the influence of first-year coach Rick Tocchet.
Tocchet’s balanced system gave the Flyers the structure they needed to maintain a consistent playing style all year long.
That’s what the Red Wings can look towards. A strong core complemented by solid veteran depth. Plus, some timely goaltending could make a significant difference next season.
It might sound simplistic, but consistency and depth are at the root of the Flyers’ success.
Red Wings must focus on bolstering depth across the lineup
One of the risks of having a young core is the potential lack of depth. This season, we saw younger players like Axel Sandin-Pellikka run out of gas towards the end of the year. Also, other players like Marco Kasper gritted through injuries.
Those situations would not have been major issues had the Red Wings counted on more depth. It was the inability to effectively replace injured players that forced coach Todd McLellan to deploy guys who were less than 100%.
Of course, the Red Wings stars are consummate pros. They wanted to go out there and do their best as long as they were fit enough to play.
But that wouldn’t have been necessary if there had been a solid pipeline of players who could take over.
That’s what Detroit must target this offseason. Sure, having a pipeline brimming with young talent is one thing. But at the end of the day, it’s crucial to have depth players who can step up when needed.
The Red Wings don’t have to make any massive trades this offseason. A couple of timely moves can make all the difference in the world. The pieces are there to take the next step. It’s just a matter of identifying the right roster pieces moving forward.
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