Red Wings Rumblings
The Wings have been idle since Tuesday, and since then the playoff picture has tightened up. Detroit is now in the second wild card spot behind Ottawa by a point, and just one point back from Tampa for the third spot in the Atlantic. Detroit has a game in hand over the Senators, while the Bolts have a game in hand over the Wings. This is likely going to be the scenario for the rest of the season barring a surge or slump by any one of like, five teams. That makes tomorrow’s game at Little Caesars Arena pretty damn important if you ask anyone.
The Athletic’s Max Bultman penned an article this week that dissects the upcoming salary cap bumps in the NHL, and why the Red Wings are in a really good spot. That’s obviously because they have their core players locked into long-term deals before the salary cap dollars start to pile up. If Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, and Mortiz Seider were all pending free agents after the money starts ticking up, the Wings would have to pay them more. Simple economics. Now that they have them all in long-term deals, they can bank on those contracts being a bargain. I am very interested to see how the new salary cap(s) will affect the free agent market… One can only assume that there are going to be some really ugly contracts that come from that. Teams who have their core players locked up on long-term deals will benefit — as they will be better positioned to compete and spend. The timing worked out perfectly for Steve Yzerman.
Another item to discuss is the upcoming trade deadline. We’ll have to start the conversation of “buy or sell” soon, and maybe you already have an opinion carved out on that. I know I do — I think the best course of action is to remain conservative. Maybe you sell a veteran or younger player for some draft capital, or you use what draft assets you have to bring in another player. What I would like the Wings to avoid is a rental. It sorta seems like Mikko Rantanen will end up being a rental for Carolina, though a lot can change there. We’ll talk more about this in the coming weeks, but I think the best plan is to stick to the process and allow what you have to, well, keep doing what its doing. If Detroit misses the playoffs this season, it won’t be a total disaster. This team was dead in the water just a few months ago, and are now playing with house money thanks to Todd McLellan’s arrival. Stick with it. See how far you can go. The NHL Trade Deadline is set for March 7.
Saturday is the last game before another long break for the Four Nations Face Off. Big two points on the line. Go get them. LGRW.
