Fans of the Detroit Red Wings aren't the only ones frustrated with the season.
During the post-season press conference, multiple members of the Red Wings met with the media to answer questions about the season and its tragic end. Where some tried to keep the peace, others took a more direct approach with their comments.
When asked about the emotions in the locker room, Alex DeBrincat was blunt. “Frustration. Disbelief, from where we were at to where we are now — not acceptable. We’re embarrassed with the spot we’re in.
“It’s tough to do what we did,” DeBrincat added on.
Frustration is an understatement. Todd McLellan's comments during the final game of the season echoed the sentiment. That said, here's what the rest of the roster had to say in their post-season interviews:
How the Red Wings took getting booed off the ice
During their last game at home - on fan appreciation, no less - the Red Wings were booed off the ice after failing to clinch the playoffs for the tenth consecutive season. When asked more about it, defenseman Moritz Seider lamented the season as a whole. “We didn’t perform to our standard, and we gotta live with reality," he said somberly. "It was the most important game and we didn’t show up, so the fans deserve to show their emotions, too.”
At least the leadership is taking some accountability for the season. Seider and DeBrincat, however, are not the reason the Red Wings are in the position they're in. Patrick Kane was fifth in Red Wings scoring with 57 points in 67 games. The production after him, however, took a steep nosedive. Andrew Copp's 43 points in 79 games rounded out the top-six, but the bottom-six is where the Red Wings suffered the most.
James van Riemsdyk's 31 points led all bottom-six forwards in scoring. Below him sat Emmitt Finnie (a rookie, to be fair) with 30 points, followed by veterans like J.T. Compher (28 points), Michael Rasmussen (14 points) and Mason Appleton (14 points). The depth production on this roster was nothing short of abysmal, dooming the Red Wings the moment the star power stopped scoring.
Encouraging news from forward front
One positive to be taken away from this press conference, though, was Patrick Kane's interest in re-signing with the Red Wings. “Everything’s so fresh right now. I thought we’d be playing right now. You think you’d be in the playoffs," he said regarding the season. When asked about the future, Kane brightened up.
“I’d love to be part of the solution that helps us get over the hump. I think there is mutual interest.”
Kane, 37, doesn't quite play at the Hart Trophy-level he did in seasons past. That said, he's proven he's still an effective producer despite his age. If the Red Wings hope to get competitive, they'll need to find a way to produce points without relying on Kane. Despite what his stat sheet suggests, his defensive mistakes and sheltered minutes leave the Red Wings limited in terms of point production. Taking some of that pressure off Kane with some fresh faces on the top-six will do well for every party involved.
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