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Detroit lost to Dallas 3-0. In reality, the split of the last two game series was a credit to a rare hat trick (Fabbri’s 2nd career) and 40 minutes of Bernier’s brilliance. No one other than Fabbri scored in those two games. Dallas is, not surprisingly, a better team right now. Pretty much every team in this division shares that status. At the beginning of the year, I thought Chicago would be Detroit’s more equal rival, certainly not the case. Although, the Hawks have started to fall off and come back down from a very good start. In this division, Nashville is the team that Detroit goes head to head with in nearly every category.
This series is split through 4 games. Lose the first, win the second has been the status quo of the first two sets. In nearly every category (except power play) these two teams are side by side. Goals for, goals against, PK, faceoffs, etc. The biggest difference is expectations. Rebuild vs eyes on the playoffs.
My hope is that we can see Detroit’s best foot forward, and another series split here. The power play has been quieter (again). Depth scoring that can add value to the approaching trade deadline is always a plus. Strong effort, and let’s see some of the kids take a step forward.
In case you missed it, changes to the draft format have been approved. Unfortunately, implementation is right around the time when it won’t matter as much to Detroit. Immediately, only the top two spots are lotto picks. Starting next year, a team can only move up 10 spots. Right there it guarantees that the last place team has a top 3 pick. Unfortunately, Buffalo seems to be trying to compete with Edmonton and New Jersey for top 2 picks again. A team can only win the lotto twice in 5 years, starting next year. So, technically, NYR could have three more top 2 picks over the next five years. New Jersey and Buffalo as well.
If it sounds a bit jaded, it is. No part of me thinks Detroit will fare any better in this lottery drawing. And, since Yzerman is actually trying to build something instead of pander to a superstar, he’s not going to try and destroy it all in 4 or 5 years. That sounds harsh, but it feels very true. Eichel and McDavid, a huge 1 and 2 pick in the draft. Franchise changing. Both have been through coaches, GMs and rosters in NBA like fashion. Are they both great players? Absolutely. But, they’re players that everyone is scared of letting down. If you know anyone who’s gone through 5+ divorces, (I know a few), eventually you get to the realization that only one person was part of every equation.
Hockey is still a team sport. When the whole locker room, front office and media are freaking out that you can’t “give” your superstar a championship, it’s upside down. Clubs don’t give players championships, players come together and earn them. Buffalo is on pace for its worst season since, you guessed it, they earned the right to draft Eichel.
Until a player buys in and sacrifices, they can’t build a team. Yzerman knows that painfully well. He was on an airplane, about to be sent to Ottawa, and the Illitch family stepped in. Bowman forced the captain to be a superb 200 ft player and give up on being a supreme scoring machine. The day that it became about the team in every single facet of playing was the day that the entire team got better. Everyone could grind. Everyone put a premium on defense. No one was above the team.
This team would love to get a top 2 pick. We all would. But how you use that player, how you get them to sacrifice matters just as much. Hall and Seguin. Seguin went to a very good Boston team and was benched during the playoffs. He was told to watch Bergeron, told to keep himself ready and go all out when his time came. Hall was given the keys to the franchise. Development still matters with a superstar.
So, as we countdown to the deadline, Detroit will have nearly 30 million in cap space. 21 teams in the league have less than 4, and more than half of those teams have less than one million in space. Colorado could make a push, because important players need raises after this year. The flat cap and expansion draft are screwing the market up. Just sit and be patient, because only so many teams will be willing to take on salary. Things, in this bizarre season, are just stalled out waiting for the first GM to get the market going.
Well, Gergeswillems, who’s going to win tonight? This guy’s picks are near gospel at this point. Let me know what you think will happen in this 2 game stretch. Enjoy it
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • 
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