If you look at the pregame over on game center, the stat hits you in the gut. The last ten games for Detroit - 2-7-1 with the team on a 6 game losing streak and needing to leapfrog four teams to get to a wild card. Buffalo is 3-6-1 and for all intents and purposes is about to miss the post season again. Detroit, unless something changes, will be answering the same questions as we find out who is getting surgery the day after the season ends.
Both teams are in the midst of frustrating historic runs (think washing down White Castle with a fleet kit) in the wrong direction. This isn’t “bashing” (settle down Optimus), it’s the reality of Detroit building in a division with Tampa, Florida, Toronto, Ottawa and Boston. For Buffalo, the Pegula’s have shown a lot of passion and invested a lot of capitol. Jack Eichel felt like the signal of a new era. Dahlin felt like the signal of a new era (you can find recent quotes where he’s not happy with the chiclets crew for trade request rumors).
Both teams also have passionate fan bases. It’s at this point in life I regret teasing Lions and Cubs fans growing up. The grapes are sour still for Brett Hull’s cup clincher in 1999 (got read the riot act on that one), and for Detroit fans 2009 churns painfully. The last stretch of the regular season is fascinating for several reasons. First, teams on the cusp want to get in. The tempers get short, the pressers get heated and the scoreboard watching causes a migraine. Second, players are playing for jobs. Even on a non contending team, if someone is about to hit the UFA market, they can go on a tear. We saw Raymond likely add 1.5-2m to his deal in his last month of play.
In the blogosphere, especially during this rebuild, sometimes there just isn’t much to say. There are a few of you that duke it out with stats in the comments (again, good passionate fans), there are the “you’re not a fan if you make any criticism”, and there are the “you’re too much of a fan if you don’t make enough criticism”. The reality is that the team writes its story. So far it was, horrible start, incredible boost with new coach, team fell apart after 4 nations (and yes I think Larkin got hurt in the tournament). It will be the team that decides how the conversations flow this summer. Either they fell short, fell way short, or turned it around and got in. Right now, it’s safe to say that a lot of the most exciting news for this club is across the ocean.
Ansar Khan wrote a piece on Monday that showed Axel Sandin-Pellikka now holds the record for most single season goals by a teenage SHL defenseman (12) and most career goals for a teenage SHL defenseman (24). It’s hard to believe he’s only 19 with as much as his name has popped up. ASP wanted another crack at a league championship, has made some league history in his home nation, and been a standout performer on the world stage. Of course, we want him here.
It is hard to fault someone for wanting to set the types of records that ASP has seen, or to have another shot at winning a championship. After talking to collegiate and junior players, those matter way more than I realized. The goal was always, in my mind, get to the big show. Well, in Yzerman’s eyes the right shot Dman has punched his ticket for a look depending on when his team’s season ends. It’s hard to imagine that at 20 he won’t be playing in North America. His skating is fantastic and his shot selections run fairly deep.
For the time being, two teams who have dealt with disappointment will hit the ice. One trying to stop a 6 game skid, one trying to give a strong showing to build on for next year. Let me know your thoughts on what you expect to see and what lineup tweaks could help at this point. Rasmussen is not the same player after the head injury. Most of the league is banged up from one of the toughest seasons in sports. Tonight someone is going to dig deep and find a way.
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • 
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