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Detroit so far - 18-27-9
2 games remaining
My prediction from January - 19 wins
Current place - 27th
First round pick without lottery win - between 5 and 7 *Seattle will have a pick, possibly in the top 3. This could push Detroit back one more spot


Evgeny Svechnikov was the subject of a recent “mic’d up” video from the Red Wings. The big winger seems to have found his spot this year, and has worked hard for it. There’s another winger whose season didn’t go as he’d hoped. Veteran Bobby Ryan wants another kick at the can.

Bobby Ryan isn’t ready to hang up the skates just yet. He had a promising start on a line with Fabbri and Zadina. Unfortunately, a nagging injury ultimately sidelined the new addition to the team. A tendon on his right tricep had deteriorated and ripped off the bone. Ouch.

Hockey players are tough. If you get a chance, read Chris Chelios’s biography. He’s missing an ACL and MCL tendon. He didn’t notice, as his quads were strong enough to “carry the load” as it were. He found out inadvertently after some x rays. If you remember Datsyuk’s foot surgery several years back, he’d had tendons deteriorate as well. The guys are powering through some pretty intense damage. For Ryan, his injury reminds me a little of Steven Stamkos’s shoulder issue. Stamkos’s windup and hard shot just destroyed muscles/tendons over years of repetition. For Ryan, who also had an impressive shot, that same repetitive motion may have led to the issue.

I have no problem bringing Ryan back into the fold. We do have young guys trying to find their way, but some of them still need reps and minutes in Grand Rapids. Ryan brought something special along with Fabbri and Zadina. That line was a lot of fun to watch early in the year. Ryan has been through an impressive amount for any human being to endure. The fact that he can still smile through it is a credit to his character.

Detroit’s is kind of on the flip side of where things were 10 years ago. It had been a room full of veterans with young guys trying to break into the roster. Now it’s a much younger group, and the veterans have a different job. Showing the young guys how to be every day NHLers. There may be several players on the move as it is. It’s also nice to have a right shot in the mix.

So, where are you at? Give Ryan another one year deal? How do you see the roles of some of the veterans as the team gets younger? Let me know in the comments.


Check out my previous blogs:

Svechnikov Mic’d up

The Final Stretch

Wings vs lightning post game

Wings vs Lightning Pregame

Detroit vs Carolina Post game

Detroit vs Carolina pre game

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