The Detroit Red Wings and their fans no longer need to focus on Quinn Hughes, who went to the Minnesota Wild in a blockbuster trade. And when you think about it, it makes sense.
The Wild had what the Canucks wanted, with a top-tier young forward in Marco Rossi, a defenseman with the potential to be a game changer like Zeev Buium, and a first-round pick that was always going to be part of the deal. plus a solid fourth-line defensive forward in Liam Ohgren.
For the Red Wings, they don't need to gripe. For a team that's already competing for a spot atop the Atlantic Division, why send two or three big pieces of your team to British Columbia for one piece? It makes zero sense with the team firing on all cylinders on most nights.
Detroit Red Wings must shift their focus to the here and now
The here and now is a big game against a heated rival: the Chicago Blackhawks. Detroit and Chicago may play on opposite sides of the tracks these days, but that rivalry will never die, especially when both teams are in playoff contention.
The Hawks won't have Connor Bedard in this one, as he appeared to injure his shoulder on the final play of Friday night's loss to the St. Louis Blues. Bedard is by far the Blackhawks' leading scorer, so losing him will hurt the team's chemistry.
But the Hawks have also shown they have enough talent to make up for losing Bedard. Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, Andre Burakovsky, and Artyom Levshunov are all capable enough to step up. Ditto for guys like Frank Nazar and Ryan Donato. That said, the Wings can't underestimate the Blackhawks just because Bedard is out.
Red Wings' 2023 draft class is already one to remember
If there was ever a turning point in the Yzerplan, it's in the 2023 draft class. Michael Coyle wrote a great article on the subject, and it discusses Trey Augustine, Emmitt Finnie, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, and Nate Danielson, three of whom are already with and making an impact in Detroit.
As for Augustine, he's become one of college hockey's best goaltenders, and it's safe to ask where he fits in the pecking order among Red Wings' goaltending prospects. Sebastian Cossa and Michal Postava have already shown they can be NHL-caliber goaltenders, but will the Wings' net ultimately belong to Augustine?
Overall, the Wings' 2023 draft class is one of a few reasons they could pass on Quinn Hughes without blinking. It might not mean immediate success, but if and when Finnie, Sandin-Pellikka, Danielson, and Augustine all transform into stars, fans won't even think about what could have been with Hughes.