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Filip Hronek’s 3 year extension is another hit for Yzerman. Will still be an RFA, 26 yrs old with a qualifier of 5.5 at the end. Not bad at all. (Quick props to rival GM Bergevin for getting it right with Kotkaniemi. He improved the position and saved a little money this year. Even at the same $, still think MTL has a better center now).
So, we’ve been talking a bit about the improvements Detroit continues to make. In short order the entire roster will be nothing but Yzerman signed contracts or extensions by next season. Only 3 players are currently on the 23/24 roster. It’s wide open with plenty of cap space. Detroit made some forward motion last season in goals against, but goals for are still painfully low. The acquisition of Alex Tanguay to focus on scoring and Nick Leddy to help with the power play could help.
Nedeljkovic is in, Bernier has moved on. Seider is getting a shot. Suter will be at center. Vrana pickup and Zadina with a steady center should help. Healthy Bertuzzi, etc. check, check, check. Things look good, right? Well, just a minute. Let’s take a look at the Atlantic Division:
Boston
Buffalo
Detroit
Florida
Montreal
Ottawa
Tampa Bay
Toronto
Oh crud. Part of what I try to stress is that Detroit’s return to the post season is 2 sided. Internal progression and external regression. Detroit would have to be better than 5 of these teams to get a guaranteed slot. Boston, Florida, Montreal, Tampa Bay and Toronto will all have someone fired if they don’t make the post season. Buffalo is probably going to be awful. Ottawa? I think we’ll be a close matchup with a similarly rebuilding squad.
Detroit is clearly a bottom 3 team in this division unless someone goes insane on the scoring sheet or the goalies are lights out for 82 games or both. Yes, other teams have regressed. Toronto will miss Hyman. Tampa lost some important playoff depth to free agency. Boston has an aging core and goalie issues, but their perfection line will still do some damage. Florida has a lot of talent we just don’t have. Montreal just got a better at center (he says snidely). Even if games are closer, can you imagine that Tampa, Toronto or Boston will fall below Detroit? It’s going to be a hard climb to the top.
It would have been nice to share the division with CBJ. After multiple exoduses of players and now a coach, the Blue Jackets will be feeling the pinch. Nashville is also regressing. Arizona will be fighting the tank wars with Buffalo. Unfortunately, we won’t see a lot of those teams. Just the limited outside division matchups.
I don’t want to put a damper on the good work that’s happening. The division is just a tough one. On the plus side, it makes the team work harder. There aren’t many nights when Detroit won’t be “playing up” and working for every inch of ice. Last year’s realignment gave some teams a nice boost. Toronto is going to have a lot of work to do with the increased travel and seeing tougher teams. Edmonton may not enjoy some of the dominance they showed north of the border. Limited travel is a huge blessing as the season drags on.
My hope is that Detroit can make another step forward. The goals against per game went down from 4 to 3. Went from worst in the league to having 11 teams worse than we were. Goals for of 2.23 was 2nd worst in the league (Anaheim slightly worse). If the team can hold steady at 3 against (or drop to 2.95) and get near 2.5 goals for per game, you’re closing that gap nicely. It would take 21 extra goals (in a full season of 82 games).
Part of preparing for the season is to temper the excitement with the reality. Once the puck drops the competition is going to be tough. With a younger team and another fresh blue line, hopefully it will be better efforts night in/night out. I think Detroit will finish 2nd to last in the division. Buffalo will be the bottom, and Ottawa will do a little better. It could well be another “pick 6” for Yzerman, but he’s doing well with those so far.
In parting, here’s a quote I stumbled on from the late Alfred Hitchcock, “the game of hockey seems to combine all the best elements of ice skating, polo, and World War II”
Check out my previous posts:
Filip Hronek’s 3 year extension
Who’s your newbie?
Zadina and Kotkaniemi
Montreal got offer sheeted.
Would you experiment with the top line?
Filip Zadina is my breakout candidate this season.
Hakan Andersson pounded the table for Liam Dower Nilsson
Thoughts on preseason games
Prospect to watch - Alex Cotton
recapping the 2020 draft
Fedorov jersey retirement puck seen online
Svechnikov signs AHL deal, PTO with Jets
Nielsen is being bought out
Seider vs Nedeljkovic for Wings rookie of the year?
The 2019 draft 
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