Half way through the hockey season, anyone with half a brain realized that the Detroit Red Wings were not going to make the playoffs. Their play was inconsistent, other teams were playing far better, and they struggled against teams in the conference. Of course the main focus as everyone came to this realization was that the 25 year streak of the team making it to the playoffs was going to come to an end. While it is a bit of a disappointment, it can be seen as a bit of a relief. As I watched the game this afternoon against Minnesota, I thought that it was good that this streak was coming to an end.
So why would a fan of a team be happy about their struggles? Why would someone in good conscious want to watch their team fail? In actuality I don't. Of course I enjoyed seeing the Wings make it into the playoffs year after year after year. The last time they hadn't made the playoffs, I was ten. My concern is all about the development and focus of the younger players. Many on the team now are just coming up to the NHL or have been in the league for less than five years. How stressful must it be to be in your first two years into your professional career and have this playoff cloud looming over you? You start to grip the stick a little bit tighter. You start to make passes that are too fine. You want to continue the streak as opposed to becoming a better player. I am all for the team missing the playoffs one or two or even three years if it means the young players can focus on becoming better hockey players and playing as a team.
It is true that they are coming up from an organization in the Grand Rapids Griffins that are successful, but that is the minor leagues. This is the big time. The game is faster, the guys are bigger, the stage is broader. The young core of this team has learned the winning ways of the organization and they must maintain it. Coach Blashill has said (paraphrasing) that this year is just a bump in the road and it is the Red Wing way to play well and win. The players they have I think can do that. They just need to develop. Avoiding the injury bug is key as well.
Another reason why it is a good thing that the team is not having a successful year is the draft. The last time the organization had a top ten pick was the year before they started their playoff streak. TWENTY SIX YEARS AGO! It was the 1991 draft and they drafted some guy named Martin LaPointe. During their playoff streak, the highest draft pick they have had was in 2014 and they drafted Dylan Larkin. Someone who many people the next couple of decades of success can be centered around. There have been plenty of late first round and early second round picks to be sure, but in this sport one guy can make all the difference. During this twenty five year stretch, they have had ten years when they did not have a selection in the first round, and two years when they didn't have a second round pick.
The organization is run well enough that they will not sink into oblivion. I do not see them struggling for more than two or three years before returning to form. Granted, I think they still have plenty of work ahead of them in terms of becoming Stanley Cup contenders again, but a return to the playoffs should calm the nerves of the fanbase. They also have the talent within the organization to be playoff contenders. As long as the injury bug stays away from key players they can make their way back into contention. It is yet to be seen as the future is always cloudy.
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