ZADS: Red Wings Succeed in Rebuilding Season

by Chris Zadorozny (@Zads07)

It’s been a week since the Detroit Red Wings blew a 3-1 series lead to the Chicago Blackhawks to get ousted from the playoffs. For the final time, they played in the Western Conference playoffs and although fans will certainly be upset over the three-straight losses, there are plenty of positives to come out of this season.

In September of 2012, there wasn’t going to be a season. As the days turned into months, a season looked more and more bleak, but negotiations between the owners and players worked out, and the NHL shortened season began in late January.

The Red Wings were blown out in their first game against a rising St. Louis Blues squad. They were shutout in their first season opener since 1958-59, a season they missed the playoffs in.

It was the end of an era when this season began. For the first time, no players from the 1990s teams were on the roster.

In the first 10 days of the season, the Red Wings went 3-3 and in February, went 7-8. In March, they earned a .500 record going 7-7, but it was the last month of the season they pulled it together. Despite going 7-6 in the final month, it was the four-straight wins at the end of the season to guarantee their 22nd consecutive playoff birth.

They were then lined up as the seventh seed, their first seed lower than fifth in those 22 years. They were going up against the second best team in the Western Conference in the Anaheim Ducks, the third best team in the league.

Against the Ducks, who had the fourth best power play in the league, and one of the top point getters in Ryan Getzlaf, the Red Wings weren’t predicted by many to win the series. They won the series in seven games, winning Game 6 and 7 by a one-goal margin.

Fans saw that new captain Henrik Zetterberg can be the leader they expected him to be. He led his team with five points in games 6 and 7.

This pitted the Red Wings against the best team in the league, the team to win 23 straight in regulation, had the best goaltending and the second best scoring in the league. Many “experts” including myself, had the Red Wings not winning this series. I had them losing in six, others had them getting swept or losing in five games.

Instead, they were beat in the first game being outplayed, and losing 4-1. They went on to win the next three games, only one away from eliminating the best team in the league. They couldn’t close it out with some mistakes and weak offense, the Red Wings allowed the Hawks to climb back in it, winning the next three games.

Many fans were upset, some even wanted Babcock fired or Howard gone. Here’s why those fans were jumping to conclusions.

Jimmy Howard signed an extension during the season and many fans felt was a mistake by the Red Wings organization. Of the goaltenders in the playoffs, Howard was ninth as of Tuesday in save-percentage and 12th in goals-against average . In the playoffs, led the leaguein saves with 426 on 461 shots, which tells you a lot about the Red Wings defense…young.

Speaking of the defense, their new leader on the blue line,Niklas Kronwall stepped in well filling the void of Nicklas Lidstrom. Rookie Damien Brunner found some scoring ability and had five goals in 14 games in the postseason. Justin Abdelkader, in just his sixth season in the league, hopped up to the first line with Pavel Datsyuk and Zetterberg in February and produced his highest point total of his career.

With such a young team, and a fourth line composed of rookies, the Red Wings showed their grit and took the best team in the league to seven games in the second round of the playoffs. With that experience, the Red Wings should become contenders once again in the Eastern Conference next season.

To read the original post on that appeared on Sports Radio Detroit on June 5, 2013, go to www.sportsradiodetroit.com

ZADS: What are the Red Wings without Datsyuk?

By Chris Zadorozny

 

At the end of the 2013-2014 season, Pavel Datsyuk will become a free agent. At this time next year, you could be watching the last month of his NHL career.

This week, a rumor began to circulate through the Detroit Media grapevine that Pavel Datsyuk will return to Russia and the KHL when his contract expires in 2014. He could be set to retire from the Detroit Red Wings and the NHL, but continue to play in Russia to finish his career.

Pavel Datsyuk hasn’t confirm these rumors, nor has he even spoke about it. It would be wise for him to ignore the media speculation so it doesn’t serve as a full-time distraction in the Wings locker room.

However, what options do the Red Wings have if Datsyuk walks away from the only team he’s known in the NHL?

First and foremost, the Red Wings should do everything they can possibly do to keep him. Datsyuk is the star of the offense and one of the best two-way forwards in the game. He is currently making $6.7 million a year through the 2014 season.

In July 2013, the Red Wings free agents include: Valterri Filppula, Dan Cleary, Damien Brunner, Joakim Andersson, Gustav Nyquist, Drew Miller, Ian White, Jakub Kindl, Brendan Smith, Kent Huskins and Jimmy Howard.

In July 2014 (Datsyuk’s potential retirement from the NHL) Red Wings free agents include: Mikael Samuelsson, Todd Bertuzzi, Patrick Eaves, Cory Emmerton, Kyle Quincey, Jonathon Ericsson, Carlo Colaiacovo and Jonas Gustavsson.

Basically, the only players on the roster that aren’t free agents in the next two years are Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader, Niklas Kronwall, and Brian Lashoff. There’s your future right there. It’s not very big and not very promising with all of the free agents.

Howard is rumored to be working on a 6-8 year extension averaging about $5 million per year with the Red Wings to keep him around for the rest of his career. He’s clearly someone the Red Wings need to hang on to.

Looking on offense, Brunner needs to be kept around, but definitely at a higher price than he has now. He is currently making $1.35 million, the entry-level deal into the league. The Red Wings will probably keep him around the $3-$4 million range for the next 4-5 years.

Filppula is in a contract year and it’s possible he could leave for more money. He could make $3.5-$4 million if the Red Wings decide to keep him around, for 3-4 years. Andersson could be kept around on a new deal as he is a restricted free agent. He hasn’t contributed much this season but has shown flashes of greatness and is a relatively young player who could be part of the Red Wings future. I wouldn’t expect more than $1 million to keep him around.

Nyquist will certainly be kept around, but the money and years still boggle me. He has the skills to be a top forward in the league, but will he get it with limited NHL experience? Drew Miller could be let go as the Red Wings hope to make the fourth line a little younger.

On defense, the Red Wings will keep Brendan Smith; they’ve invested too much into the talented two-way defender to let him walk out the door. There’s a strong possibility that Ian White will be let go after spending 10+ games as a health scratch this season. Kindl could be kept around unless they can find a better (and cheaper) replacement.

Ken Holland will be looking for high-profile defenseman in the upcoming off-season  A few names who fit the bill are unrestricted free agent Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney.

As for the restricted free agents (which Holland tends to steer away from), the Red Wings could pursue Zach Bogosian of the Winnipeg Jets and Alex Pietrangelo of the St. Louis Blues.

As the Red Wings try to stretch their 21 season playoff streak, you can only wonder if the party’s over if Datsyuk leaves in 2014.

To read the original post that appeared online on Sports Radio Detroit, on March 17, 2013, go to www.sportsradiodetroit.com.

NHL All-Stars Captivate the Canadian Capital

The 2012 NHL All-Star game was hosted in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada this year, and did they ever put on a show. For the second year in a row, the players who were voted into the game voted on a captain for each team. Zdeno Chara and Daniel Alfredsson were voted captains of their respective teams. Then, a lottery draft, by way of each captain choosing the players they wanted on their teams.

NHL All-Star Game Logo (Photo Courtesy of: senators.nhl.com)

Pavel Datsyuk and Jimmy Howard both made the same team, and were the only Red Wings voted to the All-Star game. The game hasn’t been about the score, although usually high, it’s usually about the fans, and giving them a show of some of the greatest players to play the game of hockey.

This past weekend, All-Star fever was taking over Ottawa, and it captivated many of the fans. The Senators had four players on Team Alfredsson, including Alfredsson himself. The first part of the All-Star game was the NHL Skills Competition.

Team Alfredsson beat Team Chara 21-12 in the competition this past Saturday. The Skills Competition features the Fastest Skater, Breakaway Challenge, Accuracy Shooting, Skills Challenge Relay, Hardest Shot, and Elimination Shootout competitions.

The Fastest Skater pitted a player from each side to skate around the ice. Five players competed from each side. The first player had to skate backwards, and after that the rest had to skate forward. The second skater had to be a goaltender, followed by a rookie, and the final two just regular players. Jimmy Howard was in the competition but couldn’t beat out Jonathon Quick of the Los Angeles Kings. Colin Greening of Team Chara won in the final. Score: Team Alfredsson–4, Team Chara–2.

In the Breakaway Challenge, players took their most exotic shootout move and made it into something crazy for the fans. The fans voted for the winner, and each side had three shooters. Patrick Kane of the Team Alfredsson won. Score: Team Alfredsson–4, Team Chara–3.

The Accuracy Shooting competition required the shooter to hit four targets, in the shortest amount of time, one in each of the corners of the net. Matt Read of Team Alfredsson won the final contest. Score: Team Alfredsson–6, Team Chara–6.

The Skills Challenge Relay required players to do many things. Each team had eight skaters to do something different. The one-timer had to score at least three goals, three players, and three different spots. Next up was passing accuracy. The player had to shoot the puck into six very small nets, three on one side, and three on the other over a rubber stopper. Next was puck control, where the player had to skate around six cones with a puck and back. Stick handling came after and it was taking a puck back and forth through six different obstacles. Finally, the target shooter was where you had to basically do the accuracy shooting. Team Alfredsson won with a better time. Score: Team Alfredsson–9, Team Chara–6.

The Hardest Shot competition pitted four shooters, each side against each other, to see who had the hardest shot. ZdenoChara won the overall event with a 108.8 mph shot, breaking his own record twice during the event. Score: Team Alfredsson–11, Team Chara–9.

Red Wings All-Star goaltender Jimmy Howard making a save in Ottawa (Photo Courtesy of: ToledoBlade.com)

Finally came the Elimination Shootout. Out of each team, 12 skaters came in on the goalie, like a regular shootout during a game. Steven Stamkos won the overall event. Score: Team Alfredsson–21, Team Chara–12.

After all of the excitement of the skills competition, the All-Star game was a big highlight. This time, Team Chara had the last laugh. They won 12-9 over Team Alfredsson, and Marian Gaborik won the game’s MVP. There were 94 shots taken in the game, and it was just another big All-Star game for the fans. Datsyuk had three assists in the game, and Howard had 14 saves in his only action in the first period. Next year’s All-Star game will be hosted by the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.

To see the original post, go to The Michigan Journal Website.