In Red Wings Land

Let’s open it up to a whole series of posts from Ted Kulfan at the Detroit News over the last few days:

State of the Red Wings: Jonathan Bernier gives hope to goaltending group

Not the most-promising start to our series from a title standpoint, especially when the blurb about the guy who gives you hope has this as one of its biggest selling points

Outlook: You can make a strong case for Bernier being the Wings’ MVP this season. He wasn’t overly great in October and November, bringing back visions of last season. But from December on, Bernier has given a Wings’ a chance to win every night he’s been in net.

With one more year left on his contract (at $3 million), Bernier could become a trade chip at next season’s deadline.

State of the Red Wings: Turnover will be significant on defense

Heh. The defense’s turnovers are already signifigant, right?  Right?!  RIGHT!!!

I do like that Kulfan starts off snarking about the sheer volume of complaints people send to him about the defense.  I do NOT like that he’s probably right about this though:

Many fans will want to see defenseman Moritz Seider, the 2019 first-round draft pick, in a Wings uniform from the start next season.

But unless Seider can definitively crack one of the top two pairings, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him begin next season in Grand Rapids again. With the Griffins, Seider can play in all situations and receive ample minutes since he only turned 19 on April 6.

State of the Red Wings: Young, talented forwards form building block

Larkin-Bertuzzi-Mantha are definitely promising, as are the even younger kids, but everybody knows the roster needs help.

Justin Abdelkader

Stats: 49 games, 0 goals, 3 assists, 3 points

Outlook: The veteran has struggled for several consecutive seasons and was a healthy scratch at times this season. His future with the Wings is cloudy.

WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS.

Around the League

31 Thoughts: How NHL teams are handling draft prep from a distance - Sportsnet

24. If Holland had a Hart vote, would he pick Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl?

“I wouldn’t fill out the ballot.”

He knows he’s lucky to have them.

Ken Holland wouldn’t do his job, you say?

No Red Wings-specific thoughts here, but always an interesting read on the stuff going on around the league.