The Detroit Red Wings used to be the most fearsome team in the NHL.
They'd run four lines of dominant offense, shutdown defense and pulverizing special teams, beating their opposition into submission.
Today, they're much more meek. They collapse when they're down a goal (or two). They run in fear at the thought of standing up for their teammates. To say the team doesn't have an identity is a bit of an understatement. When the going gets tough, they just can't seem to get going.
But that can change this season.
Even if things don't go exactly as planned standings-wise, they can still take a huge step toward building out their identity. The Red Wings have always been at their best when they have a take-no-prisoners approach to hockey. They're at their strongest when they work as a cohesive unit and stand up for their teammates.
The Red Wings, in short, need to get their swagger back.
How identity affects playoff performance
First, we need to differentiate between team identity and team success. Typically, these go hand in hand, as a team with an identity often finds success as time goes on. Look at the Carolina Hurricanes, for example. They've been known as a defense-minded team who focuses on depth over star power for years. This last season, they finally broke through and won a Stanley Cup.
The Vegas Golden Knights, another team in the Stanley Cup Final this season, runs with a rotating core of seasoned veterans. While the front office is rather cutthroat, there's no denying the cohesion of the group as a whole.
Without an identity - and regardless of talent level - teams are bound to fail. The Toronto Maple Leafs, with their core (at the time) of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and John Tavares just couldn't get over the hump. They'd have exciting regular seasons, to be sure, but the first round playoff collapse was almost inevitable.
Before the Red Wings focus on making the playoffs, their prime focus should be on building out their identity and figuring out what they need to succeed.
How the Red Wings can get their swagger back
In the past, the Red Wings have focused on toughness and two-way play. Former general manager Steve Yzerman attempted to recreate this with big-bodied defensemen and plenty of two-way draft picks, though few have truly manifested themselves as legitimate game-changers.
It's entirely possible to keep up this model. After all, the Florida Panthers are one of the toughest teams in the league, headlined by two-way genius Aleksander Barkov. If the Red Wings want to go along this route, they should emulate this identity.
But is that truly where the Red Wings would best succeed?
In order to find true success at getting their swagger back, they need to look to their leaders: Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond. Seider is a no-nonsense defenseman who's just as quick to hit as he is to start a confrontation. He and Raymond are often seen as loud, energetic leaders in the locker room. Thus, the team should reflect this.
If they can build an identity around tough, gritty hockey emblematic of the city of Detroit, they're bound for success sooner or later.
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