No More Excuses!! Make The Playoffs, Red Wings!!!
The Detroit Red Wings open the 99th season in franchise history on Thursday night when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins at Little Caesars Arena. You can hear the game on The Game 730 AM WVFN, beginning with the pregame at 7:40pm.
And unlike most of the recent years, there is pressure for the Wings to perform at a high level. After all, this is the sixth year of executive Steve Yzerman in charge. They just missed out on a playoff spot last spring on a tiebreaker to Washington (largely due to the injury to Dylan Larkin).
Well, the excuses are over. They have been over. It's now time to produce a playoff spot or else you have to take a look at what you are doing as an organization.
Because if they don't, changes must be made.
Stevie Y has provided head coach Derek Lalonde with enough talent to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They have re-signed franchise players Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond. They have the aforementioned team captain Dylan Larkin (pictured above) and other forwards committed on long-term contracts. And to the surprise of some, they brought back future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane on a one-year deal worth $4 million.
They still have defensive issues outside of Seider. And they have goalies Ville Husso and Alex Lyon on expiring deals (so they'll need to produce), and free agent signing Cam Talbot in net. Coach Lalonde likes having three goalies just in case of injury. They must all be better.
Everybody is tired about hearing about "the rebuild". The great Mickey Redmond told Tim Staudt two years ago that it takes 5-7 years for an NHL team to fully rebuild.
Well, here we are in Year 6. We need to see it on the ice for a whole season. Yes, the Eastern Conference is tough. But the Red Wings still need to produce a playoff berth.
It's time to GET IT DONE!!!!! NO MORE EXCUSES!!!