The Detroit Red Wings looked strong and confident on the road. Detroit took five of six points, going 2-0-1, playing three games in four days. However, the team had a rude awakening when they returned to home ice. The LA Kings exposed Detroit’s weaknesses, and the Wings fell 3-1 in a game they needed to win. Therefore, the Wings will need to fix several issues before the next game.
Detroit outshot the Kings 28-22, however they only managed five shots in each of the first two periods. The Kings suffocated the Red Wings, and it was a tough game to watch. The loss of defenseman Simon Edvinsson may have been a factor, and that issue won’t be quickly resolved. Edvinsson won’t return until after the Olympic break. Accordingly, Detroit’s defensive issues may be on display once again as the team faces the Washington Capitals.
Detroit still sits atop the Atlantic Division, however only four points separate them from three teams in the wild card race. The Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins all have 65 points. Thus, the Red Wings have to find a way to keep winning.
Steve Yzerman needs to make a trade
Before Edvinsson’s injury, it was clear that the Red Wings needed to strengthen the blue line. The next four games could put an exclamation mark on that idea. If the defense can’t find a way to compete for sixty minutes, things could get ugly. If Steve Yzerman is working on a trade, now would be a good time to get it done.
Detroit has been linked to multiple defensemen, including Justin Faulk and Dougie Hamilton. However, the competition is fierce and Steve Yzerman doesn’t part with assets easily. A significant upgrade would likely cost a first round pick and a top prospect. Yzerman has some big decisions to make, and not a lot of time to make them.
Before Edvinsson’s injury, the team’s success made it easier to understand a lack of trade activity. However, his absence could be devastating to the team in this next stretch. Accordingly, we can expect multiple line combinations as the team tries to stabilize the back end. Still, it was no secret that the fall off outside of the top pairing for this team was steep. If the team can’t add to the top four, Detroit could have a very bumpy ride up until the break.
The Red Wings extend Ben Chiarot
Yzerman has been busy at work behind the scenes, and locked up Ben Chiarot for another three years. Chiarot has helped in stabilizing Axel Sandin-Pellikka during his rookie season. Accordingly, he’s been rewarded with a 3.85 million dollar extension. Fan reaction is mixed, still, this seems to be an overall benefit at this point. This summer’s free agency class is thin, therefore it makes sense to keep Chiarot from testing the waters.
Detroit has four defenseman signed for next season, with Simon Edvinsson in need of a contract extension. Even so, the need to add defensive depth still has to be a priority. The pipeline simply does not seem to have a top four NHL defenseman ready to go. for the team to take the next step, finding that piece to the puzzle is going to be critical.
The Red Wings have only lost consecutive games once in the past two months. However, it remains to be seen if the team can continue that narrative. The next four games could have a huge impact on whether or not the Red Wings play in the post season for the first time in nearly a decade.
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