I Want My Red Wings Back!

I Want My Red Wings Back!

Growing up in the northern suburbs of Detroit I was born a Red Wings fan. And, for the past 20 years the Wings have made it oh so wonderfully easy for me to cheer them on. For this I am thankful. This season however, this season I am finding it a little more difficult to find reasons to watch the game.

Long since gone are the days of Stevie Y, Shanahan, the Russian 5, and the Grind Line. As much as I miss them and relish their memory, I understand that time moves on and so must my team. I have enjoyed watching a Swedish invasion dominate, the Euro-twins create highlight reels, and Kronwall become a verb. These are my new Red Wings or, were my new Red Wings. This season - I do not know who my Wings are.

Last night, when the San Jose Sharks scored short-handed to tie the game at 1 a piece with 11 seconds left in the first period, I knew the game was over.  Just like I knew the game was over last Tuesday in the 2-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues after the illegal hit on Kronwall. This team starts every game outplaying their opponent, but they have an Achilles heel – they deflate easily.

This used to be a team that was known for never saying die. No matter what the score, no matter what the clock said, the Red Wings played to their fullest. I have not seen this pride, this hard work, this determination once this season. They are streaky. When times are good, they are really good. 5 -0-0 to start the season good. They feed off this energy and keep it going. But all it takes is one bad bounce, one unlucky goal, one big hit on a winged wheel and the winning ceases.

This used to be a team that stood up for one another. Darren McCarty once threatened everyone within a TV viewing audience reach to "meet me at center ice" if they did not believe his goalie – Chris Osgood – was hall of fame worthy. Now, I watch opposing team players snow Howard well after the whistle with no repercussion.

This used to be called a tough team. Not for the number of enforces they had (none) and, certainly not for their fighting record (13 total – lowest in the NHL in the 2010-2011 season) but for the amount of punishment they could take and keep going. Oft were the strategy of the opponents to bring a physical game against the Euro-lineup, and time and time again, this strategy failed.

This is a team of long standing tradition. An original 6 that has certainly seen its ups and downs. Over the course of that time and especially the last two decades, expectations for this team have been set high by its fans. It’s true, my own expectations are high, but not unreasonable.

I do not want the line ups of Yzerman, Shanahan, the Russian 5, and the Grind line back again. I just want for this 2011-2012 team to show me some grit. To show me determination. To show me they want to win every game.

As a fan; I want my Red Wings back!

Sincerely,

A Detroit Red Wings Fan.